Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
  • H04M15/88—Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
  • H04M15/28—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP with meter at substation or with calculation of charges at terminal
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W4/00—Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
  • H04W4/24—Accounting or billing
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/01—Details of billing arrangements
  • H04M2215/0116—Provision for limiting expenditure, e.g. limit on call expenses or account
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/20—Technology dependant metering
  • H04M2215/2026—Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/32—Involving wireless systems

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method for providing tariff information to a user in a communication network, the method comprising a downloading of the tariff information from the communication network to the user.
• the present invention also relates to a system comprising one of more base stations and one or more mobile stations for mutual communication between the stations, and means for downloading tariff information from the base station to the mobile station, and to a mobile station and base station for application in the system.
• EP-A-0 647 055 particularly disclosing a cellular telephone billing management system.
• the known system is capable of downloading and displaying at the user location cumulative billing information during a call set up-period signalling period, so that the user knows how high the costs are that he can expect at the end of a billing period. Also billing information for a current call can be displayed. The user can be provided with billing information about past and current costs, which information is being downloaded during the setting up of the actual call.
• the present invention aims at extending the billing features of the known method and system for opening possibilities for achieving a reduction of telephone costs at the side of the user.
• the method according to the present invention is characterised in that the downloading of the tariff information takes place before the making of a regular call by the user.
• the system and mobile station according to the invention are characterised in that they are provided with means for calling a tariff service, which tariff calling means are activated prior to a making of a regular call by the user.
• the base station according to the invention is characterised in that it is provided with means for providing tariff information, which tariff information providing means are activated prior to a making of a regular call by the user.
• the downloading of the tariff information takes place during a session wherein a service number is being called, which calling is, either or not initiated by the user. If not initiated by the user the calling of the service number can be advantageously be automated so that it may take place in the background.
• the downloading of billing information is activated only if at least the identity of the user is known to the provider of the billing service, which will be the network provider, network manager or network administrator.
• the downloaded information can in a further embodiment of the method and system according to the invention be used to update billing information, which may be present in a table in a memory in a mobile station or communication device, such as a mobile telephone.
• the system in particular the mobile station, comprises selection means, so that the user may select his preferred network manager or network administrator, which may be chosen to be the cheapest for that particular phone call and/or for that time of the day or week, in order to cope with his preference.
• Fig. 1 shows a schematically illustrated embodiment of the system according to the invention
• Fig. 2 shows a possible format of a tariff information request for application in the method according to the invention.
• Fig. 1 shows a system 1 comprising one or more base stations 2-1, 2-2 and mobile stations 3-1, 3-2, and 3-3. These stations 2 and 3 are capable of communicating with one another either through the air, satellites and/or cables. The whole forms a communication network with network providers, and network managers or network administrators commercially exploiting the network or parts thereof.
• Fig. 1 The system 1 in Fig. 1 is shown to have cells 4-1, 4-2, wherein respective base stations 2-1, 2-2 are capable to communicate with mobile stations present therein. Both base station and mobile station have mutually communicating downloading means 5 comprising the tariff providing means and tariff calling means 6 respectively.
• a contact is made between the mobile station, in this case 3-1, and the base station, in this case 2-1.
• the tariff calling means 6 start, either automatically or imtiated by the user a session to send a request to the downloading means 6 to perform a tariff service in order to provide adequate information about a current tariff for local telephone calls.
• a possible format of such a request is shown in Fig. 2.
• Fig. 2 shows information fields referenced by A, B, and C.
• A is an information field, which identifies the type of request
• B contains user identification information
• C contains information about future calls which can be made, such as local, international, time or specific telephone number etcetera.
• a user identification is usually sufficient for the base station 2-1 to establish who made the request, so that the costs for the tariff service can be charged to the user. If the user wants more detailed tariff information he can prepare and send a request from the tariff calling means 6 to the downloading means of the tariff service asking for e.g. the costs of the making of a telephone call to a number, which may be specified as
• the downloading means 5 in the base station 2-1 provide the wanted tariff information to the mobile station 3-1.
• the mobile station comprises a display means 7, such as a LCD screen, displaying the wanted tariff information.
• the downloaded information can be used to update a memory or table 8 to contain updated tariff information for possible future use.
• processors such as microprocessors identified with 9 and 10, in the stations 2-1 and 3-1 respectively control the commonly known set up of a telephone connection in the communication system 1.
• the microprocessors 9 and 10 if properly programmed provide a menu driven tariff information service to enable the user to have the disposal of tariff information about future calls to be made.
• the system 1 contains selection means 11 to input the choice, usually comprising keys, or a keyboard.

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=8235429

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Cited By (2)

Families Citing this family (3)

Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (1)

• 1999
  • 1999-06-17 WO PCT/IB1999/001135 patent/WO2000002373A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1999-06-17 EP EP99923818A patent/EP1042906A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1999-06-17 KR KR1020007002242A patent/KR20010023594A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1999-06-17 CN CN998015393A patent/CN1292970A/zh active Pending
  • 1999-06-17 JP JP2000558656A patent/JP2002520913A/ja active Pending

Patent Citations (6)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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