Device and method for controlling charging in a mobile communication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10560818-B2
Application number	US-201514622356-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2015
Priority date	Jan 28, 2011
Publication date	Feb 11, 2020
Grant date	Feb 11, 2020

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method, packet data network gateway (PGW), and server in a mobile communication system and device for controlling charging in a mobile communication system. The method by a PGW in a mobile communication system includes identifying data usage information associated with a specific service for a terminal, determining whether the data usage information satisfies a predetermined condition, and transmitting a notification message including the data usage information if the data usage information satisfies the predetermined condition, to a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) entity. The data usage information is used to display a message in the terminal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method by a packet data network gateway (PGW) in a mobile communication system, the method comprising:
identifying a charging rule configured by a sponsor coupon exchanged between a service provider and a network operator for supporting a sponsor service, wherein the sponsor coupon is used for the network operator to charge the service provider for the sponsor service;
identifying data usage information associated with the sponsor service for a terminal based on the charging rule;
determining whether the data usage information reaches a threshold based on a usage data record of the sponsor coupon, the data usage information including at least one of usage amount of sponsored data according to the sponsor service, remaining amount of the sponsored data, usage time of the sponsored data, or remaining time of the sponsored data;
generating a notification message including the data usage information if the data usage information reaches the threshold; and
transmitting the notification message to a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) entity.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sponsor service corresponds to a sponsor identification (ID) associated with the service provider.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
charging the service provider for the sponsor service based on the sponsor ID.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data usage information is transmitted to the terminal from the PCRF entity via a server.

5. A method by a server in a mobile communication system, the method comprising:
receiving an event notification message including data usage information associated with a sponsor service for a terminal, from a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) entity, the data usage information including at least one of usage amount of sponsored data according to the sponsor service, remaining amount of the sponsored data, usage time of the sponsored data, or remaining time of the sponsored data;
generating an alert message including the data usage information; and
transmitting the alert message to the terminal,
wherein a notification message including the data usage information is transmitted from a packet data network gateway (PGW) to the PCRF in response to the PGW determining that data usage reaches a threshold based on a sponsor coupon, wherein the sponsor coupon is used for an operator to charge a service provider for the sponsor service, and
wherein the event notification message is transmitted from the PCRF to the server in response to the PCRF receiving the notification message.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the sponsor service corresponds to a sponsor identification (ID) associated with the service provider.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the sponsor ID is used for a packet data network gateway (PGW) to charge the service provider for the sponsor service.

8. A packet data network gateway (PGW) in a mobile communication system, the PGW comprising:
a transceiver for transmitting and receiving a signal; and
at least one processor configured to:
identify a charging rule configured by a sponsor coupon exchanged between a service provider and a network operator for supporting a sponsor service, wherein the sponsor coupon is used for the network operator to charge the service provider for the sponsor service,
identify data usage information associated with the sponsor service for a terminal,
determine whether the data usage information reaches a threshold, based on a usage data record of the sponsor coupon, the data usage information including at least one of usage amount of sponsored data according to the sponsor service, remaining amount of the sponsored data, usage time of the sponsored data, or remaining time of the sponsored data,
generate a notification message including the data usage information if the data usage information reaches the threshold, and
transmit the notification message to a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) entity.

9. The PGW of claim 8 , wherein the sponsor service corresponds to a sponsor identification (ID) associated with the service provider.

10. The PGW of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to charge the service provider for the sponsor service based on the sponsor ID.

11. The PGW of claim 8 , wherein the data usage information is transmitted to the terminal from the PCRF entity via a server.

12. A server in a mobile communication system, the server comprising:
a transceiver for transmitting and receiving a signal; and
at least one processor configured to:
receive an event notification message including data usage information associated with a sponsor service for a terminal, from a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) entity, the data usage information including at least one of usage amount of sponsored data according to the sponsor service, remaining amount of the sponsored data, usage time of the sponsored data, or remaining time of the sponsored data,
generate an alert message including the data usage information, and
transmit the alert message to the terminal,

wherein a notification message including the data usage information is transmitted from a packet data network gateway (PGW) to the PCRF in response to the PGW determining that data usage reaches a threshold based on a sponsor coupon, wherein the sponsor coupon is used for an operator to charge a service provider for the sponsor service, and
wherein the event notification message is transmitted from the PCRF to the server in response to the PCRF receiving the notification message.

13. The server of claim 12 , wherein the sponsor service corresponds to a sponsor identification (ID) associated with the service provider.

14. The server of claim 13 , wherein the sponsor ID is used for a packet data network gateway (PGW) to charge the service provider for the sponsor service.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Cho Song Yean
• Lee Ji Cheol
• Choi Sung Ho
• Park Joon Ho
• Kim Kill Yeon
• Kweon Ki Suk

Classifications

• H04M15/59

  based on real time · CPC title

• H04M15/09

  Third party charged communications · CPC title

• H04M15/08

  Metering calls to called party {, i.e. B-party charged for the communication} · CPC title

• H04L12/14

  Charging, metering or billing arrangements specially adapted for data communications, e.g. authentication, authorisation and accounting [AAA] framework · CPC title

• H04M15/51

  for resellers, retailers or service providers · CPC title