Real-Time Telephone Fee Display via Network-Controlled Charging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for displaying cost information on terminal devices in real time suffer from low security and accuracy due to reliance on the terminal device for charging calculations, leading to frequent errors and lack of flexibility in rate adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A method where a Service Control Point in an intelligent network calculates and transmits cost information in real time to a Service Switching Point, which then forwards it to the terminal device, allowing network-controlled charging and display, ensuring security, accuracy, and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the terminal device performs charging calculations locally using saved charging information, then the charging process can be executed independently, but the security level is low and the charging accuracy frequently errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network element (charging server or network controller) as an intermediary to perform the charging calculations. The terminal device no longer calculates charges locally but receives charging results from the network element, which acts as a trusted mediator ensuring both accuracy and security of the charging process.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging calculation function is extracted from the terminal device and relocated to the network element. This separation allows the terminal to maintain operational independence while the network element handles the sensitive charging calculations with higher security and accuracy guarantees.
2Productivity
If the charging rate is saved in the terminal device, then the terminal can perform charging calculations, but the rate information may be easily manipulated and security is low
Solution Approach 1:
The network element serves as a secure intermediary that stores and manages charging rate information. Instead of the terminal device storing and potentially manipulating rate information, the network element securely maintains the rate data and provides it to the terminal for calculation purposes, ensuring rate information security.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensitive charging rate information is extracted from the terminal device and stored in the network element. This extraction eliminates the security vulnerability of local rate storage while maintaining the terminal's ability to perform charging-related operations.
3Ease of operation
If the charging rate is configured on the terminal device, then the terminal can use the rate for calculations, but the rate maintenance process is complicated and lacks flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The network element acts as an intermediary that manages charging rate configurations centrally. The terminal device simply receives rate information from the network element without needing to maintain or update rates locally, significantly simplifying the terminal's operation while maintaining rate usage capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The network element provides a universal service of rate management to multiple terminal devices. Instead of each terminal maintaining its own rates (complex and inflexible), the network element centrally manages rates for all terminals, enabling flexible updates and simplified terminal operations.
4Productivity
If the charging rate is issued to the terminal device only when the call begins, then the terminal receives rate information, but the terminal cannot provide flexible rates concerning various preferential charging policies
Solution Approach 1:
The charging rate information becomes dynamic rather than static. The network element can issue different rates at different times based on call duration, call type, and preferential policies. Rates are no longer fixed at call start but can be adjusted dynamically during the call based on various conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The network element as an intermediary has the capability to determine and issue appropriate charging rates based on multiple factors including preferential policies. This centralized determination enables flexible rate adjustments that the terminal device alone cannot provide.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The present invention provides a method for displaying cost information on a terminal device at realtime, including: calculating cost at realtime during a call by a network side, and transmitting obtained cost information to the terminal device; displaying the cost information by the terminal device after receiving the cost information. According to the present invention, the rate is totally under the control of the network, which guarantees the security of the charging process; in addition, the network performs charging in a centralized manner, which eliminates errors resulting from the terminal device and thus achieves an accurate charging process; furthermore, the rate is totally under the control of the network, and the rate can be adjusted flexibly based on the call duration, hence the present invention provides considerable flexibility.