Point-to-Multipoint Service Accounting via Subscriber Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile communication networks lack a method for secure and accurate accounting of individual users and service providers for point-to-multipoint services, such as multicast and broadcast, which hinders proper billing and charging mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A method where a PTM service managing entity in the network receives requests from subscribers, stores their identification with the desired service, enables access, and provides accounting information to an accounting entity, allowing for individual billing or payment based on the number of subscribers, with tariffs adjusting according to the service's popularity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If point-to-multipoint services (multicast and broadcast) are introduced to enable efficient data transmission to multiple users, then network efficiency and service coverage are improved, but the ability to perform accurate individual accounting and billing for subscribers is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the accounting process by introducing a dedicated accounting entity that separately tracks and records service usage for each subscriber. This segmentation enables individual accounting records to be maintained for each user accessing PTM services, allowing precise measurement of service consumption while maintaining efficient multicast/broadcast transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary accounting entity that acts as a mediator between the PTM service transmission system and the billing system. This intermediary receives service request information, identifies subscribers, and generates accounting records, thereby enabling accurate billing without interfering with the efficiency of the underlying PTM transmission mechanism.
2Ease of operation
If traditional unidirectional PTM transmission is used to simplify service delivery, then ease of operation is improved, but the capability to collect charging information and perform secure billing is deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by collecting accounting information at the point of service request, before the actual service delivery occurs. The accounting entity records subscriber identification and service details in advance, ensuring that billing data is captured securely at the source without requiring changes to the simple unidirectional transmission mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The accounting entity serves as an intermediary that securely handles billing information collection. It receives service request data, performs subscriber identification, and generates accounting records, thereby providing a secure billing layer that operates independently from the simple unidirectional PTM transmission system.
3Measurement precision
If subscriber identification is stored in association with PTM service identification to enable individual accounting, then accounting accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the accounting function from the main PTM service management system and places it in a separate, dedicated accounting entity. This extraction isolates the complexity of subscriber identification and association management into a specialized component, allowing the core PTM transmission system to remain simple while still achieving accurate individual accounting.
Solution Approach 2:
The accounting entity is designed as a universal component that handles multiple functions: receiving service requests, identifying subscribers, storing associations between subscriber and service IDs, generating accounting records, and providing information to billing systems. This multi-functionality consolidates complexity into a single versatile entity rather than分散 across multiple systems.
Data Source
AI summary
The present application relates to a method for managing point-to-multi-point services in a mobile communication network, comprising: receiving from a mobile station a request for accessing a point-to-multipoint service, storing a subscriber identification in association with a point-to-multipoint service identification, performing an access enabling procedure, and providing accounting information to an accounting entity of the mobile communication network, where said accounting information identifies the subscriber who placed the request together with the point-to-multipoint service for which access was requested.