Quality-Based Charging for Voice Communications in Wireless Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current billing systems in wireless telecommunication networks primarily charge based on voice communication time without considering the quality of service, leading to inefficiencies in resource usage and customer experience.
Innovation Solution
A method and network element that monitor and classify speech frames by quality (good, degraded, bad) to generate charging data records, allowing for billing based on speaking usage and quality, optimizing network resources and reducing interference and power consumption by using discontinuous transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If billing is based on voice communication time without considering quality, then billing simplicity is maintained, but customer experience and resource usage efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the billing system by dividing voice communication into different quality levels (good, degraded, bad) based on speech frame quality. This segmentation allows the system to charge differently for different quality levels, thereby improving customer experience and resource efficiency while maintaining a relatively simple billing structure through automated quality assessment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the billing system receives quality information from the network and adjusts charging accordingly. The system monitors speech frame quality, provides feedback on quality levels, and uses this feedback to determine appropriate charges, creating a closed-loop system that balances simplicity with quality-based differentiation.
2Reliability
If continuous transmission is used to ensure voice quality, then voice quality is maintained, but power consumption and interference increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action through discontinuous transmission, where voice data is transmitted in periodic frames rather than continuously. The system sends speech frames at regular intervals and uses quality assessment to determine whether transmission should continue, pause, or reduce intensity, thereby maintaining voice quality while reducing power consumption and interference during low-activity periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic transmission by adjusting transmission characteristics based on real-time quality assessment. The system dynamically switches between different transmission modes (continuous, discontinuous, or paused) based on speech activity detection and quality metrics, optimizing the balance between voice quality and power consumption throughout the communication session.
3Use of energy by moving object
If discontinuous transmission is used to reduce power consumption, then power efficiency improves, but voice quality may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses feedback mechanisms where the quality of received speech frames is continuously monitored and fed back to the billing and control system. This feedback allows the system to detect quality degradation caused by discontinuous transmission and adjust transmission parameters or apply compensation techniques to maintain acceptable voice quality while preserving power efficiency benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes transmission parameters dynamically based on quality assessment. When discontinuous transmission is detected to cause quality issues, the system adjusts parameters such as frame rate, error correction levels, or interpolation techniques to compensate for gaps in transmission, thereby maintaining voice quality while preserving the power efficiency advantages of discontinuous operation.
4Device complexity
If all voice communications are charged at the same rate, then billing complexity is minimized, but resource optimization and customer satisfaction deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments voice communications into different quality categories (good, degraded, bad) and applies different charging rates to each segment. This segmentation enables resource optimization by charging higher rates for low-quality transmissions that consume more network resources and lower rates for high-quality transmissions, while maintaining manageable billing complexity through automated quality-based classification.
Data Source
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AI summary
For charging a voice communication established by a communication device (CD) with a communication entity within a wireless telecommunications network (TN) via a base station (BTS), a network element included in the telecommunications network receives a message from the base station (BTS), the message containing information about the number and the quality of speech frames identified by the base station from traffic frames sent by the communication device using a discontinuous transmission, generates a file of charging data record containing speaking usage durations associated with different voice qualities deduced from the number and the quality of speech frames, and sends the file to a charging server (CS) in order to charge the voice communication.