KR100401256B1 - An authentication procedure and local billing method for internet - Google Patents

Abstract

The local billing collection method and user authentication method therefor in the Internet of the present invention, for billing processing of content providers widely distributed in the wired and wireless Internet by region regardless of access through various communication systems The present invention relates to a billing processing method for collecting and processing billing information by a billing collection device located at and a user authentication method therefor. To this end, the present invention provides a method for collecting local billing on the Internet, which includes users of various types of Internet access, an Internet information provider, and a remote billing server, each of which is located at a plurality of geographical locations in the Internet network. Separated from and characterized in that the front end of each Internet information provider collects the billing information through the interworking with the billing server of the remote location and transmits the collected billing information to the billing server of the remote location.

Description

Local billing collection method on the Internet and user authentication method for it {AN AUTHENTICATION PROCEDURE AND LOCAL BILLING METHOD FOR INTERNET}

The present invention relates to a method for collecting local billing on the Internet and a user authentication method therefor. More particularly, the present invention relates to various communication systems for billing processing of content providers widely distributed in wired and wireless Internet. A billing processing method for collecting and processing billing information by a billing device separate from the information provider located in each region regardless of access through the computer, a user authentication method therefor, and a program for executing the program can be read by a computer. To a recording medium.

In the Internet network, various systems are provided according to the user's connection method in the existing wired center. In addition, there is a development from a free-oriented information service to a paid information service. In the related art, billing is performed depending on a user's access method or depending on an independent billing system of an information provider. However, these conventional methods have been difficult in terms of billing system maintenance and efficient billing because of the bottleneck of billing collection because they must go through a specific system.

In addition, the conventional method in which the billing process is performed by a centralized system of a network provider that relies on a billing system for each information provider or provides a network is not suitable for a structure that is increasingly complicated by the development of the Internet. That's the way. The information provider had to manage a large number of users separately, and if the carrier's centralized method was used, all traffic had to go through the billing processing system.

Meanwhile, various methods of charging through the Internet are disclosed. As an example, Korean Patent Application No. 2001-00788 discloses a method for charging paid content through the Internet for allowing a user to select a payment method according to the provided content. In the above method, a supplier can reasonably classify contents using a paid content system through the Internet, and a user can select a usage fee payment method for each classified content using a user computer equipped with a web browser. It is to make effective use of the opportunity of selecting paid content. However, the above-described method is a charge processing method focused on paid content providers, and thus, the above-described problem cannot be solved, and there is a difficulty in efficient charging collection due to the bottleneck of charging collection. In terms of difficulties.

In addition, as another example, Korean Patent Application No. 1999-56683 discloses a method for providing a built-in web infoshop service that can improve system performance and reduce system construction cost by integrating a web infoshop service system having a server structure in an internet matching device. In Korean Patent Application No. 1997-59847, an alternative billing service is provided for a Euro information provider to allow a web infoshop service system to perform an alternative authentication to a user and to perform a task such as calculating a bill, issuing a bill, and recovering a fee. The alternative authentication and billing method of the web infoshop service system that enables billing for each directory in addition to the Internet address and time billing other than data amount is disclosed. However, the above two methods also target only the web infoshop service of the paid information provider for wired Internet users, and both of them cannot solve the above problems as a centralized charging processing method.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems and collects the charges and transmits the charges to the billing server through a separate billing device separate from the Internet information provider or mobile communication service provider and the Internet information provider The purpose of the present invention is to provide a computer readable recording medium recording a program for executing the local charging method and a user authentication method for collecting the local charging regardless of the charging method of the Internet and to execute the method.

1 is a block diagram of a wired and wireless Internet service network to which the present invention is applied.

2 is a flow chart of the billing collection process to which the present invention is applied.

3 is a message flow diagram when a user is not authenticated / registered according to the present invention.

4 is a message flow diagram when the user is not authenticated according to the present invention.

5 is a message flow diagram when the user is authenticated and registered according to the present invention.

Figure 6 is an embodiment of the temporary user information table configuration in the billing process according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

101: billing device 102: Internet information provider

103: remote authentication / billing server 201: user

203: User Database 205: Temporary User Information Table

In order to achieve the above object, in the local billing collection method on the Internet comprising a user of the Internet connection in various ways, an Internet information provider, and a remote billing server,

It is separated from each Internet information provider located geographically in a plurality of places in the Internet network and collects the billing information by interworking with the billing server of the remote site in front of the respective Internet information providers, and collects the collected billing information into the remote site. It characterized in that the transmission to the billing server.

In addition, to achieve the above object, the present invention is separated from a user using an Internet service, an Internet information provider providing an Internet service, a remote authentication / billing server that processes authentication and billing, and the Internet information provider. In the user authentication method for collecting local billing on the Internet to exchange the Internet information connected to the billing device is installed in the front end and has a temporary user information table for storing the latest user information,

A first step of the user requesting the billing device to provide information of an Internet information provider;

A second step of retrieving user information from the temporary user information table according to the request;

Performing authentication of the user when the temporary user information table search result user information is present;

A fourth step of searching for the user information by requesting user information from the remote authentication / billing server if there is no user information as a result of the search of the temporary user information table; And

If there is no user information in the search result of the fourth step, the result is transmitted to the user, and the user information is registered in the remote authentication / billing server and the temporary user information table, and authentication is performed. And if the user information exists, registering the user information in the temporary user information table and then performing authentication.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a processor, a user using an Internet service, an Internet information provider for providing an Internet service, a remote authentication / billing server for processing authentication and billing, and the Internet information. In the user authentication system for collecting local bills on the Internet that exchanges Internet information by connecting a billing device equipped with a temporary user information table which is installed at the front end and stores the latest user information.

A first function of requesting, by the user, the billing device to provide information of an Internet information provider;

The charging collecting device has a second function of retrieving user information from the temporary user information table according to the request;

A third function of authenticating the user if the temporary user information table search result user information is present;

A fourth function of requesting user information from the remote authentication / billing server and retrieving the user information if there is no user information as a result of the search in the temporary user information table;

If there is no search result user information in the fourth function, the result is transmitted to the user, the user information is registered in the remote authentication / billing server and the temporary user information table, and authentication is performed. If the user information is found as a result of the search, a computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing a fifth function for performing authentication after registering the user information in the temporary user information table is provided.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail the present invention.

1 is a block diagram of a wired and wireless Internet service network to which the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, the Internet service network to which the present invention is applied includes a bill collecting device 101 (MF Router), an Internet information provider 102 (CP), a billing server 103 (Billing Server), Satellite Internet users 104, Internet users 105 using wireless terminals, Internet users 106 subscribed to ADSL, local area network (LAN) users 107, public switched telephone networks (PSTN) An Internet user 108 via a modem connection, a mass information processing device 110 (AICPS) for connecting the Internet user 109 and 108, 109 via an ISDN terminal, is connected.

Here, the various subscribers 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, the bill collecting device 101, the internet information provider 102, and the billing server 103 exchange the contents of a separately defined message format and give data for subscriber information, service, billing, etc. Receive.

Instead of performing the collection and processing of the generated charges directly from the Internet information provider or the mobile communication service provider 102, a separate charging collecting device 101 is installed separately from the Internet information provider or the mobile communication service provider 102 and installed at the front end. By collecting the generated charges and transmitting them to the billing server 103, it is possible to reduce the bottleneck of the above-mentioned charge collection and efficiently perform the charge collection regardless of the Internet connection of various methods. It may also have a basic communication mechanism for billing collection and billing, alternative authentication in a manner that does not depend on the Internet information provider 102 and a particular mobile carrier.

On the other hand, supplementing other functions to the charging collector 101 further reduces the need for network operators, Internet information providers, and users to build their own charging and security systems, and is located in front of the Internet information provider. It may be equipped with additional security functions.

Figure 2 is a flow chart showing the charge collection and authentication process to which the present invention is applied, and preferably shows the operation flow of the above-mentioned charge collecting device. Referring to FIG. 2, it is checked whether the user authentication 207 is performed with respect to a connection request of the user 201 in various forms of internet access. In this case, in order to confirm whether the user is authenticated, the user determines the basic information and authentication details of the user stored in the temporary user information table 205 after searching. If the user information does not exist in the user information table, the information is retrieved from the user database 203 of the remote authentication / billing server 202 via the network and stored in the temporary user information table 205. In this case, the user information of the temporary user information table 205 is automatically deleted when not connected even after a predetermined time. The user who has not been authenticated or registered is received and stored in the temporary user table 205 through the predetermined base screen 204 and registered in the remote authentication / billing server 202 later. If the user is an authenticated user, the Internet information provider 206 transmits the screen / data desired by the user, and the user uses it. Here, the user authentication 207, the display of the basic screen 204 for the authentication, and the temporary user information table 205 can be implemented in one device, preferably implemented in a device for billing collection. The device is separated from a plurality of information providers distributed by region to process billing collection and authentication in front of each information provider.

Hereinafter will be described a user authentication process using the billing device.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a message when the user is not authenticated / registered according to the present invention, and the user 301, the charging collector 302, the remote charging server 303, and the Internet according to the present invention. The message flow is shown when the authentication and registration of the user 301 is not performed between the information providers 304.

In response to a request for the Internet information provider 304 of the Internet access user 301 in various manners (S1), the charging collecting device 302 retrieves user information through the temporary user information table 305 which it has. (S2) If there is no user information as a result of the search (S3), the user information is found on the remote authentication / billing server 306 (S4, S5). In this case, if there is no user information in the remote authentication / billing server 306 (S6), since the information of the corresponding user is not registered, the predetermined guide information and registration form 307 is transmitted to the user (S7). . When the user 301 registers in the temporary user information table 305 of the remote authentication / billing server 303 and the billing collection device 302 with his information (S8), the user responds to the registration. Receive (S9, S10) and use the desired information (S11). In this case, the response is updated and stored in the temporary user information table 305. The user information stored in the temporary user information table 205 is automatically deleted when not connected even after a certain time.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a message when the user is not authenticated according to the present invention. The user 401, the charging collecting device 402, the remote charging server 403, and the Internet information provider according to the present invention are shown in FIG. 404) shows a message flow when a user is registered but not authenticated.

In response to the request for the Internet information provider 404 of the Internet access user 401 in various manners (S12), the billing collection device 402 searches through the temporary user information table 405 which it has (S13). If there is no search result (S14), the user information is requested to the remote authentication / billing server 406 (S15). The requested user information is found in the user database 406 of the remote authentication / billing server 406 (S16). In this case, since the user 401 is already registered, when the user 401 requests user information for connection with the information provider 404 (S17), the user 401 transmits his / her user information to a remote location for authentication / billing. It passes to the server 403 (S18), which is stored in the user database 406. Thus, user authentication is made (S19) and the result is transmitted to the user 401 (S20). Therefore, the user 401 registers the user information of the remote authentication / billing server 403 in the temporary user information table 405 of the charging collecting device 402 and uses the desired information (S22). In this case, the charging collecting device 402 updates the user information and stores it in the temporary user information table 405 (S21).

5 is a message flow chart when the user is authenticated and registered in accordance with the present invention. The user 501, the charging collecting device 502, the remote charging server 503, and the Internet information provider 504 according to the present invention. The message flow is shown when the user is registered and authenticated.

In response to a request for the Internet information provider 504 of the Internet access user 501 of various methods (S23), the charging collecting device 502 searches for the user information through the temporary user information table 305 which it has. If there is (S24) user information (S25), since registration and authentication are both performed, desired information is used (S26).

6 is a configuration table according to an embodiment of a temporary user information table in the accounting collection device of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, the temporary user information table according to the present invention stores user information and usage histories. It is updated according to the user's access and use and is automatically deleted if not connected for a certain period of time.

The contents and characteristics stored in the temporary user information table, and the number thereof are changed according to an embodiment of the present invention, and it is possible to change, add, delete, etc. to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. something to do.

The disclosure in the detailed description and drawings of the present invention is a preferred example for describing the present invention and does not limit the scope of the present invention. In addition, the above description may be variously modified if the concept of the present invention is understood.

Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description.

As described above, according to the present invention, billing can be performed regardless of various types of Internet access, and it is possible to perform locally distributed billing collection by escaping from the existing centralized billing collection method in an increasing paid Internet service. Can be.

In addition, the billing device can also differentiate the performance according to the size of the Internet information provider, and the billing server can be distributed according to the local network configuration.

In addition, there is an effect that provides a universality that is not independent of the network operator, the user's system configuration and the connection environment.

Claims (12)

In a method of collecting local billing on the Internet, including various types of Internet access users, Internet information providers, and remote billing servers, It is separated from each Internet information provider located geographically in a plurality of places in the Internet network and collects the billing information by interworking with the billing server of the remote site in front of the respective Internet information providers, and collects the collected billing information into the remote site. Local billing collection method on the Internet, characterized in that the transmission to the billing server. The method of claim 1, User authentication for collecting the billing area billing method on the Internet, characterized in that made by searching the temporary user information table that temporarily stores the latest user information. The method of claim 2, And the user information stored in the temporary user information table is deleted if there is no user access until a predetermined time elapses. The method of claim 2, In the case of a user for which the user information is not stored, the remote authentication / billing server searches for this and checks whether the user is authenticated. The method of claim 1, User accounting for the billing collection is local billing collection method on the Internet, characterized in that made in conjunction with the remote billing server. The method of claim 5, wherein the user authentication, Receives a request for information from a user, retrieves user information stored therein, and transmits the authentication to the user. If there is no user information as a result of the search, the user requests the remote billing server to transmit the user's authentication to the user. Method of collecting local bills on the Internet, characterized in that made. A temporary user who is installed in front of the user and separates from the user using the Internet service, the Internet information provider providing the Internet service, a remote authentication / billing server that handles authentication and billing, and the Internet information provider. In the user authentication method for collecting local billing on the Internet to exchange the Internet information connected to the billing collection device having an information table, A first step of the user requesting the bill collecting device to provide information of an Internet information provider; A second step of retrieving user information from the temporary user information table according to the request; Performing authentication of the user when the temporary user information table search result user information is present; A fourth step of searching for the user information by requesting user information from the remote authentication / billing server if there is no user information as a result of the search of the temporary user information table; And If there is no user information in the search result of the fourth step, the result is transmitted to the user, and the user information is registered in the remote authentication / billing server and the temporary user information table, and authentication is performed. And a fifth step of performing authentication after registering the user information in the temporary user information table if there is user information. The method of claim 7, wherein the fifth step, Searching the remote authentication / billing server and transmitting the result to the billing device if the user information is not present; And The billing collection device further comprises the step of transmitting the result to the user authentication method for local billing collection on the Internet. The method of claim 7, wherein And the user information stored in the temporary user information table is deleted if there is no user access until a predetermined time elapses. The method of claim 7, wherein the temporary user information table, Local billing collection method on the Internet, characterized in that for updating and storing the latest user information. The method of claim 10, The stored user information is a local billing collection method on the Internet, characterized in that the basic information of the user, authentication details and usage history. It is provided with a processor and is separated from a user using an Internet service, an Internet information provider providing an Internet service, a remote authentication / billing server that handles authentication and billing, and the Internet information provider, and is installed in a front-end. In the user authentication system for collecting local billing on the Internet to exchange the Internet information is connected to a billing device having a temporary user information table for storing the information, A first function of requesting, by the user, the billing device to provide information of an Internet information provider; The charging collecting device has a second function of retrieving user information from the temporary user information table according to the request; A third function of authenticating the user if the temporary user information table search result user information is present; A fourth function of requesting user information from the remote authentication / billing server and retrieving the user information if there is no user information as a result of the search in the temporary user information table; And If there is no search result user information in the fourth function, the result is transmitted to the user, the user information is registered in the remote authentication / billing server and the temporary user information table, and authentication is performed. A fifth function of registering the user information in the temporary user information table and performing authentication when there is a search result user information; A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the program.