WO2000001171A1

WO2000001171A1 - Method and apparatus for billing in a wireless communication system

Info

Publication number: WO2000001171A1
Application number: PCT/US1999/005337
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eugene J. Bruckert; Joseph M. Pettinger; Leon Tong; W. Paul Declerk
Original assignee: Motorola Inc.
Priority date: 1998-06-30
Filing date: 1999-03-11
Publication date: 2000-01-06

Abstract

A beacon (115) periodically transmits a beacon signal (121), identifiable from other beacon signals (not shown) by a remote unit (113). Upon call origination, the remote unit (113) searches for the beacon signal (121) transmitted by the beacon (115), and reports to base stations whether or not the beacon signal (121) is received by the remote unit (113). The beacon status is routed through infrastructure equipment to a billing center (101), which independently verifies that the remote unit (113) is communicating with base stations representative of the remote unit's home zone, and bills the call accordingly.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BILLING IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION

SYSTEM

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to wireless communication systems and, in particular, to a method and apparatus for billing within such wireless communication systems.

Background of the Invention

A telephone concept known as "One-Number" service that allows a person to be reached at any time, anywhere, by a single number is becoming quite popular. With the advent of One-Number services comes a need to provide billing based on a caller's location. For example, in order to make One-Number service more appealing to consumers, telephone calls are classified as residential or roaming, based on where the phone call originates, with residential and business telephone calls being billed at lower rates than roaming telephone calls. Thus, a need exists for a method and apparatus for billing in a wireless communication system that determines a location of a remote unit that is accessing the cellular system and bills the remote unit accordingly.

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a cellular communication system in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a remote unit of FIG. 1 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing operation of the communication system of FIG. 1 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a first method for establishment and storage of a base station configuration that is representative of the remote unit's home zone.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a second method for establishment and storage of a base station configuration that is representative of the remote unit's home zone. FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing operation of the billing center of FIG.

1 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Drawings

In order to address this need and others, the present invention provides a method and an apparatus for billing in a wireless communication system. A beacon periodically transmits a beacon signal, identifiable from other beacon signals (not shown) by a remote unit. Upon call origination, the remote unit searches for the beacon signal transmitted by the beacon, and reports to base stations whether or not the beacon signal is received by the remote unit. The beacon status is routed through infrastructure equipment to a billing center, which independently verifies that the remote unit is communicating with base stations representative of the remote unit's home zone, and bills the call accordingly.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention encompasses a method of billing in a wireless communication system. The method comprises the steps of: receiving a message containing information on whether a remote detects a beacon, determining a location of a home zone for the remote unit, determine a location of the remote unit, and billing a remote unit based on the steps of receiving and deterrruning.

An alternate embodiment of the present invention encompasses a method of billing in a wireless communication system. The method comprises the steps of determining if a beacon signal can be detected. In the preferred embodiment, the beacon signal is a unique signal for utilization only by the remote unit for determining proximity to a home zone. Next, the determination is reported to cellular irifrastructure equipment and the cellular infrastructure equipment utilizes the determination for billing.

In yet a further embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for billing in a wireless communication system is provided. The apparatus comprises a logic unit having an input containing information on whether a remote detects a beacon, and determines a location of a home zone for the remote unit, determines a location of the remote unit, and bills a remote unit based on the location of the home zone and location of the remote unit.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a cellular communication system 100 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, communication system 100 utilizes a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system protocol as described in "Personal Station-Base Station Compatibility Requirements for 1.8 to 2.0 GHz Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) Personal Communication Systems" (American National Standards Institute (ANSI) J-STD-008), but in alternate embodiments, communication system 100 may utilize other analog or digital cellular communication system protocols such as, but not limited to, the Narrowband Advanced Mobile Phone Service (NAMPS) protocol, the Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS) protocol, the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) protocol, the Personal Digital Cellular (PDC) protocol, or the United States Digital Cellular (USDC) protocol. Commvtnication system 100 comprises irifrastructure equipment such as billing center 101, Mobile Switching Center (MSC) 103, Base Station Controller (BSC) 105, and Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs) 107-109.

As shown, remote unit 113 is communicating with base stations 107 and 109 via uplink communication signals 119 and base stations 107 and 109 are communicating with remote unit 113 via downlink communication signals 116. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, base stations 107 and 109 are suitably coupled to BSC 105, and

BSC 105 is suitably coupled to MSC 103. Additionally, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, beacon 115 is communicating with remote unit 113 via transmitted beacon signal 121. Beacon 115 broadcasts only downlink beacon signal 121, that is a low-power, radio-frequency (RF) signal with limited range (e.g., less than 100 meters). In order to reduce interference between beacon signals, signal 121 may be sent over one of a plurality of channels, settable by the user. In the preferred embodiment, beacon signal 121 is a narrow-band signal such as an AMPS control channel or a heavily bandpass filtered CDMA signal, with a bandwidth on the order of 30-100 kilohertz (kHz), whereas signals 116 and 119 are wideband signals, typically having bandwidth on the order of 1.25 Megahertz (MHz). In alternate embodiments of the present invention, beacon signal 121 may be other forms of signaling, such as an overhead message (e.g., System Parameter Overhead Message) with a unique System Identification 1 (SID1) field indicating the home zone.

Operation of communication system 100 occurs as follows: Beacon 115 periodically transmits beacon signal 121, identifiable from other beacon signals (not shown) by remote unit 113. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, beacon 115 continuously transmits an Electronic Serial Number (ESN) of remote unit 113. More particularly, every remote unit 113 within communication system 100 has a unique identification number (ESN) that identifies the remote unit to communication system 100. Beacon 115 broadcasts the unique ESN for remote unit 113 (i.e., a unique beacon signal for utilization by remote unit

113 only) for identification purposes. Upon call origination, remote unit 113 searches for beacon signal 121 transmitted by beacon 115, and reports to infrastructure equipment whether or not beacon signal 121 is received (beacon status) by remote unit 113 to base stations 107 and 109 via a home zone message. Additionally, remote unit 113 reports if beacon signal 121 is received to the user of remote unit 113 via a beacon indicator (e.g., a light on remote unit 113).

The beacon status is received by base station(s) 107 and/or 109 and is routed through BSC 105, MSC 103, and to billing center 101, which independently verifies that remote unit 113 is communicating with base stations representative of the remote unit's home zone, and bills the call accordingly. More specifically, the reception of beacon signal 121 indicates to billing center 101 that remote unit 113 is placing a call from a first zone (home zone), which receives a lower billing rate (when independently verified by billing center 101). Conversely, the lack of reception of beacon signal 121 during call origination indicates to billing center 101 that remote unit 113 is placing a call from outside its home zone, and bills the call accordingly.

It should be noted that during a call from a home zone, if remote unit 113 wanders outside the limit of beacon coverage 111, billing center

101 continues to bill the user home zone rates. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention roaming rates are applied when remote unit 113 moves outside a second zone. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second zone is identified by remote unit 113 handing off to a base station configuration that is not representative (e.g., within a predetermined distance) of a location of remote unit's 113 home zone. The location of the home zone is stored in database 102 located in billing center 101. Thus, when remote unit 113 initiates a call, residential billing rates are applied to the call if: 1) remote unit 113 is within a first zone (beacon signal 121 is received by remote unit 113); and 2) remote unit 113 is within a second zone (in communication with base stations located within a predetermined distance from the home zone). Residential billing continues until remote unit 113 moves beyond the second zone (i.e., hands off to a base station outside the predetermined distance from the residential billing zone).

The above described method of billing has many benefits. Firstly, the home beacon is used to alert the subscriber that the mobile unit is inside the home zone prior to completing the call thus allowing the subscriber to have more control of the billing rates. Secondly, since the base stations representative of a remote unit's home zone are independently verified by the billing center prior to the call being billed at the lower residential rate, the beacon cannot be moved to other locations to receive a lower billing rate outside the home zone area. Thirdly, since the beacon signal has a small radius of coverage, multiple home zones can independently co-exist within a small region such as an apartment complex.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a remote unit of FIG. 1 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Remote unit 113 comprises transmit circuitry 200 and receive circuitry 201. While transmitting, signal 210 (traffic channel data bits or home zone message), is received by convolutional encoder 212 at a particular transmission rate (e.g., 9.6 kbit /second). Input traffic channel data bits 210 typically include voice converted to data by a vocoder, pure data, or a combination of the two types of data, and is output at a particular data rate (i.e., full rate, 1/2 rate, 1/4 rate, 1/8 rate . . . etc.). Convolutional encoder 212 determines the transmission rate and encodes input data bits 210 into data symbols at a fixed encoding rate with an encoding algorithm which facilitates subsequent maximum likelihood decoding of the data symbols into data bits (e.g. convolutional or block coding algorithms). For example, convolutional encoder 212 encodes input data bits 210 (received at a rate of 9.6 kbit/second) at a fixed encoding rate of one data bit to three data symbols (i.e., rate 1/3) such that convolutional encoder 212 outputs data symbols 214 at a 28.8 ksymbol/ second rate.

Data symbols 214 are then input into interleaver 217. Interleaver

217 interleaves the data symbols 214 at the symbol level. In interleaver

217, data symbols 214 are individually input into locations within a matrix so that the matrix is filled in a column by column manner. Data symbols 214 are individually output from locations within the matrix so that the matrix is emptied in a row by row manner. Typically, the matrix is a square matrix having a number of rows equal to the number of columns; however, other matrix forms can be chosen to increase the output interleaving distance between the consecutively input non-interleaved data symbols. Interleaved data symbols 218 are output by interleaver 217 at the same data symbol rate that they were input (e.g., 28.8 ksymbol /second). The predetermined size of the block of data symbols defined by the matrix is derived from the maximum number of data symbols which can be transmitted at a predetermined symbol rate within a predetermined length transmission block. For example, in a full rate transmission if the predetermined length of the transmission block is 20 milliseconds, then the predetermined size of the block of data symbols is

9.6 ksymbol /second times 20 milliseconds times three which equals 576 data symbols which defines a 24 by 24 matrix. Interleaved data symbols 218 are input to orthogonal encoder 220. For IS-95-type transmission orthogonal encoder 220 M-ary modulates the interleaved data symbols 218. For example, in 64-ary orthogonal encoding, each sequence of six interleaved data symbols 218 are replaced by a 64 symbol orthogonal code. These 64 orthogonal codes preferably correspond to Walsh codes from a 64 by 64 Hadamard matrix wherein a Walsh code is a single row or column of the matrix.

A sequence of Walsh codes 242 is prepared for transmission over a communication channel by modulator 254. Spreader 252 provides a spreading code which is combined with the Walsh codes 242. The spreading code is a specific sequence of symbols which is output at a fixed chip rate (e.g., 1.228 Mchip /second). In practice, the code spread encoded chips are a pair of pseudorandom (PN) codes used to generate an I- channel and Q-channel code spread sequence. The I-channel and Q- channel code spread sequences are used to bi-phase modulate a quadrature pair of sinusoids by driving the power level controls of the pair of sinusoids. The sinusoids output signals are summed, bandpass filtered, translated to an RF frequency, amplified, filtered via upconverter 256 and radiated by antenna 258 to complete transmission. Receiving circuitry 201 comprises CDMA receiver leg 260 having standard CDMA reception circuitry (e.g., despreader, decoder, de- interleaver . . . etc.), beacon receiver leg 262, and switch 264. Periodically (e.g., every 10 seconds), switch 264 is connected to beacon receiver leg 262 for reception of beacon signal 121. More particularly, beacon signal 121 (if present) is downconverted by down converter 268 and amplified by amplifier 266. The downconverted and amplified signal enters beacon receiver leg 262, which in the preferred embodiment comprises an IF filter, limiter, discriminator and a signal detector which transfers the detected signal to logic unit 270. After a predetermined time period (e.g., 0.1 seconds) logic unit 270 determines if beacon signal 121 is present or not, and transmits this information (via home zone message) to communication system 100 (via transmitting circuitry 200). Additionally, logic unit 270 notifies the caller via indicator 272 if beacon signal 121 is present. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention indicator

272 is an indicator light that is lit when beacon signal 121 is detected, however, in alternate embodiments of the present invention, indicator 272 may be other means of indication (e.g., text message, voice indication, . . ., etc.). After the predetermined time period has passed, switch 264 is connected to CDMA receiver leg 260 for standard CDMA reception. In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, CDMA receiver leg 260 is not disconnected and CDMA signal 116 is simultaneously demodulated along with beacon signal 121.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing operation of the communication system of FIG. 1 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. In the description below, it is assumed that remote unit 113 has an entry within database 102 that identifies home zone information for remote unit 113. The logic flow begins at step 305 where remote unit 113 accesses communication system 100 by powering on and remaining in an idle state. While in the idle state remote unit 113 periodically searches for beacon signal 121 (e.g., every 10 seconds), making a determination if beacon signal 121 is present (step 310).

In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, at step 310 remote unit 113 senses when it is a predetermined distance from beacon 113 and either stops searching for beacon 113 or reduces the periodicity of connecting to receiver leg 262. There are a number of alternative methods for remote unit 113 to sense that it is a predetermined distance from beacon 115. Firstly, remote unit may remember a base station configuration with which it was commimicating when last receiving beacon signal 121, and if that configuration changes, the frequency of beacon searching decreases. For example, if remote unit 113 is presently receiving base stations 107 and 109 it maintains the frequency of connecting to receiver leg 262 until another base station is received, or either base station 107 or 109 is not received. Alternatively, remote unit

113 may reduce the frequency of connecting to receiver leg 262 when it does not receive signal 121. In yet another embodiment of the invention remote unit 113 may perform a crude location estimate based on the latitude and longitude of the base stations it is presently receiving and reduce the search frequency if it determines that it is greater than a predetermined distance (e.g., 500 meters) from home zone 111.

Continuing, at step 310, remote unit 113 reports if beacon signal 121 is received to the user of remote unit 113 via beacon indicator 272. At step 315, remote unit 113 initiates a call. As discussed below during part of the call initiation, remote unit 113 sends a home zone message to infrastructure equipment indicating if beacon signal 121 is received by remote unit 113. Remote unit 113 communicates its proximity to beacon 115 via a 1 bit reserved field within an access channel messages (e.g., Registration Message, Origination Message, or Page Response Message). A "1" in this field indicates that remote unit 113 has recently received beacon signal 121 and a "0" indicates that it has not.

At step 320, billing center 101 receives a message containing information on whether a remote detects beacon signal 121, and determines if remote unit 113 is currently receiving beacon signal 121, and if not the logic flow continues to step 325 where home zone billing is denied. Next at step 330 the call is established using non-home zone billing.

Returning to step 320, if it is determined that remote unit 113 is currently receiving beacon signal 121, the logic flow continues to step 335 where billing center 101 accesses database 102 and determines if the current base stations utilized by remote unit 113 are within a predetermined distance from the location stored in database 102. In the preferred embodiment, this is accomplished by firstly determining a location of a home zone for remote unit 113 by fetching this information from database 102, and secondly determining a location for remote unit 113 by analyzing the current base stations in communication with remote unit 113 (base station configuration). If at step 335 it is determined that the current base stations utilized by remote unit 113 are within a predetermined distance to the location stored in database 102, the logic flow continues to step 340, otherwise the logic flow continues to step 325 where home zone billing is denied. At step 340, home zone billing is allowed, and the call is established using home zone billing (step 345).

Three methods for establishing and storing a remote unit's home zone location are contemplated. Firstly, a system operator can simply provide beacon 115 to a user without creating any entry whatsoever in database 102. All entries will be created when the user first accesses the system. Secondly, a system operator can provide beacon 115 to a user and create an entry consisting of the user's ESN, without any location information on the user's home zone. Home zone information will be created when the user first accesses the system. Finally, a system operator can manually create a full entry representative of the user's home zone upon providing the beacon to the user. The first and the second methods will be described below with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, respectively. Referring now to FIG. 4, the logic flow begins at step 401 where remote unit 113 accesses communication system 100 and indicates reception of beacon signal 121. At step 405, billing center 101 accesses database 102 and determines if the remote unit's ESN is within database 102. The inability to find the remote unit's ESN within database 102 may be, inter alia, because remote unit 113 is reporting reception of beacon signal 121 for a first time, or because remote unit 113 has been removed from database 102. If, at step 405, it is determined that the remote unit's ESN is not within database 102, then the logic flow continues to step 407, where it is determined if the current base station configuration is allowed by the system operator. For example, a system operator may deny home zone billing for certain high-business traffic areas within communication system 100. If, at step 407, it is determined that the current base station configuration is not allowed, then the logic flow continues to step 325 (FIG. 3), where home zone billing is denied, otherwise the logic flow continues to step 410, where billing center 101 then creates an entry in database 102 for remote unit 113 comprising the remote unit's ESN along with the location in latitude and longitude of remote unit 113, and the current base station configuration. (The location of remote unit 113 is determined by known methods (e.g., GPS, Loran, Trilateration, . . . etc.)).

The logic flow then continues to step 340 (FIG. 3) where home zone billing is allowed. Returning to step 405, if at step 405 it is determined that the remote unit's ESN is within database 102, the logic flow continues to step 335 (FIG. 3). The creation of database 102 in such a way allows for quick updates of residential billing zone locations. For example, by simply deleting an entry for an individual remote unit within database 102, an updated location estimate of the residential billing zone will be automatically created the next time remote unit 113 accesses communication system 100. Referring now to FIG. 5, the logic flow begins at step 501 where remote unit 113 accesses communication system 100 and indicates reception of beacon signal 121. At step 505, billing center 101 accesses database 102 and determines if the remote unit's ESN is within database 102. As discussed above, in this embodiment of the present invention, the inability to find the remote unit's ESN within database 102 is because remote unit 113 because the ESN has not been entered by the service provider. If, at step 505, it is determined that the remote unit's ESN is not within database 102, then the logic flow continues to step 325 (FIG. 3) where residential zone billing is denied. If at step 505 the remote unit's

ESN is found within database 102, then the logic flow continues to step

515 where billing center 101 determines if home zone information for the remote unit is within database 102. If, at step 515, it is determined that home zone information is not within database 102, the logic flow continues to step 520 where billing center 101 creates an entry in database

102 for remote unit 113 comprising the remote unit's ESN along with the location in latitude and longitude of remote unit 113, and the current base station configuration. (The location of remote unit 113 is determined by known methods (e.g., GPS, Loran, Trilateration, . . . etc.)). The logic flow then continues to step 340 (FIG. 3) where home zone billing is allowed.

Returning to step 515, if at step 515 it is determined that the remote unit's home zone is within database 102, the logic flow continues to step 335

(FIG. 3).

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing operation of billing center 101 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. In the description below, it is assumed that remote unit 113 has an entry within database 102 that identifies home zone information for remote unit 113. The logic flow begins at step 601 where logic unit 104 receives a remote unit's ESN, home zone message, and a list of base stations in communication with the remote unit. This information is supplied by

MSC 103. At step 605 logic unit 104 determines if remote unit 113 is currently receiving beacon signal 121, and if not the logic flow continues to step 610 where residential billing is denied. More particularly, logic unit 104 analyzes the home zone message transmitted from remote unit 113 and determines if remote unit 113 is receiving beacon signal 121, and if not, the logic flow continues to step 610.

If, at step 605, logic unit 104 determines that remote unit 113 is currently receiving beacon signal 121, then the logic flow continues to step 615 where logic unit 104 accesses database 102 and fetches location information regarding the remote unit's home zone. In a first embodiment of the present invention, location information is a base station configuration representative of the remote unit's home zone. In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, home zone location information comprises an actual physical location, represented in latitude and longitude. At step 623, in a first embodiment of the present invention, logic unit 104 determines if remote unit 113 is currently utilizing a base station configuration that is representative of the remote unit's home zone, and in a second embodiment of the present invention, logic unit 104 determines if remote unit 113 is within a predetermined distance (e.g., 500 meters) from the location of the remote unit's residential billing zone. If at step 623, remote unit 113 is not utilizing a base station configuration not representative of its home zone, or if remote unit 113 is greater than the predetermined distance from the home zone, the logic flow continues to step 610, where home zone billing is denied, otherwise the logic flow continues to step 625. At step 625 residential billing rates are applied to the call, and the logic flow returns to step 623.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a particular embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

CLALMS

1. A method for billing in a wireless communication system, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a message containing information on whether a remote detects a beacon; determming a location of a home zone for the remote unit; determining a location of the remote unit; and billing the remote unit based on the received message, the location of the home zone, and the location of the remote unit.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the location of the remote unit comprises the step of determining a base station configuration utilized by the remote unit.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the location of the home zone comprises the step of fetching a home zone location for the remote unit from a database.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of billing the remote unit comprises the steps of: billing the remote unit a first rate if the remote unit is detecting the beacon and the location of the remote unit is within the home zone for the remote unit; and billing the remote unit a second rate otherwise.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving the message containing information on whether the remote detects the beacon comprises the step of receiving a message containing information on whether the remote unit detects a low-power, radio-frequency (RF) signal with a range of less than 100 meters.

6. An apparatus for billing in a wireless communication system, the apparatus comprising a logic unit having an input containing information on whether a remote detects a beacon, the logic unit additionally determines a location of a home zone for the remote unit, a location of the remote unit, and bills the remote unit based on the steps of receiving and determi-tiing.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the location of the remote unit is a base station configuration utilized by the remote unit.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a database containing a home zone location for the remote unit.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the beacon comprises a low-power, radio-frequency (RF) signal with a range of less than 100 meters.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the beacon comprises a unique beacon signal for utilization only by the remote unit.