System and method for calculation of telecommunication charges
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to a method and a communication system for the current calculation of fees for a user of the telecommunication system. The present system includes a fee calculation station which is adapted to calculation the fees in accordance with a clocking and a fee rate associated with a predetermined service depending upon the period of use of the service.
1. A method for calculating a running charge for a subscriber's use of a service in a telecommunication system, comprising the steps of:
transmitting tariff rate information from a service operator to a charge calculation point of a first network of said telecommunication system, wherein the subscriber accesses a cross-network service provided by said service operator via said first network, and wherein a first clocking is defined within said first network,
transmitting a second clocking from said service operator to said calculation point, said second clocking being set by said service operator and defining a minimum time interval for said charge calculation, wherein said second clocking determines an accounting precision of said charge calculation, and wherein said second clocking differs from said first clocking defined within said first network,
determining a time of service usage via said minimum time interval and said second clocking and transmitting said time of usage to said calculation point,
multiplying, at said calculation point, said tariff rate by said second clocking to arrive at a charge,
summing a predetermined successive number of said charge to arrive at a running charge, said predetermined number corresponding to said second clocking and time of usage, and
transmitting said running charge to the subscriber, wherein said running charge is based upon said accounting precision defined by said second clocking set by said service operator.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said running charge is displayed in human recognizable form by a telecommunication terminal of said subscriber.
3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of storing said second clocking and tariff rate, by subscriber, in a database.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said second clocking is service dependent.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said second clocking is controlled by a service control center based upon at least one of a subscriber and said service and further comprising the step of transmitting information about said second clocking to said charge calculation point.
6. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising the step of storing said second clocking and tariff rate, by subscriber, in a database.
7. The method according to claim 2 , wherein said second clocking is service dependent.
8. The method according to claim 2 , wherein said second clocking is controlled by a service control center based upon at least one of a subscriber and said service and further comprising the step of transmitting information about said second clocking to said charge calculation point.
9. A telecommunication system including a charge calculation point, comprising:
a first subscriber network operating at a first clocking and having a charge calculation point;
a gateway connecting the first subscriber network to a second subscriber network, said gateway comprising means for determining a second clocking defined for a cross-network telecommunication service when a subscriber of the first subscriber network uses the cross-network telecommunication service;
means for transmitting tariff rate information from the gateway to said calculation point,
means for transmitting the second clocking from the gateway to said calculation point, said second clocking being set by a service operator of the cross-network telecommunication service and defining a minimum time interval for said charge calculation, wherein said second clocking determines an accounting precision of said charge calculation,
means for determining a time of service usage via said minimum time interval and said second clocking and transmitting said time of usage to said calculation point,
means for multiplying at said charge calculation point, said tariff rate by said second clocking to arrive at a charge,
means for summing at said charge calculation point a predetermined successive number of said charge to arrive at a running charge, said predetermined number corresponding to said second clocking and time of usage, and
means for transmitting said running charge to a subscriber, wherein said running charge is based upon said accounting precision defined by said second clocking set by said service operator.
10. The telecommunication system according to claim 9 , wherein said subscriber includes a telecommunication terminal with a display, such that when said running charge is transmitted to said subscriber, said running charge is displayed upon said display.
11. The telecommunication system according to claim 9 , further comprising at least one database programmed for storing clocking and tariff information by at least one of a subscriber and service.
12. The telecommunication system according to claim 9 , wherein said second clocking is service dependent.
13. The telecommunication system according to claim 9 , wherein:
said gateway comprises said means for transmitting said second clocking to said charge calculation point.
14. The telecommunication system according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a service control center comprising means for controlling said second clocking based upon at least one of said subscriber and said service, said control center further comprising said means for transmitting information about said second clocking to said charge calculation point.
15. The telecommunication system according to claim 10 , further comprising at least one database programmed for storing clocking and tariff information by at least one of a subscriber and service.
16. The telecommunication system according to claim 10 , wherein said second clocking is service dependent.
17. The telecommunication system according to claim 10 , wherein:
said gateway comprises said means for transmitting said second clocking to said charge calculation point.
18. The telecommunication system according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a service control center comprising means for controlling said second clocking based upon at least one of said subscriber and said service, said control center further comprising said means for transmitting information about said second clocking to said charge calculation point.