Data pre-paid in simple IP roaming
The described embodiments of the present invention outline two solutions to the problems described above regarding simple IP data access for pre-paid subscribers. The first solutions includes a method for providing pre-paid simple IP data service to a subscriber in a network, including: sending an access request from a point of attachment in an access network capable of providing an IP network access to a home network remote authentication server which deploys a Pre-Paid Client (PPC) and receiving in the point of attachment an access request response from the home network remote authentication server. The second solution includes a method for providing pre-paid simple IP data service to a subscriber in a network, including: sending an access request from a Mobile Station (MS) which deploys a Pre-Paid Client (PPC) to a home network remote authentication server and receiving in the MS an access request response from the home network remote authentication server.
1. In a simple IP mobile network environment, a method for providing pre-paid data service to a roaming subscriber in a visited access network, said method comprising:
deploying a Pre-Paid Client (PPC) at Mobile Station (MS) of the roaming subscriber;
providing, via the PPC deployed at the MS of the roaming subscriber, data metering for the pre-paid data service complying with a simple IP protocol by negotiating pre-paid accounting capabilities with a Pre-Paid Server (PPS) which is located within a home network remote authentication server;
sending an access request comprising the pre-paid accounting capabilities from the MS to the home network remote authentication server; and
receiving, in the MS, an access request response from the home network remote authentication server for providing the simple IP pre-paid data service to the roaming subscriber in accordance with negotiated pre-paid accounting capabilities.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the access request response comprises: a data usage quota and a data usage threshold.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the MS is enabled to provide feedback of a status of a pre-paid account of the subscriber.
4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the feedback is provided in real-time.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein when a data usage threshold is met, the MS sends a new access request to the home network remote authentication server.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the home network remote authentication server is a Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS) Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) server.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a network in which the home network remote authentication server resides is a CDMA network.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a network in which the home network remote authentication server resides is a GSM network.
9. A system for providing pre-paid simple IP data service to a roaming subscriber in a visited network, said system comprising:
a home network remote authentication server; and
a mobile station (MS) deploying a Pre-Paid Client (PPC) for providing data metering for the pre-paid data service complying with a simple IP protocol by negotiating pre-paid accounting capabilities with a Pre-Paid Server (PPS) which is located within the home network remote authentication server, the MS being capable of sending an access request comprising the pre-paid accounting capabilities to the home network remote authentication server and receiving an access request response from the home network remote authentication server for providing the simple IP pre-paid data service to the roaming subscriber in accordance with negotiated pre-paid accounting capabilities.
10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the access request response comprises: a data usage quota and a data usage threshold.
11. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the MS is enabled to provide feedback of a status of a pre-paid account of the subscriber.
12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the feedback is provided in real-time.
13. The system according to claim 9 , wherein when a data usage threshold is met, the MS sends a new access request to the home network remote authentication server.
14. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the home network remote authentication server is a Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS) Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) server.
15. The system according to claim 9 , wherein a network in which the home network remote authentication server resides is a CDMA network.
16. The system according to claim 9 , wherein a network in which the home network remote authentication server resides is a GSM network.
17. In a simple IP data network, a mobile station (MS) for providing a pre-paid data service comprising:
a Pre-Paid Client (PPC) module providing data metering for the pre-paid data service complying with a simple IP protocol by negotiating pre-paid accounting capabilities with a Pre-Paid Server (PPS) which is located within a home network remote authentication server, the MS capable of sending an access request comprising the pre-paid accounting capabilities to the home network remote authentication server and receiving an access request response from the home network remote authentication server for providing the simple IP pre-paid data service to a subscriber in accordance with negotiated pre-paid accounting capabilities.
18. The MS according to claim 17 , wherein the MS is enabled to provide feedback of a status of a pre-paid account of the subscriber.
19. The MS according to claim 18 , wherein the feedback is provided in real-time.
20. The MS according to claim 17 , wherein the MS acts as a Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS) network access server (NAS) client.
21. The MS according to claim 20 , wherein the MS requires a RADIUS security association with a home RADIUS Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting server.