Patent Application
20130088958
The present invention relates to a communication control system and a communication control method that control a communication service provided to terminals through a communication network.
It has been practiced to make communication restriction control according to the amount of data exchanged between a terminal and a communication network and the communication time during which a terminal and a communication network are connected or the like in accordance with the service contract of a user who uses a communication service using the communication network. For example, as a technique to implement a prepaid service that allows a user to pay (charge) a fee in advance and receive a communication service, a technique in which, when the available balance of a mobile terminal device becomes zero, a mobile terminal management system makes a communication service unavailable to the mobile terminal device is disclosed (see Patent Literature 1).
However, in the communication control method according to the related art described above, when one individual user or corporate user makes a connection to a communication network using a plurality of user identification information such as telephone numbers and IP addresses, it is difficult to figure out the amount of data and the communication time on a user-by-user basis and make communication restriction control. Particularly in recent years, it has become common to use a communication service with various types of terminals such as a mobile phone, PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), smartphone and mobile PC, and there is an increasing necessity for a framework to control the restrictions of a communication service in units of groups including a plurality of terminals.
The present invention has been accomplished to solve the above problems and an object of the present invention is thus to provide a communication control system and a communication control method that make communication control on a user-by-user basis who uses a plurality of terminals and thereby enhance the convenience of using a communication service.
To solve the above problem, a communication control system according to one aspect of the present invention is a communication control system including a plurality of switches that relay communication data exchanged between a plurality of terminals and another party and a control device that is connected to the plurality of switches and controls communications between the terminals and the other party, and each of the plurality of switches includes a communication status measurement means for measuring communication history data indicating a communication history between each terminal and the other party, and a communication history transmitting means for transmitting the communication history data of each terminal measured by the communication status measurement means together with user identification information identifying a user of the terminal to the control device, and the control device includes a remaining communication amount information storage means for previously storing a plurality of user identification information and remaining communication amount data indicating a remaining amount of communication available in association with each other, a communication history receiving means for receiving the communication history data with the user identification information added from the plurality of switches, a communication history adding means for referring to the remaining communication amount information storage means based on a plurality of user identification information received by the communication history receiving means and, when the plurality of user identification information are stored in association with each other, adding up a plurality of communication history data received corresponding to the plurality of user identification information, a communication amount comparison means for reading the remaining communication amount data corresponding to the plurality of user identification information from the remaining communication amount information storage means and comparing the remaining communication amount data with an added result by the communication history adding means, and a restriction signal transmitting means for transmitting a control signal for restricting communications by the terminals specified by the plurality of user identification information based on a comparison result acquired by the communication amount comparison means.
Alternatively, a communication control method according to one aspect of the present invention is a communication control method using a plurality of switches that relay communication data exchanged between a plurality of terminals and another party and a control device that is connected to the plurality of switches and controls communications between the terminals and the other party, the method including a communication status measurement step of measuring communication history data indicating a communication history between each terminal and the other party by each of the plurality of switches, a communication history transmitting step of transmitting the communication history data of each terminal measured in the communication status measurement step together with user identification information identifying a user of the terminal to the control device by each of the plurality of switches, a remaining communication amount information storage step of previously storing a plurality of user identification information and remaining communication amount data indicating a remaining amount of communication available in association with each other into a remaining communication amount information storage means of the control device, a communication history receiving step of receiving the communication history data with the user identification information added from the plurality of switches by a communication history receiving means of the control device, a communication history adding step of referring to the remaining communication amount information storage means based on a plurality of user identification information received by the communication history receiving means and, when the plurality of user identification information are stored in association with each other, adding up a plurality of communication history data received corresponding to the plurality of user identification information by a communication history adding means of the control device, a communication amount comparison step of reading the remaining communication amount data corresponding to the plurality of user identification information from the remaining communication amount information storage means and comparing the remaining communication amount data with an added result by the communication history adding means by a communication amount comparison means of the control device, and a restriction signal transmitting step of transmitting a control signal for restricting communications by the terminals specified by the plurality of user identification information based on a comparison result acquired by the communication amount comparison means by a restriction signal transmitting means of the control device.
According to the communication control system or the communication control method of the above aspect, the switches that relay communications by a plurality of terminals measure communication history data indicating communication histories of the plurality of terminals and transmit the communication history data together with user identification information to the control device, and the control device adds up the communication history data corresponding to a plurality of user identification information, compares the added result with the remaining communication amount data prestored in association with the plurality of user identification information and, according to the comparison result, restricts the communications specified by the plurality of user identification information. It is thereby possible to provide a communication service that imposes communication restrictions in accordance with the communication history on a user-by-user basis who uses a plurality of terminals. This allows a user to receive a communication service using a plurality of terminals in accordance with service provision conditions of each user determined by the communication time, the amount of communication data, the frequency of communication or the like, thereby enhancing the convenience of a user.
The restriction signal transmitting means may transmit a disconnection signal for disconnecting communication connections by the terminals based on the comparison result. In this case, because communication connections are disconnected in accordance with the communication history such as the communication time or the amount of communication data added up for each group of a plurality of user identification information, it is possible to provide a communication service that allows a user using a plurality of terminals to make communication connections until reaching a specified amount of communication data or communication time.
The restriction signal transmitting means may transmit a control signal for controlling a communication speed in communications by the terminals based on the comparison result. In this case, because a communication speed is controlled in accordance with the communication history such as the communication time or the amount of communication data added up for each group of a plurality of user identification information, it is possible to provide a communication service that switches a communication speed upon reaching a specified amount of communication data or communication time.
According to the present invention, it is possible to make communication control on a user-by-user basis who uses a plurality of terminals and thereby enhance the convenience of using a communication service.
A preferred embodiment of a communication control system according to the present invention is described hereinafter with reference to the drawings. Note that, in the following description, the same or equivalent elements are denoted by the same reference numerals and repeated explanation thereof is omitted.
In this communication control system 1, a plurality of mobile communication terminals 2a and 2b can receive a data communication service such as a packet switching service by connecting to any of the SGSNs 3a and 3b according to their locations. Note that, when the plurality of mobile communication terminals 2a and 2b use an audio communication service, they can receive a communication service by connecting to a VLR (Visitor Location Register), instead of the SGSN. The mobile communication terminals 2a and 2b are mobile client terminals used by users who desire to receive a communication service using the communication control system 1, and they may be terminal devices such as mobile phones, smartphones, portable personal computers and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants).
The configurations of the SGSNs 3a and 3b and the HLR 5 are described hereinafter in detail with reference to
The SGSNs 3a and 3b each include, as common functional components, a data relay unit 31, a communication status measurement unit (communication status measurement means) 32, a communication history data storage unit 33, a communication history transmitting unit (communication history transmitting means) 34, and a communication restriction unit 35.
The data relay unit 31 relays packet communication data exchanged between the mobile communication terminal 2a, 2b and the other party. Specifically, the data relay unit 31 transmits packet communication data transmitted from the mobile communication terminal 2a, 2b to the other party through the GGSN 4 and the communication network NW connected thereto, and transmits packet communication data addressed to the mobile communication terminal 2a, 2b transmitted from the other party through the communication network NW the GGSN 4 to the mobile communication terminal 2a, 2b.
The communication status measurement unit 32 measures the amount of packet communication data exchanged between the mobile communication terminal 2a, 2b and the other party, the communication time of packet communication performed between the mobile communication terminal 2a, 2b and the other party, or the frequency (number) of packet communication performed between the mobile communication terminal 2a, 2b and the other party. Then, the communication status measurement unit 32 temporarily stores communication history data containing the measured amount of data, communication time or frequency of communication, together with user identification information of a user of the mobile communication terminal 2a, 2b specified from the packet communication data, into the communication history data storage unit 33. As the user identification information, an identification number such as a telephone number or an IP address is used.
The communication history transmitting unit 34 transmits the communication history data related to the mobile communication terminals 2a and 2b stored in the communication history data storage unit 33 together with the user identification information added to the communication history data to the HLR 5 at predetermined timing. For example, the communication history transmitting unit 34 transmits the communication history data at regular timing, at timing when the communication by the mobile communication terminal 2a, 2b is disconnected, or at timing requested from the HLR 5.
The communication restriction unit 35 makes control to impose communication restrictions on the mobile communication terminals 2a and 2b in accordance with a restriction control signal transmitted from the HLR 5. For example, when the mobile communication terminals 2a and 2b are being connected to the communication control system 1, the communication restriction unit 35 makes control to forcibly disconnect the connection. On the other hand, when the mobile communication terminals 2a and 2b are not connected to the communication control system 1, the communication restriction unit 35 restricts transmission from the mobile communication terminals 2a and 2b and reception by the mobile communication terminals 2a and 2b. Further, the communication restriction unit 35 may make control to restrict the communication speed of packet data communication by the mobile communication terminals 2a and 2b to be lower than a predetermined speed.
The HLR 5 includes a remaining communication amount information receiving unit 51, a remaining communication amount information storage unit (remaining communication amount information storage means) 52, a communication history receiving unit (communication history receiving means) 53, a communication history adding unit (communication history adding means) 54, a communication amount comparison unit (communication amount comparison means) 55, and a restriction signal transmitting unit (restriction signal transmitting means) 56.
The remaining communication amount information receiving unit 51 receives contract information from the contract information management device 6 that manages contract information of users of the mobile communication terminals 2a and 2b. For example, when users of the mobile communication terminals 2a and 2b are using a communication service (which is referred to hereinafter as “prepaid service”) which users can receive after paying (charging) a fee in advance, the remaining communication amount information receiving unit 51 receives contract information containing information about the remaining amount of communication available currently, such as the remaining amount of communication data that can be transmitted and received, the remaining communication time available, and the remaining number of communications available. On the other hand, when users of the mobile communication terminals 2a and 2b are using a communication service (which is referred to hereinafter as “communication restriction service”) which imposes restrictions in communication speed or restrictions in transmission when exceeding a specified communication data amount or communication time, the remaining communication amount information receiving unit 51 receives contract information containing information about the remaining amount of communication serving as a threshold for restrictions in speed or restrictions in transmission, such as the remaining amount of communication data and the remaining communication time. The contract information may be received at timing when the contract information is updated in the contract information management device 6 or received at regular timing. Further, the remaining communication amount information receiving unit 51 stores the received contract information in association with a plurality of user identification information for identifying users of the users of the mobile communication terminals 2a and 2b into the remaining communication amount information storage unit 52.
The communication history receiving unit 53 receives the communication history data to which user identification information is added from the communication history transmitting unit 34 of a plurality of SGSNs 3a and 3b. Specifically, the communication history receiving unit 53 receives the communication history data at regular timing or at timing when the communication by the mobile communication terminal 2a, 2b is disconnected. The communication history data contains, for example, the amount of packet communication data exchanged between the mobile communication terminal 2a, 2b and the other party, the communication time of packet communication performed between the mobile communication terminal 2a, 2b and the other party, the number of packet communications performed between the mobile communication terminal 2a, 2b and the other party or the like. The communication history receiving unit 53 outputs the received communication history data to the communication history adding unit 54 each time.
The communication history adding unit 54 adds up a plurality of communication history data received by the communication history receiving unit 53 at regular timing or at timing when a specified amount of data is received. Specifically, the communication history adding unit 54 refers to the remaining communication amount information storage unit 52 based on the respective user identification information added to the plurality of communication history data and reads a data record related to the “contract communication service information” containing user identification numbers that match or correspond to the user identification information from the remaining communication amount information storage unit 52. Then, the communication history adding unit 54 determines whether the user identification numbers respectively corresponding to the plurality of user identification information are associated with each other in one data record containing “contract communication service information”. To be more specific, the communication history adding unit 54 determines whether a common group identification number is assigned to the plurality of user identification numbers in one data record. Further, the communication history adding unit 54 adds up a plurality of communication history data corresponding to the user identification numbers associated with each other in the data record containing “contract communication service information”. For example, when the amount of packet communication data is contained in the communication history data, the communication history adding unit 54 adds up the amount of data and, when the communication time of packet communication is contained in the communication history data, the communication history adding unit 54 adds up the communication time. Further, the communication history adding unit 54 outputs the added total of the communication history data, together with the plurality of user identification numbers of the added-up data, to the communication amount comparison unit 55.
The communication amount comparison unit 55 refers to the remaining communication amount information storage unit 52 based on the plurality of user identification numbers of the added-up data received from the communication history adding unit 54 and reads the remaining amount of communication data, the remaining communication time or the remaining number of communications corresponding to those user identification numbers. The communication amount comparison unit 55 then compares the read remaining amount of communication data, the remaining communication time or the remaining number of communications with the added total of the communication history data and generates a comparison result. For example, when the communication amount comparison unit 55 has received the added total “SVA” of the amount of communication data related to two user identification numbers “MSN#1” and “MSN#2”, it reads the remaining amount of communication data “VA” from the data as shown in
When it is notified from the communication amount comparison unit 55 that the added total of the communication history data exceeds the remaining amount of communication data, the remaining communication time or the remaining number of communications, the restriction signal transmitting unit 56 generates a restriction control signal for restricting communications by the terminals specified by all user identification numbers contained in the comparison result. The restriction signal transmitting unit 56 then transmits the generated restriction control signal to the SGSNs 3a and 3b or the GGSN 4.
For example, when it is determined that the total value calculated for “contract communication service information: prepaid service” containing two user identification numbers “MSN#1” and “MSN#2” exceeds the remaining amount of communication data and when the mobile communication terminals 2a and 2b corresponding to the two user identification numbers “MSN#1” and “MSN#2” are performing data communication, the restriction signal transmitting unit transmits a disconnection signal for disconnecting the communications by the mobile communication terminals 2a and 2b to the SGSNs 3a and 3b. On the other hand, when the same determination is made and when the mobile communication terminals 2a and 2b are not performing data communication, the restriction signal transmitting unit 56 transmits a restriction control signal for restricting transmission from the mobile communication terminals 2a and 2b and reception by the mobile communication terminals 2a and 2b to the SGSNs 3a and 3b or the GGSN 4. Further, when it is determined that the total value calculated for “contract communication service information: communication restriction service” containing two user identification numbers “MSN#1” and “MSN#2” exceeds a predetermined amount of data, the restriction signal transmitting unit 56 transmits a restriction control signal for restricting the communication speed of data communications by the mobile communication terminals 2a and 2b to a specified speed to the SGSNs 3a and 3b or the GGSN 4.
Hereinafter, the operation of the communication control system 1 is described and further a communication control method according to this embodiment is described in detail with reference to
First, assume that the mobile communication terminal 2a performs packet data communication and is connected to the SGSN 3a (Step S01). At this time, the amount of data or the communication time of the packet communication by the mobile communication terminal 2a is measured by the communication status measurement unit 32 of the SGSN 3a and temporarily stored (Step S02). After that, the communication history data containing the measurement result is transmitted by the communication history transmitting unit 34 of the SGSN 3a at timing when the communication by the mobile communication terminal 2a is disconnected or at timing requested from the HLR 5 (Step S03). The communication history data from the SGSN 3a is then received by the communication history receiving unit 53 of the HLR 5 and temporarily stored (Step S04).
Then, assume that the mobile communication terminal 2b performs packet data communication and is connected to the SGSN 3b (Step S05). At this time, the amount of data, the communication time or the number of communications of the packet communication by the mobile communication terminal 2b is measured by the communication status measurement unit 32 of the SGSN 3b and temporarily stored (Step S06). After that, the communication history data containing the measurement result is transmitted by the communication history transmitting unit 34 of the SGSN 3b at timing when the communication by the mobile communication terminal 2b is disconnected or at timing requested from the HLR 5 (Step S07). The communication history data from the SGSN 3b is then received by the communication history receiving unit 53 of the HLR 5 and temporarily stored (Step S08).
After that, the received plurality of communication history data are added up at regular timing by the communication history adding unit 54 of the HLR 5 (Step S09). When it is assumed that a user identification number assigned to the mobile communication terminal 2a is “MSN#1” and a user identification number assigned to the mobile communication terminal 2b is “MSN#2”, those user identification numbers are associated with each other in one data record containing “contract communication service information” in the remaining communication amount information storage unit 52 (
According to the communication control system 1 and the communication control method described above, the SGSNs 3a and 3b that relay the communications by the mobile communication terminals 2a and 2b measure the communication history data indicating the communication histories of the mobile communication terminals 2a and 2b and transmit the communication history data together with user identification information to the HLR 5, and the HLR 5 adds up the communication history data corresponding to the user identification information assigned to the mobile communication terminals 2a and 2b, compares the added result with the remaining communication amount data prestored in association with those user identification information and, according to the comparison result, restricts the packet communications specified by those user identification information. It is thereby possible to provide a packet communication service that imposes communication restrictions in accordance with the communication history on a user-by-user basis who uses a plurality of terminals. This allows a user to receive a communication service using a plurality of terminals in accordance with service provision conditions of each user determined by the communication time, the amount of communication data, the number of communications or the like, thereby enhancing the convenience of a user.
Because the HLR 5 disconnects a communication connection in accordance with the communication history such as the communication time, the amount of communication data or the number of communications added up for each group of a plurality of user identification information, it is possible to provide a communication service that allows a user using a plurality of terminals to make a communication connection until reaching a specified amount of communication data, communication time or frequency of communication.
Further, because the HLR 5 controls a communication speed in accordance with the communication history such as the communication time, the amount of communication data or the number of communications added up for each group of a plurality of user identification information, it is possible to provide a communication service that switches a communication speed upon reaching a specified amount of communication data, communication time or frequency of communication.
Note that the above-described embodiment is a preferred embodiment of the communication control system according to the present invention, and the communication control system according to the present invention is not limited to the one described in the above embodiment. As the communication control system according to the present invention, the communication control system according to the embodiment may be modified or applied to others without departing from the scope of the invention described in each claims.
Specifically, all components included in the SGSN 3a, 3b described above may be included in the GGSN 4, which is a gateway switch.
In an alternative example shown in
In another alternative example shown in
In the above-described embodiment and its alternative examples, a communication system by the GPRS is mainly used. However, the present invention is not limited to such a communication system, and it is applicable as appropriate to a communication system that can communicate packet data. For example, it is applicable to a new communication system such as LTE (Long Term Evolution). In this case, an equivalent of the gateway switch GGSN 4 is P-GW (Packet Data Network Gateway), and an equivalent of the SGSN 3a, 3b is MIME (Mobility Management Entity) or S-GW (Serving Gateway). Further, an equivalent of the HLR 5 and the contract information management device 6 is HSS (subscriber information management server: Home Subscriber System). Note that, as the HLR 5 and the contract information management device 6, PCRF (Policy and Charging Rule Function) may be used, or another device like an accounting management server may be used as a control device. Further, the functions equivalent of the HLR 5 and the contract information management device 6 may be integrated into one control device such as HLR.
The present invention is applicable to a communication control system and a communication control method, and it is possible to make communication control on a user-by-user basis who uses a plurality of terminals and thereby enhance the convenience of using a communication service.
1 . . . communication control system, 2a,2b . . . mobile communication terminal, 3a,3b . . . SGSN (switch), 4 . . . GGSN (switch), 5 . . . HLR (control device), 32 . . . communication status measurement unit (communication status measurement means), 34 . . . communication history transmitting unit (communication history transmitting means), 52 . . . remaining communication amount information storage unit (remaining communication amount information storage means), 53 . . . communication history receiving unit (communication history receiving means), 54 . . . communication history adding unit (communication history adding means), 55 . . . communication amount comparison unit (communication amount comparison means), 56 . . . restriction signal transmitting unit (restriction signal transmitting means), NW . . . communication network
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010288786 | Dec 2010 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2011/079887 | 12/22/2011 | WO | 00 | 12/13/2012 |
