PROCEDURE AND SYSTEM FOR MODIFYING THE IMPULSE OF TERMINAL EQUIPMENT

Abstract: Procedure for processing the impulse of terminal equipment prior to execution of the function purported by the impulse, such as connection setup. According to the invention, the terminal equipment is connected to a processing module for processing of the impulse and the impulse is processed in the processing module on the basis of information supplied into the processing module and/or information existing in the processing module and an impulse processing algorithm present in the processing module.

Description: PROCEDURE AND SYSTEM FOR MODIFYING THE IMPULSE OF TERMINAL EQUIPMENT The present invention relates to a procedure as defined in the preamble of claim 1 for processing the impulse of terminal equipment prior to execution of the function purported by the impulse, such as connection setup. The present invention further relates to a system as defined in the preamble of claim 10 for processing the impulse of terminal equipment prior to execution of the function purported by the impulse, such as connection setup. In prior art, a procedure is known in which an application stored on the SIM card (subscriber identi- fication module) of a mobile station in a mobile communication network, especially a GSM network, can modify the impulse, preferably telephone number, input by the user. Previously known is also a location-dependent price setting system for a GSM operator. In this system, pricing is based on cell data obtained from a connection label, to which data the price of the connection is linked in subsequent processing. Information regarding the connection price level is transmit- ted to the connectioner by using the Cell Broadcast service of the GSM network before the connection. A problem with the above-mentioned price setting system is heavy post-processing of billing information. The system requires many special features, which, from the operator's point of view, are expensive to implement. Another problem is uncertainty in the pricing applied to the user. The mobile station may have changed its location regarding the cell of the mobile communication network between the CB (Bell Broadcast) message last received and the instant of connection of the connection. If this is the case, the mobile station may have moved from a cheaper cell in the mobile communication network to a more expensive cell, and therefore the user of the mobile station finds that he/she is getting excessive bills. The object of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks described above. A specific object of the present invention is to disclose a procedure and a system in which a loca- tion-dependent price setting system for mobile stations is simple and cheap to implement. The procedure of the invention is characterised by what is said in claim 1. In the procedure of the invention, the impulse is processed prior to the execution of the function purported by it, such as connection setup. The impulse may be a telephone number, command string or an equivalent quantity controlling the telecommunication terminal, which has been input either by keying in, dictating or by any corresponding method. According to the invention, the terminal is connected to a processing module for processing of the impulse. The impulse is processed in the processing module on the basis of information supplied into the processing module and/or information existing in the processing module and an impulse processing algorithm present in the processing module. In an embodiment of the procedure, the information supplied into and/or existing in the processing module comprises location data indicating the location of the terminal equipment, on the basis of which the impulse is processed in the processing module. In an embodiment of the procedure, the impulse input into the processing module is preserved as it is and a function consistent with the original impulse is executed. Alternatively, the impulse supplied into the processing module is modified and a function consistent with the modified impulse is executed. As a further alternative, the impulse is suppressed and the function corresponding to the impulse is terminated. In an embodiment of the procedure, a data communication connection is set up between the processing module and an external system and a decision regarding processing of the impulse is made by means of the processing module and the external system. In an embodiment of the procedure, a data communication connection is set up between the processing module and the application in the terminal. Further, a data communication connection is set up between the processing module and an external system. A decision regarding processing of the impulse is made by means of the processing module, the application in the terminal equipment and the external system. In an embodiment of the procedure, a data communication connection is set up between the processing module, the application in the terminal equipment and an external system. A decision regarding processing of the impulse is made by means of the processing module, the application in the terminal equipment and the external system. In an embodiment of the procedure, the impulse is processed using a location-dependent algorithm. In an embodiment of the procedure, a location- dependent connection price setting system is established by processing the impulse by means of the proc- essing module. In an embodiment of the procedure, a modified impulse is routed via a control system and the person who entered the impulse is presented a message concerning e.g. a cheaper tariff. The system of the invention is characterised by what is said in claim 10. According to the invention, the system comprises a processing module, which is connected to the terminal equipment to allow processing of the impulse on the basis of information supplied into the process- ing module and/or information existing in the processing module and an impulse processing algorithm present in the processing module. In an embodiment of the system, the processing module is connected to an application in the terminal and/or to an external system for inputting of information into the processing module, said information being used in conjunction with the processing of the impulse. In an embodiment of the system, the terminal is a mobile station comprising a subscriber identity module. In an embodiment of the system, the processing module is disposed in the subscriber identity module. Thanks to the invention, the terminal impulse can be modified in any terminal or in any part of a terminal or in an external system with which the terminal is communicating at the instant of setup of the connection purported by the impulse. The procedure and system according to the invention for modifying the impulse of a terminal enable a simple and advantageous location-dependent price setting system for mobile stations. The price setting is based on a modified impulse and no extra billing logic is needed. In the following, the invention will be de- scribed in detail by the aid of a few examples of its embodiments . The drawing represents a system according to the invention. The terminal 1 is a digital mobile station. The mobile station 1 comprises an application 3. For example, location-dependent information can be processed in the application 3 and the decisions can be made based on location-dependent information. The mobile station 1 also comprises a subscriber identity module 5 and an impulse processing module 2. The application 3 and the processing module 2 may be physi- connectiony disposed in the subscriber identity module 5, although the figure shows the application 3 in separation from the subscriber identity module 5. The mobile station 1 has a data communication connection to a base transceiver station 7, which is connected to a telecommunication network 6. The mobile station 1 communicates with an external system 4 via the telecommunication network 6. The invention can be implemented especially in a GSM network. The SIM card of a GSM mobile station contains an application 3 that uses commands consistent with the SIM Application Toolkit specification. The user of the mobile station enters e.g. the impulse 09-123456 into the mobile station. The impulse is transferred to the SIM card by a special application 3 using the Connection Control by SIM function comprised in the SIM Application Toolkit. The application checks the current location of the mobile station 1 in relation to the mobile communication network. The locating function can be carried out by utilising the PROVIDE LOCAL INFORMATION command defined in the TS GSM 11.14 specification or some other method that utilises the functions of the telecommunication network β and/or external systems 4. If the mobile station 1 is not currently located in a special area, then the impulse is passed unaltered into the mobile communication network. If the mobile station 1 is located in a special area, then the impulse is modified by the processing module 2. The impulse may be changed e.g. into the form 0800XYZ123456KLMN. In the telecommunication net- work 6, the impulse is routed on the basis of the first seven digits to a special server 4 in the intel- ligent network service control point SCP of the telecommunication network 6. The price of the connection is based on the use of the number 0800XYZ in conjunction with connec- tion setup. Connections addressed to the 0800 number range can be defined as special-rate connections, e.g. as gratuitous connections, so this allows local price setting. The last four digits KLMN are used for authentication of the connection. The impulse pre- sented above is encoded by a method acceptable to the SIM and the intelligent network server. Thus, the server makes sure that the connection to be set up has been originated by a SIM card. The digits in between carry the actual connectioned subscriber number. The invention is not restricted to the examples of its embodiments described above, but many variations are possible within the scope of the inventive idea defined by the claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Procedure for processing the impulse of terminal equipment prior to execution of the function purported by the impulse, such as connection setup, characteri sed in that the terminal equipment is connected to a processing module for processing of the impulse, and that the impulse is processed in the processing module on the basis of information supplied into the processing module and/or information existing in the processing module and an impulse processing algorithm present in the processing module. 2. Procedure as defined in claim 1, characterised in that the information supplied into and/or existing in the processing module comprises data indicating the location of the terminal equipment and the impulse is processed on the basis of the location data. 3. Procedure as defined in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that - the impulse input into the processing module is preserved as it is and a function consistent with the original impulse is executed, - the impulse supplied into the processing module is modified and a function consistent with the modified impulse is executed, or - the impulse is suppressed and the function consistent with the impulse is terminated. 4. Procedure as defined in any one of claims 1 - 3, characterised in that a data communica- tion connection is set up between the processing module and an external system and the decision regarding processing of the impulse is made by means of the processing module and the external system. 5. Procedure as defined in any one of claims 1 - 4, characterised in that a data communication connection is set up between the processing mod- ule and an application in the terminal equipment and a data communication connection is set up between the processing module and an external system and the decision regarding processing of the impulse is made by means of the processing module, the application in the terminal equipment and the external system. 6. Procedure as defined in any one of claims 1 - 5, characterised in that a data communication connection is set up between the processing mod- ule, the application in the terminal equipment and an external system and the decision regarding processing of the impulse is made by means of the processing module, the application in the terminal equipment and the external system. 7. Procedure as defined in any one of claims 1 - 6, characterised in that the impulse is processed using a location-dependent algorithm. 8. Procedure as defined in any one of claims 1 7, characterised in that a location- dependent price setting system is established by processing the impulse by means of the processing module. 9. Procedure as defined in any one of claims 1 - 8, characterised in that a modified impulse is routed via a control system and the person who entered the impulse is presented a message preferably concerning a cheaper tariff. 10. System for processing the impulse of terminal equipment (1) prior to execution of the function purported by the impulse, such as connection setup, characteri sed in that the system comprises a processing module (2) , which is connected to the terminal equipment to allow processing of the impulse on the basis of information supplied into the processing module and/or information existing in the processing module and an impulse processing algorithm present in the processing module. 11. System as defined in claim 10, characte ri sed in that the processing module (2) is connected to an application in the terminal equipment and/or to an external system (4) to allow input of in- formation into the processing module, said information being used in conjunction with the processing of the impulse . 12. System as defined in claim 10 or 11, characteri sed in that the terminal equipment (1) is a mobile station comprising a subscriber identity module (5) . 13. System as defined in any one of claims 10 - 12, characteri sed in that the processing module (2) is disposed in the subscriber identity mod- ule (5) .

Inventors: HOKKANEN TUOMO, LINKOLA JANNE, HOKKANEN, TUOMO, LINKOLA, JANNE
Applicants: HOKKANEN TUOMO, LINKOLA JANNE, SONERA OY, HOKKANEN, TUOMO, LINKOLA, JANNE
Application year: 1998
Main classification: H04Q7
IPC codes: H04M1, H04M15, H04W4