WO2015152849A1

WO2015152849A1 - A system and method for detecting alarm status and sending notification

Info

Publication number: WO2015152849A1
Application number: PCT/TR2015/000135
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yildiz EREN
Original assignee: Turkcell Teknoloji Arastirma Ve Gelistirme A.S.
Priority date: 2014-03-31
Filing date: 2015-03-31
Publication date: 2015-10-08

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system (1) and method (100) which enables to detect alarm states and send notification for online pricing errors in communication networks. The inventive system (1) comprises pricing control unit (2), pricing database (3), network element (4), call records processing unit (5), event and alarm unit (6), event database (7) and a communication device (8) belonging to an operation executive (S).

Description

DESCRIPTION

A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING ALARM STATUS AND

SENDING NOTIFICATION

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a system and method which enables to detect alarm states and send notification for online pricing errors in communication networks.

Background of the Invention

Today, use of communication devices providing voice, data, message exchange shows a continuous increase. Providing continuous sendees to users under any circumstances, carrying out online pricing processes of services without any problem in the meanwhile occur as a great necessity in terms of communication network operators due to this common use. Sustaining a pricing application in online pricing applications included in existing technique continuously is a difficult process to be carried out in terms of communication network operators. A large number of processes for receiving, sending request and query are performed between network members through online pricing applications. Network members realize pricing of services such as voice, data, message - which they provide for subscribers - by means of these pricing applications and in the event of a possible problem to arise within these applications and/or between these applications and network members; pricing process suspends during the said problem, then it is required to make examinations over call detail records (CDR), the related communication network operator loses money and time. In order to avoid the said problem a system and method which realizes pricing error states, that are corrected by examining call detail records, from various parameter in call detail records occurring during online pricing process; when these errors start affecting a certain number of subscriber upon reaching a certain frequency, ensures that action can be taken in order that a pricing error can be corrected as soon as it occurs by creating alarms that comprise information about the units - which cause the errors - and then sending them to the related operation executive is required in existing technique.

The international patent document no. WO2009062951, an application in the state of the art, discloses a method for transmitting pricing data in a communication network. The method discloses that call detail records are transmitted upon being fragmented into a plurality of fragments and it is also stated that an error detection unit functions during transmission.

Summary of the Invention

An objective of the present invention is to realize a system and method which enables to detect alarm states for online pricing errors in communication networks.

Another objective of the present invention is to realize a system and method which enables to send notification to related units for online pricing errors in communication networks.

Detailed Description of the Invention "A System and Method for Detecting Alarm Status and Sending Notification realized to fulfill the objectives of the present invention is shown in the figures attached, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of the inventive system.

Figure 2 is a flow chart of the inventive method.

The components illustrated in the figures are individually numbered, where the numbers refer to the following:

1. System

2. Pricing control unit

3. Pricing database

4. Network element

5. Call records processing unit

6. Event and alarm unit

7. Event database

8. Communication device

100. Method

S. Operation executive

A system (1) enabling to detect alarm states and send notification for online pricing errors in communication networks comprises:

at least one pricing control unit (2) which carries out control and management of all paid services within a communication network; at least one pricing database (3) which keeps balance information, tariff fee information, campaigns and gift information of subscribers within communication network and is managed by the pricing control unit (2); at least one network element (4) such as MSC (Mobil Switching Center), GGSN (Gateway GPRS Support Node), SMSC (Short Message Service Center) which sends requests and queries to the pricing control unit (2) in order that pricing with respect to the processes carried out are reflected to the pricing database (3) and creates call detail records (CDR) for every process by adding information about pricing as well;

at least one call records processing unit (5) which collects, processes call detail records from the network elements (4) continuously and determines records wherein there are pricing errors;

at least one event and alarm unit (6) which creates event records by the error records relating to the records wherein the pricing errors determined by the call records processing unit (5) are located, creates alarm for the related pricing control unit (2) by considering parameters such as frequency of error information and number of subscribers affected by thereof, and transmits the related alarms to the operation executive (S);

at least one event database (7) where the event and alarm unit (6) transfers the event records and the alarm information and these records are kept;

at least one communication device (8) where the event and alarm unit (6) sends the alarm in order that it transmits the alarm to the operation executive (S)

(Figure 1).

The pricing control unit (2) is a unit which carries out control and management of all paid services within a communication network. The pricing control unit (2) takes action by requests of network members - which provide services such as voice, data, message to a subscriber - with respect to pricing and makes reflections in accordance with this pricing process to the information in the pricing database (3). In any case where the pricing control unit (2) cannot carry out this process, a pricing error occurs in online pricing.

The pricing database (3) is a unit which keeps balance information, tariff fee information, campaigns and gift information of subscribers within communication network and is managed by the pricing control unit (2).

The network element (4) is a member such as MSC (Mobil Switching Center), GGSN (Gateway GPRS Support Node), SMSC (Short Message Service Center) which sends requests and queries to the pricing control unit (2) in order that pricing with respect to the processes carried out are reflected to the pricing database (3) and creates call detail records (CDR) for every process by adding infonnation about pricing as well. The call records processing unit (5) is a unit which collects, processes call detail records from the network elements (4) continuously and determines records wherein there are pricing errors and then transfers them to the event and alarm unit (6). The event and alarm unit (6) is a unit which creates event records by the error records relating to the records wherein the pricing errors determined by the call records processing unit (5) are located, creates alarm for the related pricing control unit (2) by considering parameters such as frequency of error information and number of subscribers affected by thereof, and transmits the related alarms to the operation executive (S).

The event database (7) is a unit where the event and alarm unit (6) transfers the event records and the alarm information and these records are kept. The communication device (8) is a unit where the event and alarm unit (6) sends the alarm in order that it transmits the alarm to the operation executive (S). The communication device (8) can be a device having a structure such that it can receive the message related to the alarm over a network connection; for example, a mobile phone, a smart phone, a computer. In different embodiments of the invention, the said device (8) has a structure such that it can receive SMS (Short Messaging Service), push notification and/or e-mail.

A method (100) enabling to detect alarm states and send notification for online pricing errors in communication networks comprises steps of:

- the network element (4) sending request to the pricing control unit (2) in order that the pricing with respect to the process carried out are reflected to the pricing database (3) (101);

- the pricing control unit (2) carrying out process so as to reflect the pricing to the pricing database (3) in order that the pricing with respect to the process carried out by the network element (4) is realized (102);

- the pricing control unit (2) returning the result of the process - carried out by itself so as to reflect the pricing to the pricing database (3 ) in order that the pricing with respect to the process carried out by the network element (4) is realized - to the network element (4) as successful or unsuccessful (103);

- the network element (4) creating a call detail record comprising also the result of the pricing process received from the pricing control unit (2) (104);

- call records processing unit (5) determining the call detail records having unsuccessful pricing process by collecting the call detail records from the network element (4) and transferring the error information related to these records to the event and alarm unit (6) (105); the event and alarm unit (6) creating event information with the error information related io the call detail records transmitted to itself and transferring it to the event database (7) (106);

the event and alarm unit (6) deciding whether any pricing control unit (2) has created errors more than a specific number at a given time and/or whether the error created by thereof has affected subscribers more than a specific number by using the event information created by thereof ( 107);

in the event that any pricing control unit (2) has created errors more than a specific number at a given time and/or the error created by thereof has affected subscribers more than a specific number, the event and alarm unit (6) transferring the alarm information to the event database (7) by creating alarm with that pricing control unit (2) (108); the event and alarm unit (6) transmitting the notification related to the alarm created by thereof to the communication device (8) of the operation executive (S) (109)

In the inventive method (100), first of all the network element (4) sends request to the pricing control unit (2) in order that the pricing with respect to the process carried out are reflected to the pricing database (3) (101). The pricing control unit

(2) carries out process so as to reflect the pricing to the pricing database (3) in order that the pricing with respect to the process carried out by the network element (4) is realized (102). The pricing control unit (2) returns the result of the process - carried out by itself so as to reflect the pricing to the pricing database

(3) in order that the pricing with respect to the process carried out by the network element (4) is realized - to the network element (4) as successful or unsuccessful (103). In different embodiments of the invention, the fact that the said process fails may be because of problems arising from the structure of the pricing control unit (2) or a connection problem confronted between the network element (4) and the pricing control unit (2) or a connection problem confronted between the pricing control unit (2) and the pricing database (3).

The network element (4) creates a call detail record comprising also the result of the pricing process received from the pricing control unit (2) (104). Each different type of network element (4) can create a call detail record having various information and various formats. In the said call detail records, there are also information about the service (voice, data, message) realized and provided by the network element (4) to the subscriber in addition to the result of the pricing process. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the said call detail records are prepared by means of the network element (4) by ASN.l coding and the call records are analysed by the call records processing unit (5). The call records processing unit (5) determines the call detail records having unsuccessful pricing process by collecting the call detail records from the network element (4) and transfers the error information related to these records to the event and alarm unit (6) (105). When carrying out this step (105), the call records processing unit (5) does analysis on the call detail record and examines the result information of the pricing process and determines the call detail records which have such information determined as unsuccessful by means of pricing error parameters. Although each different type of network element (4) indicate different characteristics for error indication and notification in the call detail record which they create, the call records processing unit (5) can make sense of error information within these characteristics. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, given that the network element (4) is MSC the pricing error status can be understood from fields of defaultCallHandling and freeFormatData in the call detail record in the call records processing unit (5). If the field of defaultCallHandling among the said fields has occurred in the call detail record, the call records processing unit (5) comes to a conclusion that there is no problem in access to the pricing control unit (2) and also error details (such as time information of the call that is priced and cannot be priced) can be reached from the field of freeFormatData.

Similarly, the pricing error status can be understood from the field of failureHandlingContinue in the call detail record in the call records processing unit (5) in an embodiment wherein the network element (4) is GGSN. If the field of failureHandlingContinue is present in the call detail record and its value is true, the call records processing unit (5) comes to a conclusion that there is a problem in access to the pricing control unit (2).

The event and alarm unit (6) creates event information with the error information related to the call detail records transmitted to itself and transfers it to the event database (7) (106). The event and alarm unit (6) decides whether any pricing control unit (2) has created errors more than a specific number at a given time and/or whether the error created by thereof has affected subscribers more than a specific number by using the event information created by thereof (107). In the event that any pricing control unit (2) has created errors more than a specific number at a given time and/or the error created by thereof has affected subscribers more than a specific number, the event and alarm unit (6) transferring the alarm information to the event database (7) by creating alarm with that pricing control unit (2) (108). In the alarm information transferred to the event database (7), there are information of the pricing control unit (2), number of pricing errors, number of subscribers affected by the error, MSISDN (Mobile Station ISDN ) information of the subscribers affected by the error, information of the network elements (4) creating the call detail record where the error information is understood. The event and alarm unit (6) transmitting the notification related to the alarm created by thereof to the communication device (8) of the operation executive (S) (109). Thus, it is ensured that units such as the pricing control unit (2), the network elements (4) where a pricing error is confronted are intervened immediately at the time of error and more processes of voice, data, message are prevented from being subjected to pricing error. The said transmission process can be carried out by means of short message and/or e-mail depending on the type of the communication device (8). In one embodiment of the invention, there are information of the pricing control unit (2), number of pricing error, number of subscribers affected by the error, information of the network elements (4) creating the call detail record where the error information is understood in the alarm transmitted to communication device ( 8) of the operation executive ( S).

It is possible to develop various embodiments of the inventive system (1) and method (100), it cannot be limited to the examples disclosed herein and it is essentially according to the claims.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A method (100) enabling to detect alarm states and send notification for online pricing errors in communication networks, characterized by comprising steps of:

- the pricing control unit (2) returning the result of the process - carried out by itself so as to reflect the pricing to the pricing database (3) in order that the pricing with respect to the process carried out by the network element (4) is realized - to the network element (4) as successful or unsuccessful (103);

- call records processing unit (5) determining the call detail records having unsuccessful pricing process by collecting the call detail records from the network element (4) and transferring the error information related to these records to the event and alarm unit (6) (105);

- the event and alarm unit (6) creating event information with the error information related to the call detail records transmitted to itself and transferring it to the event database (7) (106);

- the event and alarm unit (6) deciding whether any pricing control unit (2) has created errors more than a specific number at a given time and/or whether the error created by thereof has affected subscribers more than a specific number by using the event information created by thereof (107);

in the event that any pricing control unit (2) has created errors more than a specific number at a given time and/or the error created by thereof has affected subscribers more than a specific number, the event and alarm unit (6) transferring the alarm information to the event database (7) by creating alarm with that pricing control unit (2) (108); the event and alarm unit (6) transmitting the notification related to the alarm created by thereof to the communication device (8) of the operation executive (S) (109).

2. A method (100) according to Claim 1, characterized in that at the step of the pricing control unit (2) returning the result of the process - carried out by itself so as to reflect the pricing to the pricing database (3) in order that the pricing with respect to the process carried out by the network element (4) is realized - to the network element (4) as successful or unsuccessful (103); the fact that the said process fails happens because of problems arising from the structure of the pricing control unit (2) or a connection problem confronted between the network element (4) and the pricing control unit (2) or a connection problem confronted between the pricing control unit (2) and the pricing database

(3) 3. A method (100) according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized in that at the step of the network element (4) creating a call detail record comprising also the result of the pricing process received from the pricing control unit (2) (104); there are also information about the service (voice, data, message) realized and provided by the network element (4) to the subscriber i addition to the result of the pricing process in the said call detail records.

4. A method (100) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at the step of the network element (4) creating a call detail record comprising also the result of the pricing process received from the pricing control unit (2) (104); the said call detail records are prepared by means of the network element (4) by ASN.l coding.

5. A method (100) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at the step of the call records processing unit (5) determining the call detail records having unsuccessful pricing process by collecting the call detail records from the network element (4) and transferring the error information related to these records to the event and alarm unit (6) ( 105); the call records processing unit (5) does analysis on the call detail record and examines the result information of the pricing process and determines the call detail records which have such information determined as unsuccessful by means of pricing error parameters.

6. A method (100) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at the step of in the event that any pricing control unit (2) has created errors more than a specific number at a given time and/or the error created by thereof has affected subscribers more than a specific number, the event and alarm unit (6) transferring the alarm information to the event database (7) by creating alarm with that pricing control unit (2) (108); in the alarm information transferred to the event database (7), there are information of the pricing control unit (2), number of pricing errors, number of subscribers affected by the error, iMSISDN (Mobile Station ISDN) information of the subscribers affected by the error, information of the network elements (4) creating the call detail record where the error information is understood.

7. A method (100) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at the step of the event and alarm unit (6) transmitting the notification related to the alarm created by thereof to the communication device (8) of the operation executive (S) (109); the said transmission process is carried out by means of short message and/or e-mail depending on the type of the communication device (8).

8. A method (100) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at the step of the event and alarm unit (6) transmitting the notification related to the alarm created by thereof to the communication device (8 ) of the operation executive (S) (109); the there are information of the pricing control unit (2), number of pricing error, number of subscribers affected by the error, information of the network elements (4) creating the call detail record where the error information is understood in the alarm transmitted to communication device (8) of the operation executive (S ).

9. A system (1) enabling to detect alarm states and send notification for online pricing errors in communication networks, comprising:

at least one pricing control unit (2) which carries out control and management of all paid services within a communication network; at least one pricing database (3) which keeps balance information, tariff fee information, campaigns and gift information of subscribers within communication network and is managed by the pricing control unit (2);

at least one network element (4) such as MSC (Mobil Switching Center), GGSN (Gateway GPRS Support Node), SMSC (Short Message Service Center) which sends requests and queries to the pricing control unit (2) in order that pricing with respect to the processes carried out are reflected to the pricing database (3) and creates call detail records (CDR) for every process by adding information about pricing as well;

at least one call records processing unit (5); at least one event and alarm unit (6);

at least one communication device (8) where the event and alann unit (6) sends the alarm in order that it transmits the alarm to the operation executive (S)

and characterized by

at least one event and alarm unit (6) which creates event records by the error records relating to the records wherein the pricing errors determined by the call records processing unit (5) are located, creates alarm for the related pricing control unit (2) by considering parameters such as frequency of error information and number of subscribers affected by thereof, and transmits the related alarms to the operation executive (S).