US008014800B2
`
`(12) United States Patent
`Tornkvist
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 8,014,800 B2
`Sep. 6, 2011
`
`(54) CHARGING OF NUMBERS TRIGGERED
`PREMIUM SMS
`
`(75) Inventor: Robert Tiirnkvist, Karlshamn (SE)
`
`(51) Int. Cl.
`(2009.01)
`H04 W 4/00
`52 US. Cl. ................... .. 455/466' 455/432.1 455/433'
`(
`)
`’
`255/4351’
`
`
`
`Assigneez Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (PubD’ Stockholm (SE)
`
`0f Classi?cation Search ................ .. 455/4321, 433, 435.1, 422.1
`
`See application ?le for complete search history.
`
`( * ) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 791 days.
`
`Primary ExamineriTemica M Beamer
`
`(21) Appl. No.:
`
`12/090,025
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`(22) PCT Filed
`'
`
`Oct 10 2006
`'
`’
`PCT/sE2006/001148
`
`(86) PCT NO .
`"
`§ 371 (6X1),
`(2), (4) Date? May 7’ 2008
`_
`(87) PCT Pub‘ NO" W02007/043946
`PCT Pub, Date; Apr, 19, 2007
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2008/0254817 A1
`
`Oct’ 16’ 2008
`
`A method and arrangement for enabling a mobile terminal
`user currently roaming in a visited mobile network, to execute
`a purchase by means of an SMS payment mechanism. An
`SMS message containing a purchase request is received from
`the mobile terminal. After detecting that the SMS message is
`addressed to an external SMS center in a home mobile net
`work different from the visited one, the address of the external
`SMS center in the SMS message is changed into the address
`of an internal SMS center in the visited network. The modi
`?ed SMS message is then routed towards the internal SMS
`center Where the purchase can be con?rmed if a called num
`ber in the message matches a product/ service provider regis
`tered as being authorized to offer said SMS payment mecha
`
`(30)
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`msm'
`
`Oct. 13, 2005
`
`(EP) ................................... .. 05445075
`
`16 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
`
`Receive SMS and read
`500 / SMSC address
`
`502
`
`SMSC
`external?
`
`506 \
`
`Check identity, permissions
`and numbering plans
`
`512
`
`allowed?
`
`Change SMSC address
`and send SMS to
`internal SMSC
`
`504
`
`Normal SMS
`procedure
`
`( 508
`Send SMS to
`external SMSC
`
`514
`
`(
`Discard SMS
`
`Exhibit 1033
`IPR2015-01219
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Sep. 6, 2011
`
`Sheet 1 013
`
`US 8,014,800 B2
`
`108
`
`110
`
`112
`W x
`
`abc 71m A SMSC
`
`116
`\
`
`114
`1
`
`A
`
`102
`
`Parking ----*
`Centre
`
`104
`
`202
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Sep. 6, 2011
`
`Sheet 2 of3
`
`US 8,014,800 B2
`
`Product/service
`314
`\ provider
`
`“"'
`
`302
`
`\
`306
`304
`
`
`\ \ m SMSC’
`
`30
`~
`
`Routing
`8‘ can? 3:2
`
`HO € S \ \ 30s
`
`A
`
`Fig. 3
`
`400
`
`A
`
`404
`408
`406
`___________________ __\ _________________ _.\---_:
`402 5 ______
`Routing
`Service
`SMS '{
`unit
`control unit
`Centre
`a
`i
`2 ______________________________________________ __i ____ __i
`4 1 SMS
`
`:1 4:2 check
`
`410 \
`Product/service
`provider
`
`4:3 control
`
`4:4 Check
`
`4:5 change
`<_______________
`
`4:6 SMS mod
`
`>
`
`4:7 check
`
`4:8 purchase
`-_--——-————-——-—>
`
`4
`
`4:9 ack
`4:10 report 4*”
`
`Fig. 4
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Sep. 6, 2011
`
`Sheet 3 of3
`
`US 8,014,800 B2
`
`Receive SMS and read
`500 / SMSC address
`
`502
`
`SMSC
`external?
`
`506 \
`
`N0
`
`No
`
`Check identity, permissions
`5 10
`\
`.
`and numbermg plans
`
`Change SMSC address
`516 \ and send SMS to
`internal SMSC
`
`504
`
`Normal SMS
`procedure
`
`K 508
`Send SMS to
`external SMSC
`
`514
`
`(
`Discard SMS
`
`Fig. 5
`
`

`
`US 8,014,800 B2
`
`1
`CHARGING OF NUMBERS TRIGGERED
`PREMIUM SMS
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD
`
`The present invention relates generally to a method and
`arrangement for enabling payments With mobile terminals
`When not located in a mobile home network. In particular, the
`existing mobile communication service knoWn as Premium
`SMS (Short Message Service) is used for making payments
`When located in a visited mobile network, e. g. abroad.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND
`PRIOR ART
`
`In mobile telecommunication netWorks, a payment service
`has been introduced alloWing mobile users to pay for products
`and services by means of their mobile terminals, instead of
`using cash, a credit card or similar. This method provides for
`high security and convenience, and is chie?y attractive for
`making so-called “micro-payments” involving limited
`amounts and typically When not being served by a person.
`Currently, some typical examples of usage include various
`Web services for, e. g., information delivery and doWnloading
`of ?les over the Internet such as ring tones, being particularly
`popular today. The mobile payment service can also be uti
`lised When paying for physical items in vending machines,
`travelling tickets, parking fees, etc. In the folloWing descrip
`tion, the general terms “products and services” are intended to
`represent anything that can be paid for With this service.
`Typically, the existing SMS mechanism can be used for this
`purpose basically in the folloWing manner. A product/ service
`provider may ?rst offer a mobile user to purchase some prod
`uct or service at a certain price, by the user sending an SMS
`message containing some speci?c code or the like associated
`With the product/ service, to a given telephone number asso
`ciated With the product/service provider. After sending the
`SMS, the user can be charged later for the purchase by his/her
`mobile netWork operator, either in a regular subscription bill
`or by deduction from a prepaid account.
`This mechanism thus relies on a billing relation betWeen
`the user and his/her mobile netWork operator, as Well as a
`trusted relation betWeen the mobile netWork operator and the
`product/ service provider. The term “premium SMS” is often
`used to denote this service. A similar service called “premium
`call” is also available for making payments in a similar man
`ner by means of any type of telephone. The user then calls a
`given telephone number and is prompted to enter some code
`or the like during the call in order to con?rm a purchase. The
`premium SMS method is generally considered to be the more
`user-friendly of the tWo. Another great advantage With these
`telephone payment methods is that they do not require special
`functions or modi?cations in the telephones used, but Will
`Work for any legacy telephones.
`FIG. 1 illustrates a procedure in an exemplary GSM mobile
`netWork for paying a parking fee by means of a mobile ter
`minal A, according to the prior art. Terminal A is currently
`connected to a mobile home netWork 100 by means of con
`ventional netWork elements including a radio base station, not
`shoWn. A user of terminal A approaches a parking meter 102,
`belonging to a parking system managed by means of a park
`ing centre 104, and is offered the option to pay the parking fee
`by sending a given code “abc” as an SMS message to a given
`number “7lxxx”. A pre?x or suf?x in the code may be used to
`indicate a desired parking duration. Payment instructions and
`rates may be presented on a sign or the like at the parking site.
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`This number 7lxxx has previously been assigned to the
`parking system 102/104, in a mutual agreement to provide the
`SMS payment service over the netWork 104. Hence, the park
`ing system has been registered With netWork 100 in a register
`database 106, as an authorised service provider associated
`With number 7lxxx, as schematically indicated by a dashed
`arroW betWeen 104 and 106. It is common for mobile netWork
`operators to reserve entire series in their numbering scheme,
`typically abbreviated numbers, for “hire” by any potential
`product/ service providers Wanting to register as authorised
`providers of the premium SMS payment service.
`After deciding to utilise the offered SMS payment option,
`the user noW opts to send an SMS message 108 according to
`the given instructions. Terminal A then creates a string con
`taining speci?c ?elds of information, including a message
`?eld 110 containing the “payload” message abc as entered by
`the user. Further, a called number ?eld 112 contains the num
`ber 7lxxx as dialed by the user, and a calling number ?eld 114
`is also added presenting the telephone numberA of terminal
`A. Hence, the SMS message 108 basically contains a pur
`chase request according to these ?elds.
`Mobile terminals are con?gured to further automatically
`add the address of an SMS centre in their mobile home net
`Works, to all SMS messages in general. In this Way, all SMS
`messages are initially directed to the “home” SMS centre for
`further delivery to the destination according to the called
`number. Therefore, terminal A in this case adds a ?eld 116 to
`the message 108 containing the address “SMSC” of an SMS
`centre 118 in netWork 100, being the home netWork of termi
`nal A as mentioned above.
`Accordingly, the accessed netWork 100 routes the SMS
`message 108 to SMS centre 118, in a ?rst step 1:1.
`Receiving the message 108, SMS centre 118 recognises
`that this is not an ordinary SMS message addressed to a
`mobile user, but a purchase request, by reading the called
`number 7lxxx in ?eld 112. In a next illustrated step 1 :2, SMS
`centre 118 compares the called number 7 1 xxx With registered
`numbers of authorised premium SMS payment service pro
`viders in the register database 106. If a match is found, the
`requested purchase can be admitted and a suitable purchase
`con?rmation is conveyed to the parking centre 104, in a ?nal
`step 1:3. Thereby, the purchased service can be “delivered” to
`the user, in this case by activating the parking meter 102,
`having the same effect as if the user had inserted cash or a
`credit card or similar, in the parking meter 102. The parking
`centre 104 may then send some kind of delivery acknoWl
`edgement, not shoWn, back to the SMS centre 118 or other
`suitable netWork node.
`The purchased service can be charged for in different Ways.
`Typically, the service provider, in this case represented by the
`parking centre 104, sends a speci?cation to the mobile opera
`tor on the amount spent, and the mobile operator in turn adds
`the amount, along With a suitable remuneration, to a regular
`subscription bill of the terminal user. Alternatively, a ?xed
`increased call fee for premium SMS calls may be used, cov
`ering all expenses for the purchase including a compensation
`to the netWork operator, such that a speci?c bill or report from
`the service provider Would not be needed for each purchase.
`Settlement can then be made either by giving the service
`provider a share of the call fees, or by means of a charge
`speci?cation made by the service provider. The call fee may
`also be differentiated for plural hired numbers and/ or depend
`ing on a message embedded in the SMS, thereby enabling
`different rates for different products/ services sold by the same
`provider.
`WO 2005/050575 Al discloses a system for paying park
`ing fees using mobile telephones, basically in the manner
`
`

`
`US 8,014,800 B2
`
`3
`described above. A user sends an SMS message to a dedicated
`telephone number of the system, the message containing at
`least the license number of the user’s vehicle, a code identi
`fying the parking area, and a password. The user will then be
`charged for the parking in a regular telephone bill.
`However, if the terminal user is not connected to its home
`network, but is currently accessing a visited mobile network,
`eg when roaming abroad, the premium SMS payment ser
`vice cannot be used in the latter network for the following
`reasons. As illustrated in FIG. 2, a terminal A currently roam
`ing in a visited mobile network 200, but belonging to a dif
`ferent home network 200' by means of subscription, is not
`able to purchase offered products/services by means of the
`premium SMS method. If any regular SMS message is sent to
`another mobile user, the SMS message will always be routed
`to the home SMS centre ?rst, which then delivers it to the
`addressed user. If the addressed user is also located in the
`same visited network, the SMS message would ?rst be routed
`to the home network and then back to the visited network,
`sometimes referred to as the “trombone” effect.
`Referring to FIG. 2, the user of terminal A attempts to pay
`a parking fee, as in FIG. 1, by means of premium SMS as
`offered by a parking system, here merely represented by
`parking centre 202. In this example, both networks 200 and
`200' include an SMS centre 204 and 204', respectively. Also,
`both are capable of providing the SMS payment service to
`their subscribers on behalf of product/ service providers reg
`istered in a register database 206 and 206', respectively. Thus,
`parking centre 202 is registered as a service provider in reg
`ister database 206, as indicated by the dotted arrow there
`between, authorised to offer the SMS payment service, just as
`parking centre 104 was registered in register database 106 in
`FIG. 1.
`Hence, terminal A sends an SMS message in a ?rst step 2:1
`according to given purchase instructions, just as described for
`FIG. 1 above. However, terminal A is still con?gured to
`automatically add the address of the home SMS centre (as
`?eld 116 in FIG. 1) to any SMS message, regardless of where
`it is currently located. When receiving the SMS containing
`the address of home SMS centre 204', a suitable switching
`node (not shown) in the visited network 200, typically an
`MSC or similar, would accordingly route this message to
`SMS centre 204' in home network 200', in a step 2:2, and not
`to SMS centre 204 in the visited network where parking
`centre 202 is actually registered.
`Since the parking centre 202 is naturally not registered as a
`service provider in register database 206' of the home net
`work, no match will be found in database 206' when checking
`the called number 71xxx (as ?eld 112 in FIG. 1), in a step 2:3.
`Therefore, this step will end the process and no service or
`product can be delivered since the purchase cannot be con
`?rmed. This failure may of course result in frustration and a
`cancelled purchase.
`In fact, it is possible to manipulate a mobile terminal to
`change the SMSC address momentarily such that the address
`of SMS centre 204 in the visited network is added to the SMS
`message, replacing the home SMS centre 204' address as
`automatically con?gured. However, this is somewhat com
`plicated to do and very few users are likely to know of it,
`requiring knowledge of the SMS mechanism and the address
`of the visited SMS Centre. Moreover, changing the SMSC
`address to the visited SMSC is only relevant to get access to
`premium SMS payment services in the visited network, and
`this address must therefore be restored to the home SMSC
`address afterwards for normal SMS traf?c. Another hypo
`thetical possibility would be for product/ service providers to
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`register with mobile network operators in foreign countries,
`but this would require much effort and may not be viable in
`many cases.
`Hence, it is generally a problem that mobile users cannot
`readily utilise the attractive and convenient premium SMS
`payment method for making purchases when roaming in a
`visited mobile network, also resulting in lost revenue for both
`product/ service providers and network operators. The signi?
`cance of this problem will naturally increase further as this
`payment service is spread to even more vendors and ?elds of
`application, and also due to an increasingly global environ
`ment with more roaming terminal users.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The object of the present invention is to reduce or eliminate
`the problems outlined above. In particular, it is an object of
`the present invention to provide a solution for enabling a user
`to make payments or purchases by means of a mobile termi
`nal, even when roaming in a visited mobile network, without
`requiring modi?cations in the used terminal.
`This object and others are obtained by providing a method
`and arrangement for enabling a mobile terminal user cur
`rently roaming in a visited mobile network, to execute a
`purchase by means of an SMS payment mechanism, or any
`equivalent mechanism generally using mobile messages.
`In the inventive method according to one aspect, an SMS
`message is received from the mobile terminal, containing a
`purchase request using the SMS payment mechanism. It is
`then detected that the received SMS message is directed to an
`external SMS centre in a home mobile network of the user
`different from the visited one, by reading a ?eld in the SMS
`message containing an address of the external SMS centre
`which has been automatically added to the message by the
`mobile terminal. The received SMS message is then modi?ed
`by changing the address of the external SMS centre into the
`address of an internal SMS centre in the visited network.
`Finally, the modi?ed SMS message is routed towards the
`internal SMS centre according to the changed address, such
`that the purchase can be con?rmed if a called number in the
`message matches a product/service provider registered as
`being authorised to offer said SMS payment mechanism.
`Before modifying the SMS message, it may be determined
`whether the message can be admitted as a purchase request
`using the SMS payment mechanism. The receiving and
`detecting steps may be executed in a routing unit in the visited
`network, and when detecting either that the SMS message
`contains a purchase request, or that the given SMS centre
`address does not belong to the visited network, or both, the
`message may be diverted to a service control unit in the
`visited network where the determining step is executed. If the
`SMS purchase request canbe admitted to proceed, the service
`control unit may return an instruction to the routing unit to
`execute the modifying and sending steps.
`The SMS message may be determined to be admitted by
`checking whether the received SMS message is an authorised
`purchase request. For example, the SMS message may be
`checked with respect to at least one of: what type of requested
`product/ service, prede?ned agreements and permissions
`from the user’s home mobile network, and potential colli
`sions in numbering schemes of the visited and home net
`works. Checking the SMS message may further include
`inquiring the user’s home mobile network.
`The SMS message may be detected to contain a purchase
`request based on said called number given in the message
`and/or the message contents.
`
`

`
`US 8,014,800 B2
`
`5
`The inventive arrangement according to another aspect
`comprises means for receiving an SMS message from the
`mobile terminal containing a purchase request using the SMS
`payment mechanism, and means for detecting that the
`received SMS message is directed to an external SMS centre
`in a home mobile network different from the visited one,
`based on an address of the external SMS centre contained in
`a ?eld in the SMS message which has been automatically
`added to the message by the mobile terminal. The inventive
`arrangement further comprises means for modifying the
`received SMS message by changing the address of the exter
`nal SMS centre into the address of an internal SMS centre in
`the visited network, and means for routing the modi?ed SMS
`message towards the internal SMS centre according to the
`changed address. Then, the purchase can be con?rmed if a
`called number in the message matches a product/ service pro
`vider registered as being authorised to offer said SMS pay
`ment mechanism.
`The arrangement may further comprise means for deter
`mining whether said SMS message can be admitted as a
`purchase request using the SMS payment mechanism, before
`modifying the message. The receiving and detecting means
`may be implemented in a routing unit in the visited network,
`and when said detecting means either detects that the SMS
`message contains a purchase request, or that the given SMS
`centre address does not belong to the visited network, orboth,
`it is adapted to divert the message to a service control unit in
`the visited network where said determining means is imple
`mented. If the SMS purchase request can be admitted to
`proceed, the service control unit may be adapted to return an
`instruction to the routing unit to modify and send the SMS
`message towards the internal SMS centre.
`The determining means may be adapted to check whether
`the received SMS message is an authorised purchase request.
`The determining means may be further adapted to check the
`SMS message with respect to at least one of: what type of
`requested product/ service, prede?ned agreements and per
`missions from the user’s home mobile network, and potential
`collisions in numbering schemes of the visited and home
`networks. The determining means may be further adapted to
`check the SMS message by inquiring the user’ s home mobile
`network.
`The arrangement may further comprise means for detect
`ing that the SMS message contains a purchase request based
`on said called number given in the message and/ or the mes
`sage contents.
`Further preferred features and bene?ts of the present inven
`tion will become apparent from the detailed description
`below.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The present invention will now be described in more detail
`by means of preferred embodiments and with reference to the
`accompanying drawings, in which:
`FIG. 1 is a basic network scenario for making a purchase by
`means of the premium SMS payment service in a mobile
`home network, according to the prior art.
`FIG. 2 is a basic network scenario for a failed purchase
`attempt by means of the premium SMS payment service in a
`visited mobile network, according to the prior art.
`FIG. 3 is a basic network scenario for a successful purchase
`by means of the premium SMS payment service in a visited
`mobile network, according to a preferred embodiment.
`FIG. 4 is a signalling diagram illustrating a purchase pro
`cedure employing the SMS payment service, according to
`another preferred embodiment.
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`FIG. 5 is a ?ow chart illustrating a procedure for generally
`handling a received SMS message in a mobile network,
`according to another preferred embodiment.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
`
`The present invention provides a solution allowing SMS
`payment from a mobile terminal even when located in a
`visited mobile network but belonging to a different mobile
`home network, without requiring any speci?c function or
`modi?cation in the mobile terminal. Brie?y described, as the
`visited network receives a premium SMS as payment for a
`purchase from a product/ service provider registered with the
`visited network, the SMS centre address of the home network
`automatically given in the SMS message is changed into the
`address of the SMS centre in the visited network. Thereby, the
`SMS message will be routed thereto such that the purchase
`can be completed since a match can be found in the visited
`network with the registered product/ service provider.
`Today, SMS is a well-established type of written mobile
`messages and the SMS payment mechanism can currently be
`used in various ?elds of application. However, it should be
`noted that the following description can be valid for any type
`of mobile messaging mechanism that may be useful for pay
`ing by means of a mobile terminal in general. Thus, in the
`following, the term “SMS message” should be understood as
`representing any type of written mobile messages in a broad
`sense.
`FIG. 3 illustrates schematically a basic procedure for
`enabling a user of a mobile terminal A to make an SMS-based
`purchase in a visited network 300. In the same manner as
`previously described for FIGS. 1 and 2, and according to
`given purchase instructions, terminal A sends an SMS mes
`sage 302 containing a purchase request, in a ?rst step 3:1.
`Again, the SMS includes a called number ?eld 304 and a ?eld
`306 containing the address SMSC‘ of the home network SMS
`centre, not shown. No further ?elds in the SMS 302, as
`described for FIG. 1, are shown here for simplicity. The
`address SMSC‘ in ?eld 306 has been automatically added by
`terminal A before sending the SMS, as being customary for
`any existing mobile terminals capable of sending SMS mes
`sages.
`The message 302 is received and processed in various
`routing and control nodes 308 in the visited network 300,
`which will be described in more detail later below. After
`detecting, by reading ?elds 304 and 306, that message 302
`contains a purchase request using the SMS payment service,
`but is addressed to an SMS centre not belonging to the visited
`network 300, the SMS message is modi?ed by changing the
`address SMSC‘ in ?eld 306 into the address SMSC of the
`SMS centre 310 of the current network 300. The identity of
`terminal A, as given in message 302, may also be checked
`before modifying the message.
`Thereby, the modi?ed SMS message will be routed to SMS
`centre 310, in a following step 3 :2, instead of to the one in the
`terrninal’s home network as in FIG. 2, step 2:2. Furthermore,
`the validity of the purchase request is checked to establish that
`the SMS message can be admitted as a purchase request using
`the SMS payment mechanism, before executing step 3:2.
`Next, SMS centre 310 compares the called number indi
`cated in ?eld 304 with telephone numbers stored in a register
`database 312, in a step 3:3. Just like register database 106 in
`FIG. 1, the numbers stored in database 312 are associated
`with product/ service providers being authorised to offer the
`SMS payment mechanism to customers in network 300. In
`step 3:3, it is detected that the SMS message 302 was sent to
`
`

`
`US 8,014,800 B2
`
`7
`pay for a service or product from a speci?c product/service
`provider 314 matching the number in ?eld 304. If the pay
`ment is further found to be valid and allowed, eg after
`inquiry to the buyer’ s home network, a purchase con?rmation
`is sent to product/service provider 314, in a step 3:4. In the
`purchase con?rmation, the code entered by the user in the
`SMS is preferably provided to indicate speci?cs regarding the
`purchase, such as identifying a product or service, quantity,
`duration, delivery details, etc. Otherwise, this information
`may be extracted from the SMS and provided explicitly in the
`purchase con?rmation.
`Charging for the purchase may now be conducted basically
`according to normal procedures, just like any call costs would
`be charged to the visiting user according to a roaming agree
`ment or the like between the visited network 300 and the
`user’s home network. Thus, the purchase costs may be
`charged in a suitable subscription bill to the user, or by deduc
`tion from a prepaid account. Alternatively, the product/ser
`vice provider 314 may charge the visited network 300 spe
`ci?cally for the purchase, which then charges the home
`network in turn, etc. The product/service provider 314 may
`also send a bill directly to the user without involving the
`visited and home networks in the purchase charging proce
`dure, e.g. depending on how the purchase offer has been
`presented. The present invention is thus not limited to any
`speci?c charging routines, although it could be preferable to
`utilise the regular and trusted subscription charging routine
`already established between the user and his/her home net
`work operator.
`A signalling procedure will now be described, with refer
`ence to a signalling diagram in FIG. 4, for executing a pur
`chase in a visited network by means of the above-described
`SMS mechanism. Reference will also be made to FIG. 3 as the
`signalling steps to be described can basically be used in the
`process illustrated there. The prerequisites are thus basically
`the same as for FIG. 3 and will not be repeated here. The
`elements involved in FIG. 4 include a user-operated mobile
`terminal A 400, a visited network 402 and a product/ service
`provider 410, hereafter called “provider” for short. Terminal
`A is currently roaming in the visited network 402, but belongs
`by subscription or similar to a home network different from
`the visited one.
`The visited network 402 includes various routing nodes
`normally handling the routing of calls with any mobile ter
`minals accessing the network 402, here generally denoted
`“routing unit” 404. If the visited network is a conventional
`GSM network, the routing nodes would typically include a
`Base Transceiver Station BTS, a Base Station Controller BSC
`and a Mobile Switching Centre MSC. In the following pro
`cedure, the routing unit 404 may suitably be an MSC,
`although the described function can be implemented in one or
`more other suitable routing nodes as well. The present inven
`tion is thus not limited in this respect. The visited network 402
`further includes a service control unit 406, sometimes called
`a “Service Control Point” or similar, and an SMS centre 408.
`In a ?rst step 4:1, terminal A sends an SMS according to
`given purchase instructions, just as described for any of FIGS.
`1-3, which is processed in the routing unit 404 for further
`routing. In a next illustrated step 4:2, the routing unit 404
`checks the received SMS, particularly with respect to its
`destination number (?eld 304 in FIG. 3) and the terminal
`added address of an SMS centre in the home network of
`terminal A (?eld 306 in FIG. 3). According to somewhat
`different embodiments, when detecting either that the SMS is
`intended to effect a purchase, i.e. that it is a premium SMS, or
`that the given SMS centre address does not belong to the
`visited network, or both, it is diverted to the service control
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`unit 406 for further control, in a step 4:3. The given calling
`number of terminal A may also be checked in step 4:2 above
`to detect that it belongs to a different network.
`Next, the service control unit 406 checks the SMS in step
`4:4 to determine whether the received SMS is an authorised
`purchase request or not. This check may be based on various
`parameters and conditions, such as what type of requested
`product/ service, prede?ned agreements and permissions
`from the home network, potential collisions in numbering
`schemes of the visited and home networks, etc. This check
`may include inquiring the buyer’s home network as well.
`If the SMS purchase request can be admitted to proceed,
`the service control unit 406 returns an instruction to change its
`SMS centre address from home SMSC' to visited SMSC, to
`the routing unit 404 in a following step 4:5. Accordingly, the
`routing unit 404 modi?es the received SMS by changing the
`SMS centre address in ?eld 306 and routes the modi?ed SMS
`towards that SMS centre 408, in a step 4:6.
`In a following illustrated step 4:7, SMS centre 408 checks
`the received SMS by comparing the called number given in
`?eld 304 with registered providers stored in register database
`312. If a match is found, SMS centre 408 can send a purchase
`con?rmation or order to the targeted provider 410, in a step
`4:8. In this step, the message code in ?eld 304 may simply be
`conveyed to provider 410 indicating speci?cs of the purchase
`as described above, possibly together with the called number
`of ?eld 304 as well if the provider uses a plurality of different
`numbers for different offered product/ service alternatives.
`Alternatively, SMS centre 408 may be con?gured to extract
`such information from the code and number and optionally
`other ?elds in the SMS, and send it out more explicitly.
`The provider may then acknowledge delivery of the pur
`chased product/ service in a response to the SMS centre, in a
`step 4:9. Finally, the SMS centre may send a purchase report
`or similar to the routing unit 404, in a step 4:10, to be con
`veyed to the home network operator of terminal A for charg
`ing. If speci?c call rates are used for the SMS to cover all
`purchase expenses, the report sent in step 4: 10 is a regular call
`charging record to be handled according to conventional rou
`tines used in the roaming agreement between the visited
`network 402 and the home network of terminal A. On the
`other hand, if the provider 410 charges the user directly by
`means of an invoice or by deduction from a given credit card
`or the like, step 4:10 could naturally be omitted.
`In the above-described preferred embodiment according to
`FIG. 4, only the routing unit 404 and the service control unit
`406 are affected by the new proceedings, whereas the termi
`nal 400, the SMS centre 408 and the service provider 410 can
`be conventional unmodi?ed units that will not notice any
`difference from regular behaviours. In an alternative embodi
`ment, the functions described for the routing unit 404 and the
`servic