KR20040107695A - System and method for providing communication service using network-based service platform - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A system and method for providing a communication service by using a network-based service platform is provided so that a supplemental service provider can save the investment costs necessary to provide supplemental services by cooperating with a communication service provider having a communication network and service platforms. CONSTITUTION: A system for providing a communication service by using a network-based service platform comprises a subscriber terminal(110), a supplemental service providing server(130), a service platform(200), and an NMS(Network Management System)(140). The subscriber terminal(110) accesses the Internet through a network access system(120). The supplemental service providing server(130), connected with the subscriber terminal(110) through the Internet, provides supplemental services. The service platform(200) terminates the subscriber terminal(110) and the supplemental service providing server(130) and mediates supplemental services. The NMS(140) manages the network access system(120) in order to check the network connection state of the subscriber terminal(110).

Description

System and method for providing communication service using network-based service platform

The present invention relates to a communication service providing system and method using a network-based service platform, and more particularly, to provide a new communication service using a network-based service platform and a private IP (Internet Protocol) address and IP tunneling technology. A communication service providing system and method using a network-based service platform.

In general, additional services using a communication network include a card payment service and an unmanned security service in an online shopping mall.

Taking the unmanned security service as an example, the prior art will be described below.

Remote unattended security services for homes and buildings are critical security services for property protection and theft prevention.

In order to provide such an unmanned security service, the detection terminal of an unmanned security service subscriber must be always in operation, and the detection situation must be continuously transmitted to the unmanned security service provider through the network.

In addition, the information delivered by the subscriber must be secured on the Internet.

To this end, the provision of unmanned security services generally uses a leased line for the following reasons.

Communication on the Internet is possible only if both terminals have been assigned an IP address.

However, in IP version 4, it is difficult to secure an IP address, so that the general subscriber is assigned a floating IP address.

In other words, only when the subscriber wants to use the network, an IP address is allocated to the communication.

However, the unmanned security service is inadequate to use a floating IP address because the subscriber's detection terminal needs to continuously detect it. none.

In order to solve this problem, the conventional unmanned security service is generally to provide a service using a leased line.

However, the unmanned security service provided by using a leased line is very expensive, so only a relatively low-speed service is provided, or only when an alarm situation such as an intrusion occurs, the service provider is contacted by telephone. The security is maintained because all of them use a low-speed leased line because of the burden of the charge of the leased line, and the scope of providing the service is limited accordingly.

On the other hand, with the development of the Internet, technical efforts for unmanned expenses using the Internet continue, and in order to provide unmanned expenses using the Internet, the unattended due to the disadvantage of not knowing the security status of the network and the state of the detection terminal reliably There are many problems in providing high-quality services for expenses.

In order to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a service platform comprising a server of an operator providing various additional services using a communication network and a network-based service platform terminating a terminal of a service subscriber using such additional services. To provide additional services by arbitration.

Another object of the present invention is to protect information of an additional service provided using a communication network by using a private IP address and IP tunneling.

1 is a block diagram of a communication service providing system using a network-based service platform according to the present invention.

2 is a detailed configuration diagram of the service platform of FIG.

3A is a flowchart of a first embodiment of a communication service providing method using a network-based service platform according to the present invention;

FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating an embodiment for describing FIG. 3A. FIG.

4 is a flowchart of a second embodiment of a communication service providing method using a network-based service platform according to the present invention;

To this end, the communication service providing system using a network-based service platform according to the present invention, the server of the provider to provide additional services using the Internet; A subscriber's terminal receiving the private IP address and accessing the Internet to receive the additional service; And a server that holds information of the server and the terminal, is connected to a network connection device that connects the terminal to the Internet, communicates using IP tunneling, and is connected to the server and the Internet, and transmits a message transmitted from the server and the terminal. And a service platform for routing and managing the state of the server and the terminal.

The communication service providing method using a network-based service platform according to the present invention includes a server for providing an additional service using the Internet, a terminal of a subscriber using the additional service, and a connection between the server and the terminal. A method of providing a communication service using a service platform for mediating messages between the terminals, the method comprising: a first step of determining a destination of the message by analyzing a header of the received message when a message is received from the server or the terminal; And extracting the IP address of the destination, converting the address to which the message is delivered to the IP address, and transmitting the message to the destination.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a block diagram of a communication service providing system using a network-based service platform according to the present invention.

As shown, the communication service providing system according to the present invention includes an additional terminal for providing an additional service by connecting to a subscriber terminal 110 connected to the Internet through the network connection device 120 and a subscriber terminal 110 through the Internet. The service providing server 130 and the service platform 200 for terminating the subscriber station 110 and the additional service providing server 130 to arbitrate additional services and manage each terminal, In order to clearly check the network connection state, a network management system (NMS) 140 for managing the network connection device 120 is provided.

Subscriber terminal 110 is connected to the Internet through xDSL (Digital Subscriber Line's variations) or cable modem (Cable Modem), the network connection device 120 is DSLAM (Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer) or NAS (Network Access System) The network management system 140 manages the network connection device 120.

The service platform 200 does not directly provide a connection between the subscriber station 110 and the supplementary service providing server 130, and provides the supplementary service with the subscriber station 110, the service platform 200, and the service platform 200. It arbitrates the messages between the subscriber station 110 and the additional service providing server 130 through a server 130 type connection.

In addition, the service platform 200 communicates with the subscriber station 110 using a private IP address for continuous monitoring of the subscriber station 110, and expands the engagement range of the additional service provider with the additional service providing server 130. In order to communicate using both private and public IP addresses.

Implementation of a system for using a private IP address between the subscriber station 110 and the service platform 200 is as follows.

The private IP address is assigned to the subscriber station 110, and the information on the private IP address of each subscriber station 110 is thus stored in the network access device 120.

In addition, the network access device 120 stores the public IP address information of the service platform 200 corresponding to the private IP address of the subscriber station 110 and uses the message to establish a message between the subscriber station 110 and the service platform 200. To pass.

That is, when the subscriber station 110 sends a message to the service platform 200, the network access device 120 searches for the public IP address of the service platform 200 corresponding to the private IP address of the corresponding subscriber station 110. When a message including the private IP transmitted from the subscriber station 110 is included in the public IP address of the searched service platform 200 and transmitted, and the service platform 200 sends a message to the subscriber station 110, the network access device 120 searches for the private IP address of the subscriber station 110 included in the public IP address of the corresponding service platform 200, and retrieves the message transmitted from the service platform 200 to the private IP address of the subscriber station 110 retrieved. To send.

Here, since the Internet is used by anyone between the network access device 120 and the service platform 200, IP tunneling technology is used for message security.

IP tunneling technology is a technology to securely send and receive information by forming a virtual tunnel from the starting point to the target point, in the present invention, a network connection using a method such as MPLS (Multi Protocol Label Switching) or GRE (Generic Routing Encapsulation) Tunneling between the device 120 and the service platform 200 is configured to guarantee additional services.

MPLS is to label each data packet based on the network and to separate the traffic using it, regardless of the type of IP used by the subscriber of the additional service, the network access device 120 classifies the data packet to the desired destination. The GRE classifies the IP of the subscriber station 110 so that traffic between the network access device 120 and the service platform 200 is transmitted using the public IP given to the network access device 120 and the service platform 200. In this case, the encapsulation of the IP traffic delivered in the public IP is performed.

In order to enhance the protection of the traffic in the present invention, the IP Security Protocol (IPSec) set by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) as a standard may be used.

As described above, the subscriber terminal 110 is assigned a private IP address, and the network connection device 120 and the service platform 200 by using the IP tunneling technology, between the subscriber terminal 110 and the service platform 200 Communication takes place.

Meanwhile, communication elements and communication connection methods for providing an additional service between the subscriber station 110 and the additional service providing server 130 are as follows.

The message transmitted between the subscriber station 110 and the additional service providing server 130 includes a terminal management number of the subscriber station 110 and a service providing identifier of the additional service providing server 130, so that the service platform 200 By analyzing this, the message is delivered.

The service platform 200 may provide information on the private IP address of the subscriber station 110 and the IP address of the additional service providing server 130, and the terminal management number of the subscriber station 110 and the service of the additional service providing server 130. A mapping table for the IP address between the provided identifiers is provided, and the message is used to mediate a message between the subscriber station 110 and the additional service providing server 130.

In addition, the service platform 200 communicates with the network management system 140 that manages the subscriber terminal 110 and the network access device 120 to know the failure state.

To perform this function, the service platform 200 performs a physical interface for connection with the subscriber station 110, the additional service providing server 130, and the network management system 140 as shown in FIG. 2. The terminal interface unit 210, the additional service providing server interface unit 220, and the network management system interface unit 230, and efficiently communicates various messages communicated between the subscriber terminal 110 and the additional service providing server 130 A message routing control unit 240, a database retrieval unit 250, and an address translator 260 for routing to the subscriber station 110 and the additional service providing server 130 and the network to grasp the state of the network The state manager 270 is provided.

The subscriber station interface unit 210, the additional service providing server interface unit 220, and the network management system interface unit 230 are the subscriber station 110, the additional service providing server 130, and the network management system 140, respectively. Receive a message containing a variety of information from, or transmits the message thus received and processed by the service platform 200 to the device, respectively.

The message routing controller 240 analyzes the routing information from the header of the input message.

Messages passing through the service platform 200 should be routed in various ways according to the purpose, and routing information should be set and released when necessary.

To this end, the message routing controller 240 provides the analyzed header information of the message and the destination IP address to which the message should be delivered to the address translator 260 so that the address translator 260 can seamlessly connect the message. To help.

In addition, the message routing control unit 240 transmits the error information to the state management unit 270 when an error occurs in the message transmission and reception processing so that the state management unit 270 can take action on the error.

On the other hand, in order to efficiently process the routing of the message, the routing information of the common header of the input message should be analyzed so that the message can be delivered to a desired destination point.

To this end, the message routing control unit 240 uses a database search unit 250 that can index the contents of the common header of the message.

The database retrieval unit 250 stores a variety of information including a mapping table for the IP address between the terminal management number of the subscriber station 110 and the service provision identifier of the additional service providing server 130, and thus the message routing control unit 240 If desired indexing is required, the information including the IP address is provided to the message routing controller 240 so that the message can be delivered through the address translator 260.

At this time, the information should be provided promptly so as not to affect performance.

The address translator 260 is a component mainly for efficiently controlling message transmission between the subscriber station 110 and the additional service providing server 130. Alternatively, the message may be easily transmitted to the additional service providing server 130.

The address translator 260 provides an address translation mapping function and provides a translation connection session or actively releases a session.

To this end, the address translation unit 260 identifies the message transmitted from the additional service providing server 130 for communication between the subscriber station 110 and the additional service providing server 130 by the terminal management number of the subscriber terminal 110. The message transmitted from the subscriber station 110 is identified by a private IP address managed by the service platform 200 and a terminal management number given by the additional service providing server 130, and the destination IP address of the corresponding message is allocated and released. can do.

On the other hand, since the service platform 200 terminates the subscriber station 110 and the additional service providing server 130, it is necessary to check and manage the state of the basic functions of the subscriber station 110.

That is, even if any service provider provides the supplementary service, the service platform 200 checks the state of the subscriber station 110 to the supplementary service providing server 130 that intends to provide the supplementary service using the service platform 200. By notifying the presence or absence of the service provider to provide an additional service should be able to take action on the result of the state of the subscriber terminal 110, for this purpose, the service platform 200 is provided with a state management unit 270 performs this function. .

The state manager 270 basically performs a function of periodically checking the basic functions of the subscriber station 110 and a time setting and checking function for the state management of the subscriber station 110.

In addition, if necessary, it performs a function for checking a state of a terminal required by an operator providing an additional service, receives information about a failure state from the network management system 140 managing the network access device 120, and adds the information. The service providing server 130 is notified.

FIG. 3A illustrates a subscriber station 130 using a terminal management number 1234 and an IP address IP1 and a server ID of 1 and a subscriber station 130 as shown in FIG. 3B in the service platform 200 as shown in FIG. 2. Provides a supplementary service having a service ID of A and an IP address is a flowchart of an operation performed for message transmission between the supplementary service providing server 130 using IP4.

First, when the additional service providing server 130 transmits a message including the terminal management number 1234 to the subscriber terminal 110, the service platform 200 receives the message through the additional service providing server interface 220 (S310). .

The message routing control unit 240 analyzes the header of the received message to determine that the message is a message to be delivered to the detection terminal 110 of the terminal management number 1234 for the additional service whose ID is A among the additional services (S320). .

Thereafter, the message routing control unit 240 requests the database search unit 250 for the IP address of the subscriber station 110 of the terminal management number 1234, and the database search unit 150 of the subscriber station 110 is held. Search the mapping table for the IP address between the terminal management number and the server ID of the additional service providing server 130 to extract the IP address, that is, IP1 of the subscriber station 110 to which the received message will be delivered, and then the message routing control unit 240. Transfer to (S330).

Then, the message routing controller 240 transmits the IP address of the subscriber station 110 extracted from the database search unit 250 to the address conversion unit 260, and the address conversion unit 160 transmits the destination address of the message to the subscriber station. After converting to IP1 which is the IP address of 110 (S340), the message is transmitted to the subscriber station 110 through the subscriber station interface 210 (S350).

This process is performed in the same manner as only the input / output interface of the message is changed even when the subscriber station 110 transmits the message including the server ID to the service platform 200.

4 is a flowchart of a communication method between the subscriber station 110 and the state manager 270 of the service platform 200 for checking the state of the subscriber station 110.

In this case, the server ID and the service ID of the additional service providing server 130 are determined to be constant, and for example, a message in which the server ID and the service ID are input as 0 using the number 0 means communication with the state manager 270. I think that.

First, when the subscriber station 110 transmits a message including the terminal management number to the service platform 200, the subscriber terminal 110 receives the message through the subscriber station interface unit 210 (S410).

The received message is analyzed by the message routing controller 240. At this time, the message routing controller 240 checks that the message is for checking the status from the subscriber station 110 because the server ID and the service ID are 0, and the status management unit ( 270) (S420).

Then, the state manager 270 analyzes the message, processes the content, and transmits the message to the message routing controller 240 to transmit the response to the subscriber station 110 (S430).

In this case, the message transmitted also delivers the terminal management number of the subscriber station (110).

Then, the message routing controller 240 determines that the message is to be transmitted to the subscriber station 110 through the terminal management number, and requests the database search unit 250 for the IP address of the corresponding subscriber station 110. Accordingly, the database search unit 150 searches the mapping table for the IP address between the terminal management number of the subscriber station (110) and the server ID of the additional service providing server 130, the IP of the subscriber station (110) to which the received message is delivered. The extracted address is transmitted to the message routing control unit 240 (S440).

Then, the message routing controller 240 transmits the IP address of the subscriber station 110 extracted from the database search unit 250 to the address conversion unit 260, and the address conversion unit 160 transmits the destination address of the message to the subscriber station. After converting to the IP address of 110 (S450), the message is transmitted to the subscriber station 110 through the subscriber station interface 210 (S460).

And, as described above, if necessary, the state of the additional service providing server 130 and the service platform 200 to perform a function for checking the status of the subscriber station required by the service provider providing the additional service. Communication between the management unit 270 may be performed in the same manner, only the input and output interface of the message is changed.

As described above, the present invention proposes a new concept of communication service using a network-based service platform, which can be applied to various additional services that can be provided using a communication network.

For example, it is applied to a card payment service provided by a credit card merchant, and can provide a card payment service to a credit card merchant by connecting a card payment terminal of a credit card merchant and a server of a credit card company as a service platform. Applied to the unmanned security service provided by the, it is possible to provide an unmanned security service to the building or house by connecting the detection terminal installed in the building or house and the server of the security company to the service platform.

In addition, the present invention can be applied to manage each branch in the head office, any service that can be provided by using the system and method of the present invention is applicable to any service in any field.

Such a communication service of the present invention may be achieved by a communication service provider having a wired / wireless internet network in cooperation with a service provider having an additional service platform.

Accordingly, the subscriber using the supplementary service may be a subscriber selectively using the supplementary service among the existing subscribers who are provided with the Internet service using the wired / wireless internet network of the telecommunications carrier, or to the system of the present invention to receive only the supplementary service. It may be a subscriber having a terminal installed accordingly.

In addition, the communication service provider may provide a service platform for each service provider providing the additional service to mediate the additional service, or may include a service platform that integrates and manages various additional services.

For example, when companies A, B, and C, which provide unmanned security services, provide unattended security services through the same service platform, subscribers may choose to use the unmanned security services provided by companies A, B, and C. You can choose a service.

At this time, the subscriber terminal may be different or the same for each company, standardization can be induced through the quality of service and competition.

In this case, the subscriber may change the service provider without changing the terminal of the subscriber, and the operation of the service platform according to the change may be sufficiently performed by only changing the identifier of the service provider.

On the other hand, if a server of a company providing another type of additional service of one service platform is connected, the subscriber may be provided with several additional services at the same time.

As described above, according to the system and method for providing a communication service using a network-based service platform according to the present invention, firstly, an operator providing an additional service does not need to directly establish a communication network for providing an additional service. By cooperating with a telecommunications operator who has a communication network and a service platform to mediate additional services, it is possible to reduce the investment cost required to provide additional services.

Secondly, a communication service provider providing a communication service according to the present invention has the effect of creating a new service by providing an additional service to an existing customer by cooperating with a service provider providing the additional service.

Third, according to the present invention, it is possible to induce the standardization of the subscriber station for receiving various additional services, and the additional services are also standardized, thereby improving the quality of the service.

Fourth, the present invention solves the security problem of the supplementary service using a private IP address and IP tunneling technology, it is possible to easily check which terminal is issued by the communication between the service platform and the subscriber terminal, the state of the subscriber terminal in real time There is an effect that can be checked.

Claims (6)

A plurality of servers providing various additional services using the Internet; A subscriber terminal receiving a private IP address and accessing the Internet through a network access device to receive the additional service; And Holds information including an IP address and an identifier of the server and the terminal, communicates with the network connection device by using IP tunneling, connects the server to the Internet, and routes messages transmitted from the server and the terminal. Communication service providing system using a network-based service platform, characterized in that it comprises a service platform for managing the state of the server and the terminal. The method of claim 1, The service platform, A first interface unit responsible for a physical interface between the server and the terminal and transmitting and receiving the message; A message routing controller configured to analyze and control information about the routing from a header of the message when the message is received from the first interface unit; A database retrieval unit that holds the information of the server and the terminal and retrieves the information and delivers the information about the destination to the message routing control unit when receiving the information on the destination of the received message from the message routing control unit; An address conversion unit receiving the information on the destination from the message routing control unit, converting a destination address of the received message, and transferring the converted destination address to the first interface unit; And If the message is a message for state management, the communication service providing system using a network-based service platform, comprising a state management unit for managing the state of the server and the terminal under the control of a message routing control unit. The method of claim 2, The service platform, And a second interface unit connected to the state management unit and responsible for a physical interface with a network management system managing the network access device. A network-based management method of managing a communication state with the terminal by managing a state of the network access device using a message including state information of the network access device received from the network management system to a second interface unit. Communication service providing system using a service platform. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The IP tunneling is a communication service providing system using a network-based service platform, characterized in that implemented using MPLS, GRE, or IPSec. A communication service providing method using a server providing an additional service using the Internet, a terminal of a subscriber using the additional service, and a service platform connected between the server and the terminal to mediate a message between the server and the terminal. A first step of determining a destination of the message by analyzing a header of the received message when a message is received from the server or the terminal; And extracting the IP address of the destination, converting the address to which the message is to be transmitted into the IP address, and transmitting the message to the destination. . A communication service providing method using a server providing an additional service using the Internet, a terminal of a subscriber using the additional service, and a service platform connected between the server and the terminal to mediate a message between the server and the terminal. A first step of determining a destination of the message by analyzing a header of the received message when a message is received from the server or the terminal; A second step of processing the status content if the message is a message for checking a status of the server or the terminal as a result of the analysis; And And extracting the IP address of the destination, converting the address to which the message is to be transmitted into the IP address, and transmitting the message to the destination. .