Method of capturing utilization charges

• US 20010030946A1
• Filed: 04/17/2001
• Published: 10/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Siemens Networks GmbH & Company KG (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Siemens Networks GmbH & Company KG (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Bohme, Olaf, Reimer, Uve
• Application Number:
  US09/836,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20010030946A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0116 Provision for limiting expenditure, e.g. limit on call expenses or account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing

Abstract

In order to capture utilization charges in a packet data transmission network, a recording is made of the charges that become payable during the course of a transmission session, when a threshold charge-total is reached. It is preferable if the value of the threshold charge-total varies depending on the data speed of the transmission session.

Claims

1. A method of capturing utilization charges in a packet data transmission network, which comprises:

acquiring data relating to charges for a transmission session during the transmission session;

calculating charges that become payable during the transmission session; and

recording the calculated charges when the calculated charges exceed a threshold charge-total.

2. The method according to

claim 1

, which comprises varying a value of the threshold charge-total depending on a data speed of the transmission session.

3. The method according to

claim 2

, which comprises setting the threshold charge-total lower, the lower the data speed of the transmission session.

4. The method according to

claim 1

, which comprises, for transmission sessions with intermittent or interrupted data traffic, generating recordings before the threshold charge-total is reached if the data traffic is suspended.

5. The method according to

claim 1

, which comprises defining a variable threshold charge-total as a decreasing function of a time period measured from a last session start or from a last recording.

6. The method according to

claim 5

, which comprises calculating a monotonously increasing charge function in dependence on a data transmission volume since the last session start or the last recording, and effecting a recording if the charge function exceeds the variable threshold charge-total.

7. The method according to

claim 5

, which comprises measuring the data transmission volume in bits.

8. The method according to

claim 5

, which comprises measuring the data transmission volume in packets.

9. The method according to

claim 5

, which comprises calculating the data transmission volume from a volume of information transmitted and a number of packets transmitted.

10. The method according to

claim 1

, which comprises calculating the charges payable in a timed cycle.

11. The method according to

claim 1

, which comprises effecting a recording when an increase in the charge total exceeds a limit value.