Association of charging between communication systems

• US 20020191597A1
• Filed: 06/17/2002
• Published: 12/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Lundstrom, Johan
• Granted Patent: US 7,539,180 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/356
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/50 for cross-charging network operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/57 for integrated multimedia messaging subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/62 based on trigger specification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/204 UMTS; GPRS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/208 IMS, i.e. Integrated Multimedia messaging Subsystem
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/46 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/52 Interconnection, inter-exchange, reseller billing, billing agreements between different operators, e.g. billing identifier added on the CDR in order to cross charge the other operator, inter-operator accounting, reconciliation, bill directly resellers customers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method of enabling charging information generated within a GPRS access network 4 to be associated with charging information generated within an IP Multimedia Core Network Subsystem, IMSS, 7 the charging information relating to a multimedia call facilitated by the IMSS 7 and carried by the GPRS network 4. The method comprises sending a SIP call identity from the IMSS 7 to the GPRS network 4 and/or a GPRS charging identity from the GPRS network 4 to the IMSS 7. A received identifier is included in charging information messages generated by one or both of the GPRS network 4 and the IMSS 7.

Claims

1. A method of enabling charging information generated within a packet switched access network to be associated with charging information generated within a service network coupled to the access network, the charging information relating to a service facilitated by the service network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a service initiation message at a node of the service network, the message containing an IP address allocated to the party initiating the service;

sending from said node of the service network to the access network, a charging association message containing the identified IP address and a service connection identifier; and

upon receipt of the charging association message at the access network, identifying an access network session associated with said IP address.

2. A method according to claim 1 and comprising at the access network identifying a charging identity of the access network associated with the identified PDP context

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said access network is a GPRS access network and said service network is an IP Multimedia Core Network Subsystem, IMSS, the charging association message relating to a multimedia call facilitated by the IMSS and carried by the GPRS network, and said service initiation message being a SIP INVITE or answer message and said service connection identifier being a SIP call identity.

4. A method according to claim 1 and comprising sending from the access network to the service network an access network charging identity in response to receipt of the charging association message at the access network.

5. A method according to claim 1 and comprising including in charging information messages generated by one or both of the access network and the service network, a received identifier.

6. A method according to claim 3 and comprising sending the charging association message from a node of the IMSS implementing a call state control function, CSCF, to a Gateway GPRS Support Node, GGSN, of the GPRS network.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the GGSN forwards the SIP call identity to a Serving GPRS Support Node, SGSN, of the GPRS network.

8. A method according to claim 6 and comprising, where a GPRS charging identity is sent from the GPRS network to the IMSS, sending the identifier from a GGSN of the GPRS network to the node of the IMSS implementing a CSCF.

9. A method according to claim 6 and comprising sending from the GGSN to the CSCF node the GGSN node identity for inclusion in charging information messages generated within the IMSS.

10. A method according to claim 1 and comprising identifying at the service network an IP address of an access network gateway node using the IP address of the party initiating the service.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein identities are transferred between the access network and the service network using the SIP protocol.

12. A method according to claim 1 and comprising sending from the service network to the access network an indication of the amount of data involved in the execution of a service in one or both transmission directions, and using said indication at the access network to generate charging messages in respect of data associated with the service.

13. A method according to claim 1 and comprising sending information from the service network to the access network information to allow the access network to separate the byte stream associated with the service from other data.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said information is an IP address identifying the correspondent host for the call or a port number of the UE bearing the cost of the call.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the service identifier identifies the service provider, such that the generated charging information messages will be allocated to the service provider.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein the service provider identifies an IP address of the gateway node on the basis of an IP address belonging to the initiator of the service call and the service identifier and the subscriber'"'"'s IP address are sent to the gateway node using the identified gateway node IP address.

15. A method of reallocating charges from a subscriber to a service provider, the charges relating to the use of a packet switched access network to carry IP data associated with a service facilitated by the service provider, the method comprising:

sending a service identifier and the subscriber'"'"'s IP address from the service provider to a gateway node of the access network; and

at the gateway node, using the IP address to identify data associated with the service, and including the service identifier in charging information messages generated by the gateway node or another node of the access network in respect of the identified data, and/or sending a gateway node charging identity from the gateway node to the service provider for inclusion in charging information messages generated by the service provider.