Method for flexible charging of IP multimedia communication sessions, telecommunication system and network elements for applying such a method

• US 20030096592A1
• Filed: 11/15/2002
• Published: 05/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Moreau, Andre Marcel, Bos, Lieve Maria Marcella Rosemarijn
• Granted Patent: US 7,145,994 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• 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 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/53 using mediation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/57 for integrated multimedia messaging subsystem [IMS]
• 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 2215/0172 Mediation, i.e. device or program to reformat CDRS from one or more switches in order to adapt to one or more billing programs formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/208 IMS, i.e. Integrated Multimedia messaging Subsystem
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/44 Charging/billing arrangements for connection made over different networks, e.g. wireless and PSTN, ISDN, etc.

Abstract

Method for charging Internet protocol multimedia communication sessions within a telecommunication system, when charging records, related to communication session charging, are generated by at least one network element, with a same correlation identifier ID for all the charging records produced for a same communication session.

It implies the following steps:

passing, by means of a session control protocol, a correlation identifier (MSCID) together with a charging information field (CIF) containing information related to a determined charging plan, for a multimedia communication session involving several control elements, from one of these control elements to the others;

propagating charging plan information, with the correlation identifier corresponding to at least a selected set of charging data with the correlation identifier for a multimedia communication session between control elements in a network and/or with control elements of other transport or application network layers, involved in the session;

including the correlation identifier and selected charging data in each charging record generated for the communication session by each control element which cooperates to the charging of the communication session, and

calculating the charging for the communication session on the basis of the selected charging data received by means of the charging records including the correlation identifier.

Claims

1. Method for charging Internet protocol multimedia communication sessions within a network, or a framework of networks, of a telecommunication system, when charging records (CRs), related to communication session charging, are generated by at least one control element in the system, with a same correlation identifier (ID) for all the charging records produced for a same communication session between at least one calling party and one called party, said method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps for such a communication session:

passing, by means of a session control protocol, a correlation identifier (MSCID) together with a charging information field (CIF) containing information related to a determined charging plan, for a multimedia communication session involving several control elements, from one of these control elements to the others;

propagating charging plan information, with the correlation identifier corresponding to at least a selected set of charging data with the correlation identifier for a multimedia communication session between control elements in a network and/or with control elements of other transport or application network layers, involved in the session;

including the correlation identifier and selected charging data in each charging record generated for the communication session by each control element which cooperates to the charging of the communication session, and

calculating the charging for the communication session on the basis of the selected charging data received by means of the charging records including the correlation identifier.

2. Charging method according to claim 1, characterized in that the session control protocol which is used for passing a correlation identifier (MSCID) together with a charging information field (CIF) is the SIP/SDP protocol.

3. Charging method according to any of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the correlation identifier (MSCID) for a communication session is a multi-sided correlation identifier including, at least, an application identifier (AID) related to an application involved in the communication session, a session identifier (CSID) for the communication session and a component identifier (CID) related to a network element involved in the communication session.

4. Charging method according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the charging information field (CIF) specifies a charging plan requested by one control element and sent to the other control elements involved in a session, said charging information field containing a list of sub-elements describing the characteristics of a tariff change to be applied to a session or a part of a session.

5. Charging method according to claim 4, characterized in that the charging information field (CIF) associated with a correlation identifier (MSCID) also contains supplementary characteristics corresponding to choices to be made according to the party to be charged, the session, the media, the component level and/or the data volumes.

6. Telecommunication system including a network or a framework of interlinked and interworking networks (17, 17′

), sharing common rules and a charging arrangement using control elements (AS, CSCFs, GGSN, SGSN) including means for generation of charging records related to IP multimedia communication sessions in which these control elements are involved, characterized in that it includes;

means for passing, by means of a session control protocol, a correlation identifier together with a charging information field containing information related to a determined charging plan, for a multimedia communication session involving several control elements, from one of these control elements to the others;

means for propagating charging plan information, with the correlation identifier corresponding to at least a selected set of charging data with the correlation identifier for a multimedia communication session between control elements in a network and/or with control elements of other transport or application network layers, involved in the session;

means for including the correlation identifier and selected charging data in each charging record generated for the communication session by each control element which cooperates to the charging of the communication session, and

means for calculating the charging for the communication session on the basis of the selected charging data received by means of the charging records including the correlation identifier.

7. Telecommunication system, according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises network elements such as SIP servers and/or SIP user terminals acting as network control elements including means for acting as network control elements for charging purposes during a multimedia communication session.

8. Telecommunication network elements, for a telecommunication system including a network, or a framework of interlinked and interworking networks sharing common rules, and a charging arrangement using control elements (AS, CSCFs, GGSN, SGSN) fitted out with means for generation of charging records related to IP multimedia communication sessions, said network also including other multimedia session control elements characterized in that these other multimedia control elements are network elements, each of them including at least one of the following means:

means for passing, by means of a session control protocol, a correlation identifier together with a charging information field containing information related to a determined charging plan, for a multimedia communication session involving several control elements, from one of these control elements to the others;

means for propagating charging plan information, with the correlation identifier corresponding to at least a selected set of charging data with the correlation identifier for a multimedia communication session between control elements in a network and/or with control elements of other transport or application network layers, involved in the session, and

means for including the correlation identifier and selected charging data in each charging record generated for the communication session by each control element which cooperates to the charging of the communication session.

9. Telecommunication network elements, according to claim 8, characterized in that the said other control elements are network elements at least one of them comprising means for calculating the charging for the communication session on the basis of the selected charging data received by means of the charging records including the correlation identifier.

10. Telecommunication network elements, according to any of claims 8, 9 characterized in that the said other control elements are network elements, each of them comprising means for generating a charging information field associated with a correlation identifier, said charging information field containing a list of sub-elements describing the characteristics of a tariff change to be applied to a session.

11. Telecommunication network elements, according to any of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the said other control elements are network elements, each of them comprising means for adding supplementary characteristics in the charging information field associated with a correlation identifier, said supplementary characteristics corresponding to choices to be made according to the party to be charged, the session, the media, the component level and/or the data volumes.

12. Telecommunication network elements, according to any of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that they are SIP servers and/or SIP user terminals including means for acting as SIP/SDP session control protocol engines, with said network SIP servers including means for charging multimedia communication sessions.