Differentiated accounting in a packet data network

• US 20040028055A1
• Filed: 06/02/2003
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Pelletier, Ghyslain, Madour, Lila
• Application Number:
  US10/449,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20040028055A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/395.21
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• 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 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• 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 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/57 for integrated multimedia messaging subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8016 based on quality of service [QoS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8207 Time based data metric aspects, e.g. VoIP or circuit switched packet data
• 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 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• 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 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/46 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7414 QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7813 Time based data, e.g. VoIP or circuit switched packet data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method, system and Packet Data Access Node (PDAN), such as a Packet Data Service Node (PDSN) of a CDMA2000 network, for performing accounting based not only on the IP address of a terminal associated with the PDAN (e.g. a Mobile Station), but also on information related to a Corresponding Node (CN) with which the terminal communicates over a packet data session, such as the CN IP address, and possibly the CN application ID or port number, and the Quality of Service (QoS) for that session. The session is established between the terminal and the CN using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signalling, and the PDAN is provided with the CN'"'"'s related information by a Proxy Call Switch Control Function (P-CSCF). The PDAN counts the traffic associated with the CN'"'"'s IP address, and reports that traffic, along with the CN'"'"'s information to an Authorization, Authentication, and Accounting server (AAA). Accounting can then be applied based on the CN'"'"'related information.

Claims

1. A method for charging in a packet data system, the method comprising the steps of:

a) initiating a packet data session between an IP-based terminal having assigned an MS IP address, and an IP-based Corresponding Node (CN) having assigned a CN IP address;

b) providing a Packet Data Access Node (PDAN) with CN'"'"'s related information including the CN IP address;

c) using the CN IP address of the CN, determining by the PDAN an amount of data exchanged by the CN with the MS during the packet data session; and

d) reporting the amount of data from the PDAN to an Authorization, Authentication, and Accounting server (AAA).

2. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the CN'"'"'s related information further includes an indication of an application used by the CN for communicating over the data session, and wherein in step d), the PDAN reports to the AAA both the amount of data and the indication of the application used by the CN.

3. The method claimed in claim 2, wherein the indication of the application used by the CN comprises a port number used by the CN for communicating over the data session.

4. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the CN'"'"'s related information further includes an indication of a Quality of Service (QoS) used for communicating over the data session, and wherein in step d), the PDAN reports to the AAA the amount of data and the indication of the QoS.

5. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the packet data session is an IP Multimedia (IPMM) session, and step a) comprises the step of:

a.1) initiating the IPMM session using a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signalling between the IP-based terminal and the IP-based CN;

and wherein step b) comprises the step of;

b.1) receiving the CN IP address by a Proxy Call Sate Control Function (P-CSCF); and

b.2) transmitting the CN IP address from the P-CSCF to the PDAN.

6. The method claimed in claim 5, wherein the CN IP address is sent from the P-CSCF to the PDAN over an IP communication interface that connects the P-CSCF to the PDAN.

7. The method claimed in claim 5, wherein the IP-based terminal is a Mobile Station (MS).

8. The method claimed in claim 5, wherein the IP-based CN is a Mobile Station (MS).

9. The method claimed in claim 5, wherein the IP-based CN is an IP-based content provider server.

10. The method claimed in claim 6, wherein the packet data system is a Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (CDMA2000) wireless network and the PDAN is a Packet Data Serving Node (PDSN) of the CDMA2000network.

11. The method claimed in claim 1 further comprising, prior to step d), the step of:

e) terminating the packet data session;

wherein the amount of data is the total amount of data exchanged by the CN with the MS during the packet data session.

12. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the IP-based terminal initiates the packet data session with the IP-based CN.

13. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the IP-based CN initiates the packet data session with the IP-based terminal.

14. A packet data system comprising:

an IP-based terminal having assigned a terminal IP address;

an IP-based Corresponding Node (CN) having assigned a CN IP address;

a Packet Data Access Node (PDAN); and

an Authorization, Authentication, and Accounting server (AAA);

wherein when a packet data session is established between the IP-based terminal and the IP-based CN, the PDAN is provided with CN'"'"'s related information including the CN IP address and based on the CN IP address, the PDAN determines an amount of data exchanged by the CN with the MS during the packet data session, and reports the amount of data to the AAA server.

15. The packet data system claimed in claim 14, wherein the CN'"'"'s related information further includes an indication of an application used by the CN for communicating over the data session, and wherein the PDAN reports to the AAA both the amount of data and the indication of the application used by the CN.

16. The packet data system claimed in claim 15, wherein the indication of the application used by the CN comprises a port number used by the CN for communicating over the data session.

17. The packet data system claimed in claim 14, wherein the CN'"'"'s related information further includes an indication of a Quality of Service (QoS) used for communicating over the data session, and wherein the PDAN reports to the AAA the amount of data and the indication of the QoS.

18. The packet data system claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

Proxy Call Sate Control Function (P-CSCF);

wherein the packet data session is an IP Multimedia Services (MMS) session initiated using a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signalling between the IP-based terminal and the IP-based CN, and wherein the CN'"'"'s related information is provided to the PDAN by the P-CSCF.

19. The packet data system claimed in claim 18, further comprising:

an IP communication interface that connects the P-CSCF to the PDAN;

wherein the CN'"'"'s related information is sent from the P-CSCF to the PDAN over the IP communication interface.

20. The packet data system claimed in claim 18, wherein the IP-based terminal is a Mobile Station (MS).

21. The packet data system claimed in claim 18, wherein the IP-based CN is a Mobile Station (MS).

22. The packet data system claimed in claim 18, wherein the IP-based CN is an IP-based content provider server.

23. The packet data system claimed in claim 19, wherein the packet data system is a Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (CDMA2000) wireless network and the PDAN is a Packet Data Serving Node (PDSN) of the CDMA2000network.

24. The packet data system claimed in claim 14 wherein before reporting the amount of data to the AAA server, one of the IP-based MS and the IP-based CN terminates the packet data session, wherein the amount of data is the total amount of data exchanged by the IP-based CN with the IP-based MS during the packet data session.

25. The packet data system claimed in claim 14, wherein the IP-based terminal initiates the packet data session with the IP-based CN.

26. The packet data system claimed in claim 14, wherein the IP-based CN initiates the packet data session with the IP-based terminal.

27. A Packet Data Access Node (PDAN) acting to support a packet data session between an IP-based terminal having assigned a terminal IP address and an IP-based Corresponding Node (CN) having assigned a CN IP address, wherein when a packet data session is established between the IP-based terminal and the IP-based CN, the PDAN receives CN'"'"'s related information including the CN IP address and, based on the CN IP address, the PDAN determines an amount of data exchanged by the CN with the MS during the packet data session, and reports the amount of data to an Authorization, Authentication, and Accounting server (AAA).

28. The PDAN claimed in claim 27, wherein the CN'"'"'s related information further includes an indication of an application used by the CN for communicating over the data session, and wherein the PDAN reports to the AAA both the amount of data and the indication of the application used by the CN.

29. The PDAN claimed in claim 28, wherein the indication of the application used by the CN comprises a port number used by the CN for communicating over the data session.

30. The PDAN claimed in claim 27, wherein the CN'"'"'s related information further includes an indication of a Quality of Service (QoS) used for communicating over the data session, and wherein the PDAN reports to the AAA the amount of data and the indication of the QoS.

31. The PDAN claimed in claim 27, wherein the packet data session is an IP Multimedia (IPMM) session and wherein the CN IP address is provided to the PDAN by a Proxy Call Sate Control Function (P-CSCF).

32. The PDAN claimed in claim 31, wherein the PDAN is connected to the P-CSCF via an IP communication interface, wherein the CN IP address is sent from the P-CSCF to the PDAN over the IP communication interface.

33. The PDAN claimed in claim 32, wherein the IP-based terminal is a Mobile Station (MS).

34. The PDAN claimed in claim 32, wherein the IP-based CN is a Mobile Station (MS).

35. The PDAN claimed in claim 32, wherein the IP-based CN is an IP-based content provider server.

36. The PDAN claimed in claim 33, wherein the PDAN is a Packet Data Serving Node (PDSN) that functions in a Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (CDMA2000) wireless network.

37. The PDAN claimed in claim 27, wherein before reporting the amount of data to the AAA server, one of the IP-based terminal and the IP-based CN terminates the packet data session;

wherein the amount of data is the total amount of data exchanged by the IP-based CN with the IP-based terminal during the packet data session.

38. The PDAN claimed in claim 27, wherein the IP-based terminal initiates the packet data session with the IP-based CN.

39. The packet data system claimed in claim 27, wherein the IP-based CN initiates the packet data session with the IP-based terminal.