Charging in communication networks

• US 20040196816A1
• Filed: 12/30/2003
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Koskinen, Juha-Pekka, Vallinen, Juha
• Granted Patent: US 7,787,858 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• 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 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/67 Transmitting arrangements for sending billing related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/44 Charging/billing arrangements for connection made over different networks, e.g. wireless and PSTN, ISDN, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/46 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/48 Sending information over a non-traffic network channel or another connection than the one actually used, e.g. signalling, D-channel, data and voice
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/68 Billing calls completely to the calling party, except POTS, e.g. charge on caller's choice service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for transferring charging information in telecommunication system, the method comprising establishing a call between a first terminal and a second terminal, the establishment of the call being performed by the transmission of call setup messages according to a messaging protocol between the first network and the second network; and transmitting charging data between first and second charging units to indicate the basis of charging for the support of the call; wherein the call setup messages and the charging data are transferred according to the same messaging protocol.

Claims

1. A method for transferring charging information in a telecommunication system, the method comprising

establishing a call between a first terminal and a second terminal, the establishment of the call being performed by the transmission of call setup messages according to a messaging protocol between the first network and the second network;

and

transmitting charging data between first and second charging units to indicate the basis for charging for the support of the call;

wherein the call setup messages and the charging data are transferred according to the same messaging protocol.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first charging unit is a the S-CSCF and the second charging unit is a P-CSCF.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first charging unit is a the Application Server and the second charging unit is a S-CSCF.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the telecommunication system comprises a first network and a second network, the first terminal is operating in the first network and the second terminal is operating in the second network, the first charging unit is located in the first network and the second charging unit is located in the second network

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first charging unit in the first network is the S-CSCF and the second charging unit in the second network is an I-CSCF.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the messaging protocol is the session initiation protocol (SIP).

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least some of the charging data is transferred by a SIP message.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least some of the charging data is transferred by a SIP INVITE message.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least some of the charging data is transferred in connection with a SIP status code.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the message comprises:

transmitting a first call setup message from the first terminal to the first network; and

forwarding the first call setup message to the second network with the addition of charging data.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first message is a SIP invite message.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method comprises:

transmitting a second call setup message including charging data from the second network to the first network

forwarding the second call setup message to the first terminal with the removal of at least some of that charging data.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the data that is removed excludes advice of charge data.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein all the charging data is removed.

15. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first message is a SIP acknowledgement message.

16. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the charging data includes an indication of the tariff to be used for the call.

17. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the charging data includes an indication of whether the call is to be processed as being chargeable to a pre-paid account.

18. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the charging information includes a charging information element (CIE).

19. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the call is a packet switched call.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the call is an internet protocol (IP) call.

21. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second networks are all-IP networks.