Charging mechanism for multicasting
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Abstract
An apparatus for calculating a cost of receiving multicast data from a multicast session. A multicast network includes at least one multicast service, each multicast service including at least one multicast session. The apparatus receives a request to establish a connection to the multicast session, stores a start time for the connection and an end time for the connection and, after termination of the connection, calculates the cost of receiving the multicast data. The apparatus can receive a subsequent request to extend the connection, the subsequent request specifying a new end time for the connection, and store the new end time for the connection. Alternatively, the apparatus can receive a subsequent request to terminate the connection, the subsequent request specifying a new end time that precedes the end time for the connection, and store the new end time for the connection.
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Citations
60 Claims
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1-42. -42. (canceled)
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43. A system for calculating a cost of receiving multicast data at a mobile terminal from a service provider via a digital video broadcast network, comprising:
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a first multicast serving node in a first coverage area of a digital video broadcast network, coupled to a service provider, for serving multicast data from the service provider to a mobile terminal when in the first coverage area and accumulating charging data as the terminal receives the multicast data;
a first multicast routing function coupled over the digital video broadcast network to the terminal, for providing first multicast data in a multicast session to the terminal in response to a join request by the terminal to join the multicast session;
a first multicast charging unit coupled to the first multicast routing function, for accumulating information related to a first charge for providing the first data to the terminal; and
a billing server coupled to the multicast serving node, for receiving information related to the charging data after the terminal no longer receives multicast data and preparing billing information based on said charging data. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A method for calculating a cost of receiving multicast data at a mobile terminal from a service provider via a digital video broadcast network, comprising:
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providing first multicast data in a multicast session to a mobile terminal when in a first coverage area of a digital video broadcast network in response to a join request by the terminal to join the multicast session;
accumulating information related to a first charge for providing the first data to the terminal;
providing second multicast data in the multicast session to the mobile terminal when in a second coverage area of the digital video broadcast network in response to a handover operation;
accumulating information related to a second charge for providing the second data to the terminal; and
preparing billing information based on said first and second charges. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56)
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57. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium containing computer program logic recorded thereon for execution by a processor in communication with said computer readable medium for calculating a cost of receiving multicast data at a mobile terminal from a service provider via a digital video broadcast network, the computer program product comprising:
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program code for providing first multicast data in a multicast session to a mobile terminal when in a first coverage area of a digital video broadcast network in response to a join request by the terminal to join the multicast session;
program code for accumulating information related to a first charge for providing the first data to the terminal;
program code for providing second multicast data in the multicast session to the mobile terminal when in a second coverage area of the digital video broadcast network in response to a handover operation;
program code for accumulating information related to a second charge for providing the second data to the terminal; and
program code for preparing billing information based on said first and second charges. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60)
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Specification