Charging efficiency
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for performing charging in a telecommunications system, comprising: storing at a subscriber information store subscription information including charging arrangement information indicative of the charging arrangement for a first communication terminal operating in the telecommunications system; providing by means of packet data interface apparatus packet data communication services to the first terminal, the packet data interface apparatus being capable of interfacing between the first communication terminal and a packet-switched data link to another communications terminal; generating by means of the packet data interface apparatus charging messages indicative of the usage of the packet data communication services by the first terminal; transferring the charging messages to charging apparatus; and performing by means of the charging apparatus a charging operation to attribute to a subscriber for the first communications terminal a charge for use of the communication services by the first terminal; the method further including the steps of: transferring the charging arrangement information to the packet data interface apparatus; and storing at the packet data interface apparatus the charging arrangement information for the first communication terminal; and wherein the step of generating charging messages comprises generating the said charging messages dependant on the charging arrangement information for the first communication terminal.
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Citations
58 Claims
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1-28. -28. (canceled)
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29. A method for performing charging in a telecommunications system, comprising:
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storing at a subscriber information store subscription information including charging arrangement information indicative of the charging arrangement for a first communication terminal operating in the telecommunications system;
providing by means of packet data interface apparatus packet data communication services to the first terminal, the packet data interface apparatus being capable of interfacing between the first communication terminal and a packet-switched data link to another communications terminal;
generating by means of the packet data interface apparatus charging messages indicative of the usage of the packet data communication services by the first terminal; and
transferring the charging messages to a charging apparatus;
the method further including the steps of;
transferring the charging arrangement information stored at the subscriber information store from the subscriber information store to the packet data interface apparatus; and
storing at the packet data interface apparatus the charging arrangement information received from the subscriber information store for the first communication terminal; and
wherein the step of generating charging messages comprises generating the said charging messages dependent on the charging arrangement information for the first communication terminal. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56)
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55. A telecommunications system, comprising:
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a subscriber information store storing subscription information including charging arrangement information indicative of the charging arrangement for a first communication terminal operating in the telecommunication system;
packet data interface apparatus for providing packet data communication services to the first terminal, the packet data interface apparatus being capable of interfacing between the first communication terminal and a packet-switched data link to another communications terminal, and generating charging messages indicative of the usage of the packet data communication services by the first terminal;
message transfer apparatus for transferring the charging messages to a charging apparatus;
and wherein the packet data interface apparatus is adapted to receive and store the charging arrangement information for the first communication terminal and to generate the said charging messages dependant on the charging arrangement information for the first communication terminal.
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57. A packet data interface apparatus for providing packet data communication services to a first communication terminal operating in a telecommunications system, the packet data interface apparatus being capable of:
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interfacing between the first communication terminal and a packet-switched data link to another communication terminal; and
generating charging messages indicative of the usage of the packet data communication services by the first terminal;
the packet data interface being adapted to;
receive and store charging information indicative of the charging arrangement for the first communication terminal; and
generate said charging messages dependent on the charging arrangement information for the first communication terminal.
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58. A software program, stored on a tangible medium, which when executed by a packet data interface apparatus, causes the packet data interface apparatus to interface between a first communication terminal operating in a telecommunications system and a packet-switched data link to another communication terminal and provide packet data communication services to the first terminal, comprising:
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generating charging messages indicative of the usage of the packet data communication services by the first terminal;
receiving and storing charging information indicative of the charging arrangement for the first communication terminal; and
generating said charging messages dependent on the charging arrangement information for the first communication terminal.
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Specification