CORRELATION OF BILLING INFORMATION BY A NETWORK ELEMENT

• US 20090030820A1
• Filed: 07/23/2007
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: O'Rourke, Chris, Menditto, Louis F., Hamel, Eric, Shatzkamer, Kevin, Zhu, Haihong
• Granted Patent: US 7,831,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method for providing correlation of billing entries for a mobile communications network is provided. A correlating network element in a bearer path determines a plurality of billing entries for a flow. One or more of the billing entries may be received from other network elements and includes traffic altering information for a flow. The correlating network element correlates the plurality of billing entries using state information included in the billing entries. The state information is used to determine information in billing entries that may be related, such as billing entries for a single flow. Also, the correlating network element uses the traffic altering information to determine a data volume sent for the flow. A correlated billing entry may then be generated using the data volume for the flow. The correlated billing entry is then sent to a billing system from the correlating network element. Billing entries are not sent from other network elements that may be generating billing entries in a link to the billing system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, at a correlating network element in a bearer path, a plurality of billing entries, wherein at least one of the billing entries is received from a second network element and includes traffic altering information for a flow;

correlating information in the plurality of billing entries into a correlated billing entry using state information included in at least one of the plurality of billing entries, the correlating network element using the traffic altering information to determine a data volume sent for the flow; and

sending the correlated billing entry including the data volume to a billing system from the correlating network element through a link from the correlating network element to the billing system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the plurality of billing entries comprises receiving the at least one billing entry in a feedback loop from the second network element to the correlating network element.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the at least one billing entry at the correlating network element from the second network element instead of the second network element sending the at least one billing entry to the billing system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one billing entry comprises billing entries from a plurality of network elements.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein correlating the information in the plurality of billing entries comprises correlating billing information for a billing event together.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the traffic altering information for the flow is used to determine that the data volume is for the billing event, wherein the correlating network element is not able to inspect packets in the flow to determine that the packets are for the billing event.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the billing entries is not sent to the billing system by the second network element through a link between the second network element to the billing system.

8. A system comprising:

one or more network elements configured to process packets sent in a bearer path between an application and a mobile node, the one or more network elements generating billing entries based on the processing of the packets;

a correlating network element in the bearer path configured to;

receive the billing entries from the one or more network elements, wherein the billing entries include traffic altering information for a flow;

correlate information in the billing entries using state information included in at least one of the billing entries into one or more correlated billing entries, the correlating network element using the traffic altering information to determine a data volume sent for the flow; and

send the correlated billing entry including the data volume to a billing system through a link from the correlating network element to the billing system.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more network elements comprise a first network element and a second network element, the first network element generating a first billing entry and the second network element generating a second billing entry.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first network element sends the first billing entry to the second network element, the second network element using the first billing entry to generate the second billing entry and then sending the first and second billing entry to the correlating network element.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more network elements do not have a link to send billing entries to the billing system without sending the billing entries to the correlating network element.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the information in the plurality of billing entries correlates billing information for a billing event together.

13. The system of claim 12, the traffic altering information for the flow is used to determine that the data volume is for the billing event, wherein the correlating network element is not able to inspect packets in the flow to determine that the packets are for the billing event.

14. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution by the one or more processors and when executed operable to;

determine, at a correlating network element in a bearer path, a plurality of billing entries, wherein at least one of the billing entries is received from a second network element and includes traffic altering information for a flow;

correlate information in the plurality of billing entries into a correlated billing entry using state information included in at least one of the plurality of billing entries, the correlating network element using the traffic altering information to determine a data volume sent for the flow; and

send the correlated billing entry including the data volume to a billing system from the correlating network element through a link from the correlating network element to the billing system.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the logic, when executed, is further configured to receive the at least one billing entry in a feedback loop from the second network element to the correlating network element.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the logic, when executed, is further configured to receive the at least one billing entry at the correlating network element from the second network element instead of the second network element sending the at least one billing entry to the billing system.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one billing entry comprises billing entries from a plurality of network elements.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the logic, when executed, is further configured to correlate billing information for a billing event together.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, the traffic altering information for the flow is used to determine that the data volume is for the billing event, wherein the correlating network element is not able to inspect packets in the flow to determine that the packets are for the billing event.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one of the billing entries is not sent to the billing system by the second network element through a link between the second network element to the billing system.