Charging split negotiation in IMS sessions

• US 20090116627A1
• Filed: 01/31/2008
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Ropolyi, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,265,244 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/114.30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1471 splitting of costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/07 Split billing, i.e. both A-party and B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/46 Real-time negotiation between users and providers or operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/57 for integrated multimedia messaging subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/63 based on the content carried by the session initiation protocol [SIP] messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/64 On-line charging system [OCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/66 Policy and charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8228 Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8292 Charging for signaling or unsuccessful connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2046 Hybrid network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/208 IMS, i.e. Integrated Multimedia messaging Subsystem
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/56 On line or real-time flexible agreements between service providers and telecoms operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/64 Split billing, sharing the cost of calls, e.g. between calling and called parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7833 Session based

Abstract

A method and apparatus for implementation of split charging in an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem, allowing subsystem users to negotiate at setup and at a modification of a session initiation protocol session which user will be charged for each multimedia component of the subsystem. A method includes transmitting a first message to a user equipment for initiating one of a multimedia call setup and a call modification, the first message including a split charging offer request and a first split charging ratio, and receiving a second message from the user equipment, the second message comprising a second split charging ratio. The method also includes processing the second message for determining whether a user of the user equipment accepted one of the multimedia call setup and the call modification, whether the user of the user equipment accepted the split charging offer request or the user offered an increase or decrease in the first split charging ratio, and whether a network element of an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem accepted, approved, and agreed upon the second split charging off ratio for allowing a group of users to negotiate which user will be charged for each component of the Internet protocol multimedia subsystem.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

transmitting a first message to a user equipment for initiating one of a multimedia call setup and a call modification, the first message comprising a split charging offer request comprising a first split charging ratio;

receiving a second message from the user equipment, the second message comprising a second split charging ratio; and

processing the second message for determining whether a user of the user equipment accepted one of the multimedia call setup and the call modification, whether the user of the user equipment accepted the split charging offer request or the user offered an increase or decrease in the first split charging ratio, and whether a network element of an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem accepted, approved, and agreed upon the second split charging ratio for allowing a group of users to negotiate which user will be charged for each component of a system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the split charging offer request comprising a request for the user to take over at least a portion of charges associated with each component of the system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the split charging offer request at a session setup or a session modification between a caller and the user of the user equipment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting further comprises transmitting the first split charging ratio comprising a ratio of 0 to 100%, wherein 0% denotes that the user pays no charges associated with a component of the system, and wherein 100% denotes that the user pays all charges associated with the component of the system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the second message comprising a response from the user to the split charging offer request, and wherein the response indicates whether the user accepted one of the multimedia call setup and the call modification, whether the user accepted the split charging offer request or the user offered an increase or decrease in the first split charging ratio, and whether the network element of the Internet protocol multimedia subsystem accepted, approved, and agreed upon the second split charging ratio.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing comprises determining whether the second split charging ratio is greater than or less than the first split charging ratio.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing comprises notifying a second user whether the user of the user equipment accepted one of the multimedia call setup and the call modification, whether the user of the user equipment accepted the split charging offer request or the user offered an increase or decrease in the first split charging ratio, and whether the network element of the Internet protocol multimedia subsystem accepted, approved, and agreed upon the second split charging ratio.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing comprises processing the second message for allowing the group of users to negotiate which user will be charged for each component of the system, wherein each component comprises one of a video component and an audio component, and wherein the system comprises an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a caller and the user of the user equipment each comprise a service subscription for split charging; and

terminating a session setup or a session modification between the caller and the user of the user equipment when either the caller or the user of the user equipment are determined not to comprise the service subscription for the split charging.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a first message to a user equipment for initiating one of a multimedia call setup and a call modification, the first message comprising a split charging offer request and a first split charging ratio;

a receiver configured to receive a second message from the user equipment, the second message comprising a second split charging ratio; and

a processor configured to process the second message for determining whether a user of the user equipment accepted one of the multimedia call setup and a call modification, whether the user of the user equipment accepted the split charging offer request or the user increased or decreased the first split charging ratio, and whether a network element of an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem accepted, approved, and agreed upon the second split charging ratio for allowing a group of users to negotiate which user will be charged for each component of a system.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the split charging offer request comprises a request for the user to take over at least a portion of charges associated with each component of the system.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the split charging offer request at a session setup or a session modification between a caller and the user of the user equipment.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first split charging ratio comprises a ratio of 0 to 100%, wherein 0% denotes that the user pays no charges associated with a component of the system, and wherein 100% denotes that the user pays all charges associated with the component of the system.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the second message comprises a response from the user to the split charging offer request, the response indicating whether the user accepted one of the multimedia call setup and a call modification, whether the user accepted the split charging offer request or the user offered an increase or decrease in the first split charging ratio, and whether the network element of the Internet protocol multimedia subsystem accepted, approved, and agreed upon the second split charging ratio.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein each component comprises one of a video component and an audio component, and wherein the system comprises an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether a caller and the user of the user equipment each comprise a service subscription for split charging;

and to terminate a session setup or a session modification between the caller and the user of the user equipment when either the caller or the user of the user equipment are determined not to comprise the service subscription for the split charging.

17. A method, comprising:

receiving a first message from a user equipment, the first message comprising one of a multimedia call setup and a call modification initiation request, a split charging offer request, and a first split charging ratio;

processing the first message;

determining whether a network element of an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem accepted and approved the service usage for allowing a group of users to negotiate which user will be charged for each component of a system;

alerting a user of one of the multimedia call setup and the call modification initiation request, the split charging offer request, and the first split charging ratio;

processing a user response to one of the multimedia call setup and the call modification initiation request, the split charging offer request, and the first split charging ratio from the user; and

transmitting a second message to the user equipment,

wherein the second message indicates whether the user accepts one of the multimedia call setup and the call modification initiation request, whether the user accepts the split charging offer request or the user increases or decreases the first split charging ratio.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the split charging offer request comprising a request for the user to take over at least a portion of charges associated with each component of the system.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the split charging offer request at a session setup or a session modification between a caller and the user of the user equipment.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the receiving the first split charging ratio comprising a ratio of 0 to 100%, wherein 0% denotes that the user pays no charges associated with a component of the system, and wherein 100% denotes that the user pays all charges associated with the component of the system.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the processing the first message comprises authenticating preconditions in the first message associated with resource reservations defined in the user equipment.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the alerting comprises forwarding the first message to the user upon confirmation of the resource reservations.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the processing the first message comprises storing split charging-related information for determining session initiation protocol signaling messages.

24. An apparatus, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a first message from a user equipment, the first message comprising one of a multimedia call setup and a call modification initiation request, a split charging offer request, and a first split charging ratio;

a processor configured to

process the first message;

a determination of whether a network element of an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem accepted and approved a second split charging ratio for allowing a group of users to negotiate which user will be charged for each component of a system;

alert a user of one of the multimedia call setup and a call modification initiation request, the split charging offer request, and the first split charging ratio; and

process a user response to one of the multimedia call setup and a call modification initiation request, the split charging offer request, and the first split charging ratio from the user;

and the apparatus further comprises

a transmitter configured to transmit a second message to the user equipment,

wherein the second message indicates whether the user accepts one of the multimedia call setup and a call modification initiation request, whether the user accepts the split charging offer request or the user increases or decrease the first split charging ratio.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the split charging offer request comprises a request for the user to take over at least a portion of charges associated with each component of the system.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the split charging offer request at a session setup or a session modification between a caller and the user of the user equipment.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first split charging ratio comprises a ratio of 0 to 100%, wherein 0% denotes that the user pays no charges associated with a component of the system, and wherein 100% denotes that the user pays all charges associated with the component of the system.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first message comprises authenticating preconditions associated with resource reservations defined in the user equipment, and further comprises split charging-related information for determining session initiation protocol signaling messages.