MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING CHARGING IN CASE OF CHARGING CLIENT RELOCATION

• US 20100332361A1
• Filed: 04/24/2008
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Zhou, Wei Hua
• Granted Patent: US 8,560,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1467 involving prepayment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/02 Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

There is proposed a mechanism for charging control and a charging client relocation. When it is determined that a relocation of a charging related functionality for a communication connection from a previous charging client node to a new charging client node is executed, the new charging client node requests quota information used in a charging procedure for the communication connection from a charging server node. A charging agent is informed by the new charging client node about the relocation to the new charging client node after predetermined information is received from the previous charging client node and the quota information is received from the charging server.

Claims

1-31. -31. (canceled)

32. A method, comprising:

determining that a relocation procedure of a charging related functionality for a communication connection from a previous charging client node to a new charging client node is executed,

requesting by the new charging client node from a charging server node, before the relocation procedure to the new charging client node is completed, quota information used in a charging procedure for the communication connection, and

sending by the new charging client node an information to a charging agent about the relocation to the new charging client node after the relocation procedure is completed for the new charging client node, after predetermined information is received from the previous charging client node, and after the quota information is received by the new charging client node from the charging server node.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein

the predetermined information from the previous charging client node comprises at least one of mobile station context data and charging client context data.

34. The method according to claim 32, further comprising:

transmitting an acknowledgment message for a receipt of the predetermined information to the previous charging client node directly after receipt thereof or after receipt of the quota information.

35. The method according to claim 32, further comprising:

rejecting the relocation to the new charging client node in case no quota information is received.

36. The method according to claim 32, further comprising:

transmitting a relocation complete indication message to the previous charging client node, wherein the relocation complete indication message comprises at least one of an information indicating a support of a specific charging mode and an information indicating an inhibition of a quota information transmission from the previous charging client node side.

37. The method according to claim 32, wherein the informing further comprises sending of data for updating charging client context data in the charging agent.

38. The method according to claim 32, wherein the requesting further comprises setting up of a session with the charging server node on the basis of an authentication-authorization-accounting protocol.

39. The method according to claim 32, wherein the informing further comprises transmitting of quota information to the charging agent based on the quota information received.

40. The method according to claim 32, further comprising

transmitting quota information to the charging agent based on the quota information received.

45. A computer program product comprising code means configured to, when run on a computer system, control the computer system to perform the method of claim 32.

41. A method, comprising:

receiving, in a charging agent, information related to a relocation of a charging related functionality for a communication connection from a previous charging client node to a new charging client node, from the new charging client node, wherein the information comprises charging client context data and quota information for the new charging client node,

processing the received information and quota information in the charging agent,

storing information in the charging agent, and

updating quota information and charging client context data stored in the charging agent.

42. The method according to claim 41, further comprising:

communicating with the new charging client node on the basis of the stored information for executing a quota update.

43. The method according to claim 41, further comprising:

terminating a charging session with the previous charging client node.

44. The method according to claim 41, wherein the quota information are combined with the information related to the relocation of a charging related functionality for a communication connection from the previous charging client node to the new charging client node.

46. A computer program product comprising code means configured to, when run on a computer system, control the computer system to perform the method of claim 41.

47. An apparatus, comprising:

determining means for determining that a relocation procedure of a charging related functionality for a communication connection from a previous charging client node to a new charging client node is executed,

requesting means for requesting from a charging server node, before the relocation procedure to the new charging client node is completed, quota information used in a charging procedure for the communication connection, for the new charging client node,

receiving means for receiving the quota information from the charging server node, and

informing means for sending an information to a charging agent about the relocation to the new charging client node after the relocation procedure is completed for the new charging client node, after predetermined information is received from the previous charging client node, and after the quota information is received by the receiving means.

48. An apparatus, comprising:

receiving means for receiving information, related to a relocation of a charging related functionality for a communication connection from a previous charging client node to a new charging client node, the information being sent from the new charging client node to a charging agent, wherein the information comprises charging client context data and quota information for the new charging client node,

processing means for processing the received information and quota information in the charging agent, memory means for storing information in the charging agent, and

updating means for updating quota information and charging client context data stored in the memory in the charging agent.