COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20110145895A1
• Filed: 08/11/2008
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Zhang, Shun Liang, Zhou, Wei Hua, Zhang, Yi
• Application Number:
  US13/057,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20110145895A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/66 Policy and charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A communication network (100) comprising an access service network entity (102), a policy and charging rules entity (104), and an authentication, authorization and accounting entity (106), wherein the access service network entity (102) is adapted for providing charging capabilities to the authentication, authorization and accounting entity (106), wherein the authentication, authorization and accounting entity (106) is adapted for deciding whether the charging capabilities are to be activated and for providing the decision to the access service network entity (102), and wherein the access service network entity (102) is adapted for providing the decision to the policy and charging rules entity (104).

Claims

1. A communication network (100), the communication network (100) comprising an access service network entity (102);

a policy and charging rules entity (104);

an authentication, authorization and accounting entity (106);

wherein the access service network entity (102) is adapted for providing capabilities, particularly charging capabilities, to the authentication, authorization and accounting entity (106);

wherein the authentication, authorization and accounting entity (106) is adapted for deciding whether the capabilities are to be activated and for providing the decision to the access service network entity (102);

wherein the access service network entity (102) is adapted for providing the decision to the policy and charging rules entity (104).

2. The communication network (100) according to claim 1, wherein the access service network entity (102) is adapted for providing one of the group consisting of online charging capabilities, offline charging capabilities, and flow-based charging capabilities.

3. The communication network (100) according to claim 1, wherein the access service network entity (102) is adapted for providing charging capabilities for charging a service, particularly a telecommunication service or a roaming service, provided via the communication network (100).

4. The communication network (100) according to claim 1,

wherein the access service network entity (102) is adapted for providing charging capabilities to a mobile station communicatively coupled to the communication network (100).

5. The communication network (100) according to claim 1, wherein the access service network entity (102) is adapted for providing charging capabilities to the authentication, authorization and accounting entity (106) by transmitting an accept request to the authentication, authorization and accounting entity (106) after entry of a mobile station in the communication network (100).

6. The communication network (100) according to claim 5, wherein the authentication, authorization and accounting entity (106) is adapted for transmitting an accept response to the access service network entity (102) in response to the accept request upon deciding that the charging capabilities are to be activated.

7. The communication network (100) according to claim 1, wherein the authentication, authorization and accounting entity (106) is adapted for deciding whether the charging capabilities are to be activated based on a profile of a subscriber.

8. The communication network (100) according to claim 1, wherein the access service network entity (102) is adapted for providing the decision to the policy and charging rules entity (104) when transmitting an indication of establishment of a communication session to the policy and charging rules entity (104).

9. The communication network (100) according to claim 1, wherein the policy and charging rules entity (104) is adapted for defining a charging policy based on the decision.

10. The communication network (100) according to claim 9, wherein the policy and charging rules entity (104) is adapted for transmitting an acknowledgement of establishing a session to the access service network entity (102).

11. The communication network (100) according to claim 1, adapted to be operable according to IEEE 802.16.

12. The communication network (100) according to claim 1, adapted as one of the group consisting of a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access network, and a Long Term Evolution network.

13. A method of communicating in a communication network (100), the method comprising providing capabilities particularly charging capabilities, from an access service network entity (102) to an authentication, authorization and accounting entity (106);

deciding, by the authentication, authorization and accounting entity (106), whether the capabilities are to be activated and providing the decision to the access service network entity (102);

providing the decision from the access service network entity (102) to the policy and charging rules entity (104).

14. A computer-readable medium, in which a computer program of communicating in a communication network (100) is stored, which computer program, when being executed by a processor, is adapted to carry out or control a method according to claim 13.

15. A program element of communicating in a communication network (100), which program element, when being executed by a processor, is adapted to carry out or control a method according to claim 13.