Method for Accounting Information Handling in an Interworking

• US 20110178904A1
• Filed: 01/20/2010
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ahmed, Hanan
• Granted Patent: US 8,762,232 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/67 Transmitting arrangements for sending billing related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method for accounting information handling in an interworking is provided. A method for processing accounting information by a gateway device includes sending an accounting request message to a first electronic device, and receiving a response message from a first electronic device, the response message responsive to the accounting request message. The accounting request message is related to a communications device attached to the first network. The method also includes processing accounting information. The processing is based on the response message, the gateway device and the first electronic device are part of the first network, the communications device is accessing a second network through the first network, and the communications device has a subscription only with the second network.

Claims

1. A method for processing accounting information by a gateway device, the method comprising:

sending an accounting request message to a first electronic device, wherein the accounting request message is related to a communications device attached to a first network;

receiving a response message from the first electronic device, the response message responsive to the accounting request message; and

processing accounting information, wherein the processing is based on the response message,

wherein the gateway device and the first electronic device are part of the first network,

wherein the communications device is accessing a second network through the first network, and

wherein the communications device has a subscription only with the second network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the response message comprises an indicator responsive to the accounting request message.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the indicator indicates turn off of accounting information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the indicator comprises an integer value of eight.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein processing accounting information comprises stopping a generation of accounting information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the communications device has at least two connections, wherein at least one connection is with the second network through the first network, and wherein stopping a generation of accounting information comprises stopping a generation of accounting information for the at least one connection with the second network through the first network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the response message does not comprise an indicator responsive to the accounting request message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device comprises an authentication device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first network comprises a WiMAX compliant network.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the second network comprises a 3GPP EPC compliant network.

11. A method for processing accounting information by an authentication device, the method comprising:

receiving an accounting request message from a first electronic device, wherein the accounting request message is related to a communications device attached to a first network; and

sending a response message responsive to the accounting request message to the first electronic device,

wherein the authentication device and the first electronic device are part of the first network,

wherein the communications device is accessing a second network through the first network, and

wherein the communications device has a service subscription only with the second network.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the response message comprises an indicator responsive to the accounting request message.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the indicator indicates turn off of accounting information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the indicator comprises an integer value of eight.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising discarding accounting information received from the first electronic device, wherein the accounting information is related to the communications device accessing the second network through the first network.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the response message does not comprise an indicator responsive to the accounting request message.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

formatting accounting information received from the first electronic device, wherein the accounting information is related to the communications device accessing the second network through the first network; and

sending the formatted accounting information to an authentication server in the second network.

18. A method for processing accounting information by a gateway device, the method comprising:

determining if a communications device is participating in an interworking with a first network and a second network;

stopping generation of accounting information for the communications device if the communications device is participating in the interworking with the first network and the second network; and

continuing to generate accounting information for the communications device if the communications device is not participating in the interworking with the first network and the second network,

wherein the communications device is accessing the second network through the first network, and

wherein the communications device has a subscription only with the second network.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein determining if a communications device is participating in an interworking comprises detecting if the communications device has a connection with the second network through the first network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein detecting if the communications device has a connection comprises examining message traffic from the communications device, examining connection request types from the communications device, examining an intended destination of message traffic from the communications device, or a combination thereof.