Method for Accounting Information Handling in an Interworking

• US 20120030075A1
• Filed: 10/07/2011
• Published: 02/02/2012
• 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 8,521,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/30
• 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 operating a gateway device in a first network, the method comprising:

transmitting accounting information for a communications device attached to the first network to a proxy device, wherein a second network is accessible by the communications device through the first network, and wherein the communications device has a service subscription with the second network but not with the first network;

transmitting an accounting request message related to the communications device to the proxy device in the first network;

receiving a response message responsive to the accounting request message from the proxy device;

stopping the transmitting of the accounting information if an indicator in the response message indicates a turning off of the accounting information; and

continuing the transmitting of the accounting information unchanged if the indicator does not indicate turning off of the accounting information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator is an Acct-Status-Type indicator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator indicates the turning off of the accounting information with an Accounting-Off value.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the Accounting-Off value is an integer value of eight.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the accounting information is related to an internetwork connection of the communications device with the second network through the first network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the proxy device comprises an accounting, authentication, and authorization device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network is a WiMAX compliant network, and wherein the second network is a Third Generation Partnership Project Evolved Packet Core compliant network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the gateway device is an access service network gateway.

9. A method for operating a network entity in a first network, the method comprising:

receiving, from a gateway device in the first network, accounting information for a communications device attached to the first network;

receiving, from the gateway device, an accounting request message related to the accounting information; and

transmitting, to the gateway device, a response message comprising an indicator responsive to the accounting request message, wherein a second network is accessible to the communications device through the first network, and wherein the communications device has a service subscription with the second network but not with the first network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the indicator is an Acct-Status-Type indicator.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the indicator indicates a turning off of the accounting information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the indicator indicates the turning off of the accounting information with an Accounting-Off value.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the Accounting-Off value is an integer value of eight.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising discarding the accounting information related to the communications device received from the gateway device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the discarding the accounting information occurs after the transmitting the response to the gateway device.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the accounting information is related to an internetwork connection connecting the communications device to the second network through the first network.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the indicator does not indicate a turning off of the accounting information, and wherein the method further comprises:

formatting the accounting information related to an internetwork connection connecting the communications device to the second network through the first network received from the gateway device; and

transmitting the formatted accounting information to a second network entity in the second network.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the second network entity in the second network is an accounting, authentication, and authorization device.

19. An access service network connected to a first network, the access service network comprising:

a gateway configured to transmit accounting information for a communications device attached to the first network to a proxy device, wherein a second network is accessible by the communications device through the first network, and wherein the communications device has a service subscription with the second network but not with the first network;

the gateway configured to transmit an accounting request message related to the communications device to the proxy device in the first network;

the gateway configured to receive a response message responsive to the accounting request message from the proxy device;

the gateway configured to stop the transmitting of the accounting information if an indicator in the response message indicates a turning off of the accounting information; and

the gateway configured to continue the transmitting of the accounting information if the indicator does not indicate the turning off of the accounting information.

20. The access network of claim 19, wherein the indicator indicates the turning off of the accounting information with an Accounting-Off value.

21. The access network of claim 20, wherein the Accounting-Off value is an integer value of eight.

22. The access network of claim 19, wherein the gateway is configured to stop the transmitting of accounting information related to an internetwork connection of the communications device with the second network through the first network.

23. The access network of claim 19, wherein the first network is a WiMAX compliant network, and wherein the second network is a Third Generation Partnership Project Evolved Packet Core compliant network.

24. The access network of claim 19, wherein the proxy device comprises an accounting, authentication, and authorization device.

25. A network entity in a first network, the network entity comprising:

an authentication unit configured to authenticate unauthenticated communications devices;

an authorization unit configured to authorize unauthorized communications devices for services;

an accounting unit configured to receive, from a gateway device in the first network, accounting information for a communications device attached to the first network;

the accounting unit configured to receive, from the gateway device, an accounting request message related to the accounting information; and

the accounting unit configured to transmit, to the gateway device, a response message comprising an indicator responsive to the accounting request message, wherein a second network is accessible to the communications device through the first network, and wherein the communications device has a service subscription with the second network but not with the first network.

26. The network entity of claim 25, wherein the indicator indicates a turning off of the accounting information.

27. The network entity of claim 26, wherein the indicator indicates the turning off of the accounting information with an Accounting-Off value.

28. The network entity of claim 27, wherein the Accounting-Off value is an integer value of eight.

29. The network entity of claim 26, wherein the accounting information is related to an internetwork connection connecting the communications device to the second network through the first network received from the gateway device, and wherein the accounting unit is further configured to discard the accounting information.

30. The network entity of claim 25, wherein the accounting information is related to an internetwork connection connecting the communications device to the second network through the first network, wherein the indicator does not indicate a turning off of the accounting information, wherein the accounting unit is configured to format the accounting information, and wherein the accounting unit is configured to transmit the formatted accounting information to a second network entity in the second network.