FRONT-END CHARGING SYSTEM THAT GENERATES CHARGING DATA PER ENTITY HAVING A REVENUE SHARE

• US 20120088469A1
• Filed: 06/30/2009
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Cai, Yigang, Li, Xiangyang
• Granted Patent: US 9,380,168 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/50 for cross-charging network operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/53 using mediation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/54 for revenue sharing
• 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 15/59 based on real time
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0104 Augmented, consolidated or itemised billing statement, e.g. additional billing information, bill presentation, layout, format, e-mail, fax, printout, itemised bill per service or per account, cumulative billing, consolidated billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0172 Mediation, i.e. device or program to reformat CDRS from one or more switches in order to adapt to one or more billing programs formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/204 UMTS; GPRS
• 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 2215/52 Interconnection, inter-exchange, reseller billing, billing agreements between different operators, e.g. billing identifier added on the CDR in order to cross charge the other operator, inter-operator accounting, reconciliation, bill directly resellers customers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

Charging systems and methods are disclosed for determining the share of call revenue for multiple entities. One embodiment comprises a charging controller that is coupled to a mobile network and an online charging system. The charging controller receives charging data for a call in the mobile network, and processes the charging data and charging rules to identify entities that have a share in revenue for the call. The charging controller generates a charging request message indicating the entities having a revenue share in the call, and transmits the charging request message to the online charging system to cause the online charging system to determine the revenue share for each of the entities.

Claims

1. A charging system comprising:

a charging controller coupled to a mobile network and an online charging system, the charging controller operable to receive charging data for a call in the mobile network, to process the charging data for the call and charging rules to identify entities that have a share in revenue for the call, to generate a charging request message indicating the entities having a revenue share in the call, and to transmit the charging request message to the online charging system to cause the online charging system to determine the revenue share for each of the entities.

2. The charging system of claim 1 further comprising:

the online charging system operable to receive the charging request message from the charging controller, to identify a profile for each of the entities having a revenue share, to determine a revenue share amount for each of the entities based on their profile and a rating, to generate charging records indicating the revenue share amount for each of the entities, and to transmit the charging records to the charging controller.

3. The charging system of claim 2 wherein the charging records each include an entity ID, a charging type, and the revenue share amount.

4. The charging system of claim 3 wherein the revenue share amount indicates a monetary amount owed to another entity.

5. The charging system of claim 2 wherein:

the charging controller is further operable to receive the charging records, to correlate the charging records to generate a consolidated charging record that indicates the revenue share amount for each of the entities, and to transmit the consolidated charging record to a billing system.

6. The charging system of claim 1 wherein the charging rules include retail rules defining conditions for retail charging.

7. The charging system of claim 1 wherein the charging rules include wholesale rules defining conditions for wholesale charging.

8. The charging system of claim 1 wherein the charging rules include interconnect rules defining conditions for interconnect charging.

9. The charging system of claim 1 wherein the charging rules include content rules defining conditions for content charging.

10. The charging system of claim 1 wherein the charging rules include roaming rules defining conditions for roaming charging.

11. A method of determining the share of call revenue for a call, the method comprising:

receiving charging data for a call placed over a mobile network in a charging controller that is coupled to the mobile network and to an online charging system;

processing the charging data for the call and charging rules to identify entities that have a share in revenue for the call;

generating a charging request message indicating the entities having a revenue share in the call; and

transmitting the charging request message to the online charging system to cause the online charging system to determine the revenue share for each of the entities.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving the charging request message in the online charging system from the charging controller;

identifying a profile for each of the entities having a revenue share;

determining a revenue share amount for each of the entities based on their profile and a rating;

generating charging records indicating the revenue share amount for each of the entities; and

transmitting the charging records from the online charging system to the charging controller.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the charging records each include an entity ID, a charging type, and a revenue share amount.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the revenue share amount indicates a monetary amount owed to another entity.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

receiving the charging records in the charging controller from the online charging system;

correlating the charging records to generate a consolidated charging record that indicates the revenue share amount for each of the entities; and

transmitting the consolidated charging record from the charging controller to a billing system.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the charging rules include retail rules defining conditions for retail charging.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the charging rules include wholesale rules defining conditions for wholesale charging.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the charging rules include interconnect rules defining conditions for interconnect charging.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the charging rules include content rules defining conditions for content charging.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein the charging rules include roaming rules defining conditions for roaming charging.