METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR SUPPORTING CHARGING IN A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

• US 20140051387A1
• Filed: 04/27/2011
• Published: 02/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Mllersten, David
• Application Number:
  US14/113,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20140051387A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• 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 15/42 Dynamic individual rates per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/61 based on the service used
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8022 Determining tariff or charge band
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/204 UMTS; GPRS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/74 Rating aspects, e.g. rating parameters or tariff determination apects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7421 Determine tariff or charge band
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

Method and arrangement in a charging function to support charging for services in a communications network. When receiving a request for charging information from a session control node serving a communication device, the charging function determines at least one characteristic of the device, e.g. by fetching it from a device characteristics repository where such device characteristics are maintained for devices in the network. The charging function then sets a charging level for a service requested or consumed by the device, based on the characteristic(s) of the device, and sends a response with the set charging level to the session control node, to enable device characteristic dependent charging for the requested or consumed service.

Claims

1. A method in a charging function for supporting charging for services in a Communications network, the method comprising:

receiving a request for charging information from a session control node serving a communication device in the Communications network, the request referring to a service requested or consumed by the communication device,

determining at least one capability of said communication device by fetching the at least one capability of said communication device from a device characteristics repository associated with the Communications network,

setting a charging level for the requested or consumed service pertaining to the communication device, based on said at least one capability of the communication device, and

sending a response to said request to the session control node based on said set charging level, to enable device capability dependent charging for the requested or consumed service.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said device capability pertain to any of:

communication protocols, installed applications, encoding and decoding schemes, storing capacity, processing capacity, display, camera, and audio system.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said request for charging information includes a CDR (Call Data Record) generated after the service has been consumed by the communication device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said request for charging information is received when the communication device has made a service request to said session control node.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one capability of said communication device is retrieved from a local cache in the charging function used for storing device capability.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the charging level is set by using a predefined look-up table which maps different device capabilities to different charging levels.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said request for charging information is received in a credit control request according to the Diameter protocol and said response is sent in a credit control answer according to the Diameter protocol.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said device capability pertain to any of:

encoding and decoding schemes used by the communication device to communicate, storing capacity of the communications device, processing capacity of the communications device, display capabilities, and camera capabilities.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein said device capability pertains to encoding and decoding schemes used by the communication device to communicate.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein said device capability pertain to any of:

storing capacity of the communications device, processing capabilities, display capabilities, and camera capabilities.

8. An arrangement in a charging function configured to support charging for services in a Communications network, the arrangement comprising:

a receiving module adapted to receive a request for charging information from a session control node serving a communication device in the Communications network, the request referring to a service requested or consumed by the communication device,

a rating module adapted to determine at least one capability of said communication device by fetching the at least one device capability from a device characteristics repository associated with the Communications network, and to set a charging level for the requested or consumed service pertaining to the communication device, based on said at least one capability of the communication device, and

a sending module adapted to send a response to said request to the session control node based on said set charging level, to enable device capability dependent charging for the requested or consumed service.

9. The arrangement according to claim 9, wherein said device capability pertain to any of:

communication protocols, installed applications, encoding and decoding schemes, storing capacity, processing capacity, display, camera, and audio system.

10. The arrangement according to claim 9, wherein said request for charging information includes a CDR (Call Data Record) generated after the service has been consumed by the communication device.

11. The arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the rating module is further adapted to determine said at least one device capability by retrieving it from a local cache in the charging function used for storing device capabilities.

12. The arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the rating module is further adapted to set the charging level by using a predefined look-up table which maps different device capabilities to different charging levels.

13. The arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the receiving module is further adapted to receive said request for charging information in a credit control request according to the Diameter protocol, and the sending module is further adapted to send said response in a credit control answer according to the Diameter protocol.