Billing system utilizing a modified file transfer protocol for collecting non-file MIB tables for billing in an ATM network

• US 5,991,746 A
• Filed: 02/05/1997
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General DataComm, Inc. (General DataComm Industries, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General DataComm, Inc. (General DataComm Industries, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Yifan
• Primary Examiner(s): Stamber, Eric W.
• Application Number:
  US08/796,079
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/34, 705/40, 370/321, 379/93.07, 379/93.08
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• 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 2215/0176 Billing arrangements using internet

Abstract

An ATM billing system includes a data (billing) generator at each slot of an ATM switch, a plurality of billing collectors, and a billing center coupled to the ATM network. The data generators are provided with SNMP communication capability and with a modified TFTP communication capability. The data generators monitor the MIBs in their respective slots in ATM switches and, in particular, monitor the contents of tables which contain accounting information. When a table is 90% full, the data generator sends a trap to the billing collector associated with the particular switch and the billing collector sends a TFTP GET request to the data generator. The modified TFTP protocol in the data generator creates a pseudo filename, generates TFTP data packets containing the entire contents of the MIB billing table, and sends the packets according to TFTP protocol to the billing collector. The billing collector uses standard TFTP protocol to receive the TFTP packets and assemble them as a file which is stored. Upon successful receipt of the billing data, the billing collector sends the TFTP acknowledgement to the data generator and the data generator deletes the records in the MIB table for terminated calls. The billing collectors periodically read the billing data files and convert the data contained therein to a format which is suitable for the billing center.

Claims

1. A billing system for use in an ATM network having a plurality of ATM switches, each of said switches responding to network users either directly or indirectly, via intermediate ATM switches, such that each of said switches establishes virtual connections from one network user to another network user, said system comprising:

a) at least one data generator associated with one of the ATM switches, said data generator having means for generating billing data when virtual connections are established through the one of the switches and means for storing said billing data in an MIB table, said data generator having a modified TFTP communications capability, said modified TFTP communications capability including means for reading said billing data from said MIB table, means for generating TFTP packets containing said billing data read from said MIB table, and means for sending TFTP packets via TFTP protocol; and

b) a billing collector associated with the one of the ATM switches, said billing collector having standard TFTP communications capability, said standard TFTP communications capability includes means for receiving TFTP packets and means for saving data contained in TFTP packets to a file, wherein said at least one data generator reads said billing data from said MIB table, generates TFTP data packets containing said billing data, and sends said TFTP packets via TFTP protocol to said billing collector and said billing collector saves said billing data as a file.

2. A billing system according to claim 1, wherein:

said means for sending TFTP packets sends substantially the entire contents of said MIB table to said billing collector as a single file.

3. A billing system according to claim 1, wherein:

said at least one data generator includes means for monitoring the quantity of said billing data stored in said MIB table and means for sending an indication to said billing collector when said MIB table is a predetermined percentage filled, and

in response to said indication, said billing collector sends a TFTP GET request to said at least one data generator.

4. A billing system according to claim 3, wherein:

said indication is an SNMP trap.

5. A billing system according to claim 3, wherein:

in response to said TFTP GET request, said at least one data generator reads substantially all of said billing data from said MIB table and sends a single file containing substantially all of said billing data from said MIB table via modified TFTP protocol to said billing collector.

6. A billing system according to claim 1, further comprising:

c) a billing center coupled to the ATM network, said billing center having means for communicating with said billing collector, wherein

said billing center receives said file from said billing collector and uses said billing data to create customer bills.

7. A billing system according to claim 1, wherein:

the one of the ATM [switch] switches has a plurality of slot controllers and said at least one data generator includes one data generator for each slot controller.

8. A billing system for use in an ATM network having a plurality of ATM switches, each of said switches responding to network users either directly or indirectly, via intermediate ATM switches, such that each of said switches establishes virtual connections from one network user to another network user, said system comprising:

a) a plurality of data generators, each data generator associated with a respective ATM switch and having means for generating billing data based on virtual connections established through said respective ATM switch and means for storing said billing data in a respective MIB table, each of said data generators having a modified TFTP communications capability, said modified TFTP communications capability including means for reading said billing data from said MIB table, means for generating TFTP packets containing said billing data read from said MIB table, and means for sending TFTP packets via TFTP protocol; and

b) a plurality of billing collectors, each billing collector associated with an ATM switch, said billing collectors having standard TFTP communications capability, said standard TFTP communications capability includes means for receiving TFTP packets and means for saving data contained in TFTP packets to a file, wherein

each of said data generators reads said billing data from said MIB table, generates TFTP data packets containing said billing data, and sends said TFTP packets via modified TFTP protocol to a respective billing collector and said respective billing collector saves said billing data as a file.

9. A billing system for use in an ATM telecommunications network, comprising:

a) an ATM switch coupled to the network and including means responsive either directly or indirectly to network users for establishing virtual connections through said ATM switch between said network users, said ATM switch having data generator means for generating billing data based on said virtual connections established through said ATM switch and storing said billing data in an MIB table, said data generator means having a modified TFTP communications capability, said modified TFTP communications capability including means for reading said billing data from said MIB table, means for generating TFTP packets containing said billing data read from said MIB table, and means for sending TFTP packets via TFTP protocol; and

b) a billing collector associated with said ATM switch, said billing collector having TFTP communications capability, said TFTP communications capability includes means for receiving TFTP packets and means for saving data contained in TFTP packets to a file, wherein

said data generator means reads said billing data from said MIB table, generates TFTP data packets containing said billing data, and sends said TFTP packets via modified TFTP protocol to said billing collector and said billing collector saves said billing data as a file.

10. A method of generating and collecting billing information in an ATM network having a plurality of ATM switches, each of the switches responding to network users either directly or indirectly, via intermediate ATM switches, such that each of the switches establishes virtual connections from one network user to another network user, said system, comprising:

a) generating billing data based on the virtual connections established through an ATM switch;

b) storing the billing data in an MIB table;

c) reading the billing data from the MIB table;

d) generating TFTP packets containing the billing data read from the MIB table; and

e) sending the TFTP packets via a modified TFTP protocol to a billing collector.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein:

said step of sending TFTP packets includes sending substantially the entire contents of the MIB table to the billing collector as a single file.

12. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

f) monitoring the quantity of the billing data stored in the MIB table;

g) sending an indication to the billing collector when the MIB table is a predetermined percentage filled; and

h) sending a TFTP Get request from the billing collector to the ATM switch in response to the indication, wherein

said step of sending the TFTP packets is in response to the TFTP GET request.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein:

the indication is an SNMP trap.

14. A method of transmitting MIB information from an MIB table in an ATM switch over an ATM network where MIB table entries are made by the switch when virtual connections are established between network users through the switch, said method comprising:

a) reading data from the MIB table in the ATM switch;

b) generating TFTP packets containing the data read from the MIB table; and

c) sending the TFTP packets via a modified TFTP protocol from the ATM switch to a data requestor.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein:

said step of sending the TFTP packets includes sending substantially the entire contents of the MIB table to the data requester as a single file.

16. A method according to claim 14, further comprising:

d) monitoring the quantity of data stored in the MIB table in the ATM switch;

e) sending an indication to the data requestor when the MIB table is a predetermined percentage filled; and

f) sending a TFTP Get request from the data requestor to the ATM switch in response to the indication, wherein

said step of sending the TFTP packets is in response to the TFTP GET request.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein:

the indication is an SNMP trap.