System and method for billing in a radio telecommunications network

• US 6,463,275 B1
• Filed: 01/31/2000
• Issued: 10/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Deakin, Ian Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, LANA N
• Application Number:
  US09/494,883
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432, 455/433, 455/406, 455/408, 455/409, 379/126, 379/127.01, 379/127.02, 379/127.03, 379/127.04, 379/127.05, 379/115.01, 379/115.02
• 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 15/31 Distributed metering or calculation of charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• 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 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/96 Distributed calculation of charges, e.g. in different nodes like for mobiles between HLR and VLR, or between the terminal and the billing function

Abstract

A system (FIG. 2) and method for billing in a radio telecommunications network, comprising:

means (HLR) for storing billing class identifier information associated with a predetermined subscriber or subscriber services; and charging gateway means for receiving call information together with the relevant billing class identifier information and for passing the call information to a relevant billing system.

Claims

1. A system for billing in a radio telecommunications network, comprising:

means for storing billing class identifier information associated with a predetermined subscriber or subscriber services, the billing class identifier capable of identifying a relevant billing system out of a plurality of billing systems common for a plurality of calls; and

charging gateway means for receiving call information related to a call from the predetermined subscriber, for receiving the relevant billing class identifier information from the storing means and for passing the call information to the relevant billing system identified by the billing class identifier.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising hot-billing server means for receiving the call information from the charging gateway means for providing hot-billing services.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising pre-paid server means for receiving the call information from the charging gateway means for providing pre-paid services.

4. A method of billing in a radio telecommunications network, comprising the steps of:

storing billing class identifier information associated with a predetermined subscriber or subscriber services and capable of identifying a relevant billing system out of a plurality of billing systems common for a plurality of calls; and

in charging gateway means

receiving call information related to a call from the predetermined subscriber, receiving the relevant billing class identifier information and for gating the call information to the relevant billing system identified by the billing class identifier.