Method and apparatus for merging accounting records to minimize overhead

• US 6,853,630 B1
• Filed: 06/16/2000
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Manning, Serge M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, Robert P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GORT, ELAINE L
• Application Number:
  US09/595,937
• Time in Patent Office: 1,698 Days
• Field of Search: 705/30, 705/32, 705/34, 705/253, 370/351, 370/379, 370/338, 370/331, 370352-356, 370/912, 370/913, 370/401, 455/405, 455/406
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/53 using mediation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8214 Data or packet based
• 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 2215/2013 Fixed data network, e.g. PDN, ATM, B-ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/782 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method and apparatus for merging accounting records to minimize overhead is provided. The method and apparatus accumulate accounting information for data transmissions between a wireless communication device and a host on a data network. The method and apparatus are capable of accumulating accounting information for short data bursts and for active traffic channel transmissions such that an accounting messages is sent to an accounting server only when transitions from short data burst transmission or active traffic channel transmission to another state are encountered. Thus, accounting information for a plurality of sequential short data bursts and/or active traffic channel transmissions are accumulated. This reduces the number of accounting messages sent to an accounting server and eliminates race conditions that may be encountered by sequential short data bursts.

Claims

1. A method to optimize accounting records in a wireless/packet data network, comprising the steps of:

detecting that a communication link has been established between a mobile terminal and a host in a packet data network; and

accumulating, at a packet data serving node disposed between the mobile terminal and the packet data network, accounting information relating to a wireless communication network serving the mobile terminal and the packet data network, the accounting information being used by service providers to generate billing data to minimize the frequency of producing accounting records by the packet data serving node;

wherein only one start record and only one stop record are sent to an accounting server for a plurality of short data burst transmissions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the accounting information includes first accounting information obtained from one or more base station controllers in the wireless communication network and second accounting information maintained by the packet data serving node for the packet data network.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

merging the first accounting information and the second accounting information into a usage data record (UDR).

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending an accounting information to an accounting server based on the occurrence of a predetermined event.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the accounting server is a Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) server.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined event is receipt of a session release airlink record from the wireless communication network.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined event is receipt of an active stop airlink record.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined event is receipt of a short data burst stop airlink record.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined event is an expiration of an interim timer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein accounting information relating to a wireless communication network is obtained from accounting message sent from the wireless communication network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the accounting messages sent from the wireless communication network include one or more of a connection setup airlink record, a connection release airlink record, an active start airlink record, an active stop airlink record, and a short data burst airlink record.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the accounting information is accumulated over a series of short data bursts.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the accounting information is accumulated over a series of active traffic channel transmissions.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the accounting information includes the number of octets of data received from a mobile terminal and a number of octets sent to the mobile terminal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the number of octets of data received from the mobile terminal and the number of octets sent to the mobile terminal further includes the number of octets received from the mobile terminal in the form of short data bursts and the number of octets sent to the mobile terminal in the form of short data bursts.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the accounting information includes a plurality of short data bursts.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a session identifier, wherein the accounting information is accumulated based on a session identifier.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the accounting information is associated with a session having multiple IP addresses and wherein accounting information for the wireless communication network and the packet data network are accumulated based on a session identifier and an IP address from multiple IP addresses.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the stop record sent to the accounting server includes a number of short data bursts, a total number of short data burst octets, and an octet count for the plurality of short data burst transmissions.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the start record is a start airlink record, and wherein the stop record is a stop airlink record.