Charging in communication networks having split control planes and user planes

• US 6,879,820 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2001
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Ibanez, Juan-Antonio, Bjelland, Frode
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US09/903,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20020006780A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• Field of Search: 455/465, 455/466, 455/467, 455/468, 455/453, 455/464, 379/111, 379/112.06, 37911401-11409, 379/114.17, 379/114.28, 379/114.29, 370/328, 370/329, 370/341, 370352-356, 370/395.21, 370/395.41
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1407 Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1439 time-based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/66 Policy and charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method of facilitating charging for communication in a telecommunication network, such as a network supporting GPRS, that has a node split into a control-plane entity and a user-plane entity includes the step of sending, from the control-plane entity to the user-plane entity, an event in accordance with a media gateway control protocol. The event orders the user-plane entity to notify the control-plane entity when a predetermined volume of communication has occurred. The method further includes the steps of determining, by the user-plane entity, whether the predetermined volume has occurred, and notifying the control-plane entity when that has occurred. The predetermined volume may be a number of octets, and the user-plane entity may notify the control-plane entity by sending a notify command in accordance with the media gateway control protocol. Also, the volume of communication may be selected such that signaling between the control-plane and user-plane entities is controlled, and the control-plane and user-plane entities may be a node supporting a general packet radio service. The network may be a traditional circuit-switched network that uses packet bearers and the predetermined volume of communication may be a predetermined number of octets or packets. The user-plane entity may be pre-provisioned with the event.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating charging for communication in a telecommunication network having a control-plane entity and a user-plane entity, comprising the steps of:

sending, from the control-plane entity to the user-plane entity, an event in accordance with a media gateway control protocol, wherein the event orders the user-plane entity to notify the control-plane entity when a predetermined volume of communication has occurred;

determining, by the user-plane entity, whether the predetermined volume of communication has occurred; and

notifying the control-plane entity when the predetermined volume of communication has occurred;

wherein the user-plane entity notifies the control-plane entity by sending a notify command in accordance with the media gateway control protocol, and the notify command includes a parameter identifying the communication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined volume of communication is a predetermined number of octets.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the volume of communication is selected such that signaling between the control-plane and user-plane entities is controlled.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the telecommunication network is a GPRS network that includes a GPRS support node that is spilt into the control-plane and user-plane entities.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the event orders the user-plane entity to notify the control-plane entity when at least arts of a predetermined volume of communication has occurred and a predetermined time period of communication has elapsed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the telecommunication network is a circuit-switched network using packet bearers and having a node that is split into the control-plane and user-plane entities, and the predetermined volume of communication is one of a predetermined number of octets end a predetermined number of packets.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the event orders the user-plane entity to notify the control-plane entity when at least one of a predetermined volume of communication has occurred and a predetermined time period of communication has elapsed.

8. A method of facilitating charging for communication in a telecommunication network having a control-plane entity and a user-plane entity, comprising the steps of:

pre-provisioning, in the user-plane entity, an event in accordance with a media gateway control protocol, wherein the event orders the user-plane entity to notify the control-plane entity when a predetermined volume of communication has occurred;

determining, by the user-plane entity, whether the predetermined volume of communication has occurred; and

notifying the control-plane entity when the predetermined volume of communication has occurred;

wherein the user-plane entity notifies the control-plane entity by sending a notify command in accordance with the media gateway control protocol, and the notify command includes a parameter identifying the communication.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined volume of communication is a predetermined number of octets.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the volume of communication is selected such that signaling between the control-plane and user-plane entities is controlled.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the telecommunication network is a GPRS network that includes a GPRS support node that is split into the control-plane and user-plane entities.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the event orders the user-plane entity to notify the control-plane entity when at least one of a predetermined volume of communication has occurred end a predetermined time period of communication has elapsed.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the telecommunication network is a circuit-switched network using packet bearers and having a node that is spilt into the control-plane and user-plane entities, and the predetermined volume of communication is one of a predetermined number of octets and a predetermined number of packets.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the event orders the user-plane entity to notify the control-plane entity when at least one of a predetermined volume of communication has occurred and a predetermined time period of communication has elapsed.