Multiple-level internet protocol accounting
First Claim
1. An accounting metering apparatus for providing accounting in a computer network, said apparatus comprising:
- a service accounting start request receiver adapted to receive a service accounting start request for a particular service, the service accounting start request being generated in response to a user'"'"'s logging onto the service if no other users have a current connection established to the service; and
a service accounting stop request receiver adapted to receive a service accounting stop request for the service, the service accounting stop request being generated in response to disconnection of the user from the service if no other users on the computer network have a current connection established to the service.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing computer network access points the capability for multiple-level accounting. A gateway device located at the access point is capable of generating Internet protocol accounting start and stop requests based on various events that need to be accounted for when a user accesses a network. These events include the user account logon, the service establishments and the Point to Point protocol (PPP) connections between the gateway device and public and private domains within the network. The counter is capable of tracking the duration of sessions and connections and the byte-count associated with the specified session or connection. The gateway device communicates with an accounting server which stores the accounting requests and matches start requests with subsequent stop requests.
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Citations
79 Claims
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1. An accounting metering apparatus for providing accounting in a computer network, said apparatus comprising:
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a service accounting start request receiver adapted to receive a service accounting start request for a particular service, the service accounting start request being generated in response to a user'"'"'s logging onto the service if no other users have a current connection established to the service; and a service accounting stop request receiver adapted to receive a service accounting stop request for the service, the service accounting stop request being generated in response to disconnection of the user from the service if no other users on the computer network have a current connection established to the service. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for providing accounting to a computer network, said method comprising:
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receiving a service accounting start request for a particular service, the service accounting start request being generated in response to a user'"'"'s logging onto the service if no other users have a current connection established to the service; and receiving a service accounting stop request for the service, the service accounting stop request being generated in response to disconnection of the user from the service if no other users on the computer network have a current connection established to the service. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus for providing accounting to a computer network, said apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving a service accounting start request for a particular service, the service accounting start request being generated in response to a user'"'"'s logging onto the service if no other users have a current connection established to the service; and means for receiving a service accounting stop request for the service, the service accounting stop request being generated in response to disconnection of the user from the service if no other users on the computer network have a current connection established to the service. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A program storage device readable by a machine, storing instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for providing accounting to a computer network, said method comprising:
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receiving a service accounting start request for a particular service, the service accounting start request being generated in response to a user'"'"'s logging onto the service if no other users have a current connection established to the service; and receiving a service accounting stop request for the service, the service accounting stop request being generated in response to disconnection of the user from the service if no other users on the computer network have a current connection established to the service. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A system for providing accounting within a computer network, said method comprising:
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a gateway device including; a service accounting start request generator adapted to generate a service accounting start request associated with a service requested by a subscriber in response to a determination that the subscriber has logged on to the requested service and that no other subscribers have a current connection established to the requested service; and a service accounting stop request generator adapted to generate a service accounting stop request associated with the requested service in response to a determination that the subscriber has terminated the requested service and that no other subscribers have a current connection established to the requested service; and an accounting server communicating with said gateway device, said accounting server including; an accounter adapted to receive the service accounting start request and the service accounting stop request. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for providing accounting within a computer network, said method comprising:
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generating, at a gateway device, a service accounting start request associated with a service requested by a subscriber in response to a determination that the subscriber has logged on to the requested service and that no other subscribers have a current connection established to the requested service; forwarding the service accounting start request to an accounting server; generating, at the gateway device, a service accounting stop request associated with the requested service in response to a determination that the subscriber has terminated the requested service and that no other subscribers have a current connection established to the requested service; and forwarding the service accounting stop request to the accounting server. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A system for providing accounting within a computer network, said system comprising:
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means for generating, at a gateway device, a service accounting start request associated with a service requested by a subscriber in response to a determination that the subscriber has logged on to the requested service and that no other subscribers have a current connection established to the requested service; means for forwarding the service accounting start request to an accounting server; means for generating, at the gateway device, a service accounting stop request associated with the requested service in response to a determination that the subscriber has terminated the requested service and that no other subscribers have a current connection established to the requested service; and means for forwarding the service accounting stop request to the accounting server. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A program storage device readable by a machine, storing instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for providing accounting within a computer network, said method comprising:
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generating, at a gateway device, a service accounting start request associated with a service requested by a subscriber in response to a determination that the subscriber has logged on to the requested service and that no other subscribers have a current connection established to the requested service; forwarding the service accounting start request to an accounting server; generating, at the gateway device, a service accounting stop request associated with the requested service in response to a determination that the subscriber has terminated the requested service and that no other subscribers have a current connection established to the requested service; and forwarding the service accounting stop request to the accounting server. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A method for providing accounting within a computer network, said method comprising:
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receiving a service logon request from a subscriber, the service logon request indicating a requested service; logging on the subscriber to the requested service if the requested service is available for the subscriber; generating a service accounting start request associated with the requested service in response to a determination that the subscriber has logged on to the requested service and that no other subscribers have a current connection established to the requested service; and generating a service accounting stop request associated with the requested service in response to a determination that the subscriber has terminated the requested service and that no other subscribers have a current connection established to the requested service. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68)
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69. An apparatus for providing accounting within a computer network, said apparatus comprising:
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a proxier adapted to receive a service logon request from a subscriber, the service logon request indicating a requested service, the subscriber logging on to the requested service if the requested service is available for the subscriber; a service accounting start request generator adapted to generate a service accounting start request associated with the requested service in response to a determination that the subscriber has logged on to the requested service and that no other subscribers have a current connection established to the requested service; and a service accounting stop request generator adapted to generate a service accounting stop request associated with the requested service in response to a determination that the subscriber has terminated the requested service and that no other subscribers have a current connection established to the requested service. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72)
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73. An apparatus for providing accounting within a computer network, said apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving a service logon request from a subscriber, the service logon request indicating a requested service; means for logging on the subscriber to the requested service if the requested service is available for the subscriber; means for generating a service accounting start request associated with the requested service in response to a determination that the subscriber has logged on to the requested service and that no other subscribers have a current connection established to the requested service; and means for generating a service accounting stop request associated with the requested service in response to a determination that the subscriber has terminated the requested service and that no other subscribers have a current connection established to the requested service. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 76)
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77. A program storage device readable by a machine, storing instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for providing accounting within a computer network, said method comprising:
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receiving a service logon request from a subscriber, the service logon request indicating a requested service; logging on the subscriber to the requested service if the requested service is available for the subscriber; generating a service accounting start request associated with the requested service in response to a determination that the subscriber has logged on to the requested service and that no other subscribers have a current connection established to the requested service; and generating a service accounting stop request associated with the requested service in response to a determination that the subscriber has terminated the requested service and that no other subscribers have a current connection established to the requested service. - View Dependent Claims (78, 79)
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Specification