Monitoring and reporting service failures during handoff situations for adjusting subscriber billing

• US 7,392,036 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2003
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Huomo, Miikka
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong; Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US10/377,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20030194997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,940 Days
• Field of Search: 455405-408, 455/432.1, 455/436, 379/114, 379/115, 379/114.01, 379/115.01
• 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: 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 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/14 Billing aspects relating to the actual charge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/34 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7442 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method in a communication system comprising at least one access network controller entity for controlling a plurality of service areas and a core network controller entity. The access network controller entity reports to the core network controller entity movement of a user equipment from a first service area to a second service area. The report contains indication that the user equipment has moved to be served within the second service area. The report contains also information regarding the volume of data that was not communicated between the user equipment and communication means of the first service area while the user equipment was served within the first service area.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

controlling a plurality of service areas in a communication system with an access network controller entity, wherein the communication system also comprises a core network controller entity;

reporting, by the access network controller entity to the core network controller entity, movement of a user equipment from a first service area to a second service area in a report;

including in said report an indication that the user equipment has moved to be served within the second service area and also information regarding the volume of data that was not communicated between the user equipment and a communication unit of the first service area while the user equipment was served within the first service area.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forwarding said information in the report regarding the volume of data that was not communicated between the user equipment and the communication unit from the core network entity to a charging function of the communication system.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using a different charging scheme for data transmission to and/or from the user equipment within the first service area compared with that of the second service area; and

adjusting the charging of the data transmissions based on said report.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

optimizing data communication resources based on said information about the volume of unsent data.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising

monitoring used data communication resources using said information about the volume of unsent data.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the access network controller entity, the volume of said unsent data; and

generating, by the access network controller entity, the report including said indication of change in the service area and information regarding the volume of data that was not communicated between the user equipment and the communication unit of the first service area.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the generating the report comprises generating the report such that the report contains information regarding one service area only.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the report comprises generating a location report.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the access network controller entity to comprises a radio network controller.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the core network controller entity to comprise a serving general packet radio service support node.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, responsive to a request per a packet data protocol context from the core network controller entity results, the report each time the service area is changed during the packet data protocol context.

12. A communication system, comprising:

an access network controller entity configured to control a plurality of service areas; and

a core network controller entity,

wherein the access network controller entity is configured to report to the core network controller entity movement of a user equipment from a first service area to a second service area in a report,

wherein said report comprises an indication that the user equipment has moved to be served within the second service area and also comprises information regarding the volume of data that was not communicated to the user equipment while the user equipment was served within the first service area, and

wherein the communication system is configured to provide data communication services for the user equipment.

13. The communication system of claim 12, wherein said access network controller entity is further configured to provide said information regarding the volume of unsent data to a charging function of the communication system.

15. The communication system of claim 12, wherein the report contains information regarding one service area only.

16. The communication system of claim 12, wherein the report comprises a location report.

17. The communication system of claim 12, wherein the access network controller entity comprises a radio network controller.

18. The communication system of claim 12, wherein the core network controller entity comprises a serving general packet radio service support node.

19. The communication system of claim 12, wherein the communication system is configured to provide, responsive to a request per a packet data protocol context from the core network controller entity results, the report each time the service area is changed during the packet data protocol context.

20. The communication system of claim 12, wherein the access network controller entity is configured to determine the volume of said unsent data and to generate the report including said indication of change in the service area and information regarding the volume of data that was not communicated to the user equipment.

14. A communication system, comprising:

access network control means for controlling a plurality of service areas; and

core network means for receiving, from the access network control means, a report comprising first information regarding movement of a user equipment from a first service area to a second service area, the report including an indication that the user equipment has moved to be served within the second service area, and second information regarding the volume of data that was not communicated to the user equipment while the user equipment was served within the first service area; and

provision means for providing data communication services for the user equipment.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

a controller configured to control a plurality of service areas and to transmit, to a network receiver, a report comprising first information regarding movement of a user equipment from a first service area to a second service area,

wherein the report includes an indication that the user equipment has moved to be served within the second service area and second information regarding a volume of data that was not communicated to the user equipment while the user equipment was served within the first service area.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, comprising:

a determiner configured to determine the volume of said unsent data; and

a generator configured to generate the report including said indication of change in the service area and information regarding the volume of data that was not communicated between the user equipment and the communication unit of the first service area.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the generator is configured to generate the report such that the report contains information regarding one service area only.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the generator is configured to generate a location report.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, comprising a radio network controller.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, comprising a serving general packet radio service support node.

27. An apparatus, comprising:

control means for controlling a plurality of service areas and transmitting, to a network receiver, a report comprising first information regarding movement of a user equipment from a first service area to a second service area,

wherein the report includes an indication that the user equipment has moved to be served within the second service area and second information regarding a volume of data that was not communicated to the user equipment while the user equipment was served within the first service area.