Event based charging in a communications system
First Claim
1. A communications system comprising a network subsystem, wherein the communications system is configured to implement event based charging, and the communications system is to filter service flows between end user equipments and application servers for charging purposes, wherein the network subsystem is configured to:
- identify an instance of service flow between an end user equipment and a particular application server,send a first message containing information identifying a set of events to report, andreceive a second message containing an event result responsive to occurrence of an event of the particular application server that is one of the set of events and that is associated with the instance of service flow, which event result is correlated with the instance of service flow, the event result containing information about occurrence of the event.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A communications system in which event based charging is implemented and in which service flows between end user equipments and application servers are filtered for charging purposes by a traffic plane function (TPF). The TPF identifies a service flow between an end user equipment and an application server and implements event based charging by sending a message to an Event Owner for the service flow requesting notification of Events associated with the service flow. The Event Owner sends a message containing an Event Result to the TPF when an Event associated with the service flow occurs and the TPF correlates the Event Result with the service flow. This correlation may include the matching of the Event Result to the service flow which the TPF then notifies to a billing control function so that the billing control function can bill the end user appropriately based on the Events. This correlation may also include the matching of the Event Result to a data download detected by the TPF on the service flow so that the system operator can confirm that the service flows filtered by the TPF match the Events notified to the TPF by the Event Owner.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A communications system comprising a network subsystem, wherein the communications system is configured to implement event based charging, and the communications system is to filter service flows between end user equipments and application servers for charging purposes, wherein the network subsystem is configured to:
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identify an instance of service flow between an end user equipment and a particular application server, send a first message containing information identifying a set of events to report, and receive a second message containing an event result responsive to occurrence of an event of the particular application server that is one of the set of events and that is associated with the instance of service flow, which event result is correlated with the instance of service flow, the event result containing information about occurrence of the event. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A network subsystem for implementing event based charging in a communications system by filtering service flows between end user equipments and application servers, the network subsystem having a computer-readable storage medium encoded with software that when executed cause the network subsystem to:
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identify an instance of service flow between an end user equipment and a particular application server; send a first message containing information identifying a set of events to report, and receive a second message responsive to occurrence of an event that is one of the set of events at the particular application server for the instance of service flow, the second message containing an event result that is correlated with the instance of service flow, and the event result containing information about occurrence of the event. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A computer server associated with an event owner of an application server for which event based charging is implemented for service flows between end user equipments and the application server by a network subsystem filtering the service flows for charging purposes, wherein the computer server associated with the event owner is configured to:
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receive a first message from the network subsystem requesting notification of a set of events associated with an instance of service flow, and in response to occurrence of an event that is one of the set of events at the application server, send a message to the network subsystem containing an event result containing information about the occurrence of the event. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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32. A method of event based charging in a communications system wherein service flows between end user equipments and application servers are filtered for charging purposes, the method comprising:
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a network subsystem identifying an instance of service flow between an end user equipment and a particular application server; the network subsystem sending a first message containing information identifying a set of events to report; the network subsystem receiving a second message containing an event result responsive to occurrence of an event of the particular application server that is one of the set of events and that is associated with the instance of service flow, wherein the event result contains information regarding occurrence of the event. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification