Correlation of billing information by a network element

• US 7,831,489 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2007
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Menditto, Louis F., Zhu, Haihong, O'Rourke, Chris, Hamel, Eric, Shatzkamer, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart; Matthew S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Goyea; Olusegun
• Application Number:
  US11/781,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20090030820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/34, 379/112.05, 379/114.28, 379/126, 379/121.01, 379/120, 379/219, 379/229, 709/224, 709/223, 455/408, 455/406, 370/230, 370/253, 370/389, 370/352
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method for providing correlation of billing entries for a mobile communications network is provided. A correlating network element in a bearer path determines a plurality of billing entries for a flow. One or more of the billing entries may be received from other network elements and includes traffic altering information for a flow. The correlating network element correlates the plurality of billing entries using state information included in the billing entries. The state information is used to determine information in billing entries that may be related, such as billing entries for a single flow. Also, the correlating network element uses the traffic altering information to determine a data volume sent for the flow. A correlated billing entry may then be generated using the data volume for the flow. The correlated billing entry is then sent to a billing system from the correlating network element. Billing entries are not sent from other network elements that may be generating billing entries in a link to the billing system.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving data for a flow at a correlating network element in a bearer path, the bearer path being a path in which the data are sent for the flow to a node through the correlating network element;

sending, from the correlating network element, the data for the flow to the node;

determining, at the correlating network element, a plurality of billing entries, wherein a first billing entry in the plurality of billing entries is received from a second network element in the bearer path, the first billing entry including traffic altering information for the data sent by the second network element for the flow;

correlating information in the plurality of billing entries into a correlated billing entry for the node using the first billing entry, the correlating network element using the traffic altering information from the first billing entry to determine a second data volume sent for the flow from a first data volume specified by a second billing entry in the plurality of billing entries for the data sent for the flow, wherein the traffic altering information is used to alter the first data volume to determine the second data volume based on how data being sent by the second network element was altered by the second network element; and

sending the correlated billing entry including the second data volume to a billing system from the correlating network element through a link from the correlating network element to the billing system, wherein the second billing entry is not sent to the billing system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the plurality of billing entries comprises receiving the first billing entry in a feedback loop from the second network element to the correlating network element.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the first billing entry at the correlating network element from the second network element instead of the second network element sending the first billing entry to the billing system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first billing entry comprises billing entries from a plurality of network elements.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein correlating the information in the plurality of billing entries comprises correlating billing information for a billing event together.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the traffic altering information for the flow is used to determine that the first data volume is for the billing event, and wherein the correlating network element is not able to inspect packets in the flow for the first data volume to determine that the packets are for the billing event.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first billing entry is not sent to the billing system by the second network element through a link between the second network element to the billing system.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the correlating network element comprises a layer 7 charging node configured to determine charging information from application layer information.

8. A system, comprising:

one or more network elements configured to process packets sent in a bearer path between an application and a mobile node, the one or more network elements generating billing entries based on the processing of the packets; and

a correlating network element in the bearer path, the correlating network element being configured to;

receive packets for the flow, the bearer path being a path in which packets are sent for the flow to the one or more network elements through the correlating network element;

send the packets for the flow to the one or more network elements;

receive the billing entries from the one or more network elements for the packets sent, wherein the billing entries include traffic altering information for the flow;

correlate information in a first billing entry into one or more correlated billing entries, the correlating network element using the traffic altering information to determine a second data volume sent for the flow from a first data volume specified by a second billing entry in the billing entries for the data sent for the flow, wherein the traffic altering information is used to alter the first data volume to determine the second data volume based on how data being sent by the second network element was altered by the second network element; and

send the correlated billing entry including the second data volume to a billing system through a link from the correlating network element to the billing system, wherein the second billing entry is not sent to the billing system.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more network elements comprise a first network element and a second network element, the first network element generating the first billing entry and the second network element generating the second billing entry.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first network element sends the first billing entry to the second network element, the second network element using the first billing entry to generate the second billing entry and then sending the first and second billing entry to the correlating network element.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more network elements do not have a link to send billing entries to the billing system without sending the billing entries to the correlating network element.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the information in the plurality of billing entries correlates billing information for a billing event together.

13. The system of claim 12, the traffic altering information for the flow is used to determine that the first data volume is for the billing event, wherein the correlating network element is not able to inspect packets in the flow for the first data volume to determine that the packets are for the billing event.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more computer processors; and

logic encoded in one or more tangible storage media for execution by the one or more computer processors, and when executed operable to;

receive data for a flow at a correlating network element in a bearer path, the bearer path being a path in which the data are sent for the flow to a node through the correlating network element;

send, from the correlating network element, the data for the flow to the node;

determine, at the correlating network element, a plurality of billing entries, wherein a first billing entry in the plurality of billing entries is received from a second network element in the bearer path, the first billing entry including traffic altering information for the data sent by the second network element for the flow;

correlate information in the plurality of billing entries into a correlated billing entry for the node using the first billing entry, the correlating network element using the traffic altering information from the first billing entry to determine a second data volume sent for the flow from a first data volume specified by a second billing entry in the plurality of billing entries for the data sent for the flow, wherein the traffic altering information is used to alter the first data volume to determine the second data volume based on how data being sent by the second network element was altered by the second network element; and

send the correlated billing entry including the second data volume to a billing system from the correlating network element through a link from the correlating network element to the billing system, wherein the second billing entry is not sent to the billing system.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the logic, when executed, is further operable to receive the first billing entry in a feedback loop from the second network element to the correlating network element.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the logic, when executed, is further operable to receive the first billing entry at the correlating network element from the second network element instead of the second network element sending the first billing entry to the billing system.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first billing entry comprises billing entries from a plurality of network elements.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the logic, when executed, is further operable to correlate billing information for a billing event together.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the traffic altering information for the flow is used to determine that the first data volume is for the billing event, and wherein the correlating network element is not able to inspect packets in the flow for the first data volume to determine that the packets are for the billing event.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first billing entry is not sent to the billing system by the second network element through a link between the second network element to the billing system.