System and method for network charging using policy peering
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for service-based billing in a network environment, comprising:
- a home policy server residing in a home network of a mobile station and configured to;
interface with a visited policy server in a visited network over a policy peering interface, and with an application server, the application server in the home network,engage in contact with the application server when an application of the application server in the home network is invoked from the visited network, the application invoked using network resources of the visited network without the visited network knowing the application provided by the home network,receive a set of application descriptors from the application server, the application descriptors describing one or more characteristics of the application relevant for charging, the application descriptors identifying the application, andsend the application descriptors to the visited policy server over the policy peering interface in real-time when the application is invoked, the application descriptors informing the visited network of the application provided by the home network.
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Abstract
A method for optimizing service-based billing in a network environment is provided that includes interfacing, by a home policy server residing in a home network of an end user, with a visited policy server in a visited network and with an application server, the application server contacting the home policy server when the end user elects to invoke an application in the home network, the application server contacting the home policy server and passing a set of application descriptors to the policy server, the application descriptors being tokens that describe one or more characteristics of the application for charging.
199 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An apparatus for service-based billing in a network environment, comprising:
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a home policy server residing in a home network of a mobile station and configured to; interface with a visited policy server in a visited network over a policy peering interface, and with an application server, the application server in the home network, engage in contact with the application server when an application of the application server in the home network is invoked from the visited network, the application invoked using network resources of the visited network without the visited network knowing the application provided by the home network, receive a set of application descriptors from the application server, the application descriptors describing one or more characteristics of the application relevant for charging, the application descriptors identifying the application, and send the application descriptors to the visited policy server over the policy peering interface in real-time when the application is invoked, the application descriptors informing the visited network of the application provided by the home network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for service-based billing in a network environment, comprising:
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interfacing, by a home policy server residing in a home network of a mobile station, with a visited policy server in a visited network over a policy peering interface, and with an application server, the application server in the home network, engaging in contact with the application server when an application of the application server in the home network is invoked from the visited network, the application invoked using resources of the visited network without the visited network knowing the application provided by the home network, receiving a set of application descriptors from the application server, the application descriptors being tokens that describe one or more characteristics of the application for charging, the application descriptors identifying the application, and sending the application descriptors to the visited policy server over the policy peering interface in real-time when the application is invoked, the application descriptors informing the visited network of the application provided by the home network. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. Software for optimizing service-based billing in a network environment, the software being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising code such that when executed is configured to:
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interface, via a home policy server residing in a home network of a mobile station, with a visited policy server in a visited network over a policy peering interface, and with an application server, the application server in the home network, engage in contact with the application server when an application of the application server in the home network is invoked from the visited network, the application invoked using resources of the visited network without the visited network knowing the application provided by the home network; and receive a set of application descriptors from the application server, the application descriptors being tokens that describe one or more characteristics of the application for charging, the application descriptors identifying the application, and send the application descriptors to the visited policy server over the policy peering interface in real-time when the application is invoked, the application descriptors informing the visited network of the application provided by the home network. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification