Pre-biller in internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) charging gateway function (CGF)

• US 8,126,123 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2007
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Cai, Yigang, Wang, Yile Enoch
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US11/711,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20080205614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,827 Days
• Field of Search: 379/114.01, 379/114.03, 379/114.2, 379/121.04, 379/126, 455405-408
• US Class Current: 379/114.03
• 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 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/57 for integrated multimedia messaging subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/59 based on real time
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0104 Augmented, consolidated or itemised billing statement, e.g. additional billing information, bill presentation, layout, format, e-mail, fax, printout, itemised bill per service or per account, cumulative billing, consolidated billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2046 Hybrid network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/208 IMS, i.e. Integrated Multimedia messaging Subsystem
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

This invention relates to apparatus and a method for assembling and coordinating call data records from a plurality of network elements of an Internet Protocol Multimedia System call to generate charging information. A pre-biller stores an integrated charging record and accesses a rating engine to obtain the charging information to complete a charging data record. Advantageously, the information from a plurality of network elements is integrated into a combined charging data record.

Claims

1. In a telecommunications network, apparatus for performing the processing of online and offline billed telecommunications calls, comprising:

means, responsive to receipt of a telecommunications call session, involving a plurality of network elements, for building up a plurality of charging data records that are missing call cost data;

means, responsive to said building up a plurality of charging data records, for sending said charging data records to a charge gateway function for providing said missing call cost data;

said charging gateway function for transmitting charging data records including said missing call cost data to a billing system;

said charging gateway function comprising a pre-billing module, and a charge data record routing and filtering module, and a charging data record correlation function;

said charging data record correlation function for assembling all charging data records pertaining to one call into a single charging data record;

said routing and filtering module for determining whether rating information is needed and for requesting said pre-billing module to request said rating information;

said pre-billing module for requesting rating information from a rating engine and for completing said charging data record in response to receipt of said rating information;

said routing and filtering module for routing completed charging data records to appropriate files of a billing system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

means for routing charging data to an application server for assembling immediate charges.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said rating engine is in said billing system.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an online charging system for generating pre-pay and post-pay charging records in real time;

said charging gateway function further for transmitting charging data records to an on-line charging system.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said rating engine is in said online charging system.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said rating engine is a stand-alone unit.