Method and system for charging of push to talk over cellular service and communication system

• US 8,249,639 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2008
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shan, Mingjun, Li, Chun
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Wesley
• Application Number:
  US12/342,989
• Publication Number:
  US 20090137289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,337 Days
• Field of Search: 455/518, 455/519, 455/90.2, 455405-406, 455/412.1, 455/413, 455/408, 379/114.01, 379/114.05, 705/35, 705/40
• US Class Current: 455/518
• 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 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/59 based on real time
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8066 According to the number of recipients
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8228 Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2093 Push to talk
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7478 According to the number of recipients
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7833 Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

A method for charging of the Push to Talk over Cellular, PoC, service includes: a charging system, initializing charging of a PoC session and sends a response message of PoC Box charging; monitoring a trigger condition of PoC charging according to the response message; and judge, when a PoC user joins the PoC session, whether the user participates in the session as a PoC Box, and if so, setting a PoC Box identification for the user and send charging information to the charging system so as to charge the PoC session of the user, wherein the information includes the identification. The present invention also discloses a communication system, a charging system and a PoC server. With the present invention, the accuracy of PoC charging can be significantly improved.

Claims

1. A method for charging of Push to Talk over Cellular, PoC, service, comprising:

receiving a response message of PoC Box charging returned by a charging system after the charging system initializes charging of a PoC session during an ongoing session;

monitoring a trigger condition of PoC charging according to the response message, wherein the trigger condition is PoC trigger type captured in CCA message; and

judging, when a PoC user joins the PoC session, whether a session participation mode that the user participates in the session is a PoC Box mode, and if the user participates in the session by the PoC Box mode, setting a PoC Box identification for the user according to the response message, and sending charging information comprising the identification to the charging system so as to charge the PoC session of the user, wherein the charging information is sent during the ongoing session.

2. The method of claim 1, before the step of sending the charging information comprising the identification to the charging system, further comprising:

collecting PoC session charging information; and

adding the set identification into the charging information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of charging the PoC session comprises:

differentiating, by the charging system, direct client participation mode and PoC Box participation mode according to the identification; and

applying respective charging policies on users participating in client mode and PoC Box mode.

4. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

sending the charging information, wherein the charging information comprises content related to current session participation mode of the PoC user, to the charging system when the PoC user joins the PoC session so as to perform charging according to the charging information.

5. The method of claim 4, after the charging system charges the PoC session according to the charging information, further comprising:

sending, when the session participation mode of the PoC user changes, other charging information comprising charging content related to a new session participation mode to the charging system, so as to continue charging according to the other charging information;

wherein, the charging information and the other charging information have a same session ID.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the charging system is an online charging system or an offline charging system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, the step of joining the PoC session comprises:

participating in the session directly by the user, participating in the session by accessing as a network PoC Box, or participating in the session by accessing as a user equipment PoC Box.

8. A charging system, comprising:

an acquisition unit, a charging initializing unit, a trigger generating unit, a sending unit, and a charging unit, wherein;

the acquisition unit is adapted to acquire a charging initialization request and a charging request from a PoC server during an ongoing session;

the charging initializing unit is adapted to initialize charging of a PoC session according to the received charging initialization request;

the trigger generating unit is adapted to generate a response message for triggering PoC Box charging after the charging initializing unit completes charging initialization processing, wherein the trigger condition is PoC trigger type captured in CCA message;

the sending unit is adapted to send the generated response message to the PoC server, wherein the charging information is sent during the ongoing session; and

the charging unit is adapted to perform charging according to the charging request sent from the PoC server.

9. A PoC server, comprising:

a receiving unit, a judging unit, a setting unit and a charging information sending unit, wherein;

the receiving unit is adapted to receive a response message of PoC Box charging returned by a charging system after the charging system initializes charging of a PoC session during an ongoing session;

the judging unit is adapted to judge whether a session participation mode that a PoC user participates in the PoC session is a PoC Box mode, and if the session participation mode is the PoC Box mode, notify the setting unit according to the response message received by the receiving unit, wherein the notifying charging information is sent through the ongoing session;

the setting unit is adapted to set a PoC Box identification for the PoC user according to the notification of the setting unit and send the identification to the charging information sending unit; and

the charging information sending unit is adapted to send charging information comprising the identification to the charging system.

10. A communication system, comprising:

a PoC server, a charging unit and a PoC Box, wherein;

the PoC server is adapted to send a charging initialization request to the charging unit according to a received PoC session request during an ongoing session, judge whether a session participation mode by which a PoC user joins the session is in PoC Box mode, and if the user participates in the session by the PoC Box mode, set a PoC Box identification for the PoC user according to a response message of PoC Box charging sent by the charging unit, wherein the trigger condition is PoC trigger type captured in CCA message, and notify charging information comprising the identification to a charging system, wherein the notifying charging information is sent through the ongoing session;

the charging unit is adapted to perform charging initialization, send a response message for triggering the PoC Box charging to the PoC server, and perform charging on the PoC session according to the charging information comprising the identification; and

the PoC Box is adapted to join the session according to an invitation.

11. The communication system of claim 10, further comprising:

a PoC client, adapted to send a request to the PoC server, requesting to switch to the PoC Box.

12. The communication system of claim 10, wherein the PoC server is a controlling PoC server or a participating PoC server.

13. The communication system of claim 10, wherein the charging unit is an online charging system or an offline charging system.