Method for accounting information handling in an interworking

• US 8,521,624 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2011
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ahmed, Hanan
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Application Number:
  US13/269,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20120030075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/67 Transmitting arrangements for sending billing related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method for accounting information handling in an interworking is provided. A method for processing accounting information by a gateway device includes sending an accounting request message to a first electronic device, and receiving a response message from a first electronic device, the response message responsive to the accounting request message. The accounting request message is related to a communications device attached to the first network. The method also includes processing accounting information. The processing is based on the response message, the gateway device and the first electronic device are part of the first network, the communications device is accessing a second network through the first network, and the communications device has a subscription only with the second network.

Claims

1. A method for operating a gateway device in a first network, the method comprising:

transmitting accounting information for a communications device attached to the first network to a proxy device, wherein the communications device accesses a second network through the first network;

transmitting an accounting request message related to the communications device to the proxy device in the first network;

receiving a response message responsive to the accounting request message from the proxy device; and

ceasing transmission of the accounting information if an indicator in the response message indicates a turning off of the accounting information, wherein the communication device remains attached to the first network after ceasing transmission of the accounting information, and

wherein the communications device continues to access the second network through the first network after ceasing transmission of the accounting information to the proxy device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator is an Acct-Status-Type indicator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator indicates the turning off of the accounting information with an Accounting-Off value.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the Accounting-Off value is an integer value of eight.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the accounting information is related to an internetwork connection of the communications device with the second network through the first network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the proxy device comprises an accounting, authentication, and authorization device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network is a WiMAX compliant network, and wherein the second network is a Third Generation Partnership Project Evolved Packet Core compliant network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the gateway device is an access service network gateway.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications device has a service subscription with the second network but not with the first network.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising continuing the transmitting of the accounting information unchanged if the indicator does not indicate turning off of the accounting information.

9. A gateway of an access service network connected to a first network, the gateway comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions to;

transmit accounting information for a communications device attached to the first network to a proxy device, wherein the communications device is accessing a second network through the first network;

transmit an accounting request message related to the communications device to the proxy device in the first network;

receive a response message responsive to the accounting request message from the proxy device; and

stop transmitting the accounting information if an indicator in the response message indicates a turning off of the accounting information, wherein the communications device continues to access the second network through the first network after the processor executes the instructions to stop transmitting the accounting information.

10. The gateway of claim 9, wherein the indicator indicates the turning off of the accounting information with an Accounting-Off value.

11. The gateway of claim 10, wherein the Accounting-Off value is an integer value of eight.

12. The gateway of claim 9, wherein the gateway is configured to stop transmitting of accounting information related to an internetwork connection of the communications device with the second network through the first network.

13. The gateway of claim 9, wherein the first network is a WiMAX compliant network, and wherein the second network is a Third Generation Partnership Project Evolved Packet Core compliant network.

14. The gateway of claim 9, wherein the proxy device comprises an accounting, authentication, and authorization device.

17. The gateway of claim 9, and wherein the communications device has a service subscription with the second network but not with the first network.

18. The gateway of claim 9, wherein the programming further includes instructions to transmit the accounting information if the indicator does not indicate the turning off of the accounting information.

19. The gateway of claim 9, wherein the communications device remains attached to the first network after the processor executes the instructions to stop transmitting the accounting information.

20. An apparatus for communicating accounting information in a WiMAX compliant network that is interworking with a non-WiMAX compliant network, the apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions to;

communicate accounting information related to a communications session of a mobile station in the WiMAX network, and wherein the communications session allows the mobile station to access the non-WiMAX network through the WiMAX network;

receive an accounting off instruction from a proxy server; and

discontinue communication of the accounting information in response to receiving the accounting off instruction, wherein the communications session of the mobile station continues in the WiMAX network after discontinuing communication of the accounting information.

21. A method for operating an access service network gateway (ASN-GW) in a WiMAX-third generation partnership (3GGP) enhanced packet core (EPC) interworking scenario, the method comprising:

generating accounting records for a session of a subscriber device in a WiMAX network, wherein the session allows the subscriber device to access a 3GGP network via the WiMAX network;

sending an Accounting Request message to a WiMAX proxy;

receiving an Accounting Response message from the WiMAX proxy, the Accounting Response message including an Acct-Status-Type indicator that indicates an Accounting-off instruction; and

stopping generation of the accounting records pursuant to the Accounting-off instruction, wherein the session continues in the WiMAX network after generation of the accounting records is stopped.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the subscriber device only has a subscription to the 3GGP network.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the subscriber device continues to access the 3GGP network via the WiMAX network after generation of the accounting records is stopped.