Counter-based limitation of subscriber charging inaccuracy

• US 9,020,464 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Mathison, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELNOUBI, SAID M
• Application Number:
  US13/723,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20140179264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 455405-409, 379/100.03, 379/100.04, 379/100.07, 379/112.01, 379/114.01, 379/114.03, 379/114.08, 379/114.05, 379/100.05, 379/112.07, 370/428
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/60 based on actual use of network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/70 Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/73 Validating charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/82 Criteria or parameters used for performing billing operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/14 Billing aspects relating to the actual charge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/146 Data billing, e.g. wherein the user is charged based only on the time he receives data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

Disclosed techniques limit or reduce the amount of data for which a subscriber may be charged that may not actually be received at the subscriber'"'"'s mobile device. A counter may be started when a node has data to be delivered to a mobile device. The node may send the data through a radio access network for delivery to the mobile device and record an amount of the data sent for the mobile device through the radio access network for data usage billing purposes while running the counter, until the counter reaches a predetermined value. When the counter reaches the predetermined value, if no traffic channel has been set up with the mobile device, the node will stop recording the amount of the data sent for the mobile device through the radio access network for data usage billing purposes.

Claims

1. A method comprising steps of:

receiving, at a node coupled to a radio access network when there is data to send to the mobile device, data intended for a mobile device;

starting a counter in response to receiving the data intended for the mobile device;

sending the data from the node through the radio access network for delivery to the mobile device;

recording an amount of the data sent from the node for the mobile device through the radio access network for data usage billing purposes

while running the counter, until the counter reaches a predetermined value;

when the counter reaches the predetermined value, determining whether an active traffic channel through the radio access network has been set up;

in response to determining that an active traffic channel through the radio access network to the mobile device has not been set up, stopping recording of the amount of the data sent for the mobile device through the radio access network for data usage billing purposes, and continue to send the data through the radio access network for delivery without recording the data sent to the radio access network for data usage billing purposes; and

in response to determining that an active traffic channel through the radio access network to the mobile device has been set up, continuing recording of the amount of the data sent for the mobile device through the radio access network for data usage billing purposes.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising stopping the sending of data from the node through the radio access network for delivery to the mobile device after the counter reaches the predetermined value without the active traffic channel having been set up for the mobile device through the radio access network.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising continuing to send data from the node through the radio access network for delivery to the mobile device after the counter reaches the predetermined value without the active traffic channel having been set up for the mobile device through the radio access network, without recording amount of data sent from the node for delivery to the mobile device after the counter reaches the predetermined value without the active traffic channel having been set up for the mobile device through the radio access network.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

subsequent to stopping the recording of the amount of data sent for the mobile device through the radio access network for data usage billing purposes, receiving a message indicating that the active traffic channel for the mobile device has been set up; and

resuming the recording of the amount of data continuing to be sent from the node through the radio access network for delivery to the mobile device for data usage billing purposes in response to the message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the counter and the predetermined value define a time period since an initial transmission of the data from the node through the radio access network for delivery to the mobile device, at a time when there is no active traffic channel set up for the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the counter and the predetermined value define an accumulated amount of billable data sent since an initial transmission of the data from the node through the radio access network for delivery to the mobile device, at a time when there is no active traffic channel set up for the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein sending data from the node through the radio access network for delivery to the mobile device comprises sending the data to a radio network controller for the radio access network.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising, in response to the counter reaching the predetermined value, determining whether the active traffic channel is set up based on a message from the radio network controller indicating that the active traffic channel has been set up.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

terminating the transmission of data to the radio network controller in response to determining that an active traffic channel through the radio access network to the mobile device has not been set up;

buffering, by the radio network controller, the transmitted data; and

transmitting, by the radio network controller, the buffered data in response to determining that an active traffic channel through the radio access network to the mobile device has been set up.

10. A system, comprising:

a packet interface configured to send and receive data packets through a radio access control network;

a processor coupled to the packet interface, the processor being configured to control operations of the system to perform functions, including functions to;

start a counter in response to receiving data intended for the mobile device;

send the data through the radio access network for delivery to the mobile device;

record an amount of the data sent for the mobile device through the radio access network for data usage billing purposes;

stop recording of the amount of the data sent for the mobile device through the radio access network for data usage billing purposes in response to the counter reaching a predetermined value without an active traffic channel having been set up for the mobile device through the radio access network regardless of whether thereafter data continues to be sent through the radio access network for delivery to the mobile device; and

keeping track of and generating a report of the amount of the data sent for the mobile device through the radio access network but not recorded for billing purposes.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising the counter configured to define a time period since the starting of the counter that no active traffic channel has been established through the radio access network for the mobile device, at a time when there is no active traffic channel set up for the mobile device.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising the counter configured to define an accumulated amount of billable data sent since the starting of the counter that no active traffic channel has been established through the radio access network for the mobile device, at a time when there is no active traffic channel set up for the mobile device.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the functions include functions to continue to record the amount of data sent for the mobile device through the radio access network for data usage billing purposes in response to the counter reaching a predetermined value and an active traffic channel having been set up for the mobile device through the radio access network.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the functions include functions to continue to send data from the node through the radio access network for delivery to the mobile device after the counter reaches the predetermined value without an active traffic channel having been set up for the mobile device through the radio access network, without recording amount of data sent from the node for delivery to the mobile device after the counter reaches the predetermined value without active traffic channel having been set up for the mobile device through the radio access network.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the functions include functions to resume, subsequent to stopping the recording of the amount of data sent for the mobile device through the radio access network for data usage billing purposes, the recording of the amount of data continuing to be being sent for the mobile device through the radio access network for data usage billing purposes in response to receiving a message indicating that the active traffic channel for the mobile device has been set up.

16. A system, comprising:

a packet interface configured to send and receiving data packets through a radio access control network;

a processor coupled to the packet interface, the processor being configured to control operations of the system to perform functions, including functions to;

determine whether an active traffic channel through the radio access network has been set up;

when there is data to send to a mobile device and it is determined that there is an active traffic channel set up through the radio access network for the mobile device, send the data to the radio access network for delivery and count the data sent to the radio access network for data usage billing purposes;

when there is data to send to the mobile device and it is determined that there is no active traffic channel set up through the radio access network for the mobile device, send the data to the radio access network for delivery and count the data sent to the radio access network for data usage billing purposes and run a timer;

in the event it is determined that an active traffic channel has been established through the radio access network for the mobile device before a predetermined period for the timer expires, continue to send the data through the radio access network for delivery and count the data sent to the radio access network for data usage billing purposes; and

in the event the predetermined period for the timer expires without it being determined that an active traffic channel has been established through the radio access network for the mobile device, continue to send the data through the radio access network for delivery but stop counting of the data sent to the radio access network for data usage billing purposes.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising the timer configured to define a time period since the starting of the timer that no active traffic channel has been established through the radio access network for the mobile device.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the functions include functions to, subsequent to stopping the counting of the data continuing to be sent to the radio access network for data usage billing purposes, resume the counting of the data continuing to be sent to the radio access network for data usage billing purposes in response to receiving a message indicating that the active traffic channel for the mobile device has been set up.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the function to send the data to the radio access network for delivery to the mobile device comprises directing the packet interface to send the data to a radio network controller for the radio access network.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the message indicating that the active traffic channel for the mobile device has been set up is received by the packet interface from the radio network controller.