Charging for operator-assisted sessions in IMS networks
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- an operator assistance application server of an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network that is coupled to a legacy operator system of a legacy network, wherein the legacy operator system has at least one telephone station for a telephone operator to provide assistance to end users;
the operator assistance application server is also coupled to a charging system;
the operator assistance application server comprising;
an interface system operable to receive a session initiation message in Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) for an operator-assisted session in the IMS network requested by an end user, to convert the session initiation message from SIP to a legacy signaling protocol used in the legacy network before transmitting the session initiation message to the legacy operator system, to transmit the session initiation message to the legacy operator system in the legacy network to allow the legacy operator system to communicate with the end user to collect charging information for the operator-assisted session, and to receive a service request message from the legacy operator system that includes the charging information collected from the end user; and
a charging function operable to detect a charging event responsive to receiving the service request message from the legacy operator system, to generate a Diameter charging request, to map the charging information from the service request message to the Diameter charging request, and to transmit the Diameter charging request to the charging system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
IMS networks and methods are disclosed for charging for operator-assisted sessions. To perform the charging, an operator assistance application server (AS) acts as an interface between an operator system (legacy or IMS) and charging systems for the IMS network. When an operator-assisted session is initiated in the IMS network, the operator assistance AS receives a session initiation message in SIP, and transmits the session initiation message to the operator system to allow the operator system to collect charging information from an end user. The operator assistance AS then receives a service request message from the operator system that includes the collected charging information, and detects a charging event. The operator assistance AS generates a Diameter charging request message, maps the charging information from the service request message to the Diameter charging request message, and transmits the Diameter charging request message to a charging system to charge for the operator-assisted session.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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an operator assistance application server of an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network that is coupled to a legacy operator system of a legacy network, wherein the legacy operator system has at least one telephone station for a telephone operator to provide assistance to end users; the operator assistance application server is also coupled to a charging system; the operator assistance application server comprising; an interface system operable to receive a session initiation message in Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) for an operator-assisted session in the IMS network requested by an end user, to convert the session initiation message from SIP to a legacy signaling protocol used in the legacy network before transmitting the session initiation message to the legacy operator system, to transmit the session initiation message to the legacy operator system in the legacy network to allow the legacy operator system to communicate with the end user to collect charging information for the operator-assisted session, and to receive a service request message from the legacy operator system that includes the charging information collected from the end user; and a charging function operable to detect a charging event responsive to receiving the service request message from the legacy operator system, to generate a Diameter charging request, to map the charging information from the service request message to the Diameter charging request, and to transmit the Diameter charging request to the charging system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of providing operator assistance in an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network, the method comprising:
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receiving, in an operator assistance application server of the IMS network, a session initiation message in Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) for an operator-assisted session in an IMS network; converting the session initiation message from SIP to a legacy signaling protocol used in a legacy network before transmitting the session initiation message to a legacy operator system; transmitting the session initiation message to the legacy operator system of the legacy network to allow the legacy operator system to collect charging information from an end user of the operator-assisted session, wherein the legacy operator system has at least one telephone station for a telephone operator to provide assistance to end users; receiving a service request message from the legacy operator system that includes the charging information collected from the end user; detecting a charging event responsive to receiving the service request message from the legacy operator system; generating a Diameter charging request; mapping the charging information from the service request message to the Diameter charging request; and transmitting the Diameter charging request to a charging system. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification