System and method for consolidating accounting data for a communication session

• US 7,995,990 B1
• Filed: 03/06/2007
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Iyer, Jayaraman R., Andreasen, Flemming S., Rosenberg, Jonathan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): DESIR, PIERRE LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US11/714,974
• Time in Patent Office: 1,617 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/408, 455/405, 455/407, 705/40, 379/126, 709/203
• US Class Current: 455/408
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5029 Service quality level-based billing, e.g. dependent on measured service level customer is charged more or less
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5061 characterised by the interaction between service providers and their network customers, e.g. customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/50 using label swapping, e.g. multi-protocol label switch [MPLS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/15 in relation to multipoint traffic arrangements for broadcast or multicast in data networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/724 at intermediate nodes, e.g. resource reservation protocol [RSVP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/824 Applicable to portable or mobile terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/162 at the data link layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 : Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 : Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 : Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 : Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 : Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0033 : with transfer of context information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/12 : Reselecting a serving backbone network switching or routing node
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 : Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 : using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 : Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 : Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 : Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 : Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/10 : adapted for application session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 : Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A method for receiving accounting data from one or more lower layer elements, consolidating the accounting data received, and sending the consolidated accounting data to an accounting receiving function, such that accounting receiving function can be a charging data function and/or a charging gateway function. The accounting receiving function is shielded by mobility events associated with the accounting data. The accounting receiving function is also shielded by the details of different access network accounting formats.

Claims

1. A method for creating an accounting record in a communication network, comprising:

receiving, by a bearer manager, accounting data from one or more lower layer elements, the accounting data associated with an established communication session between at least two endpoints, wherein the established communication session corresponds to an active IP session between the at least two endpoints and the bearer manager is operable to send traffic associated with the established communication session to a particular access terminal;

consolidating, by the bearer manager, the accounting data into a unified format that excludes information regarding mobility events during the established communication session, wherein an accounting receiving function is shielded from mobility events associated with the accounting data; and

sending, by the bearer manager, the consolidated accounting data to the accounting receiving function.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the accounting receiving function is further shielded from knowing details of access networks associated with the accounting data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the accounting receiving function is a charging data function.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the accounting receiving function is a charging gateway function.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising processing the accounting data into a unified format, the unified format being compatible with the accounting receiving function.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the consolidated accounting data comprises accounting data received from a plurality of networks.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the consolidated accounting data comprises accounting data received from a plurality of IP gateways.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving, by the bearer manager, accounting data generated by the bearer manager.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the accounting receiving function is located in a policy server, the bearer manager, or a services data manager.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a bearer manager operable to;

receive accounting data from one or more lower layer elements, the accounting data associated with an established communication session between at least two endpoints and the established communication session corresponding to an active IP session between the at least two endpoints,

send traffic associated with the established communication session to a particular access terminal;

consolidate the accounting data into a unified format the excludes information regarding mobility events during the established communication session, wherein an accounting receiving function is shielded from mobility events associated with the accounting data; and

send the consolidated accounting data to the accounting receiving function.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the accounting receiving function is further shielded from knowing details of access networks associated with the accounting data.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the accounting receiving function is a charging data function.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the accounting receiving function is a charging gateway function.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the bearer manager is further operable to process the accounting data into a unified format, the unified format being compatible with the accounting receiving function.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the consolidated accounting data comprises accounting data received from a plurality of networks.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the consolidated accounting data comprises accounting data received from a plurality of IP gateways.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the bearer manager is further operable to receive accounting data generated by a bearer manager.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the accounting receiving function is located in a policy server, a bearer manager, or a services data manager.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising software, the software comprising code such that when executed at a bearer manager is operable to:

receive accounting data from one or more lower layer elements, the accounting data associated with an established communication session between at least two endpoints and the established communication session corresponding to an active IP session between the at least two endpoints,

send traffic associated with the established communication session to a particular access terminal;

consolidate the accounting data into a unified format the excludes information regarding mobility events during the established communication session, wherein an accounting receiving function is shielded from mobility events associated with the accounting data; and

send the consolidated accounting data to the accounting receiving function.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the accounting receiving function is further shielded from knowing details of access networks associated with the accounting data.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the accounting receiving function is a charging data function.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the accounting receiving function is a charging gateway function.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the medium is further operable to process the accounting data into a unified format, the unified format being compatible with the accounting receiving function.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the consolidated accounting data comprises accounting data received from a plurality of networks.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the consolidated accounting data comprises accounting data received from a plurality of IP gateways.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the medium is further operable to receive accounting data generated by a bearer manager.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the accounting receiving function is located in a policy server, a bearer manager, or a services data manager.

28. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the consolidated accounting data is compatible with an Rf interface or a Ga interface.

29. A system for creating an accounting record in a communication network, comprising:

means for receiving, by a bearer manager, accounting data from one or more lower layer elements, the accounting data associated with an established communication session between at least two endpoints and the established communication session corresponding to an active IP session between the at least two endpoints,

means for sending, by a bearer manger, traffic associated with the established communication session to a particular access terminal;

means for consolidating, by a bearer manger, the accounting data during the established communication session, wherein an accounting receiving function is shielded from mobility events associated with the accounting data; and

means for sending, by a bearer manger, the consolidated accounting data to the accounting receiving function.