System and method for charging in a communications network and a communications network charging server
First Claim
1. A system for charging in a communications network, comprising:
- a first service client for providing first Intelligent Network (IN) subscriber service to a subscriber wherein such first subscriber service doesn'"'"'t have prepaid functionality;
a prepaid service system for providing prepaid subscriber service to said subscriber, further comprisinga charging server adapted to handle a subscriber account storing prepaid subscriber account information for said subscriber;
said first service client adapted to send a first-charging request message to the charging server before the first subscriber service is provided using an on-line charging protocol;
said charging server within said prepaid service system being adapted to reserve an amount of resources from the subscriber account, said amount depending on a requested amount included in said first charge request message, and to return an answer message to said first service client, including information indicating the amount of resources that has been reserved from said subscriber account for enabling usage of said first subscriber service by said subscriber.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a system and a method for charging in a communication network and to a communication network charging server. The system comprises a client (1) associated with the network for providing services to subscribers associated with the network. The charging server (2) is adapted to handle subscriber account information, and the said client (1) is adapted to send a first charging request message for a service, to the charging server (2) before the service is provided, using an on-line charging protocol (3). The charging server (2) is also adapted to perform pre-reservation of an amount of resources from the subscriber'"'"'s account, wherein the amount depends on a requested amount included in the message about the service, and to return an answer message including information indicating whether an amount of resources is pre-reserved from said subscriber account for enabling usage of the service to the client (1) using the on-line charging protocol (3).
24 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A system for charging in a communications network, comprising:
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a first service client for providing first Intelligent Network (IN) subscriber service to a subscriber wherein such first subscriber service doesn'"'"'t have prepaid functionality; a prepaid service system for providing prepaid subscriber service to said subscriber, further comprising a charging server adapted to handle a subscriber account storing prepaid subscriber account information for said subscriber; said first service client adapted to send a first-charging request message to the charging server before the first subscriber service is provided using an on-line charging protocol; said charging server within said prepaid service system being adapted to reserve an amount of resources from the subscriber account, said amount depending on a requested amount included in said first charge request message, and to return an answer message to said first service client, including information indicating the amount of resources that has been reserved from said subscriber account for enabling usage of said first subscriber service by said subscriber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for charging in a communications network, comprising:
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a first service client for providing first Intelligent Network (IN) subscriber service to a subscriber wherein such first subscriber service doesn'"'"'t have prepaid functionality; a prepaid service system for providing prepaid subscriber service to said subscriber, further comprising; a charging server adapted to handle subscriber account information, said first service client is adapted for originating and sending a first charging request message to the charging server before the first subscriber service is provided, using an on-line charging protocol, and said charging server is adapted to rate the first subscriber service and return an answer message to the first service client using said on-line charging protocol, said answer message including the price indication of the requested service.
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15. A method for charging in a communications network including an Intelligent Network (IN) service client for providing a first subscriber service to a subscriber and a prepaid service system for providing prepaid subscriber service to said subscriber, further including a charging server adapted to handle a subscriber account storing subscriber account information, comprising the steps of:
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said IN service client originating and sending a first charging request message for said first subscriber service, wherein said IN service client doesn'"'"'t have prepaid functionality, to the charging server before the service is provided, using an on-line charging protocol said charging server within said prepaid service system reserving an amount of resources from the subscriber account, wherein said amount depends on a requested amount included in said first charging request message; and returning an answer message including information indicating said amount of resources reserved from said subscriber account for enabling usage of said first subscriber service to by the IN service client for said subscriber. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for charging in a communications network including an Intelligent Network (IN) service client for providing a first subscriber service to a subscriber associated with the network and a prepaid service system for providing prepaid subscriber service to said subscriber, further including a charging server adapted to handle a subscriber account storing subscriber account information, the method comprising the steps of:
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said IN service client originating and sending a first charging request message for said first subscriber service for said subscriber, wherein said IN service client doesn'"'"'t have prepaid functionality, to the charging server before the first subscriber service is provided, using an on-line charging protocol, said charging server within said prepaid service system rating the first subscriber service and returning an answer message to the IN service client using said on-line charging protocol, wherein said answer message includes the price indication of the requested service. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for charging service usage in a communications network, comprising the steps of:
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handling subscriber account information by a prepaid charging server, receiving a first charging request message for a first subscriber service for a subscriber, originating from an Intelligent Network (IN) service client, before the first subscriber service is provided, using an on-line charging protocol, wherein said first subscriber service doesn'"'"'t have prepaid functionality, reserving an amount of resources from the subscriber account by said prepaid charging server, said amount depending on a requested amount included in said first charging request message about said first subscriber service, and returning an answer message including information indicating an amount of resources reserved from said subscriber account for enabling usage of said first subscriber service to the IN service client using said on-line charging protocol. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method for providing charging service usage in a communications network, comprising the steps of:
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storing subscriber account information within by a prepaid server system, receiving a first charging request message for a subscriber service for a subscriber by said prepaid server system, the request message originating from an Intelligent Network (IN) service client for providing said subscriber service, before the subscriber service is provided, using an on-line charging protocol, wherein said subscriber service doesn'"'"'t have prepaid functionality; rating the subscriber service and returning an answer message to the IN service client using an said on-line charging protocol said answer message including the price indications of the requested service. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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Specification