# US 10,873,499 B2 · Network-charging communication-failure handling > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,873,499 B2 - Document ID: US10873499B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/414,113 - Filed: 2019-05-16 - Published: 2020-06-04 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-04 - Assignees: T-Mobile USA, Inc. - Applicants: T-Mobile USA, Inc. - Inventors: Muhammad Waqar Afzal; Karunakalage Viraj Rakitha Silva; Suresh Thanneeru; Rahul Pal; Nader Nabil Farouk Riad; Suliman Albasheir - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873499B2 ## CPC - H04L 41/0668: by dynamic selection of recovery network elements, e.g. replacement by the most appropriate element after failure - H04M 15/41: {Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]} - H04L 12/1403: {Architecture for metering, charging or billing} - H04L 41/069: using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications - H04M 15/00: Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication {; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP} - H04M 15/62: {based on trigger specification} - H04M 15/70: {Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges} - H04M 15/74: {Backing up} - H04M 15/8027: {based on network load situation} - H04M 15/8228: {Session based} - H04L 41/0816: the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events - H04L 43/0811: by checking connectivity - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract A telecommunication system can include a network flow controller (e.g., SMF) and a network-charging node (e.g., CHF). The flow controller can generate a first charging-event record associated with a network session. The flow controller can detect an outage at least partly by determining that no network-charging node is available to receive the first charging-event record and, in response, mark the first charging-event record to provide a first marked charging-event record. The flow controller can store the first marked charging-event record in a buffer. After the marking, the flow controller can determine that a network-charging node is available to receive the first marked charging-event record, and, in response, send the first marked charging-event record to the network-charging node. The network-charging node can determine a charging-data record indicating occurrence of an event during the outage. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising, by a network flow controller: generating a first charging-event record associated with a network session; detecting an outage at least partly by determining that no network-charging node is available to receive the first charging-event record; in response to the detection of the outage, marking the first charging-event record to provide a first marked charging-event record; storing the first marked charging-event record in a buffer; receiving a request from a network terminal for a network service; sending a reply message in response to the request, the reply message authorizing the network service; generating a second marked charqinq-event record, the second marked charging-event record associated with the network service; storing the second marked charging-event record in the buffer; after the marking, detecting connectivity at least partly by determining that a network-charging node is available to receive the first marked charging-event record; and in response to the detection of the connectivity, sending the first marked charging-event record to the network-charging node. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising, by the network flow controller, after detecting the connectivity, sending the second marked charging-event record to the network-charging node. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising, by the network flow controller, after detecting the outage and before detecting the connectivity: generating one or more outage-associated marked charging-event records; and storing the one or more outage-associated marked charging-event records in the buffer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, further comprising, by the network flow controller, after detecting the connectivity, successively sending the outage-associated marked charging-event records to the network-charging node in compliance with a predetermined rate limit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein: the method further comprises, by the network flow controller, after detecting the connectivity: receiving a request from a network terminal for a network service; generating a second charging-event record, the second charging-event record associated with the network service; and sending the second charging-event record to the network-charging node; the one or more outage-associated marked charging-event records comprise the first marked charging-event record and second marked charging-event record; the first marked charging-event record is sent to the network-charging node before the second charging-event record; the second charging-event record is sent to the network-charging node before the second marked charging-event record; and the successively sending comprises determining a rate of sending the outage-associated marked charging-event records so that a combination of transmissions complies with the predetermined rate limit, the combination of transmissions comprising: the sending of the outage-associated marked charging-event records; and the sending of the second charging-event record. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein: the sending the first marked charging-event record further comprises, by the network flow controller: determining a network message based at least in part on the first marked charging-event record, the network message comprising an indication that the first charging-event record could not be transmitted during the outage; and sending the network message via the communications interface; and the indication comprises at least one of: a header of the network message; a field in a structured-text body of the network message; or a part of multiple parts included in the network message. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the marking comprises at least: determining the first marked charging-event record comprising: at least some data from the first charging-event record; and an indication that the first charging-event record could not be transmitted during the outage; or storing at least a portion of the first charging-event record on a computer-readable medium in association with metadata indicating that the first charging-event record could not be transmitted during the outage. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the network flow controller comprises a Session Management Function (SMF) and the network-charging node comprises a Charging Function (CHF). ### Claim 9 A network device, comprising: a communications interface; a buffer; at least one processor; and at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising: generating a first charging-event record associated with a network session; detecting an outage at least partly by determining that no network-charging node is available to receive the first charging-event record via the communications interface; in response to the detection of the outage, marking the first charging-event record to provide a first marked charging-event record; storing the first marked charging-event record in the buffer; receiving a request from a network terminal for a network service; sending a reply message in response to the request, the reply message authorizing the network service; generating a second marked charging-event record, the second marked charging-event record associated with the network service; storing the second marked charging-event record in the buffer; after the marking, detecting connectivity at least partly by determining that a network-charging node is available to receive the first marked charging-event record via the communications interface; and in response to the detection of the connectivity, sending the first marked charging-event record to the network-charging node via the communications interface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The network device according to claim 9, the operations further comprising, after detecting the connectivity, sending the second marked charging-event record to the network-charging node. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The network device according to claim 9, the operations further comprising, after detecting the outage and before detecting the connectivity: generating one or more outage-associated marked charging-event records; and storing the one or more outage-associated marked charging-event records in the buffer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The network device according to claim 11, further comprising, by the network device, after detecting the connectivity, successively sending the outage-associated marked charging-event records to the network-charging node in compliance with a predetermined rate limit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The network device according to claim 12, wherein: the operations further comprise, after detecting the connectivity: receiving a request from a network terminal for a network service; generating a second charging-event record, the second charging-event record associated with the network service; and sending the second charging-event record to the network-charging node; the one or more outage-associated marked charging-event records comprise the first marked charging-event record and the second marked charging-event record; the first marked charging-event record is sent to the network-charging node before the second charging-event record; the second charging-event record is sent to the network-charging node before the second marked charging-event record; and the operations for successively sending comprise operations for determining a rate of sending the outage-associated marked charging-event records so that a combination of transmissions complies with the predetermined rate limit, the combination of transmissions comprising: the sending of the outage-associated marked charging-event records; and the sending of the second charging-event record. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The network device according to claim 9, wherein: the operations for sending the first marked charging-event record further comprise: determining a network message based at least in part on the first marked charging-event record, the network message comprising an indication that the first charging-event record could not be transmitted during the outage; and sending the network message via the communications interface; and the indication comprises at least one of: a header of the network message; a field in a structured-text body of the network message; or a part of multiple parts included in the network message. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The network device according to claim 9, wherein the network device comprises a Session Management Function (SMF) and the network-charging node comprises a Charging Function (CHF). ### Claim 16 At least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising: receiving, via a communications interface, a first charging-event record associated with a first network event; determining a first charging-data record based at least in part on the first charging-event record; sending the first charging-data record via the communications interface; receiving, via the communications interface from an event-information source, a second charging-event record associated with a second network event; determining that the second charging-event record is a marked charging-event record; determining, at least partly in response, a second charging-data record based at least in part on the second charging-event record, the second charging-data record indicating that the second network event occurred during an outage of communication between the event-information source and the at least one processor; and sending the second charging-data record via the communications interface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 16, wherein: the operations further comprise: receiving the second charging-event record in a network message; and determining that the second charging-event record is a marked charging-event record at least partly by determining that the second charging-event record comprises an indication that the second charging-event record was captured during the outage; and the indication comprises at least one of: a header of the network message; a field in a structured-text body of the network message; or a part of multiple parts included in the network message. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 16, the operations comprising determining the second charging-data record including an information element (IE) indicating that the second network event occurred during the outage.