Method for Charging for a Service in a Communication Network

A method for using a proxy device to charge for a service in a communication network, comprising:

• receiving a request for a service from a client;
• performing an authentication of the client in response to receiving the service request;
• sending the client a reference to an application server in response to a successful authentication, the application server providing the requested service;
• receiving from the application server a ticket having information relating the charges for the service;
• sending a request for a charge acknowledgement to the client in response the receiving the ticket;
• receiving a charge acknowledge response from the client;
• and
• performing a charge registration for the ticket in response to the charge acknowledgement response.

A method for using a application server to charge for a service in a communication network, comprising:

• receiving a service request from a client, the service request including a reference to a proxy device;
• creating a ticket in response to the service request, the ticket including information about the charges due to the client for the service;
• sending a service acceptance to the client, whereby a service relationship is established between the application server and the client;
• sending the ticket to the proxy device;
• receiving a message from the proxy device indicating if the ticket was acknowledged by the client;
• and
• maintaining the service relationship for the client if the message indicates the ticket was positively acknowledged.

A method of use of a client in order to be charged for a service in a communication network, comprising:

• sending a service request to a proxy device;
• receiving a reference to the requested service from the proxy device;
• setting up a service relationship to an application server based on the reference;
• receiving from the proxy device a billing message having charge information for the service;
• and
• responding to the proxy with a billing response.

A method for charging for a service in a communication network, comprising:

• sending a service requesting to a proxy device by a client;
• performing an authentication of the client via the proxy device;
• sending a service request response to the client by the proxy device in response to a successful authentication, the response having a service reference;
• communicating a proxy device reference to an application server by the client;
• establishing a service relationship between the application server and the client based on the service reference;
• creating a ticket by the application server;
• sending the created ticket to the proxy device, the created ticket having billing information;
• sending a request to the client to acknowledge the billing information, the request sent by the proxy device;
• and
• including the ticket in a charge registration action by the proxy device if the proxy device receives an acknowledgment to the billing information by the client.