Internet protocol telephony

Abstract

A method and system for metering a communication between users (10, 20) in an internet protocol (IP) telephony system (1). The method includes the steps of: using SIP telephony control messages (110-162) to control IP telephony communication between two or more users; and metering the communication on the basis of one or more SIP metering control message (130-154) from at least one of the users to control the metering. The internet protocol telephony system (1) comprises a server (30) for setting up IP telephony communication between the two or more users (10, 20). The server is arranged to use SIP telephony control messages to set up the IP telephony communication; metering means (42) to meter the communication. The metering means is arranged to receive SIP metering control messages from at least one of the users for control of the call metering. The ability to distinguish between chargeable and non-chargeable periods of the communication provides for more flexible metering suitable to support e-commerce.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.