# US 2022/0286307 A1 · Method and system for multi-operator anchor service > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0286307 A1 - Document ID: US20220286307A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/193,271 - Filed: 2021-03-05 - Published: 2022-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2021-03-05 - Assignees: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc. - Applicants: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc. - Inventors: Carlo Thompson; Adeniyi O. Soremi; Chris Bramble; Alexander C. Smith; Mirwais Popal; Michael Vazquez - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220286307A1 ## CPC - H04L 12/1407: {Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture} - H04M 15/49: {Connection to several service providers} - H04M 15/66: {Policy and charging system} - H04M 15/8016: {based on quality of service [QoS]} - H04M 15/8228: {Session based} - H04W 4/24: Accounting or billing - H04W 28/0226: {based on location or mobility (handoff or reselection H04W36/00; mobile application services making use of the location of users or terminals H04W4/02)} - H04W 28/0967: {Quality of Service [QoS] parameters} - H04W 40/36: due to handover - 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) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A method, a device, and a non-transitory storage medium are described in which a multi-operator anchor service is provided. A multi-operator anchor device may provide a centralized user plane anchor for traffic of end devices associated with multiple networks and operators. The multi-operator anchor device may provide virtual routing and forwarding to isolate traffic among the networks and operators. The multi-operator anchor device may provide a charging service for traffic and a handover service based on end device mobility. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: obtaining, by a multi-operator network device, configuration information for charging an end device associated with one of multiple networks and operators; establishing, by the multi-operator network device, an application service session between the end device associated with one of the multiple networks and operators and an application layer network; monitoring, by the multi-operator network device, traffic of the application service session based on the configuration information; generating, by the multi-operator network device in response to the monitoring, charging information pertaining to the traffic; and transmitting, by the multi-operator network device to the one of the multiple networks, the charging information. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, by the multi-operator network device, the one of the multiple networks and operators based on a message received from the end device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple networks include multiple radio access networks and multiple core networks of the multiple operators, and wherein the obtaining further comprises: obtaining, by the multi-operator network device, the configuration information based on at least one of a registration procedure or an attachment procedure between the end device and the one of the multiple networks that is performed via the multi-operator network device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the multi-operator network device from the end device, a request for an application service, and wherein the obtaining further comprises: transmitting, by the multi-operator network device to the one of the multiple networks, a request for the configuration information for charging. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: generating, by the multi-operator network device in response to the monitoring, other data pertaining to the traffic including at least one of a key performance indicator or a performance metric, wherein the transmitting further comprises: transmitting, by the multi-operator network device to the one of the multiple networks, the other data. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: performing, by the multi-operator network device, a handover of the application service session to the one of the multiple networks or another multi-operator network device based on a mobility of the end device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the application layer network is a multi-access computing edge network, and wherein the multi-operator network device provides a user plane anchor for traffic of end devices associated with the multiple networks and operators. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-operator network device includes at least one of a user plane function or a packet data network gateway. ### Claim 9 A network device comprising: a processor configured to: obtain configuration information for charging an end device associated with one of multiple networks and operators, wherein the network device is a multi-operator network device; establish an application service session between the end device associated with one of the multiple networks and operators and an application layer network; monitor traffic of the application service session based on the configuration information; generate in response to the monitoring, charging information pertaining to the traffic; and transmit to the one of the multiple networks, the charging information. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The network device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to: determine the one of the multiple networks and operators based on a message received from the end device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The network device of claim 9, wherein the multiple networks include multiple radio access networks and multiple core networks of the multiple operators, and wherein the processor is further configured to: obtain the configuration information based on at least one of a registration procedure or an attachment procedure between the end device and the one of the multiple networks that is performed via the multi-operator network device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The network device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to: receive, from the end device, a request for an application service, and wherein the processor is further configured to: transmit to the one of the multiple networks, a request for the configuration information for charging. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The network device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to: generate, in response to the monitoring, other data pertaining to the traffic including at least one of a key performance indicator or a performance metric, and wherein the processor is further configured to: transmit to the one of the multiple networks, the other data. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The network device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to: perform a handover of the application service session to the one of the multiple networks or another multi-operator network device based on a mobility of the end device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The network device of claim 9, wherein the application layer network is a multi-access computing edge network, and wherein the multi-operator network device provides a user plane anchor for traffic of end devices associated with the multiple networks and operators. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The network device of claim 9, wherein the multi-operator network device includes at least one of a user plane function or a packet data network gateway. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a processor of a network device, which when executed cause the processor to: obtain configuration information for charging an end device associated with one of multiple networks and operators, wherein the network device is a multi-operator network device; establish an application service session between the end device associated with one of the multiple networks and operators and an application layer network; monitor traffic of the application service session based on the configuration information; generate in response to the monitoring, charging information pertaining to the traffic; and transmit to the one of the multiple networks, the charging information. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the multiple networks include multiple radio access networks and multiple core networks of the multiple operators, and wherein the instructions when executed cause the processor to: obtain the configuration information based on at least one of a registration procedure or an attachment procedure between the end device and the one of the multiple networks that is performed via the multi-operator network device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the application layer network is a multi-access computing edge network, and wherein the multi-operator network device provides a user plane anchor for traffic of end devices associated with the multiple networks and operators. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions when executed cause the processor to: perform a handover of the application service session to the one of the multiple networks or another multi-operator network device based on a mobility of the end device.