Method and Apparatus for Information Exchange in Online Charging

A charging system configured with:

• at least one processor;
• and
• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the at least one processor and storing programming instructions for execution by the at least one processor to cause the at least one processor to:
• receive a charging request message from a charging trigger function device;
• wherein the charging request message is sent in response to detecting that a second chargeable event corresponding to a real-time trigger happens, wherein the second chargeable event happens after a first chargeable event corresponding to a non-real-time trigger happens, and wherein charging information reporting for the real-time trigger is not deferred and charging information reporting for the non-real-time trigger is deferred;
• and
• wherein the charging request message comprises a first charging information and a second charging information, wherein the first charging information is stored in response to detecting the first chargeable event happens, wherein the second charging information is collected after the first chargeable event happens, wherein the first charging information comprises first usage information associated with an online service and the second charging information comprises second usage information associated with the online service,
• send a first charging answer message corresponding to the charging request message to the charging trigger function device.

A communications system, comprising a charging trigger function device and a charging system, wherein

• the charging trigger function device is configured with at least one first processor and a first non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the at least one first processor and storing first programming instructions for execution by the at least one first processor to cause the at least one first processor to:
• detect that a first chargeable event corresponding to a non-real-time trigger happens, wherein charging information reporting for the non-real-time trigger is deferred;
• store first charging information collected before the first chargeable event happens, wherein the first charging information comprises first usage information associated with an online service;
• collect second charging information after the first chargeable event happens, wherein the second charging information comprises second usage information associated with the online service;
• and
• send, in response to detecting that a second chargeable event corresponding to a real-time trigger happens, a charging request message to an online charging system, wherein the second chargeable event happens after the first chargeable event happens, wherein charging information reporting for the real-time trigger is not deferred, and wherein the charging request message comprises the first charging information and the second charging information,
• the charging system is configured with at least one second processor and a second non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the at least one second processor and storing second programming instructions for execution by the at least one second processor to cause the at least one second processor to:
• receive the charging request message;
• and
• send a first charging answer message corresponding to the charging request message to the charging trigger function device.