Policy based accounting and billing for network services
AssigneeLuminous Networks, Inc.
InventorPrasad P. Jogalekar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method are disclosed for policy based accounting and billing for network services. In one embodiment, a packet forwarding device receives a packet to be forwarded over the network, accesses a policy table to identify a billing party associated with the packet, obtains billing information, and stores a record of the forwarded packet and the associated billing party.
Claims18
A method for policy based accounting in an Multi-Protocol Label Switched network, the method comprising:
- receiving a label switched path (LSP) signaling message at a first packet forwarding device;
- accessing a policy table to identify a billing party associated with the signaling message;
- forwarding the signaling message to a second downstream packet forwarding device only subsequent to identifying the associated billing party in the policy table.
A packet forwarding device, comprising:
- a port interface for receiving a label switched path (LSP) signaling message;
- and
- a policy engine including a policy table for determining a billing party associated with the signaling message, wherein the signaling message is forwarded to a second downstream packet forwarding device only subsequent to identifying the associated billing party in the policy table.
A packet forwarding device, comprising:
- means for receiving a label switch path (LSP) signaling message at a first packet forwarding device;
- means for accessing a policy table to identify a billing party associated with the signaling message;
- means for forwarding the signaling message to a second downstream packet forwarding device only subsequent to identifying the associated billing party in the policy table.
A system for policy based accounting in an Multi-Protocol Label Switched network, the system comprising:
- means for receiving a label switched path (LSP) signaling message at a first packet forwarding device;
- means for accessing a policy table to identify a billing party associated with the signaling message;
- means for forwarding the signaling message to a second downstream packet forwarding device only subsequent to identifying the associated billing party in the policy table.
A computer-readable medium comprising program instructions for causing a data processor to execute a method comprising:
- receiving a label switched path (LSP) signaling message at a first packet forwarding device;
- accessing a policy table to identify a billing party associated with the signaling message;
- forwarding the signaling message to a second downstream packet forwarding device only subsequent to identifying the associated billing party in the policy table.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.