Accounting method and apparatus for communications network

A method of accounting for services provided over a packet-based network, comprising:

• communicating a unit of accounting information carrying information regarding usage of the packet-based network by a terminal, the unit of accounting information having a predetermined format capable of being exchanged between a plurality of entities;
• and
• assigning values to entries in the unit of accounting information based on usage, the unit including a first entry indicating a quality of service provided over the packet-based network and a second entry containing a network access identifier of the terminal to uniquely identify the terminal.

A system capable of being coupled to a packet-based network, comprising:

• a controller to collect usage information based on a service used by a node on the packet-based network;
• and
• a storage device containing an accounting unit in which the usage information is collected, the accounting unit including a plurality of entries to identify usage elements from which accounting may be derived, the entries comprising a first entry to indicate a quality of service used by the node and a second entry to indicate usage of mobility management.

An article including one or more machine-readable storage media containing instructions for accounting for services used on a packet-based data network, the instructions when executed causing a system to:

• determine usage elements associated with each service, the usage elements including a service type, amount of data communicated, and mobility management;
• and
• collect accounting units each including entries identifying the usage elements.

A storage device for storing data for access by one or more software routines being executed on a system, comprising:

• a data structure stored in the storage device and including a plurality of entries, the entries including a first field indicating a quality of service provided over a packet-based network, a second field indicating if the service is chargeable, and a third field including an identifier identifying a node using the service.