# US 8,699,472 B2 · Common charging identifier for communication networks

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- Number: US 8,699,472 B2
- Document ID: US8699472B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 09/758,267
- Filed: 2001-01-12
- Published: 2002-09-12
- Granted: 2014-04-15
- Earliest claimed: 2000-05-24
- Assignees: Nokia Corporation
- Applicants: Stefano Faccinn; Tuija Hurtta; Balazs Bertenyi; Nedko Ivanov; Harri Honko; Juha-Pekka Koskinen; Juha Vallinen; Merja Hopeaharju
- Inventors: Stefano Faccinn; Tuija Hurtta; Balazs Bertenyi; Nedko Ivanov; Harri Honko; Juha-Pekka Koskinen; Juha Vallinen; Merja Hopeaharju
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8699472B2

## CPC

- H04L 12/1403: {Architecture for metering, charging or billing}
- H04L 12/14: Charging, metering or billing arrangements specially adapted for data communications, e.g. authentication, authorisation and accounting [AAA] framework
- H04L 61/35: {involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function}
- H04L 63/104: {Grouping of entities}
- H04L 65/1026: {at the edge}
- H04L 65/1036: {at the edge}
- H04M 15/00: Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication {; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP}
- H04M 15/41: {Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]}
- H04M 15/55: {for hybrid networks}
- H04M 15/62: {based on trigger specification}
- H04M 15/67: {Transmitting arrangements for sending billing related information}
- H04M 2215/0164: Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
- H04M 2215/204: UMTS; GPRS
- H04M 2215/2046: Hybrid network
- H04M 2215/22: Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
- H04M 2215/48: Sending information over a non-traffic network channel or another connection than the one actually used, e.g. signalling, D-channel, data and voice
- H04W 8/26: Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
- H04W 48/08: Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery (signalling during connection H04W76/00)
- H04W 76/10: Connection setup
- H04W 80/04: Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
- H04W 84/04: Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks
- 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

In a first embodiment, when an Activate PDP Context Request message is forwarded to a Service GPRS Support Node (SGSN), the SGSN creates a Create PDP Context Request message and forwards it to a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN). In response to the Create PDP Context Request forwarded by the SGSN, the GGSN creates a Create PDP Context Response message. When a PDP context is created by the GGSN, the GGSN associates a Globally Unique Charging Identification (GCI) with the PDP context. Then, the Create PDP Context Response including the GCI is forwarded to the SGSN. The GCI is sent from the SGSN to the UE and from the UE to the CSCF. In a second embodiment, the GCI is sent from the SGSN or the GGSN directly to the Call State Control Function (CSCF). Sending the GCI can be performed either autonomously or based on a request from the CSCF. In either embodiment, the CSCF can send the GCI to a second network which performs processing, such as billing, from data collected from call detail records associated with the GCI.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
creating a charging identification in a first network element in one of an application layer network of a communication network or a transport layer network of the communication network;
sending said charging identification from said first network element to a second network element in the other one of the application layer network or the transport layer network;
creating, in said first network element, call records for a first connection to user equipment via said application layer network;
creating, in said second network element, call records for a second connection to said user equipment via said transport layer network;
including said charging identification in said call records for said first connection and in said call records for said second connection;
sending said call records for said first connection and said call records for said second connection to a billing system of the communication network; and
coordinating charging information in the communications network using said charging identification included in the call records of said first and second network elements.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
adding, in said second network element, said charging identification to charging information which said second network element collects.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
sending, by said first network element, an address of the first network element together with said charging identification to said second network element.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein said second network element adds said address of said first network element to charging information which said second network element collects.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said charging identification is sent from said first network element to said second network element via an interface between the transport layer network and said application layer network.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said first network element is a Mobile Station (MS) and the method further comprises:
providing, by said Mobile Station, the charging identification to both of the application layer network and the transport layer network.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
sending, by said first network element, security information together with said charging identification to said second network element.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising:
verifying, by said second network element, said charging identification against said security information.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
sending, by said second network element, said charging identification towards an endpoint of a communication.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising:
sending, by said second network element, security information together with said charging identification toward said endpoint of a communication.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising:
sending, by said second network element, an address of said first network element together with said charging identification to said endpoint of a communication.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
adding, in said second network element, an address of said first network element to charging data which said second network element collects.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first network element is in said transport layer network.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein said charging identification is sent to said second network element in said application layer network.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising:
forwarding said charging identification to a third network element and a fourth network element in said transport layer network.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising:
associating said charging information with additional charging information created by each of said second, third and fourth network elements.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the charging identification comprises a tuple or tuple pair.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein said tuple includes a destination IP address and port information of a transaction specific media connection.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
sending, by said first network element, said charging identification to said second network element via the user equipment, wherein said second network element receives said charging identification from the user equipment in a request to setup a connection in the other one of the application layer network or the transport layer network.

### Claim 20

An apparatus, comprising:
one or more processors; and
memory storing executable instructions configured to, with the one or more processors, cause the apparatus at least to:
create call records, include a charging identification in the call records, and send said call records to a billing system;
coordinate charging information using said charging identification included in the call records;
establish a first connection to user equipment via an application layer network of a communications network and a second connection to said user equipment via a transport layer network of the communications network;
create the charging identification in one of said application layer network or said transport layer network; and
send said charging identification to a network element in the other one of the application layer network or the transport layer network.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the user equipment is operable to initiate the first connection and the second connection.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the apparatus is caused to send said charging identification to the network element via the user equipment in a request to set up a connection in the other one of the application layer network or the transport layer network.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said connection comprises a PDP context.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said user equipment comprises another network element, and the user equipment is adapted to provide the charging identification to both of the application layer network and the transport layer network.

### Claim 25 (depends on 20)

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the charging identification comprises a tuple or tuple pair.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the apparatus comprises a Gateway GPRS Support Node and the network element comprises a Call State Control Function.

### Claim 27 (depends on 20)

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein an interface between first and second network elements is caused to directly send said charging identification from said first network element to said second network element.

### Claim 28 (depends on 20)

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said network element comprises a Call State Control Function.