Systems and methods for charging and billing in converged communications networks

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by a charging system in a converged communications network, the charging system including a memory having stored thereon computer readable instructions executable by a processor, a unified usage record for a communication session from a usage data processing system, wherein the unified usage record comprises at least one public user identification that identifies a subscriber of the converged communications network and is used to charge and bill for service provided to a communication device of the subscriber, and usage data collected from a plurality of network elements participating in the communication session and processed by the usage data processing system to generate the unified usage record,
• wherein the public user identification is associated with a persona profile selected via the communication device, from a plurality of persona profiles assigned to the subscriber and stored on the communication device, and
• wherein the persona profile is selected via the communication device prior to initiation of the communication session;
• generating, by the charging system, a charge for the unified usage record;
• and
• sending, by the charging system, the charge to a billing system for billing the charge based upon the at least one public user identification.

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by a billing system in a converged communications network, the billing system including a memory having stored thereon computer readable instructions executable by a processor, a charge from a charging system, the charge generated by the charging system based on a unified usage record for a communication session and usage data collected from a plurality of network elements participating in the communication session, the charge identifying at least one account associated with at least one public user identification that is used to bill for service provided to the communication device,
• wherein the unified usage record comprises the public user identification that identifies a subscriber of the converged communications network and is used to charge and bill for service provided to a communication device of the subscriber,
• wherein the public user identification is associated with a persona profile selected via the communication device, from a plurality of persona profiles assigned to the subscriber and stored on the communication device, and
• wherein the person profile is selected via the communication device prior to initiation of the communication session;
• and
• applying, by the billing system, the charge to the at least one account.

A usage data processing system, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory in communication with the processor, the memory having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the processor cause the processor to:
• aggregate received usage data for a communication session from a plurality of network elements participating in the communication session,
• wherein the usage data being is associated with at least one public user identification that identifies a subscriber of the converged communications network and is used to charge and bill for service provided to a communication device of the subscriber,
• wherein the public user identification is associated with a persona profile selected via the communication device, from a plurality of persona profiles assigned to the subscriber and stored on the communication device, and
• wherein the persona profile is selected via the communication device prior to initiation of the communication session;
• process the aggregated usage data to generate a unified usage record;
• and
• send the unified usage record to a charging system that is configured to charge for the service based upon the at least one public user identification.