Centralized charging systems for offline charging and online charging

A method of operating a centralized charging system that is implemented in a communication network between a plurality of network elements and an offline charging system and implemented between the network elements and an online charging system, the method comprising:

• receiving charging request messages in the centralized charging system from the network elements that include charging data for services triggered in the network elements;
• converting the charging request messages from protocols used by the network elements into a common protocol;
• processing the charging data in the charging request messages of the common protocol to determine if offline charging or online charging is invoked for the services;
• generating offline accounting request messages that include the charging data for the services that invoke offline charging, and transmitting the offline accounting request messages from the centralized charging system to the offline charging system;
• and
• generating online accounting request messages that include the charging data for the services that invoke online charging, and transmitting the online accounting request messages from the centralized charging system to the online charging system.

An apparatus comprising:

• a centralized charging system that is implemented between a plurality of network elements and an offline charging system and implemented between the network elements and an online charging system, the centralized charging system comprising:
• a network element interface operable to receive charging request messages from Charging Trigger Functions (CTF) in the network elements, wherein the charging request messages include charging data for services triggered in the network elements, and to convert the charging request messages into Diameters AVPs;
• an accounting data forwarding function operable to process the Diameter AVPs to determine if offline charging or online charging is invoked for the services, to assemble the charging data for the services, to generate Diameter Rf request messages that include the assembled charging data for the services that invoke offline charging, and to generate Diameter Ro request messages that include the assembled charging data for the services that invoke online charging;
• and
• a charging system interface operable to transmit the Diameter Rf request messages to the offline charging system, and to transmit the Diameter Ro request messages to the online charging system.