# US 9,521,266 B2 · Charging method, authentication method, charging device, and authentication device

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- Number: US 9,521,266 B2
- Document ID: US9521266B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/143,256
- Filed: 2016-04-29
- Published: 2016-08-25
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2012-03-05
- Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Yafeng Zhang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9521266B2

## CPC

- H04M 15/43: {Billing software details}
- H04L 12/1403: {Architecture for metering, charging or billing}
- H04L 12/1435: {volume-based}
- H04L 12/1467: {involving prepayment}
- H04L 12/1485: {Tariff-related aspects}
- H04M 15/62: {based on trigger specification}
- H04M 15/83: {Notification aspects}
- H04M 15/85: {characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification}
- H04M 15/851: {Determined tariff}
- H04M 15/853: {Calculate maximum communication time or volume}
- H04M 15/854: {Available credit}
- H04M 15/887: {limit per user or user related number}
- H04L 12/1496: {involving discounts}
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

A charging method, an authentication method, a charging device, and an authentication device. The charging method includes receiving a service unit request sent by an access device, calculating a granted service unit according to a current tariff, determining a reporting time point according to a tariff switch point and returning a service unit answer to the access device; and receiving a used service unit reported by the access device at the reporting time point, calculating a remaining service unit based on the granted service unit and the used service unit instructing the access device to perform a forcible offline operation. The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure may effectively reduce an occurrence probability of a user account overdraft, thereby reducing a loss caused by the user account overdraft to an operator.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A charging device, comprising:
a storage device storing computer executable program codes;
a processor, coupled with the storage device, wherein the program codes comprise instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
receive a service unit request sent by an access device;
determine a granted service unit according to a current tariff;
determine a reporting time point according to a tariff switch point when an overdraft monitoring condition is met according to the granted service unit and a tariff after the tariff switch point;
return a service unit answer to the access device, wherein the service unit answer carries the granted service unit and the reporting time point;
receive a used service unit reported by the access device at the reporting time point;
calculate a remaining service unit based on the granted service unit and the used service unit; and
instruct the access device to perform a forcible offline operation when the remaining service unit will cause an overdraft.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein the overdraft monitoring condition is:
Tariff after the tariff switch point×Granted service unit>Current account balance.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein the overdraft monitoring condition is:
(Granted service unit−Preset maximum access speed×Time interval between a current moment and the tariff switch point)×Tariff after the tariff switch point+Preset maximum access speed×Time interval between the current moment and the tariff switch point×Current tariff>Current account balance.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein when the reporting time point is determined according to the tariff switch point, and wherein the processor is caused to assign the tariff switch point to the reporting time point.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein when the reporting time point is determined according to the tariff switch point, and wherein the processor is caused to:
calculate a delay duration; and
calculate the reporting time point according to the following formula: Reporting time point=Tariff switch point+Delay duration.

### Claim 6

A charging device, comprising:
a storage device storing computer executable program codes;
a processor, coupled with the storage device, wherein the program codes comprise instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
receive a service unit request sent by an access device through an authentication device;
calculate a granted service unit according to a current tariff;
return a service unit answer to the access device through the authentication device when an overdraft monitoring condition is met according to the granted service unit and a tariff after a tariff switch point, wherein the service unit answer carries the granted service unit and a reporting time point that is determined according to the tariff switch point;
receive a used service unit reported by the access device through the authentication device at the reporting time point;
calculate a remaining service unit based on the granted service unit and the used service unit; and
instruct, through the authentication device, the access device to perform a forcible offline operation when the remaining service unit will cause an overdraft.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The device according to claim 6, wherein when the service unit answer is returned to the access device through the authentication device, the processor is caused to:
determine the reporting time point according to the tariff switch point; and
return the service unit answer, which carries the granted service unit and the reporting time point, to the access device through the authentication device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The device according to claim 6, wherein when the service unit answer is returned to the access device through the authentication device, the processor is caused to:
instruct the authentication device to determine the reporting time point according to the tariff switch point; and
instruct the authentication device to return the service unit answer, which carries the granted service unit and the reporting time point, to the access device.

### Claim 9

An authentication device, comprising:
a storage device storing computer executable program codes;
a processor, coupled with the storage device, wherein the program codes comprise instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
receive an access request sent by an access device, and send a service unit request to a charging device;
receive a service unit answer that is returned by the charging device and carries a granted service unit;
return an access response to the access device when the service unit answer carries an overdraft monitoring indication, wherein the access response carries the granted service unit and a reporting time point that is determined according to a tariff switch point;
receive a used service unit reported by the access device at the reporting time point, and report the used service unit to the charging device; and
receive a forcible offline instruction returned by the charging device, and instruct the access device to perform a forcible offline operation.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The device according to claim 9, wherein the overdraft monitoring indication is the reporting time point determined according to the tariff switch point.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The device according to claim 9, wherein when the access response is returned to the access device, the processor is caused to:
determine the reporting time point according to the tariff switch point; and
return the access response, which carries the granted service unit and the reporting time point, to the access device.