Method and network device for accounting chargeable signaling
View Patent ↗A network element and a method for accounting chargeable signaling in a communication network. The network includes a signaling message detected in a call processing network element, and an amount of data carried in the signaling message. The amount of data is determined based on a message description provided in the signaling message. The network further includes a counting function, which is selected and updated based on the message description. Accordingly, an inter-operator accounting can be provided even for data carried in signaling messages.
1. A method, comprising: detecting a call signaling message in a network element; determining an amount of data carried in said call signaling message based on a call message description provided in said call signaling message, said call signaling message comprising a session initiation protocol message; selecting a counting function based on said call message description, wherein said selecting said counting function comprises selecting said counting function from different counting functions provided for at least one of different header fields and different content type fields of said call message description; storing the determined amount of data in the selected counting function; and updating said selected counting function according to said determined amount of data to account a chargeable signaling in a packet-switched communication network.
2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said detecting said call signaling message comprises detecting said call signaling message in said network element comprising a call state control function.
3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said detecting said call signaling message comprises detecting said call signaling message comprising a call setup message.
4. A method according to claim 3 , wherein said detecting said call signaling message further comprises detecting said call signaling message comprising said call setup message comprising a session initiation protocol INVITE message.
5. A method according to claim 4 , wherein said determining said amount of data comprises determining said amount of data carried in said call signaling message based on said call message description comprising a content type field, a content length field, and a contact field.
6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein said determining said amount of data further comprises determining said amount of data derived from said content length field.
7. A method according to claim 5 , wherein said selecting said counting function comprises selecting said counting function on a basis of at least one of said content type field and said contact field.
8. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising: classifying a content of said call signaling message according to a type of content; and applying said updating said selected counting function according to said determined amount of data only for predetermined types of content.
9. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said selecting said counting function comprises selecting said counting function configured to provide accumulated counts for at last one of a number of a predetermined content subject used, a number of a predetermined content typed used, and a data volume.
10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein said selecting said counting function further comprises selecting said counting function configured to provide said accumulated counts that are separately accumulated for answered calls and non-answered calls.
11. An apparatus, comprising: a controller configured to detect a signaling message routed through or processed by said apparatus; a counter configured to perform a data accumulation; and a content classifier configured to determine an amount of data carried in said signaling message and configured to select a counting function of said counter based on a call message description provided in said signaling message, said call signaling message comprising a session initiation protocol message, wherein said counting function selection comprises selecting said counting function from different counting functions provided for at least one of different header fields and different content type fields of said call message description, wherein said controller is further configured to update a data accumulation of said selected counting function according to said determined amount of data to account a chargeable signaling in a packet-switched communication network, and wherein the controller, the counter, and the content classifier are separate elements.
12. An apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said apparatus comprises a call state control function.
13. An apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said signaling message comprises a call setup message.
14. An apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein said call setup message comprises a session initiation protocol INVITE message.
15. An apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein said call message description comprises a content type field, a content length field, and a contact field.
16. An apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein said content classifier is further configured to derive said amount of data from said content length field.
17. An apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein said content classifier is further configured to select said counting function on a basis of at least one of said content type field and said contact field.
18. An apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said content classifier is further configured to classify content of said signaling message according to a type of content; and said controller is further configured to initiate said data accumulation only for predetermined types of content.