Granted Patent B2

US 8,983,427 · App. 11/587,194 · Granted Mar 17, 2015

Abstract

Claims (55)

1. An apparatus implemented method, comprising:

receiving, at a session control apparatus from a user apparatus, a session request, wherein the session request indicates a set of service components for at least one service;

determining to transmit, from the session control apparatus to a charging apparatus, a credit control message, wherein the credit control message indicates the set of service components, each service component associated with a different category;

receiving, at the session control apparatus from the charging apparatus, a credit control response message, wherein the credit control response message advises the session control apparatus with a first message component and a second message component, where the first message component identifies at least a subset of the set of service components that can be provided, in view of an amount of money left in an account corresponding to the user apparatus, said subset missing at least one of the set of service components, and where the second message component identifies a granted unit of money for the subset of the set of service components that can be provided; and

determining to send, from the session control apparatus to the user apparatus, a reply to the session request prior to providing any requested service component, wherein the reply comprises a first message component identifying said subset of the set of service components that can be provided and a second message component identifying which service components cannot be provided in lieu of providing the user apparatus with the requested set of service components for the at least one service.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said set of service components comprise audio and video components or any other component.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said account corresponding to the user apparatus is that of a user of the user apparatus.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an amount of money left in an account corresponding to a called apparatus is taken into account.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the called apparatus includes chargeable content in a message to be delivered to the user apparatus, the method further comprising:

determining if said chargeable content can be delivered taking into account the amount of money left in the account corresponding to the called apparatus.

6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein if said chargeable content cannot be delivered, the method further comprises determining to deliver, to the user apparatus, the message with the chargeable content removed.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein delivery of the message establishes a session between the user apparatus and the called apparatus.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein any charge associated with the establishment of such session is charged to the account corresponding to the user apparatus.

9. A method according to claim 6 further comprising determining to transmit, to the called apparatus, a message advising that chargeable content cannot be delivered.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said account comprises a prepaid amount of money.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein taken into account is a cost for each of said set of service components.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein at least one service component which is most expensive is dropped and not provided.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising determining to drop one or more of said set of service components.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein said determining to drop is based on a predetermined policy.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said predetermined policy takes into account at least one of said account and capability of the user apparatus.

16. A method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said predetermined policy is user-specific.

17. A method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said predetermined policy is defined by an operator of a communications network associated with said user apparatus.

18. A method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein at least part of said predetermined policy is stored in at least one of said user apparatus, said session control apparatus, and said charging apparatus.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein said predetermined policy is defined in said charging apparatus.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19 , wherein said stored at least part of said predetermined policy is selected based on the account.

21. A method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein said stored at least part of said predetermined policy is modified if said account changes.

22. An apparatus implemented method, comprising:

determining to send, from a user apparatus to a session control apparatus, a session request, wherein the session request indicates a plurality of service components, each service component associated with a different category;

receiving, at the user apparatus from the session control apparatus, a reply to the session request prior to receiving any requested service component, wherein the reply comprises a first message component identifying at least a subset of the plurality of service components that can be provided and a second message component identifying which service components cannot be provided in view of an amount of money left in an account corresponding to the user apparatus in lieu of providing the user apparatus with the requested plurality of service components, wherein a credit control response message from a charging apparatus advises of said subset with a first message component and a second message component, where the first message component identifies the subset of the plurality of service components that can be provided and where the second message component identifies a granted unit of money for the subset of the plurality of service components that can be provided, said subset missing at least one of the plurality of service components;

determining to send, from the user apparatus to the session control apparatus, a further session request, wherein the further session request indicates at least one service component of said subset; and

receiving in response to the further session request, at the user apparatus from the session control apparatus, a session comprising said at least one service component of said subset.

23. A method according to claim 22 wherein delivery of a message establishes a session between the user apparatus and a called apparatus.

24. A method according to claim 22 wherein responsive to removal of chargeable content a called apparatus is notified of such.

25. An apparatus implemented method, comprising:

receiving, at a charging apparatus from a session control apparatus, a credit control message, wherein the credit control message indicates a plurality of service components indicated by a session request from a user apparatus, each service component associated with a different category; and

determining to send, from the charging apparatus to the session control apparatus, a credit control response message, wherein the credit control response message advises the session control apparatus with a first message component and a second message component, where the first message component identifies, in lieu of providing the session control apparatus with the requested plurality of service components and prior to the session control apparatus providing any requested service component to the user apparatus, at least a subset of the plurality of service components that can be provided, in view of an amount of money left in an account corresponding to the user apparatus, the subset missing at least one of the plurality of service components, and where the second message component identifies a granted unit of money for the subset of the plurality of service components that can be provided, wherein the session control apparatus sends a reply to the session request from the user apparatus comprising a first message component identifying the subset of the plurality of service components that can be provided and a second message component identifying which service components cannot be provided.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25 , wherein an amount of money left in an account corresponding to a called apparatus is taken into account.

27. A method as claimed in claim 26 , wherein the called apparatus includes chargeable content in a message to be delivered to the user apparatus, and wherein it is determined if said chargeable content can be delivered taking into account the amount of money left in the account corresponding to the called apparatus.

28. A session control apparatus configured to perform at least:

receive, at the session control apparatus from a user apparatus, a session request, wherein the session request indicates a plurality of service components, each service component associated with a different category;

determine to transmit, from the session control apparatus to a charging apparatus, a credit control message, wherein the credit control message indicates the plurality of service components, where the session control apparatus comprises a processor configured to perform at least the step of determining to transmit the credit control message;

receive, at the session control apparatus from the charging apparatus, a credit control response message, wherein the credit control response message advises the session control apparatus with a first message component and a second message component, where the first message component identifies at least a subset of the plurality of service components that can be provided, in view of an amount of money left in an account corresponding to the user apparatus, said subset missing at least one of the plurality of service components, and where the second message component identifies a granted unit of money for the subset of the set of service components that can be provided; and

determine to send, from the session control apparatus to the user apparatus, a reply to the session request prior to receiving any requested service component, wherein the reply comprises a first message component identifying said subset of the plurality of service components that can be provided and a second message component identifying which service components cannot be provided in lieu of providing the user apparatus with said requested plurality of service components.

29. An apparatus as claimed in claim 28 , wherein an amount of money left in an account corresponding to a called apparatus is taken into account.

30. A user apparatus configured to perform at least:

determine to send, from the user apparatus to a session control apparatus, a session request, wherein the session request indicates a plurality of service components, each service component associated with a different category, where the user apparatus comprises a processor configured to perform at least the step of determining to send the session request;

receive, at the user apparatus from the session control apparatus, a reply to the session request prior to receiving any requested service component, wherein the reply comprises a first message component identifying at least a subset of the plurality of service components that can be provided and a second message component identifying which service components cannot be provided in view of an amount of money left in an account corresponding to the user apparatus in lieu of providing the user apparatus with the requested plurality of service components, wherein a credit control response message from a charging apparatus advises of said subset with a first message component and a second message component, where the first message component identifies the subset of the plurality of service components that can be provided and where the second message component identifies a granted unit of money for the subset of the plurality of service components that can be provided, said subset missing at least one of the plurality of service components;

determine to send, from the user apparatus to the session control apparatus, a further session request, wherein the further session request indicates at least one service component of said subset; and

receive at the user apparatus from the session control apparatus in response to the further session request, a session comprising said at least one service component of said subset.

31. A charging apparatus configured to perform at least:

receive, at the charging apparatus from a session control apparatus, a credit control message, wherein the credit control message indicates a plurality of service components indicated by a session request from a user apparatus, each service component associated with a different category; and

determine to send, from the charging apparatus to the session control apparatus, a credit control response message, wherein the credit control response message advises the session control apparatus with a first message component and a second message component, where the first message component identifies, in lieu of providing the session control apparatus with the requested plurality of service components and prior to the session control apparatus providing any requested service component to the user apparatus, at least a subset of the plurality of service components that can be provided, in view of an amount of money left in an account corresponding to the user apparatus, said subset missing at least one of said plurality of service components, and where the second message component identifies a granted unit of money for the subset of the plurality of service components that can be provided, wherein the session control apparatus sends a reply to the session request from the user apparatus comprising a first message component identifying the subset of the plurality of service components that can be provided and a second message component identifying which service components cannot be provided, where the charging apparatus comprises a processor configured to perform at least the step of determining to send the credit control response message.

32. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, at the session control apparatus from the user apparatus, a further session request, wherein the further session request indicates at least one service component of said subset of the set of service components; and

determining to send, from the session control apparatus to the user apparatus, a session comprising said at least one service component of said subset of the set of service components.

Assignments (9)