Charging for long duration sessions in communication networks
View Patent ↗Communication networks and associated methods are disclosed that provide charging for long duration sessions. A charging data system of the communication network receives interim accounting request messages from a network element that is serving a session. The charging data system identifies interim timestamps for the interim accounting request messages, and stores the interim timestamps. After a time period during the long duration session, the charging data system generates a partial CDR. The charging data system then inserts duration information for the long duration session in the partial CDR based on the stored interim timestamps, and transmits the partial CDR to a correlation system. The correlation system may then calculate a total duration for the session based on the duration information in the partial CDR. Even if a start/stop timestamp is not available, the correlation system may estimate the total duration of the session based on the interim timestamps.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a charging system adapted to receive interim accounting requests for a long duration session from a network element, to identify interim timestamps for the interim accounting requests, and to store the interim timestamps for use in charging for the long duration session.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the charging system is further adapted to generate at least one partial Charging Data Record (CDR) responsive to a triggering event, and to insert duration information for the long duration session in the partial CDR based on the stored interim timestamps.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein:
the charging system is further adapted to identify an end to the long duration session, and to process the duration information from the partial CDR and other partial CDRs to attempt to identify a start timestamp and a stop timestamp for the long duration session;
if the start timestamp is not identified, then the charging system is further adapted to identify a first interim timestamp near the beginning of the long duration session, and to calculate a total duration for the long duration session based on the first interim timestamp and the stop timestamp.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein:
if the stop timestamp is not identified, then the charging system is further adapted to identify a second interim timestamp near the end of the long duration session, and to calculate a total duration for the long duration session based on the start timestamp and the second interim timestamp.
5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein:
the charging system is further adapted to receive at least the partial CDR, and to identify a maximum charging duration supported by downstream billing elements; and
if the maximum charging duration is less than an elapsed time for the long duration session, then the charging system is further adapted to divide the partial CDR into multiple partial CDRs each having an elapsed time value less than or equal to the maximum charging duration so that the sum of the elapsed time values represented in the multiple partial CDRs equals the elapsed time for the long duration session.
6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein:
the charging system is further adapted to insert a sequence identifier in the partial CDR.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the charging system is further adapted to process the interim accounting requests to identify the interim timestamps inserted in the interim accounting requests by the network element.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the charging system is further adapted to identify the interim timestamps based on a local clock responsive to receipt of the interim accounting requests.
9. A method comprising:
receiving interim accounting requests for a long duration session in a charging system from a network element;
identifying interim timestamps for the interim accounting requests; and
storing the interim timestamps for use in charging for the long duration session.
10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:
generating at least one partial Charging Data Record (CDR) in the charging system responsive to a triggering event; and
inserting duration information for the long duration session based on the stored interim timestamps in the partial CDR.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
identifying an end to the long duration session;
processing the duration information from the partial CDR and other partial CDRs to attempt to identify a start timestamp and a stop timestamp for the long duration session; and
if the start timestamp is not identified, then:
identifying a first interim timestamp near the beginning of the long duration session; and
calculating a total duration for the long duration session based on the first interim timestamp and the stop timestamp.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
if the stop timestamp is not identified, then:
identifying a second interim timestamp near the end of the long duration session; and
calculating a total duration for the long duration session based on the start timestamp and the second interim timestamp.
13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
receiving at least the partial CDR;
identifying a maximum charging duration supported by downstream billing elements; and
if the maximum charging duration is less than an elapsed time for the long duration session, then dividing the partial CDR into multiple partial CDRs each having an elapsed time value less than or equal to the maximum charging duration so that the sum of the elapsed time values represented in the multiple partial CDRs equals the elapsed time for the long duration session.
14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
inserting a sequence identifier in the partial CDR.
15. The method of claim 9 wherein identifying interim timestamps for the interim accounting requests comprises:
processing the interim accounting requests to identify the interim timestamps inserted in the interim accounting requests by the network element.
16. The method of claim 9 wherein identifying interim timestamps for the interim accounting requests comprises:
identifying the interim timestamps based on a local clock in the charging system responsive to receipt of the interim accounting requests.
17. An apparatus comprising:
a network element adapted to generate a start accounting request for a session, to insert a start timestamp in the start accounting request, and to transmit the start accounting request to a charging system;
the network element further adapted to generate interim accounting requests for the session, to insert interim timestamps in the interim accounting requests, and to transmit the interim accounting requests to the charging system; and
the network element further adapted to generate a stop accounting request for the session, to insert a stop timestamp in the stop accounting request, and to transmit the stop accounting request to the charging system.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein:
the network element is further adapted to insert the interim timestamps in a new field defined for the interim accounting requests.
19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein:
the interim accounting requests comprise Diameter Accounting Requests (ACR); and
the network element is further adapted to insert the interim timestamps in a new field defined for Diameter ACRs.
20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein:
the network element comprises a Serving-Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF) of an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network.