Prepaid billing support for simultaneous communication sessions in data networks
A method and system for providing prepaid billing for two concurrent communication sessions is accomplished by a first-network-access device, such as a WIN SCP, receiving from a prepaid-user account prepaid services for a first-communication session. During the first-communication session, a second-network-access device, e.g., an AAA server, requests from the prepaid-user account additional prepaid services for a second- communication session that is to occur on a data network. In response to the request, the first-network-access device receives from a prepaid-billing system a status-update request. Responsive to the update request, the first-network-access device sends to the prepaid-billing system the prepaid-service usage for the first communication session. The prepaid billing system updates the prepaid user account by debiting the prepaid services usage from the prepaid-user account. If prepaid services remain after updating the prepaid user account, the second-network-access device receives from the prepaid-billing system prepaid services for the second communication session.
1. A method for providing prepaid billing comprising:
a first-network-access device receiving from a prepaid-user account prepaid services for a first-communication session;
a second-network-access device requesting from the prepaid-user account prepaid services for a second-communication session in a data network while the first-communication session is ongoing;
responsive to requesting prepaid services for a second-communication session, the first-network-access device receiving from a prepaid-billing system a request to update the prepaid-user account for prepaid-services usage of the first-communication session;
responsive to the request, the first-network-access device sending to the prepaid-billing system prepaid services usage for the first communication session; and
after the update of the prepaid-user account, the second-network-access device receiving from the prepaid-billing system prepaid services for the second communication session.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the prepaid-billing system resides in a circuit-switched network.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first-network-access device and the second-network-access device are the same.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first-network-access device is selected from the group consisting of a authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) device, and a foreign access control node.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second-network-access device is selected from the group consisting of a authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) device, and a foreign access control node.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second-network-access device requests from the prepaid-user account prepaid services for a second-communication session by a mobile node identifier.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the mobile-node identifier is selected from the group consisting of a Mobile Identification Number, a dialed phone number, a Mobile Directory Number, and a wireless mobile node's unique Electronic Serial Number.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first communication session comprises voice-session activity.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the voice-session activity is circuit switched.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second communication session comprises non-voice/data-session activity.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the non-voice/data-session activity is communicated as packet data.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data network comprises a packet data network.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data network is selected from the group consisting of a second-generation wireless network, a second-and-a-half-generation wireless network, a third-generation wireless network; a fourth-generation wireless network, an 802.11 wireless network, and a Bluetooth wireless network.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first-network-access device is an element in a circuit-switched network.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first-network-access device is selected from a group consisting of a signaling control point and a proxy server to a signaling control point.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the prepaid-user-account resides in a data store in a circuit-switched network.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the data store resides in a home location register.
18. A method for providing prepaid billing comprising:
a prepaid-billing systems providing to a first-network-access device prepaid services withdrawn from a prepaid-user account for a first-communication session;
the prepaid-billing system receiving from a second-network-access device in a data network a request for prepaid services for a second-communication session while the first-communication session is ongoing;
responsive to requesting prepaid services for the second-communication session, the prepaid-billing system sending to the first-network-access device a request to update the prepaid-user account for prepaid-services usage of the first-communication session;
the prepaid-billing system receiving from the first-network-access device prepaid services usage of the first communication session;
the prepaid-billing system debiting the prepaid-services usage of first communication session from the prepaid-user account; and
the prepaid-billing system sending to the second-network-access device prepaid services for the second communication session.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the prepaid-billing system resides in a circuit switched network.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the prepaid-billing system resides in a voice-prepaid system on a Signaling System 7 network.
21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the first-access device and the second-network-access device are the same.
22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first-network-access device is selected from the group consisting of a authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) device, and a foreign access control node.
23. The method of claim 18 , wherein the second-network-access device is selected from the group consisting of a authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) device, and a foreign access control node.
24. The method of claim 18 , wherein the second-network-access device requests from the prepaid-user account prepaid services for a second-communication session by a mobile node identifier.
25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the mobile-node identifier is selected from the group consisting of a Mobile Identification Number, a dialed phone number, a Mobile Directory Number, and a wireless mobile node's unique Electronic Serial Number.
26. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first communication session comprises voice -session activity.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the voice-session activity is circuit switched.
28. The method of claim 18 , wherein the second communication session comprises non-voice/data-session activity.
29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the non-voice/data-session activity is communicated as packet data.
30. The method of claim 18 , wherein the data network comprises a packet data network.
31. The method of claim 18 , wherein the data network is selected from the group consisting of a second-generation wireless network, a second-and-a-half-generation wireless network, a third-generation wireless network; a fourth-generation wireless network, an 802.11 wireless network, and a Bluetooth wireless network.
32. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first-network-access device is an element in a circuit-switched network.
33. The method of claim 32 , wherein the first-network-access device is selected from a group consisting of a signaling control point and a proxy server to a signaling control point.
34. The method of claim 18 , wherein the prepaid-user-account resides in a data store in a circuit-switched network.
35. The method of claim 34 , wherein the data store resides in a home location register.
36. The method of claim 18 , further including:
the prepaid-billing system sending to the second-network-access device a second request to update the prepaid-user account for prepaid-services usage of the second-communication session; and
debiting the prepaid-services usage of the second communication session from the prepaid-user account.
37. The method of claim 18 , wherein debiting the prepaid-services usage of the first communication session from the prepaid-user account produces remaining-prepaid services, and further comprising:
the prepaid-billing system sending to the first-network-access device a second request to update the prepaid-user account for prepaid-services usage of the first-communication session when the remaining-prepaid services reached a predetermined threshold.
38. A method for providing prepaid billing comprising:
a prepaid-billing systems providing to a first-network-access device prepaid services withdrawn from a prepaid-user account for a first-communication session;
the prepaid-billing system receiving from a second-network-access device in a data network a request for prepaid services for a second-communication session while the first-communication session is ongoing;
responsive to requesting prepaid services for the second-communication session, the prepaid-billing system sending to the first-network-access device a request to update the prepaid-user account for prepaid-services usage of the first-communication session;
the prepaid-billing system receiving from the first-network-access device prepaid services usage of the first communication session;
the prepaid-billing system debiting the prepaid-services usage of first communication session from the prepaid-user account;
the prepaid-billing system sending to the second-network-access device prepaid services for the second communication session;
the prepaid-billing system sending to the second-network-access device a second request to update the prepaid-user account for prepaid-services usage of the second-communication session; and
the prepaid-billing system debiting the prepaid-services usage of the second communication session from the prepaid-user account, wherein debiting the prepaid-services usage of the first communication session from the prepaid-user account and debiting the prepaid-services usage of the second communication produces remaining-prepaid services.