IP Gateway Billing Server for Packet Network Interruption Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current billing systems for packet networks are inadequate for providing exact time-based billing due to network failures and interference, leading to overcharging and inaccurate billing, as they cannot reliably detect interruptions in data streams routed directly between subscribers, resulting in continued billing without connection release.
Innovation Solution
Routed useful data streams via an IP gateway, where faults or interference are quickly detected and billed with high accuracy, allowing for exact time-based billing, with logging of billing information including audio, video, bandwidth, and quality parameters, and minimizing additional signaling load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If billing is performed on a flat rate basis or per event in packet networks, then the billing system is simple to implement, but billing accuracy regarding duration, volume, and quality is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a billing server as an intermediary component that mediates between the packet network and the billing system. This server monitors data streams, detects interruptions, and calculates billing information accurately, thereby achieving both simple implementation and high billing accuracy simultaneously
2Productivity
If useful data streams are routed directly between subscribers via packet network, then network efficiency is improved, but reliable detection of data stream interruptions becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the billing server continuously monitors data streams for interruptions and sends notifications to relevant components. This feedback loop enables reliable detection of interruptions while maintaining direct routing of data streams for network efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The billing server acts as an intermediary monitoring component that observes data streams without interfering with their direct routing between subscribers, enabling reliable interruption detection while preserving network efficiency
3Measurement precision
If cyclical polling is used to detect connection availability in packet networks, then billing can be stopped upon detection, but polling load on link nodes and network increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the billing server to autonomously monitor data streams and detect interruptions without requiring cyclical polling of link nodes. The system serves itself by having the billing server independently perform detection functions, thereby achieving accurate connection status detection without increasing network polling load
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, a method for billing for a connection routed via a packet network is provided. According to the method, billing is started the when the connection is established between a plurality of subscriber terminals. Information packets are transmitting according to a quality standard by at least one of the terminals. The information packets are routed in the network via a central device controlling a quality. The billing is stopping if the quality standard is not met.