Network Slice Billing Control Center
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Solution Overview
Problem
Legacy billing systems are inadequate for generating electronic invoice data based on network slices, limiting the ability to invoice parties involved in providing services to connected devices like autonomous cars, which require differentiated charging models for various network services.
Innovation Solution
A control center interacts with a converged charging system to identify charging rates for network slices, enabling differentiated billing and split invoicing by associating charging rates with specific network slices and service offerings, allowing for advanced 5G billing that differentiates usage based on service types and geographic zones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If legacy billing systems are used, then system simplicity is maintained, but the ability to generate electronic invoice data based on network slices is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The billing system is segmented into multiple functional components: a control center for obtaining charging data records and identifying charging rates, a converged charging system for generating CDRs with network slice indications, and an electronic invoice generation system. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in specific tasks, enabling network slice-based billing while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular design.
2Adaptability or versatility
If network slice-based billing is implemented, then differentiated charging for various services is enabled, but billing system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by associating specific charging rates with specific network slices. The control center identifies charging rates based on the network slice indication in each charging data record, allowing different parts of the network (different slices) to have different billing characteristics. This enables differentiated charging for various services (e.g., autonomous car services, connected devices) without requiring complete system redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The control center acts as an intermediary between the converged charging system and the electronic invoice generation system. It obtains charging data records with network slice indications, identifies the appropriate charging rates based on these indications, and applies the rates to generate accurate electronic invoices. This intermediary role simplifies the overall architecture by centralizing the complex rate identification logic in a dedicated component.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional billing models are used, then system simplicity is maintained, but the ability to invoice multiple parties for connected device services is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The billing system is designed with multi-functionality to handle various invoicing scenarios. The control center can process charging data records for different network slices and apply appropriate charging rates, enabling the system to invoice multiple parties (network operators, enterprises, partners) for different services provided to connected devices like autonomous cars. This universal approach allows a single system to handle diverse billing requirements without requiring separate specialized systems.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are described herein for network sliced based billing. In one example, a control center obtains, from a charging system, a charging data record that includes an indication of a network slice associated with a chargeable telecommunications event. Based on the indication of the network slice, the control center identifies a charging rate for the chargeable telecommunications event and applies the charging rate to the chargeable telecommunications event.