Online Charging Management Server Unified Billing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current online charging systems face challenges in operating unified billing systems due to partial duplication of information between online and offline accounting systems, leading to inefficiencies and inflexibility in account management.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a centralized online charging management system comprising separate online charging management and account balance management servers, which communicate through Diameter messages to perform account balance actions such as reservation, commitment, release, balance queries, increase, and decrease, allowing for unified online and offline charging operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a unified billing system is implemented, then operational flexibility and account management efficiency are improved, but data duplication between online and offline accounting systems causes information inconsistency and system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into distinct functional modules: the Online Charging System (OCS) for real-time charging, the Offline Charging System for post-event billing, and the Account Balance Management System as a centralized repository. Each module operates independently with defined interfaces, eliminating data duplication while maintaining operational flexibility through specialized handling of online and offline charging operations.
2Reliability
If separate online and offline accounting systems are maintained, then specific charging functions are preserved, but information duplication leads to data inconsistency and reduced efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The Account Balance Management System serves as a centralized intermediary between the OCS and Offline Charging System. It stores account balance information centrally and provides real-time updates to both systems through standardized interfaces, ensuring data consistency while maintaining the reliability of specific charging functions. The mediator architecture allows efficient access to account information without requiring separate data storage in each system.
Data Source
AI summary
An online charging management server comprising: receiving means arranged to receive at least one account request message transmitted from a network service provider; and transmitting means arranged to transmit an online account balance message to a further separate server based on the received account request.