Real-Time Billing via SIP Header Tokens in IMS
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current IMS architecture lacks the capability for real-time billing in PSTN calls, requiring additional equipment and complex processes to obtain billing information, especially for different country variants, impacting performance and costing more.
Innovation Solution
A method and network element that generate and inform billing servers of billing rate and interval through new tokens in the P-DCS-BILLING-INFO header, allowing real-time billing without needing additional decode functions for country variants, using the 3GPP standard to support the P-DCS-BILLING-INFO header in SIP messages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If CDR parsing tools are used to obtain billing information in current IMS architecture, then billing information can be obtained, but real-time billing cannot be achieved and additional CDR equipment is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the billing information extraction capability from the CDR parsing process and implements it directly in the AS through new tokens in SIP messages. The billing rate and interval are extracted from charge messages and embedded as tokens in SIP signaling, eliminating the need for separate CDR equipment and enabling real-time billing information availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-processing charge messages from the circuit switching network and embedding billing information (rate and interval) as tokens in SIP messages before the call proceeds. This allows the AS to have billing information readily available in real-time rather than waiting for CDR generation at call end.
2Adaptability or versatility
If different decode functions are added for different country variants to parse ISUP information, then billing information can be obtained, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by using a single standardized token format in SIP messages that can carry billing information for all country variants. The new tokens (billing-rate-token and billing-interval-token) provide a universal mechanism that works across different ISUP country variants without requiring multiple specialized decode functions, thus reducing complexity while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter representation by encoding billing information as standardized tokens within SIP message bodies rather than requiring parsing of raw ISUP messages. This parameter transformation allows the same token structure to represent billing information regardless of the underlying ISUP country variant, eliminating the need for variant-specific decode logic.
3Loss of time
If CDRs are transmitted frequently to the billing machine to obtain almost real-time billing information, then billing information becomes more current, but application server performance is highly impacted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by embedding billing information tokens directly in SIP messages during call setup and progression. The AS receives billing rate and interval information upfront through tokenized SIP messages rather than continuously polling or transmitting CDRs, thus achieving real-time billing capability without creating performance overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the essential billing parameters (rate and interval) from charge messages and transmits them as compact tokens in SIP messages. This extraction approach provides the AS with sufficient billing information for real-time calculation without requiring continuous CDR transmission, thereby maintaining server performance while achieving timeliness.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention proposes a method for generating a real time billing information in a packet switching based network and a network element for implementing Interworking between a circuit switching based network and a packet switching based network, wherein a call is set up between a user of said packet switching based network and a user of a circuit switching based network, and a billing server is informed of at least a billing rate and an interval of billing, said method for generating a real time billing information comprising: generating a first message with a first token indicating the billing rate upon receiving a first charge message containing said billing rate from said circuit switching based network and based on said first charge message, and the billing server is informed of said billing rate; once said call having been set up, generating a second messages with a second token indicating the interval of billing upon receiving a subsequent charge message containing said interval of billing and based on said subsequent charge message, and the billing server is informed of said interval of billing; and generating a real time billing information by said billing server.