JP5841553B2 - Packet counting apparatus and method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a packet counting apparatus and method, and more particularly to a packet counting apparatus and method for counting packets serving as basic data for charging when service conditions in an IP network are assumed.

  For the purpose of promoting the spread of optical broadband services, pay-per-use services that can be started at low prices are provided for users who use less frequently.

  Pay-per-use services generally set a two-level threshold for the monthly traffic volume of the user. If the traffic volume is below the low threshold, the basic fee is used. If the traffic volume is below the low threshold but below the high threshold, In general, the charge is based on the amount of traffic, and if the traffic amount is higher than the high threshold, the upper limit fee is used. In general, the basic charge when the traffic volume is between the low threshold and the high threshold is equivalent to the flat-rate service. As a result, users who use more than a certain amount shift to the flat-rate charge. It is considered that a majority of the users who make a contract with a low threshold value occupy.

  In order to provide services, telecommunications carriers have installed packet counting devices that count traffic in their networks. The packet counting device determines whether the chargeable user's chargeable communication is performed for each packet, and calculates the traffic amount for each chargeable user by accumulating the data length of the corresponding packet for one month.

  The packet counting device generally refers to the IP header information in order to determine whether or not the chargeable user's chargeable communication.

  In a network in which different IP addresses are assigned to each user and all user communication is chargeable communication, the packet counting device refers to the source / destination IP addresses of all packets and assigns the IP assigned to the chargeable user. By extracting the packet including the address and accumulating the data length of the packet, it is possible to calculate the traffic amount for each chargeable user. In a network where some user communications are not charged, the packet counting device refers to the other IP address, source / destination port number, protocol number, etc. in addition to the processing described above. A process for subtracting the chargeable traffic volume is required. IPFIX (IP Flow Information Export) is a technique for monitoring traffic information by referring to IP header information.

  The IPFIX is a technology for monitoring traffic information transferred in an IP network. IPFIX consists of an exporter that receives packets and collects data, and a collector that collects data from the exporter. IPFIX defines a set of packets that share the same source / destination IP address, source / destination port number, protocol, ToS byte (DHCP: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), and input interface as a flow. Collect each information and send it to the exporter. By defining the chargeable communication of the chargeable user as a flow, it becomes possible to calculate the traffic volume of the communication (see Non-Patent Document 1).

  As broadband speeds up and the number of devices increase, IP traffic is increasing. In order to cope with this, there is a problem that resources necessary for packet counting increase and the cost for providing services increases.

  As a method for suppressing the number of packets to be processed, there is a traffic monitoring technique using sampling represented by sFlow. sFlow is a technique for monitoring traffic information transferred in an IP network / non-IP network. sflow consists of a sflow agent that collects packet information such as MAC addresses and IP addresses from sample packets acquired at a specific rate, and a sflow collector that receives and analyzes data from the sflow agent. In sflow, it is possible to analyze with high accuracy by acquiring a certain amount of packets without acquiring all packets and performing analysis based on statistics.

RFC5101: http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc5101 http://www.sflow.org/sflow_version_5.txt

  However, IP traffic is increasing as broadband speed increases and the number of devices increases. In order to cope with this, there is a problem that resources necessary for packet counting increase and the cost for providing services increases.

  Further, since sFlow may be overcharged due to a sampling error, it is difficult to apply it to a charging system.

  In general, in providing a pay-per-use service, it is required that the provision cost is low and no overcharge occurs. However, the all-packet counting method as the prior art consumes a large amount of packet count resources, which causes a problem of high cost. In addition, the sample packet count method causes a sampling error, so that it is difficult to apply it to a pay-per-use service.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points. It reduces resources used for packet counting for users within a basic charge, which occupies the majority of two-stage flat-rate service subscribers, realizes cost reduction, and sets a threshold value. It is an object of the present invention to provide a packet counting apparatus and method capable of realizing reliable charging according to the amount of use from a pay-as-you-go charging user by setting the excess users as the total packet count target.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention (Claim 1) is a packet counting device that counts the traffic amount of packets for charging when a certain service condition is assumed in an IP network,
Threshold storage means for storing a threshold for discriminating in advance a user who is within the traffic amount that can be used with the basic charge and a user who will be charged according to the basic charge;
A first storage means for storing a list of all packet count target users for storing charge target user identification information and traffic volume;
Second storage means for storing a sample packet count target user list for storing sampled user identification information and traffic volume;
A packet receiving means for receiving a packet;
Based on the information of the packet, the first storage means is referred to. When the user of the packet is a chargeable user, the traffic amount of the packet is added to the corresponding user of the first storage means. All packet count processing means;
In the total packet count processing means, sampling means for sampling the packet when the user of the packet is not a chargeable user;
When packet information sampled by the sampling means is stored in the second storage means, sample packet count processing for integrating the traffic volume of the packet to the corresponding user in the second storage means Means,
A threshold excess determining means for referring to the second storage means and extracting a user who exceeds the threshold of the threshold storage means;
User addition processing means for adding a user exceeding the threshold excess determination means to the first storage means;
A user number upper limit excess determination unit that periodically refers to the first storage unit and determines whether the number of records in the first storage unit exceeds a predetermined upper limit;
User deletion means for acquiring the number of users exceeding the upper limit value in the user number upper limit excess determination means and deleting records for the number of users from the first storage means;

Further, the present invention (Claim 2) refers to a non-billing communication list storage means that stores in advance a list of non-billing communications in the system for received packets, and excludes non-billing communications. A communication exclusion means;
The first storage means and the second storage means include user information that is not charged,
The total packet count processing means includes means for not processing the packet when the user of the acquired packet matches the non-billing user information stored in the first storage means,
The sample packet count processing means includes means for not processing the packet when the user of the acquired packet matches the non-billing user information stored in the second storage means.

  Further, according to the present invention (Claim 3), the threshold value of the threshold storage means is any one of “traffic amount usable at the basic fee” and “traffic amount usable at the basic fee × 1/30 × elapsed days”. Or both.

  As described above, in the present invention, with respect to the problem that the conventional packet count system cannot achieve both low cost and overcharge prevention, the sample packet count method and the total packet count method are dynamically combined to achieve the following. It was possible.

  -Reduce costs by reducing the resources used for packet counting for users within the basic fee, who account for the majority of 2-stage flat-rate service subscribers.

  -Users who exceed the threshold value are subject to the total packet count, thereby realizing reliable charging according to the usage amount from the pay-per-use user.

1 is a configuration example of a packet counting device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart of the process at the time of the packet reception in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart of the threshold excess determination process in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart of the user deletion process in the all packet count object user list in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is an example of a structure of the packet count apparatus which has a non-billing object communication exclusion process function in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart of the non-charging object communication exclusion process in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. 1 is a configuration example of an IP network including a packet counting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is an example of the monthly total traffic amount of the user of one Example of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  As a method for solving the above-described problem, in the present invention, a sample packet count is performed for users less than the threshold value, and a total packet count is performed for users greater than the threshold value. Here, the threshold refers to the amount of traffic that can be used with the basic charge, or the amount of traffic that can be used with the basic charge × 1/30 × the number of days elapsed.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of a packet counting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  The packet count device 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes a packet count processing unit 110 and an all packet count target user list change processing unit 120.

  The packet counting apparatus 100 includes an all packet count target user list 101, a sample packet count target user list 102, and an all packet count target user list upper limit 103. The initial state of the all packet count target user list 101 is all users.

  The packet count processing unit 110 includes a packet receiving unit 111, an all packet count processing unit 112, a sampling unit 113, and a sample packet count processing unit 114.

  The packet receiving unit 111 receives a packet flowing through the IP network.

  The all packet count processing unit 112 holds the all packet count target user list 101 in the memory. The all packet count target user list 101 stores all packet count target user IP addresses, traffic volume, total packet count target period (for example, month), total traffic volume for the past three months, and the like. Based on the IP header information (IP address) of the packet received from the packet receiving unit 111, it is determined whether the user is a chargeable user by referring to the all packet count target user list 101, and the other IP address or port number is referred to Then, it is determined whether or not the communication is chargeable communication, and if applicable, the data length of the packet is added to the traffic amount stored in the corresponding row of the total packet count target user list 101.

  The sampling unit 113 samples packets that are received from the all-packet count processing unit 112 and that are not chargeable communications. Here, the packet that is not the accounting target communication refers to a packet in which the IP address corresponding to the total packet count target user list 101 is not registered.

  The sample packet count processing unit 114 holds the sample packet count target user list 102 in the memory. The sample packet count target user list 102 stores the sample packet count target user IP address, the actual traffic volume, the deemed traffic volume, and the like. Based on the IP header information of the packet received from the sampling unit 113, the sample packet count target user list 102 is referred to determine whether the charge target user is in charge target communication, and stored in the corresponding row of the sample packet count target user list 102. The packet data length is added to the traffic volume.

  The total packet count target user list change processing unit 120 includes a threshold excess determination unit 121, a user addition processing unit 122, a user number upper limit excess determination unit 123, and a user deletion processing unit 124.

  The threshold excess determination unit 121 refers to the sample packet count target user list 102 held by the sample packet count processing unit 114 and extracts users who exceed a predetermined threshold.

  The user addition processing unit 122 adds a user who exceeds the threshold extracted by the threshold excess determination unit 121 to the all packet count target user list 101 held by the all packet count processing unit 112.

  The user number upper limit excess determination unit 123 stores the total packet count target user list upper limit value 103 in the memory, refers to the total packet count target user list 101 held by the total packet count processing unit 112, and When the number of users held in the count target user list 101 exceeds a predetermined all packet count target user list upper limit 103, the user deletion processing unit 124 is notified of the excess number.

  The user deletion processing unit 124 extracts a user with less traffic for the past n months from the all packet count target user list 101 held by the all packet count processing unit 112, and is notified by the user number upper limit excess determination unit 123. Delete a few minutes.

  The operation at the time of packet reception in the packet counting device 100 will be described.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart of processing when a packet is received according to the first embodiment of this invention.

  In the initial state, all users are sample count target users (step 101). The packet counting apparatus 100 receives a packet by the packet receiving unit 111, and the all packet count processing unit 112 refers to the all packet count target user list 101 based on the IP header information of the packet and performs communication for all packet count targets. (Step 101), if yes (step 101, Yes), the traffic amount is added to the corresponding record in the all packet count target user list 101 (step 102). If not (No at Step 101), the sampling unit 113 samples the IP network packet (Step 103). The sample packet count processing unit 114 refers to the sample packet count target user list 102 based on the IP header information of the sample packet, and determines whether the communication is for the charge target user (step 104). If applicable (step 104, Yes), the traffic volume of the user is added to the corresponding sample packet count target user list 102 (step 105).

  Next, the process of the threshold excess determination unit 121 of the all packet count target user list change processing unit 120 will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the threshold excess determination process in the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In the present invention, a threshold value (threshold value information) for the traffic volume of the user is set in the memory in the threshold value excess determination unit 121 of the all packet count target user list change processing unit 120. The threshold is a value for distinguishing between users who are within the amount of traffic that can be used with the basic charge and users who are charged according to usage. For example, “the amount of traffic that can be used with the basic charge” or “can be used with the basic charge” Traffic volume x 1/30 x days elapsed ". The threshold excess determination unit 121 periodically checks the accumulated traffic volume of the users in the sample packet count target user list 102 (step 201), and selects a user whose usage traffic volume estimated from the accumulated traffic volume exceeds the threshold value. The total packet count user is added to the total packet count target user list 101 (step 202).

  Next, the process of the all packet count target user list change processing unit 120 will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart of user deletion processing in the all packet count target user list according to the first embodiment of this invention.

  The threshold value excess determination unit 121 of the all packet count target user list change processing unit 120 reads the sample packet count target user list 102 stored in the memory in the sample packet count processing unit 114 and reads the memory of the threshold value excess determination unit 121. The user who exceeds the threshold value is extracted with reference to the threshold value information stored therein (step 301). The user addition processing unit 122 sets the initial state of the next month in the all packet count target user list 101 as the all count target user. In the all packet count target user list 101, an upper limit is set for the number of users. The upper limit value is held as the all packet count target user list upper limit value 103 in the memory of the user number upper limit excess determination unit 123. When the user number upper limit excess determination unit 123 exceeds the upper limit, the number of users is n. An excess number of users that are subject to all packet counts for a month or more and have a small total traffic volume for the past n months are extracted and deleted from the all packet count target user list 101 (step 302).

  By performing the above processing for a predetermined period, the sample packet count target user is uniformly charged based on the traffic volume at the end of the month, and all packet count users are charged according to the traffic volume. However, if the traffic amount of the total packet count user is equal to or less than the traffic amount that can be used with the basic fee, the basic fee is used.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 5 shows a configuration example of a packet counting device having a non-billing target communication exclusion processing function in the second embodiment of the present invention.

  In the figure, the same components as those in FIG.

  In FIG. 5, a non-billing target communication excluding unit 211, a first user individual non-billing target communication determining unit 212, and a second user individual non-billing target communication determining unit 213 are added to the packet count processing unit 210. is there. The non-chargeable communication exclusion unit 211 stores a non-chargeable communication list 201 that is a list of non-chargeable communication users as a whole system in the memory. The user individual non-billing communication determination unit 211 stores the all packet count target individual user list 202 in a memory. The user individual non-billing communication determination unit 212 stores the sample packet count target individual user list 203 in the memory.

  A process at the time of packet reception in a system in which non-chargeable communication is defined will be described.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart of non-chargeable communication exclusion processing in the second embodiment of the present invention.

  When the packet receiving unit 111 receives a packet, the packet counting apparatus 200 refers to the non-billing communication list 201 based on the header information of the packet (for example, the user's IP address) in the non-billing target communication excluding unit 211. Communication that is not charged for the entire system is excluded (step 401, Yes). This processing is processing that excludes non-billing communication common to all users, and for example, is a packet of a free communication server.

  Perform the following processing.

  Based on the header information of the packet, the total packet count processing unit 112 refers to the total packet count target user list 101 to determine whether the user is a total packet count target user. For example, it is determined whether the packet has a free setting for each user. If the user is a target user (step 402, Yes), the first user individual non-billing target communication determination unit 212 is inquired as to whether or not the user should be non-charging.

  The first user individual non-billing target communication determination unit 212 refers to the all packet count target individual user list 202 based on the user information, and if the corresponding user is stored (Yes in step 403) The total packet count processing unit 112 is notified that the user is to be charged. If the corresponding user is not stored (step 403, No), it is notified that the user is a chargeable person. As a result, when notified that the all packet count processing unit 112 is a chargeable person, the total packet count processing unit 112 counts the packet by referring to the total packet count target individual user list 202 based on the user information, The traffic volume of the packet is added to the traffic volume of the corresponding user in the count target user list 101 (step 404).

  When the user communication is not the total packet count target (step 402, No), after sampling the packet by the sampling unit 113 (step 405), the sample packet count processing unit 114 determines the sampled packet based on the header information. Then, referring to the sample packet count target user list 102, it is determined whether the user communication is a sample count target. If the target user is a target user (Yes in step 406), the second user individual non-billing target communication determination unit 213 Inquire whether the user should not be charged.

  The second user individual non-billing target communication determination unit 212 refers to the sample packet count target individual user list 203 based on the user information and stores a corresponding user (Yes in Step 407). The sample packet or count processing unit 114 is notified that the user is not charged. If the user is not an applicable user (step 407, No), the sample packet count processing unit 114 is notified that the user is a chargeable user. The sample packet count processing unit 114 counts the packets and adds the traffic amount to the corresponding packets in the sample packet count target user list 102 (step 408).

  FIG. 7 is a configuration example of an IP network including the packet counting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The terminal 1 of the charging target user communicates with the ISP network 3 and the SNI 4 via the IP network 2, and the traffic amount is integrated by the packet counting device 100 installed in the IP network 2.

  The packet count device 100 holds an all packet count target user list 101 and a sample packet count target user list 102. Examples of the state at the beginning of the month are shown in Tables 1 and 2. The amount of traffic that can be used with the basic charge is T, and the threshold for transition to the total packet count target is set to T x 1/30 x elapsed days.

なお、上記の表１の全パケットカウント対象ユーザリスト１０１は、全パケットカウント対象ユーザIPアドレス、トラフィック量、全パケットカウント対象期間、過去３ヶ月のトラフィック量総計からなるものとし、表２のサンプルパケットカウント対象ユーザリスト１０２は、サンプリングパケットカウント対象ユーザIPアドレス、実トラフィック量、みなしトラフィック量からなるものとしているが、表１、表２共に一例であり、表１はトラフィック量を総計する過去の期間を３ヶ月以外としてもよいし、表２はトラフィック量を記載しなくてもよい。

Note that the total packet count target user list 101 in Table 1 above includes the total packet count target user IP address, the traffic volume, the total packet count target period, and the total traffic volume for the past three months. The count target user list 102 includes sampling packet count target user IP addresses, actual traffic volume, and deemed traffic volume. Both Table 1 and Table 2 are examples, and Table 1 shows a past period of total traffic volume. May be other than three months, and Table 2 does not have to describe the traffic volume.

  When the packet count device 100 receives the packet, the all packet count processing unit 112 refers to the all packet count target user list 101 based on the IP header information of the received packet, and if applicable, the traffic of the corresponding user. The amount of packet traffic is added to the amount. If not applicable, sampling is performed by the sampling unit 113, and the sample packet count processing unit 114 refers to the IP header information of the sample packet and the sample packet count target user list 102 to determine whether it corresponds to the charge target communication of the charge target user. to decide. If applicable, the traffic volume of the packet is added to the traffic volume of the corresponding user in the sample packet count target user list 102.

  The threshold value excess determination unit 121 of the packet count device 100 periodically performs threshold value excess determination. The threshold excess determination unit 121 refers to the sample packet count target user list 102 as shown in Table 3, and when the traffic amount exceeds the threshold, the user of the sample packet count target user whose IP address is XX254.253 Are added to the total packet count target user list 101 of the total packet count processing unit 112 as shown in Table 4 in the user addition processing unit 122. Thereafter, the user is a target user for all packet counts. An example of the monthly cumulative traffic amount for each user is shown in FIG.

全パケットカウント対象ユーザリスト１０１のレコード数が上限を超過した場合、超過数分のユーザをリストから削除する。具体的な例としては、全パケットカウント対象期間が3カ月以上のユーザのうち、過去3カ月のトラフィック量総計が少ないユーザを抽出し、これをリストから削除する。この例を表５に示す。例えば、上限を超過した数がMであるとき、表５の全パケットカウント対象ユーザリスト１０１における全パケットカウント対象ユーザIPアドレス"X.X.254.253"の所定期間（例えば３ヶ月）のトラフィック量の総計が少ない順にM件のレコードが削除される。

When the number of records in the total packet count target user list 101 exceeds the upper limit, the excess number of users is deleted from the list. As a specific example, out of users whose total packet count target period is three months or more, a user with a small total traffic volume in the past three months is extracted and deleted from the list. This example is shown in Table 5. For example, when the number exceeding the upper limit is M, the total amount of traffic for a predetermined period (for example, 3 months) of the total packet count target user IP address “XX254.253” in the total packet count target user list 101 of Table 5 is M records are deleted in ascending order.

なお、本発明は、上記の図１、図５に示すパケットカウント装置の構成要素の動作をプログラムとして構築し、パケットカウント装置として利用されるコンピュータにインストールして実行させる、または、ネットワークを介して流通させることが可能である。

In the present invention, the operation of the components of the packet counting device shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 is constructed as a program and installed in a computer used as the packet counting device to be executed, or via a network. It can be distributed.

  The present invention is not limited to the description of the above embodiments and examples, and various modifications and applications are possible within the scope of the claims.

1 Chargeable user 2 IP network 3 ISP network 4 SNI
100, 200 Packet counting device 101 All packet count target user list 102 Sample packet count target user list 103 All packet count target user list upper limit 110, 210 Packet count processing unit 111 Packet receiving unit 112 All packet count processing unit 113 Sampling unit 114 Sample packet count processing units 120 and 220 All packet count target user list change processing unit 121 Threshold excess determination unit 122 User addition processing unit 123 User number upper limit excess determination unit 124 User deletion processing unit 201 Non-billing communication list 202 All packet count target individual User list 203 Sample packet count target individual user list 211 Non-billing target determination unit 212 First user individual non-billing target communication determination unit 213 Second user The individual non-billing target communication determination unit

Claims (6)

A packet counting device that counts the amount of packet traffic for charging when a certain service condition is assumed in an IP network,
Threshold storage means for storing a threshold for discriminating in advance a user who is within the traffic amount that can be used with the basic charge and a user who will be charged according to the basic charge;
A first storage means for storing a list of all packet count target users for storing charge target user identification information and traffic volume;
Second storage means for storing a sample packet count target user list for storing sampled user identification information and traffic volume;
A packet receiving means for receiving a packet;
Based on the information of the packet, the first storage means is referred to. When the user of the packet is a chargeable user, the traffic amount of the packet is added to the corresponding user of the first storage means. All packet count processing means;
In the total packet count processing means, sampling means for sampling the packet when the user of the packet is not a chargeable user;
When packet information sampled by the sampling means is stored in the second storage means, sample packet count processing for integrating the traffic volume of the packet to the corresponding user in the second storage means Means,
A threshold excess determining means for referring to the second storage means and extracting a user who exceeds the threshold of the threshold storage means;
User addition processing means for adding a user exceeding the threshold excess determination means to the first storage means;
A user number upper limit excess determination unit that periodically refers to the first storage unit and determines whether the number of records in the first storage unit exceeds a predetermined upper limit;
User deletion means for obtaining the number of users exceeding the upper limit value in the user number upper limit excess determination means, and deleting records for the number of users from the first storage means;
A packet counting device. Non-billing communication exclusion means for excluding communication that is not charged with reference to a non-charging communication list storage means that stores a list of communications that are not charged in the system in advance for received packets;
The first storage means and the second storage means include user information that is not charged,
The total packet count processing means includes means for not processing the packet when the user of the acquired packet matches the non-billing user information stored in the first storage means,
The sample packet count processing means includes means for not processing the packet when the user of the acquired packet matches the non-billing user information stored in the second storage means. The packet counting device as described. The threshold value of the threshold value storage means is
2. The packet counting device according to claim 1, wherein one or both of “traffic amount usable with basic charge” and “traffic amount usable with basic charge × 1/30 × elapsed days” are used. A packet counting method for counting the amount of packet traffic for charging when a certain service condition is assumed in an IP network,
Threshold storage means for storing a threshold for discriminating in advance a user who is within the traffic amount that can be used with the basic charge and a user who will be charged according to the basic charge;
A first storage means for storing a list of all packet count target users for storing charge target user identification information and traffic volume;
Second storage means for storing a sample packet count target user list for storing sampled user identification information and traffic volume;
A packet receiving means, a total packet count processing means, a sampling means, a sample packet count processing means, a threshold excess determination means, a user addition processing means, a user number upper limit excess determination means, and a user deletion means; In the device having
A packet receiving step in which the packet receiving means receives a packet;
The total packet count processing unit refers to the first storage unit based on the information of the packet, and when the user of the packet is a chargeable user, the traffic amount of the packet is stored in the first storage unit. A total packet count processing step for accumulating to the corresponding user of the means;
A sampling step for sampling the packet when the user of the packet is not a chargeable user in the total packet count processing step;
When the sample packet count processing means has user information corresponding to the packet sampled in the sampling step in the second storage means, the traffic amount of the packet corresponds to the second storage means. Sample packet count processing step for accumulating to the user;
The threshold excess determination means refers to the second storage means and extracts a user exceeding the threshold of the threshold storage means to extract a user exceeding the threshold; and
A user addition processing step in which the user addition processing means adds a user exceeding the threshold excess determination step to the first storage means;
The user number upper limit excess determining means periodically refers to the first storage means, and determines whether the number of records in the first storage means exceeds a predetermined upper limit value; ,
The user deleting means acquires the number of users exceeding the upper limit value in the user number upper limit excess determining means, and deletes the user number of records from the first storage means,
A packet count method characterized by: With respect to the received packet, referring to a non-billing communication list storage means that stores a list of non-billing communications in the system in advance, an apparatus further comprising non-billing communication excluding means for excluding non-billing communication,
The first storage means and the second storage means include user information that is not charged,
In the all packet count processing step, if the user of the acquired packet matches the non-billing user information stored in the first storage means, the step of not processing the packet,
The sample packet count processing step includes a step of not processing the packet when the user of the acquired packet matches the non-billing user information stored in the second storage means. The packet counting method as described. The threshold value of the threshold value storage means is
5. The packet counting method according to claim 4, wherein one or both of “traffic amount usable with basic charge” and “traffic amount usable with basic charge × 1/30 × elapsed days” are used.

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