KR20100011692A - System and method for processing accounting - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A system and a method for processing charging are provided to retransmit a charging information message when an error which can succeed in transmitting the charging information message exists, thereby preventing leakage of charging. CONSTITUTION: A charging processing system(200) comprises a charging information generation apparatus(210) and a charging information processing apparatus(220). The charging information generation apparatus comprises a charging information generation unit(211), a charging information transmitting unit(212) and a controller(213). The charging information generation unit generates charging information about a subscriber terminal. The charging information transmitting unit transmits the charging information to the charging information generation apparatus. According to a response message about the charging information, the controller determines whether to retransmit the charging information.

Description

System and method for processing accounting}

The present invention relates to a billing processing system and method, and more particularly, to a billing processing system and method for preventing the leakage of billing occurs.

Recently, there are not only circuit switching based communication networks such as CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) networks, but also packet switching based communication networks. Especially, IP (Internet Protocol) based communication is used. The performing IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network is used.

The IMS network conforms to the communication network standard proposed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), and provides an IP-based communication service, and mainly uses a signaling protocol such as a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).

In such an IMS network, a plurality of billing generation nodes exist, and each billing node simultaneously generates separate billing information and transmits it to a device for billing processing.

Each billing generation node transmits the billing information to a device for billing processing, and then determines whether the billing information is successfully transmitted through a response message transmitted from the billing processing device.

At this time, each charging generation node is determined that there is an error in the charging information, even if the transmission information may be successful when retransmitting the charging information when the response information transmitted from the device for charging processing includes the error information The billing information will be deleted.

Accordingly, there is a demand for a method for preventing the leakage of billing information by retransmitting billing information to the billing processing device according to the error information included in the response message transmitted from the billing processing device. have.

The technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to prevent the leakage of billing by selectively retransmitting the billing information according to the error information included in the response message for the billing information transmitted from the device for billing processing. The present invention provides a billing processing system and method.

The object of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned object, and other objects that are not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

Billing processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above object, billing information generation unit for generating billing information for the subscriber terminal, billing for transmitting the generated billing information to the device for processing the billing information; And an information transmitter, and a controller for determining whether to retransmit the charging information according to the response message to the transmitted charging information.

In addition, the billing processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above object, generating the billing information for the subscriber terminal, transmitting the billing information generated to the device for processing the billing information, And determining whether to retransmit the charging information according to the response message to the transmitted charging information.

Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings which will be described later.

According to the charging processing system and method according to the embodiment of the present invention as described above, one or more of the following effects exist.

When retransmitting the billing information message according to the error information included in the response message of the billing information message, if the billing information message is transmitted successfully, the billing information message is resent to prevent the leakage of billing. have.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings for the configuration or processing flowchart for explaining the billing processing system and method according to embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail for the implementation of the present invention.

At this time, it is to be understood that like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the specification, and that each configuration of the flowchart illustrations and combinations of flowchart illustrations may be performed by computer program instructions.

Since these computer program instructions may be mounted on a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing equipment, those instructions executed through the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing equipment are described in the flow chart configuration (s). It will create a means to perform the specified functions.

These computer program instructions may be stored in a computer usable or computer readable memory that can be directed to a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to implement functionality in a particular manner, and thus the computer usable or computer readable memory. It is also possible for the instructions stored in to produce an article of manufacture containing instruction means for performing the functions described in the flowchart configuration (s).

Computer program instructions may also be mounted on a computer or other programmable data processing equipment, such that a series of operating steps may be performed on the computer or other programmable data processing equipment to create a computer-implemented process to create a computer or other programmable data. Instructions for performing the processing equipment may also provide steps for performing the functions described in the flowchart configuration (s).

In addition, each arrangement may represent a module, segment, or portion of code that includes one or more executable instructions for executing a specified logical function (s).

It should also be noted that in some alternative embodiments, the functions noted in the configurations may occur out of order. For example, the two configurations shown in succession may in fact be performed substantially simultaneously or the configurations may sometimes be performed in the reverse order, depending on the function in question.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a system for call processing in an IMS network according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown, the system 100 for call processing in an IMS network according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a subscriber station 110, an IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) network 120, and an access network 130. can do.

The IMS network 120 is a communication network based on a communication network standard proposed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). The IMS network 120 provides an IP-based communication-based service and mainly uses a signaling protocol such as a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).

The access network 130 is a mobile communication network that allows the subscriber station 110 to access the IMS network 120. For example, the access network 130 may be a wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) network. That is, the IMS network 120 may be used as an auxiliary network of a mobile communication network such as a WCDMA network. Of course, in the embodiment of the present invention, the IMS network 120 and the access network 130 is described as being configured separately, but this is only an example to help the understanding of the present invention is not limited to this IMS network 120 ) And the access network 130 may be configured as one communication network.

The IMS network 120 includes a call session control function 122 (CSCF) and a location register for session control according to a gateway 121 (G / W), a call, etc. connected to the access network 130. A home subscriber server (HSS) 123, an application server 124 (AS), and a media resource function 125 (MRF). At this time, in the embodiment of the present invention, the CSCF 122 is used as the session control device, but this is only an example for clarity of understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. The same can be implemented.

CSCF 122 may perform the function of registering subscriber terminal 110 with HSS 123 and routing SIP signaling to the appropriate server. CSCF 122 may include Proxy CSCF 122a (P-CSCF), Serving CSCF 122b, S-CSCF, and Interrogating CSCF 122c (I-CSCF). The P-CSCF 121a performs the same function as the SIP proxy server, and compresses / decompresses SIP messages, authenticates bearer resources and measures QoS, and requests SIP registers from the terminal to the I-CSCF 122c. It can perform the function of delivering. The S-CSCF 122b controls the session for the terminal and may maintain the session state for service maintenance. I-CSCF 122c receives the SIP request from another network and routes it to S-CSCF 122b, and the address of S-CSCF 122b can be obtained from HSS 123. That is, I-CSCF 122c may forward the SIP request and response to S-CSCF 122b.

AS 124 provides video conferencing service, video conferencing call-based technology, video conferencing media control, intelligent network prepaid billing, billing information transmission, voice control function when performing Push-To-Talk (PTT) function, announcement broadcasting It can provide application functions such as ring-back-tone function. Of course, in one embodiment of the present invention has been described for the case in which one AS 124 is used as an example, this is only one example to help the understanding of the present invention, not limited to this, all in one AS An application function may be performed, or a plurality of ASs may provide an application function according to each function.

The MRF 125 performs a function of controlling a media stream resource, and may include a multimedia resource function controller (MRFC) and a multimedia resource function processor (MRFP). The MRFP mixes and processes media streams, and the MRFC can control media stream resources within the MRFP.

In the charging processing procedure based on the IMS network 120, the components generating the charging information in FIG. 1 described above, for example, the CSCF 122, the AS 124, the MRF 125, and the like, respectively, charge information. After generating and transmitting the generated billing information to a device for collecting and processing billing information, the device for collecting and processing billing information performed billing session management processing based on the received billing information. In this case, the charging information is transmitted to the device for collecting and processing the charging information through the Diameter protocol. In this case, as described above, the components 122, 124, and 125 generating and transmitting the charging information generate an error in the charging information transmitted through the response to the charging information transmitted from the device for collecting and processing the charging information. If it is found out, the accounting information is discarded, causing a leak of billing. An embodiment of the present invention may be understood to implement a retransmission procedure for billing information to prevent leakage of billing.

2 is a block diagram showing an IMS network-based charging processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Although not shown in FIG. 2, the same reference numerals will be used for the same elements as those of FIG. 1.

As shown, the IMS network-based billing processing system 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the billing information generation device 210 for generating billing information and the generated billing information to receive the corresponding subscriber terminal 110 It may include a charging information processing device 220 for processing the charging information for.

In this case, in the embodiment of the present invention, the charging information generating apparatus 210 may be included in the apparatus for generating charging information such as the CSCF 122, the AS 124, the MRF 125, and the like of FIG. 1. Of course, in the embodiment of the present invention has been described a case in which the billing information generating device 210 is included in the CSCF 122, AS 124 and MRF 125 by way of example, this is to help understanding of the present invention For example, the apparatus for generating charging information regarding the time charging, the packet charging, and the like for the subscriber station 110 may include the charging information generating device 210 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Also, the charging information generating device 210 may be configured as a charging triggering function (CTF) in the CSCF 122, the AS 124, and the MRF 125.

As described above, the charging information is generated for each of the components 122, 124, and 125 because the charging information generated for each component is different. For example, in the case of a VoIP service through an IMS network, billing information such as time information and incoming / outgoing information is generated in an IMS network, and billing information such as time information and packet information is generated in a gateway GPRS support node (GGSN). It can be.

The billing information generating unit 210 may include a billing information generating unit 211 for generating a billing information message for the subscriber station 110 and a billing information transmitter for transmitting the generated billing information message to the billing information processing device 220. In operation 212, the controller 213 may determine whether to retransmit the charging information message according to the response message from the charging information processing apparatus 220.

The accounting request message (ACR) generated by the billing information generation unit 211 is generated after an intermediate interval after the first billing information message and the first billing information message generated after the call between the caller and the called party is established. And a third charging information message generated after the call between the caller and the called party is terminated, and the second charging information message is repeatedly transmitted at a predetermined time interval until the transmission of the third charging information message. Can be. In addition, each generated billing information message may include a session key such as a customer number and an IP address for identifying the subscriber station 110. In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, since the charging information generating apparatus 210 may be included in the CSCF 122, the AS 124, and the MRF 125 of FIG. It can be seen that an information message can be generated.

As described above, the billing information transmitter 212 may transmit the billing information message generated each time a billing information message is generated by the billing information generator 211 to the billing information processing device 220.

The control unit 213 determines whether error information is included in a response message (Accounting Answer: ACA) transmitted from the charging information processing apparatus 220 with respect to the charging information message transmitted by the charging information transmitting unit 222. Accordingly, it is possible to determine whether to retransmit the charging information message. In other words, the response message from the charging information processing apparatus 220 may include error information generated with respect to the charging information message transmitted by the charging information transmitting unit 212, and the charging information transmitting unit 212 may include a controller ( If the charging information message transmission fails under the control of 213, the charging information message can be retransmitted.

For example, the response message from the charging information processing apparatus 220 may include "3XXX", "4XXX", "5XXX", "6XXX", and the like as error information that may be included in the charging information message. In the embodiment of the present invention, "3XXX" represents a protocol error, "4XXX" represents a transient error, "5XXX" represents a permanent error, and "6XXX" represents a service provider. An example of the error defined by the following description will be described. In this case, as the error information in the embodiment of the present invention, the case of "3XXX", "4XXX", "5XXX" and "6XXX" has been described by way of example, but this is only an example to help understanding of the present invention. For example, the type of error, error code, and the like may be variously changed according to network conditions and operator policies.

In the various kinds of errors as described above, "3XXX", "4XXX" and "6XXX" are errors in which the charging information message can be successfully transmitted depending on the situation even after an error occurs, and "5XXX" causes an error to occur once. If it can be understood as an error that can not be sent after the charging information message.

Accordingly, the controller 213 may transmit the charging information message according to a situation among the various kinds of errors as described above. For example, the charging information transmission unit may be used for the errors “3XXX”, “4XXX”, and “6XXX”. In operation 212, the charging information message is retransmitted, and in the case of “5XXX”, when the error occurs once, it is determined that the charging information message is not possible and the charging information message is deleted. As described above, when the control unit 213 retransmits the charging information message according to the error information included in the response message, the charging information message is retransmitted except for the permanent error "5XXX", thereby preventing leakage of the charging. It can be.

In this case, when the controller 213 determines that the charging information message is retransmitted, the interval and the number of times of retransmitting the charging information message may be changed in various ways such as service type and operator policy.

The billing information processing apparatus 220 may include a billing information receiver 221 for receiving a billing information message transmitted from the billing information generator 210, and a response message transmitter 222 for transmitting a response message for the received billing information message. And an error determination unit 223 for determining an error occurring in the received charging information message and transmitting error information along with the response message according to the determination result. In other words, the response message transmitter 222 may collect the error information determined by the error determiner 223 when transmitting the response message, and include the collected error information in the response message to transmit the response message.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a charging processing method in an IMS network according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown, the charging processing method in the IMS network according to an embodiment of the present invention, the charging information generating device 210 included in the CSCF 122, AS 124, MRF 125, etc. of FIG. ) Generates a charging information message (S110), and transmits the generated charging information to the charging information processing apparatus 220 (S120).

The charging information processing apparatus 220 receives the charging information message transmitted from the charging information generating apparatus 210 (S130), and determines whether an error has occurred in the received charging information message (S140).

The billing information generating device 210 receives a response message to the billing information message transmitted from the billing information processing device 220 together with the error information (S150).

The billing information generating device 210 determines whether to retransmit the billing information message according to the response message transmitted from the billing information processing device 220 (S160).

That is, the charging information generating device 210 determines whether the above-mentioned "3XXX", "4XXX", "5XXX" and "6XXX" are included in the error information included in the received response message, and the charging result is determined. When the information message is retransmitted, the charging information message is retransmitted for error information that can be successfully transmitted, and the charging information message is deleted for error information that cannot be transmitted even when the charging information message is retransmitted.

4 is a block diagram showing a response message received by the charging information generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this case, in the response message shown in FIG. 4, the charging information processing apparatus 220 receives the charging information message from the charging information generating apparatus 210 included in the CSCF 122, the AS 124, the MRF 125, and the like. After that, it can be understood as a response message to send.

As shown, the billing information processing device 220 receives the billing information message from the billing information generating device 210 included in the CSCF 122, the AS 124, the MRF 125, and the like. The response messages 310, 320, 330 in response to the information message are transmitted to each billing information generating device 210 included in the CSCF 122, the AS 124, the MRF 125, and the like. In this case, although the charging information generating device 210 is not shown in FIG. 4, the CSCF 122, the AS 124, and the MRF 125 are shown, but the charging information generating device 210 may include the CSCF 122, It can be understood that it is composed of CTF such as AS 124, MRF 125, and the like.

In this case, in FIG. 4, the response messages 310 and 330 transmitted to the CSCF 122 and the MRF 125 include “3XXX” and “6XXX” as error information 311 and 331, and the AS 124. The case where "5XXX" is included as the error information 321 in the response message 320 transmitted to FIG.

Therefore, the error information 311 and 331 included in the response messages 310 and 330 transmitted to the CSCF 122 and the MRF 125 may not be transmitted when the charging information message is retransmitted. While error may be successful, the error information 321 included in the response message 320 transmitted to the AS 124 may be understood as an error that cannot be transmitted even when the charging information message is retransmitted.

5 is a block diagram illustrating a charging information message retransmitted by an apparatus for generating charging information according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this case, FIG. 5 may be understood as the CSCF 122, the AS 124, and the MRF 125 receiving the response message as shown in FIG. 4, respectively, and then retransmitting the charging information message.

As illustrated, among the charging information generating apparatuses 210 included in the CSCF 122, the AS 124, and the MRF 125, the CSCF 122 and the MRF 125 may include error information included in the response message. If the message is retransmitted, the transmission can be successful, and the AS 124 cannot transmit even if the error information included in the response message retransmits the charging information message.

Accordingly, the billing information generating device 210 included in the CSCF 122 and the MRF 125 retransmits the billing information messages 410 and 420 to the billing information processing device 220 as shown in FIG. 5, respectively. 124 does not resend the charging information message.

As described above, according to the present invention, after the charging information generating device 210 transmits the charging information message, the charging information message is retransmitted according to the error information included in the response message transmitted from the charging information processing device 220. This prevents billing leaks that occur because no messages are sent.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may implement the present invention in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features thereof. I can understand that. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are exemplary in all respects and not restrictive.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a system for call processing in an IMS network in an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a block diagram illustrating a charging processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a charging information generating method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a block diagram illustrating a response message according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a block diagram illustrating a charging information message retransmitted according to an embodiment of the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols on main parts of the drawings>

210: billing information generation device 211: billing information generation unit

212: billing information transmission unit 213: control unit

220: billing information processing device 221: billing information receiving device

222: response message transmission unit 223: error determination unit

Claims (12)

A billing information generator for generating billing information for the subscriber station; A billing information transmitter for transmitting the generated billing information to a device for processing the billing information; And And a controller for determining whether to retransmit the charging information according to the response message to the transmitted charging information. The method of claim 1, The charging information is transmitted through a diameter protocol (Diameter) protocol. The method of claim 1, The apparatus for processing the billing information, the billing information receiving unit for receiving the billing information; A response message transmitter for transmitting a response message according to the received charging information; And And an error determination unit that determines an error generated in the received charging information. The method of claim 1, The response message includes error information generated in the charging information, And the error information includes at least one of an error that can be transmitted when the billing information is retransmitted and an error that cannot be transmitted even when the billing information is retransmitted. The method of claim 4, wherein And the controller controls the charging information to be retransmitted when the error information is an error that can be transmitted when the charging information is retransmitted. The method of claim 4, wherein And the controller is configured to delete the charging information when the error information is an error that cannot be transmitted when the charging information is retransmitted. Generating charging information for the subscriber station; Transmitting the generated charging information to an apparatus for processing the charging information; And And determining whether to retransmit the charging information according to the response message to the transmitted charging information. The method of claim 7, wherein The charging information is transmitted through a diameter protocol (Diameter) protocol. The method of claim 7, wherein Receiving the charging information by an apparatus for processing the charging information; Determining an error occurring in the received charging information; And And transmitting a response message to the received charging information together with the determined error information. The method of claim 7, wherein The response message includes error information generated in the charging information, And the error information includes at least one of an error that can be transmitted when the billing information is retransmitted and an error that cannot be transmitted even when the billing information is retransmitted. The method of claim 10, The determining of whether to retransmit the charging information, if the error information is an error that can be transmitted when retransmitting the charging information, the charging information processing method comprising the step of retransmitting the charging information. The method of claim 10, The determining of whether to retransmit the charging information, if the error information is an error that can not be transmitted when retransmitting the charging information, the charging processing method comprising the step of deleting the charging information.

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