WO2007137482A1

WO2007137482A1 - Charging method, system and device in interoperability network of global microwave system

Info

Publication number: WO2007137482A1
Application number: PCT/CN2007/001520
Authority: WO
Inventors: Junxian Mo
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2006-05-19
Filing date: 2007-05-09
Publication date: 2007-12-06
Also published as: CN101043344A

Abstract

A charging method, system and device in interoperability network of the global microwave system. The method includes: transmitting a charging message in which a terminal information is contained from a charging point to a charging server; generating a charging ticket in which the terminal information is contained based on the charging message by the charging server. When the different users access the internet through the different terminals using the same user name/code, in such a case, the charging server can judge that this charging information belongs to which terminal based on the terminal information contained in the current charging message, the charging information can give an accurate all-sided account of the current charging condition.

Description

Billing method, system and device in the mutual network of the global microwave system This application claims to be submitted to the Chinese Patent Office on May 19, 2006, with the application number of 200610060838.5, and the invention name is "a billing in a WIMAX network. The priority of the Chinese Patent Application, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Technical field

The present invention relates to the field of wireless communications, and in particular to a charging method, system and device in an interoperability network of a global chopper system.

Background technique

WiMAX ( Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is a wireless metropolitan area network technology based on the IEEE 802.16 standard. The logical architecture of the WiMAX network is shown in Figure 1. It consists of three parts: the client (MSS/SS, Mobile Subscribe Station / Subscriber Station) 11. The Access Service Network (ASN) 12 and the connection service network. (CSN, Connectivity Service Network) 13. The ASN is defined as a network function set that provides a wireless access service for the WiMA terminal. The ASN includes a base station (BS, Base Station) and an access service network gateway (ASN-GW, ASN Gateway) network element.

2 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the WIMAX charging system. The user uses the client terminal 21 to log in, access, and log out of the network through the charging point 22 according to the network requirements. The charging point 22 is based on the user's access to the network. The accounting packet is automatically initiated, and the accounting server 23 receives the accounting packet and generates a bill corresponding to the user according to the accounting packet. From this point of view, billing is transparent to the user, starting automatically from the user's Internet access, and automatically ending when the user goes offline.

The protocol stack of each of the above entities is as shown in FIG. 3. Generally, the charging point is an access server (NAS, Network Access Server) or a bandwidth access server (BAS, Broadband Access Server), and of course, other Simplified Remote Access Server (RAS, Remote Access Server), such as LAN Switch, Access Point (AP), Base Station (BS, Basic Station), Cable Modem Terminal System (CMTS, Cable Modem) Termination System and so on, it can automatically know the user's login, exit network actions. The accounting server is generally an AAA server, which can be used by the Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS). Other applications can be used, such as internal protocols and terminal access controller access control systems. TACACS, Terminal Access Controller Access Control System), DIAMETER protocol, etc.

The RADIUS protocol is the currently popular public AAA protocol. AAA is short for Authorization, Authentication, and Accounting.

Because RADIUS is an open standard protocol, unlike other proprietary protocols, all vendors can easily connect and interoperate in use. It is an open, de facto standard in the current network and can be interoperable between any vendor anywhere in the world.

The RADIUS protocol uses a client/server structure and uses the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) as the transport protocol. The RADIUS client usually runs on the access server. The client's task is to send the user's information to the specified server, and then process it according to the different responses of the server. A RADIUS server typically runs on a workstation and its task is to receive requests from clients and return the configuration information that customers need to provide services to users. The RADIUS server also receives the accounting information sent by the client and saves it in the database.

The charging point in Figure 2 collects the original charging data to generate a UDR (User Data Record) file, and the charging point generates an accounting message according to the UDR.

FIG. 4 is a typical charging process in the prior art, including the following steps:

1. The user logs in to the network successfully.

2. After the user logs in to the network, the charging point automatically initiates an accounting start request message Accounting-Request/Start to the accounting server, and carries the user name in the request message;

3. After receiving the charging start request, the accounting server records the information of the user, the charging session, the user address, the start time, the current traffic, and the like in the packet, and saves the data as a user charging record in the database. The charging point sends a charging start response message, Accounting-Response/Start, and the charging point can start charging.

4. If the accounting information needs to be protected in real time, the intermediate accounting packet can be provided in the charging process. At this time, according to the predetermined intermediate period, the charging point initiates an intermediate charging request message Accounting-Request/Interim Update, and carries the user name in the request message;

5. The accounting server receives the intermediate charging request message, records the user, the charging session, the user address, the duration, the traffic, and the like in the message, stores the user charging record in the database, and sends the information to the charging point. Intermediate charging response message Accounting-Response/ Interim Update, response meter The fee can continue to be charged in the middle;

6. After the user finishes using the network and quits the network, the user can actively hang up the line, or the network abnormality detection, the user forced to go offline, and the like;

7. After the user exits the network, the charging point automatically initiates the accounting termination request Accounting-Request/Stop to the accounting server, and carries the user name in the request message;

After receiving the charging termination request message, the accounting server records the user, the charging session, the user address, the length of time that the network has been used, the used network traffic, and the like as the user charging record. Save to the database, and send the accounting termination response message Accounting-Response /Stop to the billing point, and respond to the billing point to terminate the billing.

In actual applications, whether billing, intermediate billing, time-based, traffic, network location, and so on, are generally configurable according to network conditions and user operational requirements.

In the latest WiMAX standard, billing by service flow can be supported, that is, the user logs in to the network successfully, and the billing point starts billing after the service flow is successfully established. The customer's online billing information is completely recorded on the billing server. The billing system can directly calculate the corresponding rate and calculation method according to the operation requirements according to the record, and convert the original billing information into the real bill of the customer.

However, the WiMAX standard currently does not carry the terminal identifier (MS ID or other identifier that can identify the terminal device) in the latest defined accounting message, which will result in the following charging problem: Since WiMAX supports a network access identifier (NAI) Network Access Identifier ) When multiple devices are used at the same time, when using the same username/password to access the Internet through different terminals, the charging point only sends the username information to the accounting server. In this case, the accounting server It is not possible to determine which terminal the charging information belongs to according to the information of the current charging message, so that the charging information cannot fully and accurately describe the charging situation at this time.

Summary of the invention

The embodiment of the invention provides a charging method and system in an interoperability network of a global microwave system, so that the charging server can determine which terminal the charging information belongs to according to the information of the current charging message, so as to be comprehensive and accurate. Describe the billing situation.

The embodiment of the invention further provides a charging point device in an interoperability network of the global microwave system, which can provide the charging server with terminal information used by the user to access the network.

A charging method in a WIMAX network provided by an embodiment of the present invention includes: The charging point sends a charging packet to the accounting server, where the charging packet carries the terminal information; the charging server generates a charging bill according to the charging packet, where the charging bill includes the terminal information

A charging system in a WIMAX network provided by an embodiment of the present invention includes: a charging point device and a charging server,

The charging point device includes:

a packet generating unit, configured to generate a charging packet, and carry the terminal information in the charging packet; the packet sending unit is configured to send the charging packet carrying the terminal information to the charging server ;

The charging server is configured to generate a charging bill according to the charging packet, where the charging bill includes the terminal information.

A charging point device in a WIMAX network according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a message generating unit, configured to generate a charging packet, and carry the terminal information in the charging packet; a message sending unit, And sending, to the charging server, the charging packet that carries the terminal information;

In the embodiment of the present invention, the charging information carries the terminal information in the charging packet, so that the server can determine, according to the information of the current charging packet, which terminal the charging information belongs to; the charging server generates the charging packet according to the charging packet. The billing bill also includes the terminal information, so that the billing situation can be fully and accurately described, the service level of the network service provider is improved, and the customer satisfaction is increased.

DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows the existing WIMAX network architecture diagram;

2 is an existing charging system architecture diagram;

3 is a schematic diagram of an existing billing system protocol stack;

Figure 4 is an existing charging flow chart;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a message exchange between a charging point and an accounting server in a WIMAX network charging method according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

FIG. 6 is a structural diagram of a WIMAX network charging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. detailed description

The embodiment of the present invention modifies the UDR and the accounting packet of the existing WiMax charging system, and adds the carrying terminal information to the UDR and the accounting packet, and the information may be an MS ID or other identifier capable of identifying the terminal, and the terminal The information may also include type information of the terminal indicating whether the terminal device is a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a computer, or the like.

The embodiment of the present invention is described in detail below with reference to FIG. 5. The method for charging in a WIMAX network according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the following steps:

1) After the user logs in to the network, the charging point initiates an accounting start request Acct-Request/Start to the charging server (AAA server), and the charging start message carries the terminal information, and the terminal information includes: The terminal identification information or other identifier capable of identifying the terminal may further include: type information of the terminal, and the type information of the terminal indicates whether the terminal device is a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a computer, or another type. It is included in the UDR generated by the charging point (the same below, and will not be described again); the charging point can know the terminal information from the information sent by the received terminal;

2) After receiving the charging start request, the accounting server records the related information in the charging start request message, and responds to the charging point to start the charging message Acct-Response/Start;

3) According to network conditions, operational requirements, etc., if the network needs to perform real-time protection of charging information, intermediate accounting packets can be provided in the charging process. At this time, according to the predetermined intermediate period, the charging point initiates an intermediate charging request Acct-Request/Interim-Update to the charging server, and the intermediate charging message also includes the terminal information;

4) After receiving the intermediate charging request, the accounting server records the information in the intermediate charging request message, including the terminal information, and saves the information as a user charging record in the database, and responds to the charging point to continue in the middle. Accounting text Acct-Response /Interim-Update;

5) After the user exits the network, the charging point initiates an accounting termination request Acct-Request/Stop to the charging server, and the charging termination request message also includes terminal information;

6) After receiving the charging termination request, the accounting server records the information in the charging termination request message, saves it as a user charging record in the database, and responds to the charging point to terminate the charging message Acct-Response /Stop.

In this way, the billing server can generate a billing bill based on the record information in the database. The corresponding bill information is included in the bill. The billing system can directly calculate the corresponding rate and calculation method according to the operation requirements according to the record, and convert the original billing information into bills for each terminal.

The method for carrying the terminal information in the foregoing various accounting packets, that is, the charging start message, the intermediate charging message, and the charging termination message, may be any one of the following three types:

One is to use the Calling-Station-Id attribute in the Radius protocol to carry terminal information; the other is to use the Vendor-Specific attribute in the Radius protocol to carry terminal information;

The third is to use the Acct-Multi-Session-Id attribute in the Radius protocol to carry terminal information. However, embodiments of the invention are not limited to the use of the above three methods. The accounting packet uses the Radius protocol as the bearer protocol, and the charging message is the Radius message. The content of the accounting packet is carried by the attributes specified by the Radius protocol. Of course, if other protocols are used, correspondingly, the corresponding attributes of the protocol are needed to carry the terminal information.

The charging system in the interoperability network of the global microwave system provided by the embodiment of the present invention has a structure as shown in FIG. 6, and includes: a charging point device 61 and a charging server 62. The billing point device 61 may be a network access server or a broadband access server, and the billing server 62 may be an AAA server.

The billing point device 61 includes: a message generating unit 611 and a message sending unit 612. The message generating unit 611 generates a charging message for the user who uses the network, and carries the terminal information used by the user in the charging message; the message sending unit 612 sends the charging message to the charging server 62. . The charging mode of the charging packet may be different according to the protocol supported by the charging point device 61 and the charging server 62. For example, when the AAA server is used for charging, the charging point device may use the AAA client to calculate the meter. The fee message bearer is sent to the billing server 62 in the Radius protocol message. The billing server 62 generates a billing bill according to the billing information, and the billing bill includes the terminal information.

The billing point device 61 may acquire the terminal information used by the user by the terminal information acquiring unit 613 when the user logs in and logs out of the network; generate the UDR by the UDR generating unit 614, and include the terminal information in the UDR and transmit it to the The message generation unit.

The billing point device provided by the embodiment of the present invention is as shown in FIG. 6, and the working process thereof can be referred to the description in the system of the embodiment of the present invention.

It can be seen from the foregoing embodiment that the embodiment of the present invention modifies the UDR and the accounting packet of the existing WiMax charging system, and adds the carrying terminal information in the UDR and the accounting packet, and the information may be the MS. ID or other identifier capable of identifying the terminal, the terminal information may further include type information of the terminal, indicating whether the terminal device is a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA, Personal DigitalAssistant computer or other type. Especially when different users utilize the same one When the username/password is accessed through different terminals, the accounting server can determine which terminal the charging information belongs to according to the terminal information carried in the current charging packet, and the charging information can describe the current time comprehensively and accurately. The billing situation is as follows: The network service provider (NSP, Network service provider) contains the terminal information in the billing bill generated by the billing message, so that the billing bill can know which MS IDs the NAI has at the same time. Use, thereby improving the service level of network service providers and increasing customer satisfaction.

The above examples are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Accordingly, equivalent changes made within the scope of the invention as claimed herein are still within the scope of the invention.

Claims

Rights request

A charging method in an interoperability network of a global wave system, characterized in that the method comprises:

The charging point sends a charging packet to the accounting server, where the charging packet carries the terminal information; the charging server generates a charging bill according to the charging packet, where the charging bill includes the terminal information.

The charging method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: charging the terminal according to the terminal information included in the charging bill.

The charging method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the charging message comprises: an accounting start message and a charging termination message.

The charging method according to claim 3, wherein the charging message further comprises: an intermediate charging message.

The charging method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: the charging point is configured to log in and out of the network, generate a user data record, and include terminal information in the user data. In the record;

Generating the accounting message according to the user data record.

The charging method according to claim 1, wherein the terminal information comprises: terminal identification information or an identifier capable of identifying the terminal.

The charging method according to claim 6, wherein the terminal information further comprises: type information of the terminal.

8. The charging method according to claim 1, wherein the charging message is carried by using a Radius protocol.

9. The charging method according to claim 8, wherein the Vendor-Specific genus '1' in the Radius protocol, or the Calling-Station-Id genre, or Acct-Multi-Session- The Id attribute carries the terminal information.

10. A billing system in an interoperability network of a global microwave system, comprising: a billing point device and a billing server,

The charging point device includes:

a packet generating unit, configured to generate a charging packet, and carry the terminal information in the charging packet; a message sending unit, configured to send the charging message carrying the terminal information to the charging server;

The charging system according to claim 10, wherein the charging point device further comprises:

a terminal information acquiring unit, configured to acquire terminal information used by the user when the user logs in and logs out of the network;

a user data record generating unit, configured to generate a user data record after the user logs in and logs out of the network

12. The charging system according to claim 10, wherein the charging point device is a network access server, or a broadband access server, or a base station, or an access point device.

13. A billing point device in an interoperability network of a global microwave system, characterized in that it comprises:

The billing system according to claim 13, wherein the billing point device further comprises:

The user data record generating unit is configured to generate a user data record after the user logs in and exits the network, and the terminal information is included in the user data record and transmitted to the message generating unit.