WO2008122233A1

WO2008122233A1 - Charging network, charging method and gateway

Info

Publication number: WO2008122233A1
Application number: PCT/CN2008/070626
Authority: WO
Inventors: Zhihui Gu; Ling Zhang
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2007-04-04
Filing date: 2008-03-28
Publication date: 2008-10-16
Also published as: CN101282225A

Abstract

A charging network, a charging method and a gateway are provided. The charging network includes a wireless access network gateway, a charging information sending module, a service authentication module and a charging system at a telecommunication network side. The wireless access network gateway is used to receive a service request message of a service request node in the wireless access network, and requests the service authentication module to make the service authentication according to the service request message; the service authentication module makes the service authentication for the service request node; after the service authentication is successful, for the service provided to the service request node by a service provider node, the charging information sending module sends the charging information to the charging system at the telecommunication network side; the charging system is used to make the charging process for the service request node according to the received charging information.

Description

Manual Billing Network, Billing Method and Gateway

[1] Technical field

[2] The present invention relates to the field of communication technologies, and in particular, to a charging network, a charging method, and a gateway.

[3] Background of the invention

[4] Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) is an emerging wireless communication technology. WPAN can serve as a terminal network to provide WPAN users with unique services based on local information. The WPAN can also serve as an access network to provide WP AN users with access to the telecommunications network. The charging method for providing services to WPAN is not yet clearly defined.

[5] The following describes three existing billing methods for network-provided services.

[6] Method 1. In the wireless local area network (WLAN), the offline charging method for the WLAN session service is shown in Figure 1.

[7] In Figure 1, step 1, WLAN user equipment (WLAN

UE) Establishes a WLAN session with an Authentication, Authentication, and Accounting (AAA) server.

[8] Step 2. WLAN access network (WLAN

AN) sends a charging data start request to the AAA server, and to step 3, the AAA server sends a charging data start request to the charging data function entity (CDF). Go to step 4. After receiving the billing data start request, the CDF performs a billing response. Go to step 5. The CDF sends a charging data response to the AAA server to notify the AAA server to start charging. To step 6, the AAA server sends a charging data response to the WLAN access network. Thereafter, steps 7 to 11 and steps 12 to 16 periodically send a charging data transition request to the CDF for the WLAN access network to update the charging data during the WLAN session. When the WLAN session is stopped, the WLAN access network sends a charging data stop request, and after receiving the charging data stop request, the CDF closes the charging data record of the WLAN session.

[9] Method 2: In the wireless local area network, the online charging method for the WLAN session service.

[10] First, the WLAN access network sends a credit control start request to the AAA server, and the AAA server sends a predetermined resource start request to the OC S (online charging system). The OCS returns a response message to the AAA server after receiving the predetermined resource start request, and the AAA server sends a credit control application to the WLAN access network. The start message, the WLAN session begins. During the WLAN session, credit control requests, as well as updates to the credit control application, are periodically performed. When the WLAN session ends, the WLAN access network sends a credit control application end request to the AAA server, and the AAA server sends a predetermined resource end request to the OCS, and the OC S performs credit control according to the received predetermined resource end request, and then goes to AAA. The server sends a predetermined resource end response, and the AAA server sends a credit control application end response to the WLAN access network.

[11] Since the foregoing method 1 and method 2 need to perform interaction of a message such as a charging request or a credit control request in a session start phase, a session progress phase, and a session end phase, the foregoing charging mode is applicable to the time-based or traffic-based based Billing, while WPAN generally provides services based on WPAN internal information, and services are generally triggered based on events, and the duration of services is very short. Therefore, it is difficult to directly introduce the charging methods of the above WLAN services into WPAN.

[12] Method 3, in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) network, the charging method for IP multimedia services provided within the 3GPP network is shown in Figure 2.

[13] In Figure 2, the IP multimedia service provided within the 3GPP network is an event-triggered service. First, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signaling connection is established between the user terminal and an Application Server (AS) or a Media Resource Function Control Entity (MRFC), and then the AS charges the event charging function entity in the charging system. (ECF) Sending a charging request, the ECF performs charging event control according to the received charging request, and returns a charging response to the AS. After receiving the charging response, the AS sends the service content to the user terminal.

[14] In the charging process of the foregoing method three, the user terminal needs to establish a SIP session connection with the charging system. However, the WPAN user uses the service provided by the telecommunication network side application server through the WPAN, and the WPAN user and the AS cannot be used. A SIP session establishes a connection. Therefore, it is difficult to introduce the charging method in the 3GPP network directly into the WPAN.

[15] In summary, the existing WLAN, 3GPP system charging methods cannot be applied to the WPAN system.

Therefore, it is necessary to establish a set of charging methods for services provided by WPAN.

[16] Summary of the invention

[17] The embodiments of the present invention provide a charging system, a gateway, and a charging method, which solve the charging problem of the WPAN and the wireless access network having a similar structure to the WPAN.

[18] A charging network provided by an embodiment of the present invention includes:

[19] a radio access network gateway, configured to receive a service request message of a service requesting node in a radio access network, And requesting service authentication according to the service request message;

[20] A service authentication module, configured to perform service authentication on a service request node according to a request of a radio access network gateway

[21] The charging information sending module: after the service authentication is passed, sending the charging information to the telecommunication network side for the service provided by the service providing node for the service requesting node;

[22] The charging system is located on the telecommunication network side, and is configured to perform charging processing for the service requesting node according to the received charging information.

[23] The embodiment of the present invention further provides a gateway, where the gateway is located at a radio access network side, and the gateway includes a [24] receiving module, configured to receive a service request message of the service requesting node;

[25] The service authentication requesting module is configured to request the service authentication module to perform service authentication according to the service request message received by the receiving module, receive the service authentication result transmitted by the service authentication module, and output the service authentication result.

[26] The embodiment of the present invention further provides a charging method, where the charging method includes:

[27] The radio access network gateway receives a service request message of the service requesting node in the radio access network;

[28] The radio access network gateway initiates service authentication for the service request node according to the service request message;

After the service authentication is passed, the service provider node sends the charging information to the charging system on the telecommunication network side for the service provided by the service requesting node, so as to trigger the charging system to use the charging information according to the received charging information. The service request node performs charging processing.

[30] The embodiment of the present invention initiates service authentication to a service requesting node by using a radio access network gateway, and fully utilizes a charging system on the telecommunication network side to implement a service requesting a service requesting node in the radio access network. fee.

[31] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[32] FIG. 1 is an offline charging method for a WLAN session service in the prior art;

[33] FIG. 2 is a flow chart of charging for an IP multimedia service provided within a 3GPP network in the prior art;

3 is a model of a charging network in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a schematic diagram of a charging network according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic flowchart 1 of an online charging method according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a schematic flowchart 1 of an offline charging method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a second schematic diagram of a flow of an online charging method according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

FIG. 8 is a second schematic diagram of a flow of an offline charging method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[40] Mode for carrying out the invention

In the embodiment of the present invention, the WPAN network is taken as an example, and the charging network is charged for providing services by the WPAN, and the charging network can perform charging for the application service provided by the WPAN locally, and can also be a WPAN. The user uses the application service provided in the telecommunication network for charging. The application service provided by the WPAN locally is the local information-based application service provided by the WPAN on the network side. The application service provided in the telecommunication network is the service that the WPAN user obtains from the service providing node of the telecommunication network after accessing the telecommunication network through the WPAN access gateway.

[42] For ease of understanding, the following description will first be made with reference to FIG. Figure 3 shows a network model for servicing WPANs, which includes a billing network. The network model in Figure 3 mainly includes: WPAN user equipment, WPAN gateway, WPAN access gateway, billing system and service authentication module. The WPAN user equipment and the WPAN gateway belong to the WPAN side, and the WPAN access gateway and the charging system belong to the telecommunication network side. The service authentication module can be set on the telecommunication network side, for example, in the AAA server on the telecommunication network side, or can be set independently or set in other network devices. The network model may also include a service providing node. The service providing node may be on the WPAN side, for example, a local service providing node on the WPAN side, or on the telecommunication network side, such as an application server on the telecommunication network side. The service provider node can also be located on the Internet.

[43] In this embodiment, the WPAN user equipment has a unique identity in the telecommunications network, typically a terminal device that includes a WPAN communication module. WPAN user equipment can join WPAN as a node

[44] The WPAN Gateway is the gateway for WPAN access to external networks. The WPAN gateway can support Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), Diameter protocol and security protocol. Security protocol such as transport layer security protocol

(TLS), IP Security Protocol (IPsec), etc. The WPAN gateway has protocol conversion and address mapping functions, and the WPAN gateway also has certain storage capabilities and processing capabilities. The WPAN gateway is mainly used for information interaction with the WPAN user equipment and information interaction with the telecommunication network side, for example, the WPAN gateway receives the service request message transmitted by the service providing node on the WP AN side, or receives the WPAN user equipment transmission. After the service request message, the information is exchanged with the service authentication module set on the telecommunication network side to perform service authentication for the WP AN user equipment.

[45] A service providing node on the WPAN side, such as a local service providing node, can provide application services for WPAN users, such as providing WPAN local related real information services for WPAN users, vending services within WPANs, and electronic transaction services. and many more. If the local application service can provide a small amount of information, it is not necessary to set a dedicated network device for the local application service, and the local application service distribution can be set in the network node in the WPAN, that is, the network node in the WPAN can become the WPAN. The service provider node on the side.

[46] The WPAN access gateway is a functional entity that provides the WPAN with access to the telecommunications network, which is located on the telecommunications network side. The WPAN access gateway is mainly used for forwarding messages between the WPAN and the telecommunication network. For example, the WPAN side performs message interaction with an entity such as an AAA server and a charging system on the telecommunication network side through the WPAN access gateway. However, for convenience of description, in the following embodiments, the message interaction between the WPAN side and the telecommunication network side is omitted, and the WPAN access gateway is omitted.

[47] The service authentication module is mainly used for service authentication of service request nodes. The service authentication module may be set in the AAA server on the telecommunication network side or in the service providing node. The AAA server is an authentication, authorization, and accounting server in a telecommunications network. The AAA server can be connected to the HLR (Home Location Register). The AAA server can obtain identity information, subscription information, service control information, and the like of the WPAN user.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the service authentication node (ie, the node including the service authentication module), such as the A AA server, stores the authorization information for the WPAN user, and can perform service authentication for the WPAN user.

[49] The application server is a server that provides application services on the telecommunication network side. It can provide services for WPAN users and complete service authentication and service control functions. Application servers can often provide public information services, as well as less effective WPAN information services. Public information services such as customized public information services. The information in the WPAN can be non-real information and can be updated regularly.

[50] The billing system is a system for billing settlement on the telecommunication network side. The billing system can include an online billing system

(OCS), which can also include an offline billing system, and can also include OCS and offline billing systems. 0 CS is responsible for the actual billing process for the services used by WPAN users. Offline billing system including billing number According to the functional entity (CDF), it is used for offline charging, for example, generating, collecting and processing charging data records for services used by WPAN users. The CDF may in turn include a Charging Set Function Entity (CCF) and a Charging Gateway Function Entity (CGF).

In an embodiment, the structure of the billing network is as shown in FIG.

[52] In FIG. 4, the charging network includes: a WPAN gateway, a service authentication module, a charging information sending module, and a charging system on the telecommunication network side. It should be noted that the charging network may further include a WPAN access gateway for providing WPAN access to the telecommunication network.

[53] The WPAN gateway is mainly used to receive a service request message sent by a service requesting node in the WPAN, such as a service request message, and request the service authentication module to perform service authentication on the service requesting node according to the service request message, that is, the WPAN gateway and the service. The authentication module performs information exchange to perform service authentication on the service request node. In order to adapt to the characteristics of the service provided by the WPAN, the WPAN gateway may also store the service authentication result information, that is, store the service authentication record, so that when the service request node sends the service request message again, the WPAN gateway may look up the stored service authentication record. After the service authentication record corresponding to the service request node is found, the information authentication about the service authentication is not required to be performed with the service authentication module, thereby avoiding frequent service requests in the WPAN and requiring repeated service authentication, resulting in frequent telecommunication network side. The phenomenon of service authentication for WPAN users. The WPAN gateway can also forward the service content sent by the service providing node to the service requesting node in the WPAN. The specific location of the WPAN gateway can be set according to the actual network application scenario. It can be set independently or in combination with other network entities. For example, the WPAN gateway is set in the service providing node on the WPAN side or in the WPAN function coordination entity.

The above operations of the WPAN gateway may be implemented by the modules of the WPAN gateway, including the receiving module and the service authentication request module, the service authentication storage module and the search module, and the charging information sending module.

[55] The receiving module is mainly used to receive a service request message of the service requesting node. The service request message may be sent by the WPAN user equipment or may be forwarded by the local application server.

[56] The service authentication request module is mainly used to initiate service authentication of the service request node according to the service request message received by the receiving module in the WPAN gateway, and receive the service authentication result transmitted by the service authentication module; that is, the service authentication request module and the service The authentication module performs information interaction to request the service request node The service performs service authentication and outputs the service certification result.

[57] The service authentication storage module is mainly configured to receive service authentication result information transmitted by the service authentication request module, and store the service authentication result information as a service authentication record of the service requesting node. Of course, the service authentication record stored in the service authentication storage module can also be set by static configuration. The service authentication storage module can also perform aging management on the stored service authentication records, that is, when the storage time of the service authentication record exceeds the valid time, the service authentication record is deleted. The effective time here can be set according to the management needs in the actual network.

[58] The search module is mainly configured to search for a service authentication record stored by the service authentication storage module according to the service request message received by the WPAN gateway, and notify the service authentication request module after the service authentication record matching the service request message is not found. After receiving the notification of the lookup module, the authentication request module performs service authentication with the service authentication module according to the service request message; when the lookup module finds the service authentication record that matches the service request message, the found service authentication record is used as the service request. The service authentication result of the message, and output.

[59] The service authentication module is mainly used for performing service authentication with the WPAN gateway for the service requested by the service requesting node, and the service authentication module may be set in the AAA server or in the service providing node.

[60] The charging information sending module is mainly configured to send charging information to the charging system of the telecommunication network side for the service provided by the service providing node to the service requesting node after determining that the service authentication is passed; the charging information sending module may be configured according to Find the output of the module or the information output by the service authentication module to determine whether the service authentication has passed. The charging information sending module may be disposed in the WPAN gateway or in the service providing node on the telecommunication network side.

[61] The charging system is mainly used for performing charging processing for the service requesting node according to the received charging information. The billing system can use the existing billing process to perform billing processing.

[00] The charging method provided by the embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

[63] First, the WPAN gateway receives a service request message of the service requesting node in the WPAN. The service request message may be sent directly by the service requesting node in the WPAN, or may be forwarded by other nodes, such as the local application server in the WPAN receiving the service request message sent by the service requesting node, and then receiving the service request message. The service request message is forwarded to the WPAN gateway. [64] After receiving the service request message, the WPAN gateway initiates a service authentication process. The WPAN gateway can perform service authentication by interacting with information between network devices such as an AAA server or a service providing node on the telecommunication network side, and the WPAN gateway can also perform service authentication according to the stored historical service authentication record. The WPAN gateway can perform aging management on the stored historical service authentication record, that is, the WPAN gateway deletes the stored service authentication record according to the valid time corresponding to the service authentication record.

[65] After the service authentication is passed, the service providing node sends the charging information to the charging system on the telecommunication network side for the service provided by the service requesting node. In this embodiment, the charging information may be sent by the WPAN gateway to the charging system on the telecommunication network side. The charging information may also be sent by the service providing node on the telecommunication network side to the charging system on the telecommunication network side.

[66] After receiving the charging information, the charging system can perform charging processing for the service requesting node by using the existing charging processing procedure. The charging process may be an online charging process or an offline charging process.

[00] The various charging methods provided by the embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[68] Method 1. A charging method for providing application services on the WPAN side, that is, a charging method for the service providing node in the WPAN to provide an application service.

[69] In the charging process of the method 1, the WPAN user first initiates a service request, and the WPAN gateway initiates a service authentication process for the service request. After the authentication is passed, the WPAN gateway sends the charging to the charging system on the telecommunication network side. The request, then, the charging system on the telecommunication network side performs charging processing and response according to the received charging request, and finally the WPAN local service providing node sends the service. Application services in WPAN may occur frequently and the amount of data is relatively small. For this feature, the embodiment of the present invention uses the full authentication process for the W PAN user to request the service for the first time. When the user requests the service again, the authentication information cached by the WPAN gateway can be used for authentication. The charging method according to the embodiment of the present invention has also been separately considered in accordance with the characteristics of online charging and offline charging.

[70] The specific implementation process of charging the service provided by the WPAN side by using the online charging method based on the method is as shown in FIG. 5.

[71] In Figure 5, step 1, service request node WPAN

The UE sends a service request message to the local service providing node within the WPAN. The service request message includes information such as a unique identity of the service requesting node in the telecommunication network, requesting service content, and the like.

[72] Step 2. The local service providing node in the WPAN forwards the service request message it receives to WPA. N gateway.

[73] Step 3: After receiving the service request message, the WPAN gateway performs a service authentication process with the AAA server on the telecommunication network side as the service authenticator, that is, the WPAN gateway sends the identity of the service authenticator to the AAA server in the telecommunication network. Service authentication message, and return the service authentication result information of the service request node to the WPAN gateway. The WPAN gateway receives and caches the service authentication result of the service request node sent by the AAA server.

[74] Step 4: After the WPAN gateway determines that the service authentication is passed according to the information sent by the AAA server, the WP AN gateway sends a charging request to the charging system on the telecommunication network side, and the charging request may be carried by using a diameter protocol or the like. . The charging request may include the identity information of the WPAN user, the WPAN address information, the application ID, the application content ID, the fee information, and the like.

[75] Step 5. The OCS (Online Billing System) in the telecommunication network side charging system performs online charging processing on the charging request, such as pre-deduction of fees.

[76] Step 6. The OCS sends an accounting response message to the WPAN gateway.

[77] Step 7. After receiving the charging response message, the WPAN gateway provides a node sending request service sending command to the local service in the WPAN.

[78] Step 8. The local service providing node in the WPAN sends a service to the service requesting node after receiving the request service sending command.

[79] Steps 1 through 8 in Figure 5 above are a complete online charging process. If the service requesting node initiates a new service request, the WPAN gateway may, after receiving the new service request of the service requesting node, search for the service authentication result of the service requesting node in the stored service authentication result. If the service authentication information of the service requesting node is present, the WPAN gateway may not perform the service authentication process with the AAA server, that is, the step 3 of FIG. 5 is omitted, and the charging process of steps 4 to 8 is directly performed. Otherwise, Step 3 to step 8 need to be repeated to complete the charging process for requesting the service request node.

[80] In the above description for FIG. 5, the local service providing node in the WPAN directly interacts with the service requesting node, that is, the service requesting node directly sends the service request message to the local service providing node and the service providing node directly Send the service to the service request node. The local service providing node in the WPAN can also use the relay to exchange information with the service requesting node, that is, the local service in the WPAN. The service providing node performs information interaction with the service requesting node through other nodes such as a WPAN gateway, etc., for example, the local service providing node in the WP AN can send the service to the WPAN gateway, and the WPAN gateway sends the service to the service requesting node. When the local service providing node in the WPAN can only communicate with the WP AN gateway through a wired connection and does not have a wireless module that wirelessly communicates with the node in the WPAN, the above-mentioned relay mode can be used. The service request node can also send the service request directly to the WPAN gateway.

[81] In the above description for FIG. 5, if the local service providing node is replaced by an application server located in the Internet (Intern et), that is, the service providing node is located in the Internet, the process of implementing charging is described in FIG. 5 above. The steps are similar. The difference is as follows: The service request of the service request node is sent to the application server in the Internet through the WPAN gateway, and the service authentication can be performed on the application server in the Internet, that is, the WPAN gateway and the application server in the Internet. Information exchange is performed to implement service authentication for the service request node; service authentication can also be performed in the AAA server in the telecommunication network, that is, the application server in the Internet sends the service request to the AAA server through the channel between it and the AAA server. The service request node performs service authentication by the AAA server, and returns the service authentication result to the WPAN gateway. In addition, after the application server located in the Internet sends the service content to the service requesting node, the service content may be sent to the WPAN gateway, and then the WPAN gateway forwards the service content to the service requesting node.

[82] The specific implementation process of charging the service provided by the WPAN side by using the offline charging method according to the method is as shown in FIG. 6.

[83] Steps 1 to 3 in Fig. 6 are the same as steps 1 to 3 described above with respect to Fig. 5, and the description will not be repeated here.

[84] Step 4. After the service authentication is passed, the WPAN gateway first sends a charging request start command to the charging system on the telecommunication network side.

[85] Step 5. After receiving the charging request, the charging system generates or opens a CDR (Billing Data Record) for this service.

[86] Step 6. The charging system sends a charging response to the WPAN gateway.

[87] Step 7. The WPAN gateway receives the charging response, and sends a command to the local service providing node, where the command is used to request the local service providing node to send a service to the service requesting node.

[88] Step 8. The local service providing node sends a service to the service requesting node in the WPAN. [89] Step 9. After the service transmission is successfully completed, the local service providing node sends a service success command to the WPAN gateway.

[90] Step 10: After receiving the service success command, the WPAN gateway sends a charging request carrying the charging end information to the charging system in the telecommunication network.

[91] Step 11. The charging system updates and closes the corresponding accounting data record according to the charging end information in the received charging request.

[92] Step 12. The charging system sends a charging response to the WPAN gateway.

[93] Steps 1 through 12 in Figure 6 above are the offline charging process for a full service. If the service requesting node initiates a new service request, the WPAN gateway may search for the service authentication information of the service requesting node in the stored authentication result information. If the service authentication information of the service requesting node exists, the WPAN The gateway can no longer perform the service authentication process with the AAA server, that is, the step 3 of FIG. 6 can be omitted, and the charging process of step 4 to step 12 can be directly performed. Otherwise, step 3 to step 12 need to be performed again to complete the service. The requesting node requests the charging process of the service.

[94] In the above description for FIG. 6, the local service providing node in the WPAN directly performs information interaction with the service requesting node, that is, the service requesting node directly sends the service requesting message to the local service providing node, and the service providing node directly Send the service to the service request node. The local service providing node in the WPAN can also exchange information with the service requesting node in a relay manner, that is, the local service providing node in the WPAN performs information interaction with the service requesting node through other nodes such as a WPAN gateway, such as in the WP AN. The local service providing node can send the service to the WPAN gateway, and the WPAN gateway sends the service to the service requesting node; when the local service providing node in the WPAN can only communicate with the WP AN gateway through the wired connection, does not have the node in the WPAN For the wireless module that performs wireless communication, the above relay method can be used. The service request node can also send the service request directly to the WPAN gateway.

[95] In the above description for FIG. 6, if the local service providing node is replaced with an application server located in the Internet, that is, the service providing node is located in the Internet, the process of implementing charging is similar to the steps described in FIG. 5 above. The difference includes: The service request of the service request node is sent to the application server on the Internet through the WPAN gateway, and the service authentication can be performed on the application server in the Internet, that is, the information exchange between the WPAN gateway and the application server in the Internet To implement service authentication for the service request node; service authentication can also be performed in the AAA server in the telecommunication network, that is, the Internet The application server sends the service request to the AAA server through the channel between it and the AAA server, and the AAA server performs service authentication on the service request node, and returns the service authentication result to the WPA N gateway. In addition, after the application server located in the Internet sends the service content to the service requesting node, the service content may be sent to the WPAN gateway, and then the WPAN gateway forwards the service content to the service requesting node.

[96] Method 2: A charging method for providing application services on the telecommunication network side.

[97] The specific implementation process of charging the service provided by the telecommunication network side application server based on the method 2 is as shown in FIG. 7.

[98] Step 1. The service requesting node sends a service request message to the WPAN gateway.

[99] Step 2: After receiving the service request message, the WPAN gateway performs protocol conversion and encapsulation on the service request message according to the requirements of the telecommunication network side, and forwards the protocol authentication and the encapsulated service authentication message to the telecommunication network side. The service provider node, the application server.

[100] Step 3. The application server completes the service authentication of the service request and performs corresponding service control.

, such as rate control, flow control, etc. If the service authentication fails, the current charging process ends; if the service authentication passes, go to step 4.

[101] Step 4: The application server sends an accounting request message to the online charging system, and the format of the charging request message should conform to the telecommunication network protocol specification.

[102] Step 5: The online charging system performs charging control after receiving the charging request message.

[103] Step 6. The online charging system returns a charging response to the application server.

[104] Step 7. After receiving the charging response, the application server sends the service content to the WPAN gateway on the telecommunication network side.

[105] Step 8. After receiving the service content, the WPAN gateway forwards the service content to the service request node in the WPAN according to the address information of the service requesting node in the WPA N in the WPAN.

[106] The specific implementation process of charging the service provided by the telecommunication network side application server based on the offline charging method of the second method is shown in FIG. 8.

Steps 1 through 2 in Fig. 8 are the same as steps 1 through 2 described above with respect to Fig. 7.

[108] Step 3: The application server on the telecommunication network side completes the service authentication of the service request, and performs corresponding service control, such as rate control, flow control, and the like. If the service authentication fails, the current charging process End; If the service certification is passed, go to step 4.

[109] Step 4. After receiving the charging request, the billing system generates or opens a billing data record (CDR) for the service.

[110] Step 6. The charging system sends a charging response to the application server.

[111] Step 7. After receiving the charging response, the application server sends a service to the service requesting node, and the service is first sent to the WPAN gateway.

[112] Step 8. The WPAN gateway forwards the service it receives to the service request node.

[113] Step 9. After the service transmission is successfully completed, the WPAN gateway sends a service success command to the telecommunication network side application server.

[114] Step 10: After receiving the service success command, the application server sends a charging request carrying the charging end information to the charging system in the telecommunication network.

[115] Step 11. The charging system updates and closes the corresponding charging data record according to the charging end information in the received charging request.

[116] Step 12. The charging system sends a charging response to the application server.

[117] The embodiment of the present invention enables the service requesting node in the WPAN to access the telecommunication network through the WPAN by setting the WPAN gateway and making full use of the charging system on the telecommunication network side, and the charging system on the telecommunication network side can serve the WPAN. The service requested by the requesting node performs billing; effectively solves the charging problem for the service provided locally by the WPAN, the service provided by the telecommunication network side, and the service provided in the Internet. The embodiments of the present invention may not modify the existing charging mode in the telecommunication network, have interoperability with the telecommunication network, and provide online charging and offline charging for the service requesting node. By storing the service authentication record at the WPAN gateway, when the service requesting node sends the service request message again, the WPAN gateway can look up the stored service authentication record, and after finding the service authentication record corresponding to the service request node, The information exchange with the AAA server for the service authentication is performed, thereby avoiding the phenomenon that the service request is frequent in the WPAN and the service authentication is repeated, which causes the telecommunication network side to frequently perform service authentication for the WPAN user; thus, the embodiment of the present invention not only provides the WPAN A new billing technology solution, and the billing technology solution can fully adapt to the characteristics of the service provided by the WPAN, thereby providing a practical and feasible billing technical solution for the WPAN.

Although the invention has been described by way of example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention has many variations. And variations without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, for other radio access networks having a similar WPAN network structure, various charging methods described in the embodiments of the present invention are still applicable. Therefore, the claims of the present invention include such variations and modifications.

Claims

Claim

[1] 1. A charging network, wherein the network comprises:

a radio access network gateway, configured to receive a service request message of a service requesting node in the radio access network, and request service authentication according to the service request message;

a service authentication module, configured to perform service authentication on the service request node according to the request of the radio access network gateway;

The charging information sending module: after the service authentication is passed, sending the charging information to the telecommunication network side for the service provided by the service providing node for the service requesting node;

The charging system is located on the telecommunication network side, and is configured to perform charging processing for the service requesting node according to the received charging information.

[2] 2. The charging network according to claim 1, wherein the service authentication module is located in an authentication, authentication, and accounting server, or in a service providing node on a radio access network side.

[3] 3. The charging network according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the radio access network gateway is a gateway of a wireless personal area network WPAN.

[4] 4. The charging network according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that:

The charging information sending module is disposed in the wireless access network gateway; or the charging information sending module is disposed in a service providing node on the telecommunication network side.

[5] 5. The charging network according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the charging system comprises: an online charging system, and/or an offline charging system.

[6] The charging network according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the radio access network gateway is independently set, or is set in a service providing node on the radio access network side, or is set in the wireless The functional coordination entity of the personal area network WPAN.

[7] The charging network according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the service providing node comprises one or more of the following: a service providing node on the radio access network side, and a service on the telecommunication network side. Provide nodes, service providers in the Internet.

[8] 8. A gateway, wherein the gateway is located at a radio access network side, and the gateway includes: a receiving module, configured to receive a service request message of a service requesting node;

a service authentication request module, configured to request service authentication according to a service request message received by the receiving module The module performs service authentication, receives the service authentication result transmitted by the service authentication module, and outputs the service authentication result.

[9] 9. The gateway according to claim 8, wherein the gateway further comprises:

Service authentication storage module: used to store a service authentication record of the service request node according to the service authentication result;

a search module: configured to search for a service authentication record stored by the service authentication storage module according to the service request message received by the receiving module, and notify the service authentication request module to request service authentication according to the service request message after the service authentication record is not found. The module performs service authentication, and after finding the service authentication record, the found service authentication record is used as the service authentication result of the service request.

[10] The gateway according to claim 8 or 9, further comprising a billing information sending module

And sending the charging information to the charging system on the telecommunication network side after the service authentication is passed.

[11] 11. A charging method, characterized in that the method comprises:

Receiving, by the radio access network gateway, a service request message of the service requesting node in the radio access network; the radio access network gateway initiating service authentication of the service requesting node according to the service request message; after the service authentication is passed, providing a node for the service The service provided by the service requesting node sends charging information to the charging system on the telecommunication network side to trigger the charging system to perform charging processing for the service requesting node according to the received charging information.

[12] The method according to claim 11, wherein the receiving, by the radio access network gateway, the service request message of the service requesting node in the radio access network comprises:

The radio access network gateway receives the service request message directly sent by the service requesting node; and/or the radio access network gateway receives the service request message from the service requesting node forwarded by the local service providing node on the radio access network side.

[13] 13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the radio access network gateway stores a service authentication record of the service requesting node, and the gateway initiates a service requesting node according to the service request message. Service certification includes:

The radio access network gateway searches for the stored service authentication record according to the service request message; after the service authentication record is not found, the radio access network gateway cancels according to the service request Initiate service authentication for the service request node;

After the service authentication record is found, the found service authentication record is used as the service authentication result of the service request message.

[14] 14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of transmitting charging information to the charging system on the telecommunication network side comprises:

The radio access network gateway sends charging information to a charging system on the telecommunication network side; or the service providing node sends charging information to a charging system on the telecommunication network side.

[15] The method according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein the manner in which the service providing node provides the service to the service requesting node comprises:

After receiving the charging response returned by the charging system, the WPAN gateway sends a service request to the service providing node on the WPAN side, and the service providing node on the WPAN side sends the service content to the service requesting node after receiving the service request; or

After receiving the charging response returned by the charging system, the service providing node located on the telecommunication network side or the Internet sends the service content to the WPAN gateway, and the WPAN gateway forwards the received service content to the service requesting node.