WO2018145475A1 - 一种计费方法、装置和系统 - Google Patents

一种计费方法、装置和系统 Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2018145475A1
WO2018145475A1 PCT/CN2017/104543 CN2017104543W WO2018145475A1 WO 2018145475 A1 WO2018145475 A1 WO 2018145475A1 CN 2017104543 W CN2017104543 W CN 2017104543W WO 2018145475 A1 WO2018145475 A1 WO 2018145475A1
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WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
gateway
charging
client
customer
level
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PCT/CN2017/104543
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English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
柴晓前
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华为技术有限公司
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Application filed by 华为技术有限公司 filed Critical 华为技术有限公司
Priority to EP17895560.5A priority Critical patent/EP3567799B1/en
Publication of WO2018145475A1 publication Critical patent/WO2018145475A1/zh
Priority to US16/533,448 priority patent/US11470202B2/en

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
    • H04L12/02—Details
    • H04L12/14—Charging, metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
    • H04L12/1403—Architecture for metering, charging or billing
    • H04L12/1407—Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
    • H04M15/41—Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
    • H04L12/02—Details
    • H04L12/14—Charging, metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
    • H04M15/44—Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
    • H04M15/62—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP based on trigger specification
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
    • H04M15/64—On-line charging system [OCS]
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
    • H04M15/65—Off-line charging system
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
    • H04M15/66—Policy and charging system
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
    • H04M15/70—Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
    • H04M15/765—Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
    • H04M15/70—Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
    • H04M15/77—Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges involving multiple accounts per user
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
    • H04M15/70—Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
    • H04M15/77—Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges involving multiple accounts per user
    • H04M15/772—Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges involving multiple accounts per user per service, e.g. prepay or post-pay
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
    • H04M15/70—Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
    • H04M15/785—Reserving amount on the account
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
    • H04M15/82—Criteria or parameters used for performing billing operations
    • H04M15/8228—Session based
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
    • H04L12/02—Details
    • H04L12/14—Charging, metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
    • H04L12/1403—Architecture for metering, charging or billing
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W4/00—Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
    • H04W4/24—Accounting or billing

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the field of communications technologies, and in particular, to a charging method, apparatus, and system for a scenario in which a same customer has multiple devices.
  • each customer has one or more accounts in the billing system, and the account pays for the customer's equipment.
  • the account pays for multiple devices of the customer, that is, multiple devices.
  • each device of the customer has an independent and unique access number (or identification information, or user identifier, such as IMSI, etc.), which is used for access authentication, charging information collection, location management, and the like.
  • the current charging mechanism of the operator is that, in the case of online charging, the communication system establishes an IP-CAN (IP Connectivity Access Network) or IP-CAN session for each device access network. The fee is allocated and the charging quota is allocated; in the case of offline charging, the communication system creates a charging bill for an IP-CAN bearer or an IP-CAN session of each device accessing the network.
  • the communication system will usher in the era of full connectivity of the Internet of Everything.
  • the number of connections of devices or terminals will increase exponentially, and there will be a large number of customers with multiple devices.
  • Scenario according to the current charging mechanism, in the case of a surge in the number of connections, the charging session and the billing bill will increase exponentially, and each billing session or billing bill may only process or contain a single device. Less billing information. This will result in fragmentation of billing information and billing quotas, resulting in costly quota management and billing information management.
  • a large number of billing sessions and billing bills will greatly reduce the performance of the gateway and billing system. And processing efficiency.
  • the embodiment of the invention describes a charging method, device and system, which avoids the fragmentation problem of charging information and charging quota in a scenario where a customer has multiple devices, and reduces the performance consumption of the gateway and the charging system.
  • the billing information and billing quota of the same customer are easier to maintain.
  • the embodiment of the present invention provides a charging method, which is applicable to a scenario in which a client has multiple devices, where the gateway uses a client as a granularity to count multiple devices of a client currently connected to the gateway.
  • the fee information is managed, and only one client-level charging session or customer-level CDR (Charging Data Record) is established for each customer, in a message sent by the customer-level charging session to report the customer charging information or
  • the customer-level CDR contains the customer's identification and billing information for one or more of the customer's devices.
  • the charging information of each device can be used as a charging information unit, and each charging information unit includes the identification and charging information of the device.
  • the charging method provided by the embodiment of the present invention can be applied to the online charging, the offline charging Rf interface mode (the manner in which the gateway performs offline charging through the Rf interface), and the offline charging CDR mode (refer to the gateway generating the CDR for offline metering).
  • the connection between the device and the gateway refers to a bearer established between the device and the gateway for transmitting service data or service flows, such as a PDN (Packet Data Network) connection. The following describes the method separately for different scenarios:
  • the gateway determines whether the client-level charging session of the client has been established on the current gateway, and if the client-level charging session of the client already exists on the gateway The gateway uses the client-level charging session to report the charging information of the device. If the client-level charging session of the client does not exist on the gateway, the gateway creates a client-level charging session for the client.
  • the “customer-level charging session” in the embodiment of the present invention refers to a customer-level granularity charging session created by the gateway, and the request for creating the charging session carries the identifier of the customer, and online charging is performed.
  • the system identifies, by the customer's identification, which customer's charging information is reported in the customer-level charging session; the customer-level charging session can be shared by multiple devices of the same customer.
  • the gateway reports the charging information of the client in a client-level charging session.
  • the gateway in the message reporting the customer charging information includes the identifier of the client and the charging information of one or more devices that the client currently has connected with the gateway.
  • the network resource consumption improves the performance of the gateway; in the customer-level charging session, the gateway can report the charging information of multiple devices, so that the online charging system obtains multiple devices of the same client in one charging session.
  • the billing information avoids the collection and consolidation of billing information in different billing sessions of multiple devices of the same client, which simplifies the processing of the online billing system and improves the processing performance of the online billing system.
  • the gateway when a connection between a customer's device and the gateway is removed, in order to ensure that the customer-level charging session used by the device can be continued by other devices of the client currently connected to the gateway, the gateway To determine whether the connection to be removed is the last connection of the customer on the gateway, if yes, it means that no other device has a connection with the gateway, and there is no need to continue to use the client-level charging session, then the gateway tears down the customer's client level. The charging session; if not, indicating that there are currently other devices of the client connected to the gateway, and the client-level charging session needs to be continued to be used, the gateway retains the client-level charging session of the client.
  • Billing quotas and billing events are also allocated and used at the customer-level granularity, that is, multiple devices sharing the same customer-level billing session share quota and billing events.
  • the gateway reuses or creates a new customer-level charging session, and the gateway determines whether the quota group and the charging system have applied for the quota and charging event for the rate group to which the device belongs, if not The gateway applies for a quota for the rate group; if so, the quota and billing events are used.
  • the request message of the gateway requesting the quota carries the identifier of the customer, and the online charging system receives the message, allocates the quota to the rate group at the granularity of the client, and returns the quota of the rate group and the corresponding charging event to the gateway;
  • the quota and billing events are customer-level, that is, subsequent connections are established with the gateway, and the customer-level charging session is shared, and other devices of the customer using the same rate group can use the quota and charging events.
  • the quota used by the device continues to be used by other devices in the customer-level charging session that use the same rate group.
  • the online charging system allocates the quota by the customer, and the gateway uses the customer as the granularity. And maintenance, improve billing accuracy, and reduce the performance consumption of online billing systems and gateways.
  • the gateway reports the charging message to the online charging system, where the charging message includes the identifier of the customer and the The billing information of one or more devices that the customer meets the billing event.
  • the charging information of each device can be used as a charging information unit, and the charging information unit includes the identifier and charging information of a device currently connected to the gateway, and the identifier of the device can be Is an IMSI, IP address, IMEI, SIP address, or other identifier.
  • the client-level charging session established by the gateway is a session between the gateway and the CDF (Charging Data Function) on the Rf interface;
  • the processing of the client-level charging session on the Rf interface is the same as the process of creating or using the customer-level charging session between the gateway and the online charging system in the online charging mode; the gateway reports the charging in the customer-level charging session.
  • the information is the same as the manner in which the gateway reports the accounting information in the customer-level charging information in the online charging mode, which is in a customer-level charging session, including the identity of the customer and the charging of one or more devices. information.
  • the gateway does not need to apply for a quota for the rate group.
  • the charging event corresponding to the rate group is statically configured on the gateway, and the gateway directly collects multiple clients of the same client.
  • the charging information of the device reports the charging information of multiple devices of the client in the customer-level charging session.
  • the gateway and the CDF do not need to create or maintain multiple charging sessions for multiple devices of the client, but only need to create or maintain a client-level charging session, which saves network overhead and improves the gateway.
  • CDF processing performance because CDF can directly obtain the billing information of multiple devices of the same client in one billing session, solve the problem of fragmentation of billing information, simplify the processing of billing information of CDF, and improve the CDF processing performance.
  • the gateway establishes the client-level charging session with the CDF functional entity; the charging event of a certain rate group configured on the gateway is applied to share the customer-level charging session, and is used.
  • the fee message contains the customer's identification and billing information for one or more devices that meet the billing event.
  • the charging information of each device can be used as a charging information unit, and the charging information unit includes the identifier and charging information of a device currently connected to the gateway, and the identifier of the device can be Is an IMSI, IP address, IMEI, SIP address, or other identifier.
  • the gateway creates a client-level CDR for multiple devices of the same client, where the customer-level CDR records the identity of the client and one or more devices of the client. Fee information.
  • the gateway records the charging information of multiple devices of the same client in a CDR and reports it to the offline charging system, which solves the problem of fragmentation of the charging information, and simplifies the offline meter.
  • the processing of the fee system improves the billing processing performance and processing efficiency of the offline billing system.
  • the gateway since the gateway does not need to create and maintain multiple CDRs for multiple devices, it can report multiple to the offline billing system in one CDR file.
  • the billing information of the device saves the overhead of the gateway and improves the processing performance of the gateway.
  • the gateway when a certain device of the client establishes a connection with the gateway, if the client-level CDR of the client to which the device belongs is not present on the gateway, the gateway creates a client-level CDR for the client, The billing information of the device is recorded; if the client-level CDR of the client exists on the gateway, the gateway records the billing information of the device by using the client-level CDR.
  • the gateway when the connection of a certain device of the client to the gateway is removed, when the connection to be removed is the last connection of the client and the gateway, the gateway closes the a client-level CDR; when the connection to be removed is not the last connection of the client to the gateway, the gateway continues to use the client-level CDR to record charging information of other devices of the client.
  • a billing event for any of the customer rate groups is configured on the gateway, the billing event being applicable to one or more devices of the customer using the rate group.
  • the gateway detects the charging event and records, in the client-level CDR, charging information for one or more devices of the customer that meet the charging event.
  • the charging information of each device can be used as a charging information unit, and the charging information unit includes the identifier and charging information of a certain device, and the identifier of the device can be an IMSI, an IP address, IMEI, SIP address or other identifier.
  • the conditions of the client-level CDR reporting are configured on the gateway, such as the CDR recording duration is limited to a limited duration, or the CDR capacity or size reaches a limited capacity or size.
  • the gateway sends the client-level CDR to the offline charging system.
  • the gateway may perform the shared client-level charging session or the shared client-level CDR charging method provided by the application for all the clients' devices; or may perform the solution provided by the application only for some of the clients' devices.
  • the gateway can query the local configuration according to the identifier of the device, or query other entities that store the customer data, or learn the device level information of the device delivered by the PCRF. Fee session or customer level CDR.
  • the gateway may obtain the identifier of the device and the identifier of the client in multiple manners, which is not limited in the embodiment of the present invention.
  • the gateway may obtain the identifier of the device and the identifier of the client to which the device belongs in the request for establishing the connection. You can also know the identity of the device or the identity of the customer to which it belongs. You can also know the identity of the client to which the device belongs by querying the relationship storage entity.
  • an embodiment of the present invention provides a gateway for an online charging scenario, where the gateway has a function of implementing a gateway behavior in an online charging scenario in the method of the first aspect.
  • This function can be implemented in hardware or in hardware by executing the corresponding software.
  • the hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the functions described above.
  • the gateway includes a device communication module, a determination module, a billing communication module, and an execution module.
  • the device communication module is configured to send a message to the device, or receive a message from the device, and establish a connection with one or more devices of the client;
  • the determining module is configured to determine, after the device communication module establishes a connection with the device of the client, Whether there is a customer-level charging session between the customer and the online charging system;
  • the charging communication module is configured to communicate with the online charging system, and send a charging-related message generated by the execution module to the online charging system.
  • the executing module is configured to generate, when the determining module determines that the client-level charging session of the client does not exist, generate a request for establishing a client-level charging session to the online charging system, where The request includes the identifier of the customer; and is further configured to generate a request message for applying to the online charging system for the quota of the rate group of the customer and the corresponding charging event, where the request message includes the identifier of the customer;
  • the quota and charging event allocated by the online charging system received by the charging communication module, charging the device of the customer, and generating a reporting office a message of charging information of one or more devices of the client, where the message reporting the charging information includes the identifier of the client; and the foregoing various charging-related messages generated by the execution module are measured by the charging communication module.
  • the fee system is sent.
  • the gateway includes a processor, a memory, a bus, and a communication interface.
  • the memory is used to store a computer execution instruction, and the processor and the memory are connected through the bus.
  • the processor executes the computer execution instruction stored in the memory, so that the gateway performs the online measurement according to the first aspect.
  • the method of implementing billing under the fee scenario is a possible design.
  • the present invention provides a gateway for an offline charging Rf interface mode, where the gateway has the function of implementing the gateway behavior in an offline charging Rf interface mode in the method of the first aspect.
  • This function can be implemented in hardware or in hardware by executing the corresponding software.
  • the hardware or software includes one or more corresponding to the above functions Module.
  • the gateway includes a device communication module, a judgment module, a billing communication module, and an execution module.
  • the device communication module is configured to send a message to the device, or receive a message from the device, and establish a connection with one or more devices of the client;
  • the determining module is configured to determine whether the device communication module establishes a connection with the device of the client, a customer-level charging session exists between the CDF and the CDF;
  • the charging communication module is configured to communicate with the online charging system, and send a charging-related message generated by the execution module to the online charging system;
  • a request for establishing a client-level charging session to the CDF when the determining module determines that the client-level charging session of the client does not exist, where the request includes an identifier of the client, and is configured to perform, according to the charging event, the The device of the client performs charging, and generates a message for reporting charging information of one or more devices of the client, where the message reporting the charging information includes the identifier of the client;
  • the gateway includes a processor, a memory, a bus, and a communication interface.
  • the memory is used to store a computer execution instruction, and the processor and the memory are connected through the bus.
  • the processor executes the computer execution instruction stored in the memory, so that the gateway performs the offline measurement as in the first aspect described above.
  • the present invention provides a gateway in an offline charging CDR mode scenario, where the gateway has the function of implementing the gateway behavior in the offline charging CDR mode scenario in the method of the first aspect.
  • This function can be implemented in hardware or in hardware by executing the corresponding software.
  • the hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the functions described above.
  • the gateway includes a device communication module, a judgment module, a billing communication module, and an execution module.
  • the device communication module is configured to send a message to the device, or receive a message from the device, to establish a connection with one or more devices of the client, and a determining module, configured to establish a connection between the device communication module and the device of the client.
  • Determining whether there is a client-level CDR of the client Determining whether there is a client-level CDR of the client; a charging communication module, configured to report the client-level CDR of the client to the offline charging system; and an executing module, configured to create when the determining module determines that the client-level CDR does not exist
  • the client-level CDR is further configured to charge the device of the client according to the charging event of the client, and write charging information of one or more devices of the client to the client-level CDR of the client.
  • the customer-level CDR also includes the identity of the customer.
  • the gateway includes a processor, a memory, a bus, and a communication interface.
  • the memory is used to store a computer execution instruction, and the processor and the memory are connected through the bus.
  • the processor executes the computer execution instruction stored in the memory, so that the gateway performs the offline measurement as in the first aspect described above.
  • the method of implementing billing in the CDR mode scenario is described above.
  • an embodiment of the present invention provides an online charging system entity having a function of implementing an online charging system behavior in the method of the first aspect.
  • This function can be implemented in hardware or in hardware by executing the corresponding software.
  • the hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the functions described above.
  • an embodiment of the present invention provides a system for online charging, where the system includes the gateway in the method embodiment of the online charging scenario in the first aspect or the device embodiment in the second aspect, and The first aspect is the online charging system entity in the method embodiment in the online charging scenario or the device embodiment in the fifth aspect.
  • an embodiment of the present invention provides a computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein that, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method in the method of the first aspect The method of the gateway in the charging scenario.
  • an embodiment of the present invention provides a computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein that, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform offline in the method of the first aspect The method of charging the gateway in the Rf interface mode.
  • the present invention provides a computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein that, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform an offline meter in the method of the first aspect The method of the gateway in the CDR mode scenario.
  • the present invention provides a computer program product comprising instructions, when executed on a computer, causing a computer to perform the method of a gateway in an online charging scenario in the method of the first aspect.
  • an embodiment of the present invention provides a computer program product including instructions, which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method of the gateway in the offline charging Rf interface mode in the method of the first aspect.
  • an embodiment of the present invention provides a computer program product, including instructions, for causing a computer to perform a method of performing a gateway in an offline charging CDR mode scenario in the method of the first aspect when the computer program product is run on a computer.
  • a gateway can simultaneously support a method of sharing a client-level charging session in an online charging scenario and a method of sharing a client-level CDR in an offline charging scenario.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a possible application scenario according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic flowchart of sharing a customer-level charging session in an online charging mode according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of recording charging information of one or more devices of a client according to an embodiment of the present disclosure
  • FIG. 4 is a schematic flowchart of sharing a customer-level charging session in another online charging mode according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 5 is a schematic flowchart of a shared-level charging session in an offline charging Rf interface manner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure
  • FIG. 6 is a schematic flowchart of sharing a client-level CDR in an offline charging CDR mode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure
  • FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a computer device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a gateway according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of another gateway according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 10 is a schematic structural diagram of another gateway according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 11 is a schematic structural diagram of an online charging system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of a system for implementing a shared client-level charging session according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of another system for implementing a shared client-level charging session according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram of a system for implementing a shared client-level CDR according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • a customer refers to a person or institution that signs a business subscription relationship with an operator, which typically pays for the subscribed service, which has one or more accounts in the operator billing system; one customer owns one or more devices, For example, the user equipment (User Equipment, UE); the device has an identifier assigned by the operator, and the operator network identifies the device by using the identifier of the device.
  • the identifier of the device in the application may be an IMSI or an IP address.
  • the customer's device may be all the devices of the customer, or may be the device group specified in the subscription relationship.
  • a customer subscribes to the IoT service and specifies which IoT devices belong to a user equipment group (ie: Sharing a billing session), other devices of the client (such as mobile phones) may still have separate billing sessions to control.
  • FIG. 1 is only a schematic diagram of a network architecture.
  • the gateways in the figure may have different configurations under a specific network architecture or network deployment, and specifically correspond to different network elements.
  • the gateway may be a GGSN ( Gateway GPRS Support Node), in the EPC (Evolved Packet Core) network, the gateway can be a PDN GW (Packet Data Network Gate Way), and in the future 5G network, the user is responsible for the separation of the control plane and the user plane.
  • the gateway for device access and charging may be a gateway, or may be composed of a control plane gateway and a user plane gateway.
  • the control plane gateway is responsible for charging session establishment and quota management
  • the gateway of the user plane is responsible for the flow rate fee.
  • the control plane and the user plane are jointly implemented to implement the charging function. Since the current 5G network architecture has not been determined, the gateways in all the figures in this document are expressed for logical functions, and do not represent specific physical forms.
  • the gateway establishes a client-level charging session for the client or creates a customer-level CDR (Charging Data Record) for reporting or recording the billing information of multiple devices of a customer.
  • CDR Charging Data Record
  • the allocation of quotas is the customer granularity, that is, the quota allocated for a certain rate group of a certain customer, and all the devices of the customer who use the rate group on the gateway use the quota.
  • the charging system mentioned in the embodiment of the present invention may be an OCS (Online Charging System) or an OFCS (Offline Charging System).
  • the charging information of the device that is reported in the customer-level charging session or recorded in the client-level CDR may be in various forms, and the implementation manner is not limited in the embodiment of the present invention, such as information recording.
  • the identifier of each device and its accounting information are recorded in the table.
  • the identifier of each device and its corresponding accounting information may also be recorded in the form of an AVP (attribute value pair); but in either case, each method
  • the charging information of each device can be abstracted into a charging information unit. In order to identify which device's charging information is recorded in the charging information unit, the charging information unit should include the identifier of the device.
  • the charging information unit described in the embodiment of the present invention is an abstract logical concept, and specifically refers to a data or information collection including the identifier of the device and the charging information of the device.
  • a person skilled in the art may design a specific cell and field to explicitly represent the charging information unit, and may also explicitly or implicitly indicate the identity of the device and the charging of the device by other means.
  • a collection of information may be design a specific cell and field to explicitly represent the charging information unit, and may also explicitly or implicitly indicate the identity of the device and the charging of the device by other means.
  • customer A owns multiple devices of device 1 - device 5, where device 1 - device 3 accesses gateway 1, The device 5 accesses the gateway 2, and the client A has an account in the billing system, and pays for all the devices of the client A.
  • the current billing mechanism :
  • the gateway In the online charging mode, when any device establishes a connection with the gateway, the gateway establishes a charging session to the OCS, that is, when the device 1 - device 5 simultaneously establishes a connection with the gateway 1 or the gateway 2, the gateway 1 and the OCS system There are three charging sessions in between, and there are two charging sessions between the gateway 2 and the OCS system. Each charging session corresponds to different devices of the client A. At the same time, the OCS needs to allocate different charging quotas for each device.
  • the gateway In the offline charging mode, the gateway records the accounting information of each access device in different CDRs (Charging Data Records), and needs to establish different charging sessions, and separately send each device to the OFCS. CDR.
  • CDRs Charging Data Records
  • the technical solution provided by the embodiment of the present invention is to solve the problem of fragmentation of the charging quota or the fragmentation of the charging information, and the impact on the network performance, such as occupying more charging session resources, lowering the gateway and Performance and processing efficiency of the billing system.
  • the technical solution provided by the embodiment of the present invention is adopted:
  • the gateway 1 is used as an example. Only one charging session is established between the gateway 1 and the OCS system.
  • the charging session is a client-level charging session, that is, the gateway 1 reports the current and the gateway in the charging session. Billing information for all devices connected to customer A.
  • the quota allocated by the OCS to the gateway 1 can be used by one or more devices of the client. Specifically, the OCS allocates a quota corresponding to a certain rate group to the gateway 1 , and the plurality of user equipment connections of the customer use the rate group, and the multiple user equipment can use the quota. In one case, when device 1 - device 3 is connected to gateway 1 at the same time and uses the same rate group, there is only one charging session and one quota on gateway 1, and the charging session and quota are shared by 3 devices. ;
  • the gateway 2 is used as an example.
  • the gateway 2 only opens one CDR, and records the charging information of the two devices in one CDR.
  • Gateway 2 only needs to establish a connection with OFCS to report the CDR.
  • the number of connections between the gateway and the charging system is reduced, and the gateway and the charging system do not need to save multiple accounting quotas or charging information for multiple devices of the same client, thereby reducing
  • the performance consumption of the gateway and the billing system makes the billing information and billing quota of the same customer easier to maintain in the gateway and billing system.
  • Embodiment 1 In the online charging mode, multiple devices of the same customer share a charging session, and multiple devices share a charging quota of a rate group.
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic flowchart of a shared charging session in an online charging mode according to an embodiment of the present invention. In all embodiments of the present invention, it is assumed that device 1, device 2 and device 3 belong to customer A.
  • the device 1 establishes a connection with the gateway 1.
  • the establishment of the connection is a prerequisite for the device to perform any service. For example, in the EPC network, the device must first establish a connection with the PDN GW before performing session, data report or any other service. PDN connection.
  • the device 1 carries the identifier of the device in the request message for establishing a connection, and the identifier of the device may be an IMSI, an IP address, an IMEI, a SIP address, or other identifier that enables the gateway to uniquely identify the device.
  • the gateway 1 Before establishing a charging session with the online charging system, the gateway 1 also needs to obtain a device-related charging policy, including information such as a rate group used by the device.
  • the process of obtaining the charging policy and the rate group is not within the scope of the solution provided by the present invention.
  • the embodiment of the present invention is not described and limited in detail.
  • the gateway 1 The policy request message may be sent to the PCRF (Policy and Charging Rules Function), and the PCRF is sent to the gateway.
  • the QoS policy and charging policy related to the sending device It is assumed in the present embodiment that the device 1 is designated by the PCRF as the rate group 1.
  • the method for sharing a charging session in the embodiment of the present invention may be applied to all clients and devices in the network, and may be applied to only a part of clients and devices thereof by means of subscription or configuration.
  • the gateway 1 needs to confirm whether the device needs to share the charging session before establishing the charging session, that is, whether the device needs to be associated with the client.
  • the device shares a charging session.
  • the gateway 1 can learn whether the device needs to share the charging session through the charging policy delivered by the PCRF, and also configure which devices need to share the charging session locally in the gateway 1, and the gateway 1 can also go to other entities according to the identifier of the device (for example, The subscription relationship storage entity) queries whether the device needs to share a charging session.
  • step 202 if the device does not need to share the charging session, the gateway 1 establishes a charging session for the device 1 according to the current prior art; if the device 1 needs to share the charging session, and there is no client level of the client A on the gateway 1 For the charging session, gateway 1 establishes a client-level charging session for customer A, which will be shared by multiple devices of client A.
  • the gateway 1 adds a customer identifier to the session establishment request message sent by the online charging system, indicating that the charging session is a client-level charging session.
  • the gateway 1 can obtain the customer identifier in a plurality of manners, which is not limited in the embodiment of the present invention.
  • the gateway 1 can obtain the client identifier corresponding to the identifier of the device through local configuration, or obtain the client identifier in the connection request message sent by the device.
  • the customer identification can be obtained by querying the subscription relationship storage entity. Since the charging session is associated with the customer identifier, if the other device of the subsequent client A accesses through the gateway 1, the gateway 1 does not need to establish a charging session for other devices of the client A, and other devices can directly use the charging session. It reduces the message interaction between network elements, saves network resources, and improves the processing performance of gateway 1 and online charging system.
  • the gateway 1 applies for the charging quota for the device 1.
  • the quota application message carries the customer identification, in addition to the information such as the rate group of the device, indicating that the application is a client-level quota application. Can be shared by all of the customer A's rate group 1 devices. If a CCR (Credit-Control-Request) message is used to apply for a quota, the gateway 1 can set the Subscription-Id in the CCR message as the client identifier. Similar to the effect of the client-level charging session in step 202, the client-level rate application in step 203 also avoids the subsequent gateway repeating the application for quotas for multiple devices using the same rate group, the same rate group of the same customer. Multiple devices share a quota, which reduces the interaction between network elements that apply for quotas, and improves the efficiency of the network and network elements.
  • the online charging system delivers the customer-level quota and the charging event corresponding to the quota for the rate group 1.
  • a charging event can be understood as a triggering condition for reporting accounting information, such as a periodic reporting period, or reporting when the remaining quota is lower, or a device location change. Since the charging session is a client-level charging session, and the gateway 1 applies for a customer-level quota, the charging event corresponding to the quota is also applicable to all devices of the customer A using the rate group 1. Any device that has a connection with the gateway and shares the customer-level charging session. If the rate group 1 is used, the gateway 1 reports the charging information of the device once the charging event corresponding to the rate group 1 is met. This billing event can be understood as a billing event that applies to the customer level.
  • the gateway 1 reports the charging message of the client A when the device 1 meets the triggering condition according to the triggering condition of the charging event, as shown in FIG. 3, which includes the identifier of the client A and one or more of the client A.
  • a billing information unit each billing information unit is configured to report billing information of a device. Since only the device 1 is connected to the gateway 1 and uses the client-level charging session, the charging message of the client A reported by the gateway 1 has only one charging information unit for reporting the device. 1 billing information.
  • the charging information unit of the device 1 includes the identifier of the device 1 and the charging information of the device.
  • the identifier of the device may specifically be one or more of an IMSI, an IP address, an IMEI, a SIP address, or other identifiers.
  • the gateway 1 may set the subscription-Id in the CCR message as the client identifier, and carry multiple PS-Information in the Service-Information, and each PS-Information As a charging information unit, the subscription-Id in the PS-Information is set to the identifier of a certain device of the client, and is used to identify the charging information of which device the charging information unit is.
  • an accounting message reported by the gateway may carry charging information of multiple devices of the client, which not only saves network overhead, but also facilitates charging system to combine charging information of multiple devices of the same client.
  • the charging system can directly obtain the charging information of multiple devices of the client in a reported client-level charging message. It is easy to think of and understand that, because there is a device identifier in the billing information unit to distinguish which device is recorded, according to the specific service scenario and service demand, the customer's charging message is as shown in FIG.
  • the charging information of the same device may also be included in multiple charging information units. For example, the charging information unit 1 and the charging information unit 2 in FIG. 3 may record the charging information of the device 1 in the same manner.
  • the device 2 establishes a connection with the gateway 1. Similar to the description in step 201 and step 202, the gateway 1 acquires information related to the device 2, such as the identifier of the device and the customer identifier to which the device belongs, and the charging policy of the device 2. This embodiment assumes that the device 2 also uses the rate group 1. The gateway 1 confirms that the device 2 needs to share the charging session, and there is a client-level charging session of the client A on the gateway 1, then the gateway 1 no longer creates a charging session for the device 2, and the device 2 uses the client A created in the second step. Customer-level billing session. Since the device 2 also uses the rate group 1, the quota of the rate group 1 and the corresponding charging event delivered by the charging system in the fourth step are also applicable to the device 2.
  • the gateway 1 detects that the device 1 and the device 2 meet the triggering condition of the charging event, and reports the charging message of the client A, which includes the customer ID of the customer A and two charging information units.
  • the two charging information units respectively contain charging information of the device 1 and the device 2.
  • the gateway in the customer-level charging session, in the process of using the quotas by the device 1 and the device 2, if the quota is insufficient, the gateway needs to re-apply for the quota, and the request message for applying the quota needs to carry the identifier of the customer, The process of applying for a quota is the same as that described in step 203 and will not be described again. It should be noted that the device 1 and the device 2 may meet the triggering condition of the charging event multiple times, and the gateway 1 may report the charging message multiple times. The process shown in this embodiment is only for the indication, and the charging message is not reported to the gateway. The number of times produces any limit.
  • step 208 the connection between the device 1 and the gateway 1 is removed due to the offline or service end of the device or other network reasons.
  • the gateway 1 needs to remove the charging session of the device 1, but the device 1 uses the meter.
  • the fee session is a client-level charging session and is shared by multiple devices.
  • the gateway 1 needs to determine whether other devices are currently sharing this client-level charging session. Since device 2 is still connected to the gateway and is using this charging session, gateway 1 needs to retain this client-level charging session while retaining the previously applied quota and corresponding charging session.
  • step 209 the device 3 establishes a connection with the gateway 1, similar to the processing of the step 206. Since the client-level charging session of the client A still exists, the device 3 uses the client-level charging session, assuming the device 3 usage fee. Rate group 1, then device 2 and device 3 share the quota.
  • the gateway 1 detects that the device 2 and the device 3 meet the triggering condition of the charging event, and reports the charging message of the client A, which includes the customer ID of the customer A and two charging information units.
  • the two charging information units respectively contain charging information of the device 2 and the device 3.
  • step 211 the connection of device 2 to gateway 1 is removed, leaving only device 3 to use a client-level charging session.
  • the gateway 1 reports the charging information of the device 3, and the reported charging message includes the identifier of the client A and the charging information unit of the device 3.
  • step 213 the connection between the device 3 and the gateway 1 is removed, and the gateway 1 confirms that there is no other connection with the device of the client A on the current gateway.
  • the connection to be removed is the last connection between the client A and the gateway, and the gateway 1 is
  • step 214 the client-level charging session is simultaneously removed.
  • the gateway does not need to establish three charging sessions for three devices, but only needs to establish one charging session.
  • the gateway does not need to apply for a quota for each of the three devices, but only needs to apply for a quota.
  • the accounting event corresponding to the quota applies to three devices at the same time.
  • the gateway can perform charging.
  • the billing information of multiple devices is reported in the message. It can be seen that the solution of the embodiment of the present invention solves the problem of fragmentation of charging information and charging quotas when a client has multiple devices, and improves the performance of the gateway and the charging system.
  • Embodiment 2 In the online charging mode, multiple devices of the same customer share a charging session, and multiple devices use different rate groups.
  • FIG. 4 shows a flow chart of possible charging session creation and charging message reporting. Different from FIG.
  • the gateway 1 learns that the device 2 uses the rate group 2, although the device 2 can share the client-level charging session with the device 1, but because the gateway currently The quota is not applied for the rate group 2, so the gateway 1 needs to apply for the quota for the rate group 2 in step 407, and the request message for applying the quota in the step 407 carries the customer identifier of the customer A.
  • the charging event corresponding to the quota and quota obtained in step 408 is applicable to all the devices of the customer A using the rate group 2. That is, after the device 3 establishes a connection with the gateway, the gateway 1 does not need to apply for a quota for the device 3.
  • FIG. 4 reference may be made to the description of the steps in FIG. 2, and details are not described herein again.
  • Embodiment 3 Under the offline charging Rf interface mode, multiple devices sharing the charging session of the same client
  • FIG. 5 shows a possible embodiment of the solution of the present invention in the offline charging Rf interface mode.
  • the Rf interface is an interface between a PCN (Packet Switched Core Network Node) network element (such as a PDN GW) and a CDF (Charging Data Function).
  • PCN Packet Switched Core Network Node
  • CDF Charging Data Function
  • the PDN GW reports the charging information to the CDF.
  • the CDF generates a CDR (Charging Data Record) and finally reports it to the offline charging system. That is, in the network architecture of FIG. 1, a CDF entity is inserted between the gateway and the offline charging system, and the CDR is generated and reported to the offline charging system.
  • CDR Charge Data Record
  • the gateway does not need to apply for a quota, and directly reports the charging information to the CDF according to the charging event corresponding to the locally configured rate group.
  • the same steps and methods in the foregoing embodiment are not described in detail, such as how the gateway obtains device-related information (such as the identifier of the device, the customer identifier, the charging policy, and the rate group, and whether the shared charging is required. Sessions, etc., only focus on the offline charging Rf mode, how multiple devices of the same customer share the charging session, and report the charging information of multiple devices in one charging message.
  • step 502 the gateway 1 sends an Accounting Request[start] message to the CDF, where the customer identifier is carried, and the client-level charging session between the gateway and the CDF is started.
  • the CDF receives the Accounting Request[start] message and opens a CDR for the client A. Used to record the billing information of the device of the customer A.
  • step 503 after the device 2 establishes a connection with the gateway 1, the gateway 1 determines that a charging session has been established for the client A, and then does not send an Accounting Request[start] message to the CDF, and the device 2 and the device 1 share a client level. Billing session.
  • the device 1 and the device 2 respectively satisfy the charging event corresponding to the rate group, and the gateway 1 reports the charging information of the device 1 and the device 2 in the Accounting Request [Interim] message.
  • the Accounting Request [Interim] message includes the customer ID of the customer A and two charging information units, and the two charging information units respectively contain the identifiers of the device 1 and the device 2 and their charging information.
  • the CDF receives the Accounting Request [Interim] message and writes the charging information of Device 1 and Device 2 into the CDR of Client A.
  • step 505 and 508 when the connection between the device and the gateway 1 is removed, the gateway 1 judges that there are currently other connections of the client A, and retains the charging session between the client A and the CDF. Continue to use this after Customer A’s other devices are online The billing session reports the billing information of the other device.
  • step 507 the gateway 1 reports the billing information of the device 2 and the device 3.
  • step 509 the gateway 1 reports the billing information of the device 3.
  • step 511 after the last connection of the client A and the gateway 1 is removed (that is, the connection between the device 3 and the gateway is removed), the gateway 1 sends an Accounting Request [Stop] message to remove the charging session between the gateway 1 and the client A of the CDF.
  • CDF closes Customer A's CDR after receiving this message.
  • the charging message reported to the CDF at the gateway includes The billing information of multiple devices, so the gateway does not need to establish multiple billing sessions with the CDF, and the CDF does not need to open multiple CDRs for the same client, which saves network overhead and simplifies the processing of billing on the gateway side and the CDF side.
  • Embodiment 3 The process of sharing a charging session between multiple devices in a scenario where the CDF function is separated from the gateway is described in Embodiment 3.
  • the gateway In the scenario where the gateway itself has the CDF function, the gateway locally records and maintains the CDR of the client, and reports the CDR to the offline charging system according to the subscribed rules.
  • Embodiment 4 In the offline charging CDR mode, multiple devices of the same client share CDRs
  • Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing the process of sharing CDRs between multiple devices of the same client in the CDR mode of the gateway offline charging.
  • step 601 after the device 1 establishes a connection with the gateway 1, the gateway 1 determines that there is no other connection with the client A, and then opens the CDR of the client A, and records the client ID of the client A in the CDR.
  • the gateway 1 counts the charging information of the device 1 (such as network resources and data traffic usage information), and writes the charging information of the device 1 to the CDR when the device 1 meets the charging event configured locally by the gateway.
  • the method for sharing the CDR in the offline charging mode can be applied to all the clients and their devices in the network, and can be applied to only a part of the clients and their devices by means of subscription or configuration.
  • ⁇ / RTI> ⁇ / RTI> ⁇ / RTI> ⁇ / RTI> ⁇ / RTI> ⁇ / RTI> ⁇ / RTI> ⁇ / RTI> ⁇ / RTI> 1 Open a CDR for each device connected to it according to the prior art.
  • the gateway 1 can learn whether the device needs to share the CDR in the charging policy sent by the PCRF, and also configure which devices need to share the CDR locally in the gateway 1, and the gateway 1 can also go to other entities (such as the subscription relationship storage entity) according to the identifier of the device. Whether the device is required to share the CDR.
  • steps 602 and 604 when another device establishes a connection with the gateway 1, since the gateway 1 has opened one CDR for the client A, the new CDR will not be opened, but multiple devices share this. Customer level CDR.
  • the gateway 1 When any device meets the charging event, the gateway 1 writes the charging information of the device as a charging information unit to the CDR, and the charging information unit includes the identifier of the device.
  • steps 603 and 605 when a device is disconnected from the gateway 1, since the CDR is still used by other devices, the gateway 1 does not turn off the CDR, but continues to use the CDR to record charging information of other devices.
  • gateway 1 will close the CDR of client A.
  • step 607 when the CDR reporting condition is met, such as the CDR recording duration reaches the limited duration, or the CDR capacity reaches the capacity limit, the gateway 1 reports the CDR, where the CDR includes the customer ID of the customer A and the client A. Billing information for devices.
  • the CDR reporting condition such as the CDR recording duration reaches the limited duration, or the CDR capacity reaches the capacity limit.
  • each network element such as a UE, a base station, a core network entity, etc.
  • each network element such as a UE, a base station, a core network entity, etc.
  • each network element such as a UE, a base station, a core network entity, etc.
  • each network element includes corresponding hardware structures and/or software modules for performing various functions.
  • the present invention can be implemented in a combination of hardware or hardware and computer software in combination with the elements and algorithm steps of the various examples described in the embodiments disclosed herein. Whether a function is implemented in hardware or computer software to drive hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the solution. Professionals can use different methods for each specific application to implement the description Functionality, but such implementation should not be considered to be outside the scope of the present invention.
  • Embodiment 5 Computer Device Embodiment
  • the gateway, the online charging system, and the offline charging system described in Embodiment 1 to Embodiment 4 can be implemented in the manner of the computer device (or system) in FIG.
  • FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a computer device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • Computer device 700 includes at least one processor 701, a communication bus 702, a memory 703, and at least one communication interface 704.
  • the processor 701 can be a general purpose central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits for controlling the execution of the program of the present invention.
  • CPU central processing unit
  • ASIC application-specific integrated circuit
  • Communication bus 702 can include a path for communicating information between the components described above.
  • the communication interface 704 uses devices such as any transceiver for communicating with other devices or communication networks, such as Ethernet, Radio Access Network (RAN), Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN), and the like.
  • RAN Radio Access Network
  • WLAN Wireless Local Area Networks
  • the memory 703 can be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device that can store static information and instructions, a random access memory (RAM) or other type that can store information and instructions.
  • the dynamic storage device can also be an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), a Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, and a disc storage device. (including compact discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital versatile discs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, or can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and can be Any other media accessed, but not limited to this.
  • the memory can exist independently and be connected to the processor via a bus.
  • the memory can also be integrated with the processor.
  • the memory 703 is used to store application code for executing the solution of the present invention, and is controlled by the processor 701 for execution.
  • the processor 701 is configured to execute application code stored in the memory 703 to implement the functions of the gateway, the online charging system, or the offline charging system in the method of the present patent.
  • the processor 701 may include one or more CPUs, such as CPU0 and CPU1 in FIG.
  • computer device 700 can include multiple processors, such as processor 701 and processor 708 in FIG. Each of these processors can be a single-CPU processor or a multi-core processor.
  • a processor herein may refer to one or more devices, circuits, and/or processing cores for processing data, such as computer program instructions.
  • computer device 700 may also include an output device 705 and an input device 706.
  • Output device 705 is in communication with processor 701 and can display information in a variety of ways.
  • the output device 705 can be a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode (LED) display device, a cathode ray tube (CRT) display device, or a projector. Wait.
  • Input device 706 is in communication with processor 701 and can accept user input in a variety of ways.
  • input device 706 can be a mouse, keyboard, touch screen device, or sensing device, and the like.
  • the computer device 700 described above can be a general purpose computer device or a special purpose computer device.
  • the computer device 700 can be a desktop computer, a portable computer, a network server, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile phone, a tablet, a wireless terminal device, a communication device, an embedded device, or have the same FIG. A device of similar structure.
  • PDA personal digital assistant
  • Embodiments of the invention do not limit the type of computer device 700.
  • Embodiment 6 Online charging scenario gateway device embodiment
  • the embodiments of the present invention may divide the functional modules in the gateways in Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2.
  • each functional module may be divided according to each function, or two or more functions may be integrated into one processing module.
  • the above integrated modules can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional modules. It should be noted that the division of the module in the embodiment of the present invention is schematic, and is only a logical function division, and the actual implementation may have another division manner.
  • FIG. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a gateway for implementing a shared charging session involved in the foregoing embodiment, and the device 800 includes: a device communication module. 801, a determining module 803, an executing module 805, and a charging communication module 809.
  • a device communication module 801 configured to send a message to the device, or receive a message from the device, to establish a connection with one or more devices of the client;
  • the determining module 803 is configured to determine, after the device communication module 801 establishes a connection with the device of the client, whether a customer-level charging session of the client exists between the online charging system and the online charging system;
  • the charging communication module 809 is configured to communicate with the online charging system, send a charging related message generated by the executing module 805 to the online charging system, and receive a message sent by the online charging system;
  • the executing module 805 is configured to: when the determining module 803 determines that the client-level charging session of the client does not exist, generate a request for establishing a client-level charging session to the online charging system, where the request includes the identifier of the client; And generating a request message for requesting the quota of the rate group and the corresponding charging event of the customer to the online charging system, where the request message includes an identifier of the client; and the online meter used for receiving according to the charging communication module 809 And the billing and billing event allocated by the fee system, charging the device of the client, and generating a message for reporting charging information of one or more devices of the client, where the message reporting the charging information includes a client
  • the various charging-related messages generated by the execution module 805 are sent to the online charging system via the charging communication module 809.
  • gateway 800 can take the form shown in FIG.
  • the determining module 803 and the executing module 805 in FIG. 8 can be implemented by calling the code in the memory 703 by the processor 701 in FIG. 7; the device communication module 801 and the charging communication module 809 in FIG. 8 can pass through FIG.
  • the communication interface 704 is implemented, and the embodiment of the present invention does not impose any limitation.
  • Embodiment 7 Offline charging Rf interface mode scenario device embodiment
  • the embodiment of the present invention may divide the function module into the gateway in Embodiment 3.
  • each function module may be divided according to each function, or two or more functions may be integrated into one processing module.
  • the above integrated modules can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional modules. It should be noted that the division of the module in the embodiment of the present invention is schematic, and is only a logical function division, and the actual implementation may have another division manner.
  • FIG. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of a gateway for implementing a shared charging session involved in the foregoing embodiment, and the device 900 includes: a device communication module. 901.
  • the device communication module 901 is configured to send a message to the device, or receive a message from the device, to establish a connection with one or more devices of the client;
  • the determining module 903 is configured to determine whether the device communication module 901 establishes a connection with the device of the client, and determines whether it is related to the CDF. There is a customer-level charging session between the customers;
  • the charging communication module 909 is configured to communicate with the online charging system, and send a charging related message generated by the executing module 805 to the online charging system;
  • the executing module 905 is configured to: when the determining module 903 determines that the client-level charging session of the client does not exist, generate a request for establishing a client-level charging session to the CDF, where the request includes an identifier of the client; The event, the device of the customer is charged, and a message for reporting the charging information of the one or more devices of the customer is generated, where the message reporting the charging information includes the identifier of the client; The various billing related messages described above are sent to the CDF via the billing communication module 909.
  • gateway 900 can take the form shown in FIG.
  • the judging module 903 and the executing module 905 in FIG. 9 can be implemented by calling the code in the memory 703 by the processor 701 in FIG. 7; the device communication module 901 and the billing communication module 909 in FIG. 9 can pass through FIG.
  • the communication interface 704 is implemented, and the embodiment of the present invention does not impose any limitation.
  • Embodiment 8 Offline charging CDR mode scenario device embodiment
  • the embodiment of the present invention may divide the function module into the gateway in Embodiment 4.
  • each function module may be divided according to each function, or two or more functions may be integrated into one processing module.
  • the above integrated modules can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional modules. It should be noted that the division of the module in the embodiment of the present invention is schematic, and is only a logical function division, and the actual implementation may have another division manner.
  • FIG. 10 is a schematic structural diagram of a gateway for implementing a shared charging session involved in the foregoing embodiment, and the device 1000 includes: a device communication module. 1001. The determining module 1003, the executing module 1005, and the charging communication module 1009.
  • the device communication module 1001 is configured to send a message to the device, or receive a message from the device, to establish a connection with one or more devices of the client;
  • the determining module 1003 is configured to determine, after the device communication module 1001 establishes a connection with the device of the client, whether there is a client-level CDR of the client;
  • the billing communication module 1009 is configured to report, to the offline billing system, the client-level CDR of the client created and recorded by the execution module 1005;
  • the executing module 1005 is configured to: when the determining module 1003 determines that there is no client-level CDR, create a client-level CDR; and perform charging on the client device according to the charging event of the client, and The billing information for one or more devices is written to the customer-level CDR of the customer; the customer-level CDR also contains the customer's identification.
  • the above functional modules can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional modules.
  • the gateway 1000 can take the form shown in FIG.
  • the determining module 1003 and the executing module 1005 in FIG. 10 can be implemented by calling the code in the memory 703 by the processor 701 in FIG. 7; the device communication module 1001 and the charging communication module 1009 in FIG. 10 can pass through FIG.
  • the communication interface 704 is implemented, and the embodiment of the present invention does not impose any limitation.
  • Embodiment 9 Functional device embodiment of online charging system
  • the embodiments of the present invention may divide the function modules of the online charging system or the CDF in Embodiment 1 to Embodiment 4.
  • each function module may be divided according to each function, or two or more functions may be integrated.
  • a processing module In a processing module.
  • the above integrated modules can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional modules. It should be noted that the division of the module in the embodiment of the present invention is schematic, and is only a logical function division, and the actual implementation may have another division manner.
  • FIG. 11 is a schematic structural diagram of a gateway for implementing a shared charging session involved in the foregoing embodiment.
  • the device 1100 includes: a receiving module 1101. The execution module 1102, and the transmitting module 1103.
  • the receiving module 1101 is configured to receive a message from the gateway, including establishing a client-level charging session request message, a client-level quota application message, and a client-level charging message reporting.
  • the executing module 1102 is configured to: after receiving the request message of the gateway, record the content in the request message, and generate a corresponding response message. For example, after receiving the client-level charging session request message, the customer identifier in the request message is recorded, the charging session is marked as the customer-level charging session of the customer, and a response message is generated; When the message is received, the quota of the customer granularity is allocated, and a response message is generated; when receiving the client-level charging message reported by the gateway, one or more charging information units included in the charging message are recorded, and a response message is generated.
  • the sending module 1103 is configured to send a response message generated by the execution module to the gateway.
  • the above functional modules can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional modules.
  • the online charging system 1100 can take the form shown in FIG.
  • the execution module 1102 in FIG. 11 can be implemented by calling the code in the memory 703 by the processor 701 in FIG. 7, and the embodiment of the present invention does not impose any limitation.
  • Embodiment 10 System Embodiment for Implementing a Shared Client Level Charging Session or Sharing a Client Level CDR
  • FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a charging system for implementing a shared client-level charging session in an online charging mode involved in the above embodiment, the system including a gateway and an online charging system.
  • the gateway is configured to send a request message for establishing a customer-level charging session to the online charging system, request a customer-level quota from the online charging system, receive a customer-level quota granted by the online charging system, and report the customer-level quota to the online charging system.
  • the charging message includes the identity of the customer and one or more charging information units.
  • the online charging system is configured to receive a client-level charging session request message sent by the gateway, record the customer-level charging session, receive a client-level quota application message sent by the gateway, allocate a customer-level quota to the client, and pass the The response message is returned to the gateway; the client-level charging message sent by the gateway is received, and one or more charging information units included in the message are recorded.
  • FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a charging system for implementing a shared client-level charging session in an offline charging Rf interface mode involved in the above embodiment, the system including a gateway and a CDF.
  • the gateway is configured to send a request message for establishing a client-level charging session to the CDF, and report the client-level charging message to the online charging system, including the identifier of the client, and one or more charging information units.
  • the CDF is configured to receive a client-level charging session request message sent by the gateway, record the client-level charging session, receive a client-level charging message sent by the gateway, and record one or more charging information units included in the message.
  • FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a charging system for implementing a shared CDR in an offline charging CDR mode involved in the foregoing embodiment.
  • the system includes a gateway and an offline billing system.
  • the gateway is configured to record charging information of multiple devices in the same client-level CDR.
  • the CDR includes a customer identifier and multiple charging information units, and sends a client-level CDR to the offline charging system.
  • the offline charging system is configured to receive a client-level CDR sent by the gateway, and record one or more charging information units of a certain client included in the message.
  • the steps of a method or algorithm described in connection with the present disclosure may be implemented in a hardware, or may be implemented by a processor executing software instructions.
  • the software instructions may be comprised of corresponding software modules that may be stored in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, removable hard disk, CD-ROM, or any other form of storage well known in the art.
  • An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor to enable the processor to read information from, and write information to, the storage medium.
  • the storage medium can also be an integral part of the processor.
  • the processor and the storage medium can be located in an ASIC. Additionally, the ASIC can be located in the user equipment.
  • the processor and the storage medium may also reside as discrete components in the user equipment.
  • the functions described herein can be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof.
  • the functions may be stored in a computer readable medium or transmitted as one or more instructions or code on a computer readable medium.
  • Computer readable media includes both computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one location to another.
  • a storage medium may be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer.

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Abstract

本发明涉及通信技术领域，具体涉及一种应用于同一个客户拥有多个设备的场景下的计费方法、装置和系统。在一种计费方法中，网关以客户为粒度对当前与网关有连接的客户的多个设备的计费信息进行管理，为每个客户只建立一个客户级计费会话或客户级CDR(Charging Data Record，计费数据记录)，在客户级计费会话中发送的上报客户计费信息的消息中或客户级CDR中，包含客户的标识和该客户的一个或多个设备的计费信息。通过本发明实施例提供的方案，减少了网关侧计费会话的维护成本，减少了网络资源的消耗，提升了网关性能；同时，简化了在线计费系统和离线计费系统的处理，提升了在线计费系统和离线计费系统的处理性能。

Description

一种计费方法、装置和系统
本申请要求于2017年2月7日提交中国专利局、申请号为201710068015.5，发明名称为“一种计费方法、装置和系统”的中国专利申请的优先权，其全部内容通过引用结合在本申请中。
技术领域
本发明涉及通信技术领域，具体涉及一种应用于同一个客户拥有多个设备的场景下的计费方法、装置和系统。
背景技术
在通信系统中每个客户在计费系统拥有一个或多个账户，该账户为客户的设备付费，当一个客户同时拥有多个设备时，该账户为客户的多个设备付费，即多个设备共享一个客户账号(账户号码)。同时，客户的每个设备有独立且唯一的接入号(或标识信息、或用户标识，如IMSI等)，用于接入认证、计费信息采集、位置管理等。运营商目前的计费机制为，在线计费的情况下，通信系统为每个设备接入网络的一个IP-CAN(IP Connectivity Access Network，IP接入网)承载或者IP-CAN会话建立一个计费会话并分配计费配额；离线计费的情况下，通信系统为每个设备接入网络的一个IP-CAN承载或者IP-CAN会话创建一个计费话单。
随着5G和IoT(Internet of Things)等技术的发展，通信系统将迎来万物互联的全连接时代，设备或终端的连接数将呈指数级增长，会出现大量的一个客户有多个设备的场景，按照目前的计费机制，在连接数激增的情况下，计费会话和计费话单将呈指数级增长，而每个计费会话或计费话单可能只处理或包含单个设备很少的计费信息。这就会造成计费信息和计费配额的碎片化，带来高成本的配额管理和计费信息管理，同时，大量的计费会话和计费话单将大大降低网关和计费系统的性能和处理效率。因此，需要一种方案，来解决一个客户拥有多个设备的情况下，现有技术中为每个设备建立一个计费会话或计费话单所带来的计费信息和计费配额的碎片化问题，以及这种碎片化造成的网关和计费系统的性能降低等问题。
发明内容
本发明实施例描述了一种计费方法、装置和系统，避免了一个客户拥有多个设备的场景下，计费信息和计费配额的碎片化问题，减少了网关和计费系统的性能消耗，使得网关和计费系统中，同一个客户的计费信息和计费配额更容易维护。
第一方面，本发明实施例提供一种计费的方法，适用于一个客户拥有多个设备的场景，所述方法中网关以客户为粒度对当前与网关有连接的客户的多个设备的计费信息进行管理，为每个客户只建立一个客户级计费会话或客户级CDR(Charging Data Record，计费数据记录)，在客户级计费会话中发送的上报客户计费信息的消息中或客户级CDR中，包含客户的标识和该客户的一个或多个设备的计费信息。每个设备的计费信息可以作为一个计费信息单元，每个计费信息单元包含设备的标识和计费信息。本发明实施例提供的计费方法可以适用于在线计费、离线计费Rf接口模式(指网关通过Rf接口进行离线计费的方式)，和离线计费CDR模式(指网关生成CDR进行离线计费的方式)等多种计费场景。本发明实施例中的所 述设备与网关间的连接指设备与网关间建立的用于传递业务数据或业务流的承载，如PDN(Packet Data Network)连接。下面针对不同的场景，分别对本方法进行说明：
在线计费场景：
在一种可能的设计中，当客户的某一设备与网关建立连接，网关判断当前网关上是否已经建立了该客户的客户级计费会话，如果网关上已经存在该客户的客户级计费会话，则网关使用该客户级计费会话上报所述设备的计费信息；如果网关上不存在该客户的客户级计费会话，则网关为所述客户创建客户级计费会话。需要说明的是，本发明实施例中所说的“客户级计费会话”是指网关创建的一个客户级粒度的计费会话，创建该计费会话的请求中携带客户的标识，在线计费系统通过客户的标识来识别该客户级计费会话中上报的是哪个客户的计费信息；该客户级计费会话可以被同一个客户的多个设备所共用。网关在一个客户级计费会话中上报客户的计费信息，网关在上报客户计费信息的消息中包含客户的标识和该客户当前与网关有连接的一个或多个设备的计费信息。通过本申请实施例提供的方案，网关在任一时间只需要为同一个客户当前与网关有连接的一个或多个设备维护一个客户级计费会话，减少了网关侧计费会话的维护成本，减少了网络资源的消耗，提升了网关性能；在客户级计费会话中，网关可以上报多个设备的计费信息，使得在线计费系统在一个计费会话中获得同一个客户的多个设备的计费信息，避免了在同一个客户的多个设备的不同计费会话中收集、合并计费信息，简化了在线计费系统的处理，提升了在线计费系统的处理性能。
在一种可能的设计中，当客户的某一设备与网关的连接拆除时，为了保证该设备使用的客户级计费会话可以被当前与网关有连接的该客户的其它设备所继续使用，网关要判断要拆除的连接是否是网关上该客户的最后一个连接，如果是，说明已经没有其它设备与网关有连接，也不需要继续使用该客户级计费会话，则网关拆除该客户的客户级计费会话；如果不是，说明当前还有该客户的其它设备与网关有连接，该客户级计费会话还需要被继续使用，则网关保留该客户的客户级计费会话。
在本发明实施例提供的方案中，由于计费会话按照客户级粒度进行创建和维护，即同一个客户的多个设备共享一个客户级计费会话，在一种可能的设计中，类似的，计费配额和计费事件也按照客户级粒度进行分配和使用，即共享同一个客户级计费会话的多个设备共享配额和计费事件。具体的，客户的某一设备与网关建立连接后，网关重用或新建客户级计费会话，网关判断是否已为该设备所属的费率组向在线计费系统申请配额和计费事件，如果没有，则网关为该费率组申请配额；如果有，则使用该配额和计费事件。网关申请配额的请求消息中携带客户的标识，在线计费系统收到此消息，以客户为粒度为该费率组分配配额，并向网关返回该费率组的配额和对应的计费事件；该配额和计费事件为客户级的，即后续与网关建立连接，且共用此客户级计费会话，且使用相同费率组的该客户的其他设备可以使用该配额和计费事件。当客户的某一设备与所述网关的连接拆除后，所述设备使用的配额继续被所述客户级计费会话中的使用相同费率组的其它设备使用。可见，通过本发明实施例提供的方案，解决了同一个客户拥有多个设备的计费配额碎片化的问题，在线计费系统以客户为粒度分配配额，网关侧以客户为粒度进行配额的使用和维护，提高了计费精度，降低了在线计费系统和网关的性能消耗。
在一种可能的设计中，当使用任一费率组的一个或多个设备满足计费事件的条件时，网关向在线计费系统上报计费消息，计费消息中包含客户的标识和该客户满足计费事件的一个或多个设备的计费信息。
在一种可能的设计中，每个设备的计费信息可以做为一个计费信息单元，计费信息单元中包含当前与网关有连接的某个设备的标识和计费信息，设备的标识可以是IMSI、IP地址、IMEI、SIP地址或其它标识。
离线计费Rf接口方式场景：
离线计费Rf接口模式下，本发明实施例提供的方案中，网关建立的客户级计费会话是网关与CDF(Charging Data Function，计费数据功能)间在Rf接口上的会话；网关侧创建或使用Rf接口上的客户级计费会话的处理，与在线计费模式下网关与在线计费系统间创建或使用客户级计费会话的处理相同；网关在客户级计费会话中上报计费信息的方式，与在线计费模式下网关在客户级计费信息中上报计费信息的方式相同，都是在一个客户级计费会话中，包含客户的标识和一个或多个设备的计费信息。与在线计费场景不同的是，离线计费模式下，网关不需要为费率组申请配额，费率组对应的计费事件是静态配置在网关上的，网关直接采集同一个客户的多个设备的计费信息，在客户级计费会话中上报客户的多个设备的计费信息。通过本发明实施例提供的方案，网关和CDF间无需为客户的多个设备创建或维护多个计费会话，而只需要创建或维护一个客户级计费会话，节省了网络开销，提升了网关和CDF的处理性能；由于CDF可以直接在一个计费会话中获取同一个客户的多个设备的计费信息，解决了计费信息碎片化的问题，简化了CDF的计费信息处理，提升了CDF的处理性能。
在一种可能的设计中，网关与CDF功能实体建立所述客户级计费会话；该网关上配置的某一费率组的计费事件，应用于共享所述客户级计费会话、且使用所述费率组的一个或多个所述客户的设备；当使用任一费率组的一个或多个设备满足计费事件的条件时，所述网关向CDF上报计费消息，所述计费消息包含客户的标识和满足计费事件的一个或多个设备的计费信息。
在一种可能的设计中，每个设备的计费信息可以做为一个计费信息单元，计费信息单元中包含当前与网关有连接的某个设备的标识和计费信息，设备的标识可以是IMSI、IP地址、IMEI、SIP地址或其它标识。
离线计费CDR方式场景：
离线计费CDR模式下，本发明实施例提供的方案中，网关为同一个客户的多个设备创建客户级CDR，该客户级CDR中记录客户的标识和该客户的一个或多个设备的计费信息。通过本发明实施例提供的方案，网关将同一个客户的多个设备的计费信息记录在一个CDR中，并上报给离线计费系统，解决了计费信息碎片化的问题，简化了离线计费系统的处理，提升了离线计费系统的计费处理性能和处理效率；同时，由于网关无需为多个设备创建并维护多个CDR，可以在一个CDR文件中向离线计费系统上报多个设备的计费信息，节省了网关的开销，提升了网关的处理性能。
在一种可能的设计中，当客户的某一设备与网关建立连接时，如果所述网关上不存在所述设备所归属客户的客户级CDR，所述网关为所述客户创建客户级CDR，以记录所述设备的计费信息；如果所述网关上存在所述客户的客户级CDR，则所述网关使用所述客户级CDR记录所述设备的计费信息。
在一种可能的设计中，当客户的某一设备与所述网关的连接拆除时，当所述要拆除的连接是所述客户与所述网关的最后一个连接时，所述网关关闭所述客户级CDR；当所述要拆除的连接不是所述客户与所述网关的最后一个连接时，所述网关继续使用所述客户级CDR记录所述客户其他设备的计费信息。
在一种可能的设计中，网关上配置所述客户任一费率组的计费事件，所述计费事件适用于使用所述费率组的所述客户的一个或多个设备。网关检测计费事件并在所述客户级CDR中，记录满足计费事件的所述客户的一个或多个设备的计费信息。
在一种可能的设计中，每个设备的计费信息可以做为一个计费信息单元，计费信息单元中包含某个设备的标识和计费信息，设备的标识可以是IMSI、IP地址、IMEI、SIP地址或其它标识。
在一种可能的设计中，网关上配置客户级CDR上报的条件，如CDR记录时长达到限定时长，或CDR容量或大小达到限定容量或大小等。当满足客户级CDR上报的条件时，网关将客户级CDR发送给离线计费系统。
需要说明的是，网关可以对所有的客户的设备执行本申请所提供的共享客户级计费会话或共享客户级CDR的计费方法；也可以只对部分客户的设备执行本申请所提供的方案，如设备与网关建立连接后，网关可以根据设备的标识查询本地配置，或到查询其它保存客户数据的实体，或根据PCRF下发的设备的策略信息，获知所述设备是否需要共享客户级计费会话或客户级CDR。
还需要说明的是，网关可以通过多种方式获取设备的标识和客户的标识，本发明实施例不进行限定，比如网关可以在建立连接的请求中获取设备的标识和设备所属的客户的标识，还可以通过本地配置获知设备的标识或所属的客户的标识，还可以通过查询订购关系存储实体的方式获知设备所属的客户的标识。
第二方面，本发明的实施例提供了一种用于在线计费场景下的网关，该网关具有实现第一方面所述方法中在线计费场景下网关行为的功能。该功能可以通过硬件实现，也可以通过硬件执行相应的软件实现。该硬件或软件包括一个或多个与上述功能相对应的模块。
在一种可能的设计中，该网关包括设备通信模块，判断模块，计费通信模块和执行模块。其中，设备通信模块，用于向设备发送消息，或接收来自设备的消息，与客户的一个或多个设备建立连接；判断模块，用于设备通信模块与所述客户的设备建立连接后，判断是否与在线计费系统间存在所述客户的客户级计费会话；计费通信模块，用于与所述在线计费系统进行通信，向在线计费系统发送执行模块生成的计费相关的消息，并接收在线计费系统发送的消息；执行模块，用于在判断模块判断不存在所述客户的客户级计费会话时，生成向在线计费系统建立客户级计费会话的请求，所述请求中包含客户的标识；还用于生成向在线计费系统申请所述客户的任一费率组的配额和对应计费事件的请求消息，所述请求消息中包含客户的标识；用于根据计费通信模块接收的在线计费系统分配的配额和计费事件，对所述客户的设备进行计费，并生成上报所述客户的一个或多个设备的计费信息的消息，所述上报计费信息的消息中包含客户的标识；执行模块所生成的上述各种与计费相关的消息通过计费通信模块向在线计费系统发送。
在一种可能的设计中，该网关包括处理器、存储器、总线和通信接口。其中，存储器用于存储计算机执行指令，处理器与存储器通过该总线连接，当该设备运行时，该处理器执行该存储器存储的该计算机执行指令，以使该网关执行如上述第一方面在线计费场景下的实现计费的方法。
第三方面，本发明提供一种用于离线计费Rf接口方式场景下的网关，该网关具有实现第一方面所述方法中离线计费Rf接口方式场景下网关行为的功能。该功能可以通过硬件实现，也可以通过硬件执行相应的软件实现。该硬件或软件包括一个或多个与上述功能相对应 的模块。
在一种可能的设计中，网关包括设备通信模块，判断模块，计费通信模块和执行模块。其中设备通信模块，用于向设备发送消息，或接收来自设备的消息，与客户的一个或多个设备建立连接；判断模块，用于设备通信模块与所述客户的设备建立连接后，判断是否与CDF间存在所述客户的客户级计费会话；计费通信模块，用于与所述在线计费系统进行通信，向在线计费系统发送执行模块生成的计费相关的消息；执行模块，用于在判断模块判断不存在所述客户的客户级计费会话时，生成向CDF建立客户级计费会话的请求，所述请求中包含客户的标识；用于根据计费事件，对所述客户的设备进行计费，并生成上报所述客户的一个或多个设备的计费信息的消息，所述上报计费信息的消息中包含客户的标识；执行模块所生成的上述各种与计费相关的消息通过计费通信模块向CDF发送。
在一种可能的设计中，该网关包括处理器、存储器、总线和通信接口。其中，存储器用于存储计算机执行指令，处理器与存储器通过该总线连接，当该设备运行时，该处理器执行该存储器存储的该计算机执行指令，以使该网关执行如上述第一方面离线计费Rf接口方式场景下的实现计费的方法。
第四方面，本发明提供一种用于离线计费CDR方式场景下的网关，该网关具有实现第一方面所述方法中离线计费CDR方式场景下网关行为的功能。该功能可以通过硬件实现，也可以通过硬件执行相应的软件实现。该硬件或软件包括一个或多个与上述功能相对应的模块。
在一种可能的设计中，网关包括设备通信模块，判断模块，计费通信模块和执行模块。其中，设备通信模块，用于向设备发送消息，或接收来自设备的消息，与客户的一个或多个设备建立连接；判断模块，用于所述设备通信模块与所述客户的设备建立连接后，判断是否存在所述客户的客户级CDR；计费通信模块，用于向离线计费系统上报所述客户的客户级CDR；执行模块，用于在判断模块判断不存在客户级CDR时，创建客户级CDR，还用于根据所述客户的计费事件，对所述客户的设备进行计费，并将所述客户的一个或多个设备的计费信息写入所述客户的客户级CDR，所述客户级CDR中还包含客户的标识。
在一种可能的设计中，该网关包括处理器、存储器、总线和通信接口。其中，存储器用于存储计算机执行指令，处理器与存储器通过该总线连接，当该设备运行时，该处理器执行该存储器存储的该计算机执行指令，以使该网关执行如上述第一方面离线计费CDR方式场景下的实现计费的方法。
第五方面，本发明的实施例提供了一种在线计费系统实体，该在线计费系统具有实现第一方面所述方法中在线计费系统行为的功能。该功能可以通过硬件实现，也可以通过硬件执行相应的软件实现。该硬件或软件包括一个或多个与上述功能相对应的模块。
第六方面，本发明的实施例提供了一种用于在线计费的系统，该系统包括第一方面所述在线计费场景下方法实施例中或第二方面装置实施例中的网关，和第一方面所述在线计费场景下方法实施例中或第五方面装置实施例中的在线计费系统实体。
第七方面，本发明实施例提了供一种计算机可读存储介质，所述计算机可读存储介质中存储有指令，当其在计算机上运行时，使得计算机执行第一方面所述方法中在线计费场景下网关的方法。
第八方面，本发明实施例提了供一种计算机可读存储介质，所述计算机可读存储介质中存储有指令，当其在计算机上运行时，使得计算机执行第一方面所述方法中离线计费Rf接口方式场景下网关的方法。
第九方面，本发明实施提了供一种计算机可读存储介质，所述计算机可读存储介质中存储有指令，当其在计算机上运行时，使得计算机执行第一方面所述方法中离线计费CDR方式场景下网关的方法。
第十方面，本发明实施提供了一种包含指令的计算机程序产品，当其在计算机上运行时，使得计算机执行第一方面所述方法中在线计费场景下网关的方法。
第十一方面，本发明实施例提供了一种包含指令的计算机程序产品，当其在计算机上运行时，使得计算机执行第一方面所述方法中离线计费Rf接口方式场景下网关的方法。
第十二方面，本发明实施例提供了一种包含指令的计算机程序产品，当其在计算机上运行时，使得计算机执行第一方面所述方法中离线计费CDR方式场景下网关的方法。
另外，第二方面至第十二方面中所述装置、系统、计算机可读存储介质或计算机程序产品中所述的装置、系统、计算机程序产品或计算机可读存储介质所带来的技术效果可参见第一方面所述方法中不同场景下所带来的技术效果，此处不再赘述。
还需要说明的是，为了清楚的说明本发明所提供的技术方案，上述各方面分场景对网关进行了描述，本领域普通技术人员应该理解的是，本发明技术方案中不同场景下网关的功能还可以根据需要进行组合，同样可以产生良好的技术效果，如一个网关可以同时支持在线计费场景下共享客户级计费会话的方法和离线计费场景下共享客户级CDR的方法。
附图说明
为了更清楚地说明本发明实施例，下面将对实施例描述中所需要使用的附图作简单地介绍，显而易见地，下面描述中的附图仅仅是本发明的一些实施例，对于本领域普通技术人员来讲，在不付出创造性劳动性的前提下，还可以根据这些附图获得其它的附图。
图1为本发明实施例的一种可能的应用场景示意图；
图2为本发明实施例提供的一种在线计费模式下，共享客户级计费会话的流程示意图；
图3为本发明实施例提供的一种记录客户的一个或多个设备的计费信息的结构示意图；
图4为本发明实施例提供的另一种在线计费模式下，共享客户级计费会话的流程示意图；
图5为本发明实施例提供的一种离线计费Rf接口方式下，共享客户级计费会话的流程示意图；
图6为本发明实施例提供的一种离线计费CDR方式下，共享客户级CDR的流程示意图；
图7为本发明实施例提供的一种计算机装置示意图；
图8为本发明实施例提供的一种网关结构示意图；
图9为本发明实施例提供的另一种网关结构示意图；
图10为本发明实施例提供的另一种网关结构示意图；
图11为本发明实施例提供的一种在线计费系统结构示意图；
图12为本发明实施例提供的一种实现共享客户级计费会话的系统示意图；
图13为本发明实施例提供的另一种实现共享客户级计费会话的系统示意图；
图14为本发明实施例提供的一种实现共享客户级CDR的系统示意图；
具体实施方式
下面将结合本发明实施例中的附图，对本发明实施例中的技术方案进行描述。本发明实施例描述的网络架构以及业务场景是为了更加清楚的说明本发明实施例的技术方案，并不构 成对于本发明实施例提供的技术方案的限定，本领域普通技术人员可知，随着网络架构的演变和新业务场景的出现，本发明实施例提供的技术方案对于类似的技术问题，同样适用。本领域技术人员有能力根据本发明实施例的内容，设计灵活多样的通信网络实现方案，以下仅以几个实例化的方案说明本发明实施例在通信网络中的可能的一些实现方式，无论未来这些网元的名称、位置、交互关系如何变化，只要具备了本发明实施例中通信网络的功能，则均在本发明保护范围之内。
本申请中，客户指和运营商签署业务订购关系的人或者机构，其通常为所订购的业务付费，其在运营商计费系统有一个或多个账户；一个客户拥有一个或多个设备，如用户设备(User Equipment，UE)；所述设备具有运营商为其分配的标识，运营商网络通过设备的标识对设备进行识别，本申请中所述的设备的标识具体可以是IMSI、IP地址、SIP地址或其它标识中的一个或多个；所述客户的一个或多个设备共享所述客户的账户余额。
本申请中，客户的设备可以是该客户的所有设备，也可以是订购关系中指定的设备组，例如：某一客户订购了IoT业务，并指定了哪些IoT设备属于一个用户设备组(即：共享一个计费会话)，该客户的其他设备(如手机等)可能仍然有单独的计费会话进行控制。
本发明实施例描述的技术方案可以适用于如图1所示的通信系统，该系统中大量的客户拥有多个设备，这些设备共享一个计费账户。一个客户的多个设备根据地理位置或设备类型或系统配置接入到一个或多个网关。图1仅为网络架构示意图，图中的网关在特定网络架构或网络部署下可能具有不同的形态，具体对应不同的网元，如在GPRS(General Packet Radio Service)网络中，网关可以是GGSN(Gateway GPRS Support Node)，在EPC(Evolved Packet Core)网络中，网关可以是PDN GW(Packet Data Network Gate Way，分组数据网关)，而在未来5G网络中，由于控制面和用户面分离，负责用户设备接入和计费的网关可能是一个网关，也可能由控制面网关和用户面网关两部分组成，比如控制面网关负责计费会话建立和配额管理，同时用户面的网关负责流量计费，控制面与用户面联合实现计费的功能，由于目前5G网络架构尚未确定，本文中所有附图中的网关均以逻辑功能表述为目的，不代表具体物理形态。
网关为客户建立一个客户级计费会话或创建一个客户级CDR(Charging Data Record，计费数据记录)，用来上报或记录一个客户的多个设备的计费信息。对于在线计费，配额的分配为客户粒度，即，为某一客户的某一费率组分配的配额，网关上该客户的所有使用该费率组的设备都使用该配额。本发明实施例中提到的计费系统可以是OCS(Online Charging System，在线计费系统)或OFCS(Offline Charging System，离线计费系统)。还需要说明的是，在客户级计费会话中上报的，或客户级CDR中记录的设备的计费信息可以采用多种形式，本发明实施例对实现形式不做限定，如可以在信息记录表中记录每个设备的标识及其计费信息，也可以以AVP(属性值对，attribute value pair)的形式记录每个设备的标识及其对应的计费信息；但无论哪种方式，每个设备的计费信息都可以抽象为一个计费信息单元，为了识别计费信息单元中记录的是哪个设备的计费信息，计费信息单元中要包含设备的标识。本发明实施例中所述的计费信息单元为一个抽象的逻辑概念，具体指包含了设备的标识和设备的计费信息的数据或信息的集合。在实际的产品设计和实现中，本领域技术人员可以设计具体的信元和字段显式地表示计费信息单元，也可以通过其它方式显式或隐式地表示设备的标识和设备的计费信息的集合。
如图1中所示，客户A拥有设备1-设备5多个设备，其中设备1-设备3接入网关1，设 备4-设备5接入网关2，客户A在计费系统拥有一个账户，为客户A所有的设备付费。按照目前的计费机制：
在线计费模式下，当任一设备与网关建立连接时，网关都会向OCS建立计费会话，即当设备1-设备5同时与网关1或网关2建立连接的情况下，网关1与OCS系统间会存在3个计费会话，网关2和OCS系统间会存在2个计费会话，每个计费会话对应客户A不同的设备，同时OCS需要为每个设备分配不同的计费配额；
离线计费模式下，网关将每个接入设备的计费信息记录在不同的CDR(Charging Data Record，计费数据记录)中，且需要建立不同的计费会话，向OFCS单独发送每个设备的CDR。
可以看出，在现有的计费模式下，当客户拥有多个设备，且当系统中存在大量这样的客户时，会造成计费配额的碎片化和计费信息的碎片化，进而会降低网关和计费系统的性能和处理效率。
本发明实施例提供的技术方案就是为了解决这种计费配额碎片化或计费信息碎片化的问题，及其对网络性能带来的影响，如占用较多的计费会话资源，降低网关和计费系统的性能和处理效率等。在图1所示的系统中，采用本发明实施例所提供的技术方案：
在线计费模式下，以网关1为例，网关1和OCS系统间仅建立一个计费会话，该计费会话为客户级计费会话，即网关1在该计费会话中上报当前与该网关有连接的客户A的所有设备的计费信息。OCS向网关1分配的配额，可以被该客户的一个或多个设备连接使用。具体的：OCS向网关1的分配了某一费率组对应的配额，而该客户的多个用户设备连接都使用了该费率组，则该多个用户设备均可使用该配额。一种情况下，当设备1-设备3同时与网关1有连接，且使用相同费率组，则网关1上只存在一个计费会话和一个配额，该计费会话和配额被3个设备共享；
离线计费模式下，以网关2为例，当设备4和设备5同时接入网关2，网关2只打开一个CDR，在一个CDR中记录两个设备的计费信息，当CDR上报条件满足时，网关2只需要与OFCS建立一个连接来上报CDR。
可以看出，通过本发明实施例提供的方案，网关和计费系统间的连接数减少，网关和计费系统无需为同一个客户的多个设备保存多份计费配额或计费信息，减少了网关和计费系统的性能消耗，使得网关和计费系统中，同一个客户的计费信息和计费配额更容易维护。
下面结合更多的附图，对本发明的实施例做进一步说明。
实施例1：在线计费模式下，同一客户的多个设备共享计费会话，且多个设备共享一个费率组的计费配额。
图2为本发明实施例提供的一种在线计费模式下，共享计费会话的流程示意图。本发明所有实施例中，假设设备1，设备2和设备3同属于客户A。
在第201步骤中，设备1与网关1建立连接，建立连接是设备进行任何业务的前提条件，如在EPC网络中，设备在进行会话、数据上报或其它任何业务前，必须首先与PDN GW建立PDN连接。设备1在建立连接的请求消息中携带设备的标识，设备的标识可以是IMSI、IP地址、IMEI、SIP地址或其它能够使网关唯一识别该设备的标识。网关1在与在线计费系统建立计费会话之前，还需要获取设备相关的计费策略，包括设备所使用的费率组等信息。获取计费策略和费率组的流程不在本发明所提供方案范围之内，本发明实施例不做详细描述与限定，一种可能的方式下，设备与网关1建立连接的过程中，网关1可以向PCRF(Policy and Charging Rules Function，策略和计费规则功能实体)发送策略请求消息，PCRF向网关下 发设备相关的QoS策略和计费策略。本实施例中假设设备1被PCRF指定为费率组1。需要说明的，本发明实施例所述共享计费会话的方法可以应用于网络中所有的客户及其设备，也可以通过签约或配置的方式，仅应用于部分客户及其设备，本发明实施例不做限定，当网络中不是所有的客户及其设备都需要共享计费会话时，网关1在建立计费会话之前还需要确认设备是否需要共享计费会话，即设备是否需要与所属客户的其它设备共享计费会话。比如网关1可以通过PCRF下发的计费策略中获知设备是否需要共享计费会话，也可以在网关1本地配置哪些设备需要共享计费会话，网关1还可以根据设备的标识到其他实体(如订购关系存储实体)中查询设备是否需要共享计费会话。
在第202步骤中，如果设备不需要共享计费会话，则网关1按照目前现有技术为设备1建立计费会话；如果设备1需要共享计费会话，且网关1上没有客户A的客户级计费会话，则网关1为客户A建立客户级计费会话，该客户级计费会话将被客户A的多个设备所共享。网关1向在线计费系统发送的会话建立请求消息中增加客户标识，表示此计费会话为客户级计费会话。网关1可以通过多种方式获取客户标识，本发明实施例不进行限定，比如网关1可以通过本地配置获知设备的标识对应的客户标识，也可以在设备发送的连接请求消息中获取客户标识，还可以通过查询订购关系存储实体获取客户标识。由于此计费会话关联了客户标识，如果后续客户A的其它设备通过网关1接入时，网关1无需再为该客户A的其它设备建立计费会话，其他设备可以直接使用此计费会话，减少了网元间的消息交互，节省了网络资源，提升了网关1和在线计费系统的处理性能。
在第203步骤中，网关1为设备1申请计费配额，配额申请消息中除了携带设备的费率组等信息，还要携带客户标识，表示本次申请为客户级配额申请，所申请的配额可以被客户A的所有费率组1的设备所共享。如使用CCR(Credit-Control-Request)消息申请配额，网关1可以将CCR消息中的Subscription-Id设置为客户标识。与步骤202中客户级计费会话的效果类似，步骤203中客户级的费率申请，同样避免了后续网关重复为多个使用相同费率组的设备申请配额，同一个客户的相同费率组的多个设备共享一个配额，减少了申请配额的网元间交互，提升了网络和网元效率。
在步骤204中，在线计费系统为费率组1下发客户级的配额和配额对应的计费事件。计费事件可以理解为需要上报计费信息的触发条件，如定时上报周期，或剩余配额低于多少时上报，或设备位置变化等。由于此计费会话为客户级计费会话，而且网关1申请的是客户级配额，所以配额对应的计费事件同样适用于使用费率组1的客户A的所有设备。后续与网关有连接且共享该客户级计费会话的任何设备，如果使用费率组1，一旦满足费率组1对应的计费事件，网关1要上报该设备的计费信息。可以将此计费事件理解为适用于客户级别的计费事件。
在步骤205中，网关1根据计费事件的触发条件，在设备1满足触发条件时上报客户A的计费消息，如图3所示，其中包含客户A的标识和客户A的一个或多个计费信息单元，每个计费信息单元用于上报一个设备的计费信息。由于此时与网关1有连接且使用此客户级计费会话的只有设备1，所以在步骤205中，网关1上报的客户A的计费消息中只有1个计费信息单元，用于上报设备1的计费信息。设备1的计费信息单元包含设备1的标识和设备的计费信息，其中，设备的标识具体可以是IMSI、IP地址、IMEI、SIP地址或其它标识中的一个或多个。如使用CCR消息上报计费信息，网关1可以将CCR消息中的Subscription-Id设置为客户标识，在Service-Information中携带多个PS-Information，每个PS-Information 作为一个计费信息单元，其中PS-Information中的Subscription-Id设置为该客户的某一设备的标识，用于标识该计费信息单元是哪个设备的计费信息。在本发明实施例中，网关上报的一条计费消息中可以携带客户的多个设备的计费信息，不仅节省了网络开销，还便于计费系统合并同一个客户的多个设备的计费信息，计费系统在一条上报的客户级计费消息中可以直接获得该客户的多个设备的计费信息。容易想到与理解的是，由于计费信息单元中有设备的标识来区分记录的是哪个设备的标识，因此根据具体的业务场景和业务需求，如图3中所示的客户的计费消息中，同一个设备的计费信息同样可以包含在多个计费信息单元中，比如图3中的计费信息单元1和计费信息单元2都可以同来记录设备1的计费信息。
在第206步骤中，设备2与网关1建立连接，与步骤201和步骤202中描述类似，网关1获取设备2相关的信息，如设备的标识和所归属的客户标识，设备2的计费策略，本实施例假设设备2同样使用费率组1。网关1确认设备2需要共享计费会话，并且网关1上存在客户A的客户级计费会话，则网关1不再为设备2创建计费会话，设备2使用在第2步骤中创建的客户A的客户级计费会话。由于设备2同样使用费率组1，所以计费系统在第4步骤中下发的费率组1的配额和对应的计费事件同样适用于设备2。
在第207步骤中，网关1检测到设备1和设备2同时满足计费事件的触发条件，上报客户A的计费消息，其中包含客户A的客户标识和2个计费信息单元。2个计费信息单元分别包含设备1和设备2的计费信息。可能的具体实现参考步骤205中的描述，不再赘述。需要说明的是，在客户级计费会话中，在设备1和设备2使用配额的过程中，如果配额不足，网关需要重新申请配额，申请配额的请求消息中需要携带的是客户的标识，重新申请配额的过程与步骤203中的描述相同，不再赘述。还需要说明的是，设备1和设备2可能多次满足计费事件的触发条件，网关1可能要多次上报计费消息，本实施例中所示流程仅为示意，不对网关上报计费消息的次数产生任何限定。
在第208步骤中，由于设备下线或业务结束或其它网络原因，设备1与网关1的连接拆除，根据现有技术网关1需要拆除设备1的计费会话，但是由于设备1所使用的计费会话为客户级计费会话，同时被多个设备共享，网关1需要判断当前是否有其它设备在共享此客户级计费会话。由于此时设备2仍然与网关有连接且在使用此计费会话，所以网关1需要保留此客户级计费会话，同时保留之前申请的配额和对应的计费会话。
在第209步骤中，设备3与网关1建立连接，与第206步骤的处理类似，由于当前仍然存在客户A的客户级计费会话，设备3使用此客户级计费会话，假设设备3使用费率组1，则设备2和设备3共享配额。
在第210步骤中，网关1检测到设备2和设备3同时满足计费事件的触发条件，上报客户A的计费消息，其中包含客户A的客户标识和2个计费信息单元。2个计费信息单元分别包含设备2和设备3的计费信息。可能的具体实现参考步骤205中的描述，不再赘述。
在第211步骤中，设备2与网关1的连接拆除，仅剩下设备3使用客户级计费会话。
在第212步骤中，网关1上报设备3的计费信息，上报的计费消息中包含客户A的标识和设备3的计费信息单元。
在第213步骤中，设备3与网关1的连接拆除，网关1确认当前网关上没有其它与客户A的设备的连接，此要拆除的连接是客户A与网关的最后一个连接，则网关1在第214步骤中同时拆除客户级计费会话。
在本实施例中，网关无需为3个设备建立3个计费会话，而只需要建立一个计费会话； 网关无需为3个设备分别申请配额，而只需要申请一次配额；配额对应的计费事件同时适用于3个设备，当3个设备都满足计费事件的触发条件时，网关可以在一个计费消息中上报多个设备的计费信息。可以看出，本发明实施例的方案，解决一个客户拥有多个设备的情况下，带来的计费信息和计费配额的碎片化问题，提升了网关和计费系统的性能。
实施例2：在线计费模式下，同一客户的多个设备共享计费会话，多个设备使用不同费率组
实施例1中假设客户A的3个设备使用同一个费率组，当客户A的设备使用不同的费率组时，网关1需要分配为不同的费率组申请配额。假设客户A的设备1使用费率组1，设备2和设备3使用费率组2，图4给出了可能的计费会话创建和计费消息上报示意流程图。与图2中不同的是，在第406步骤设备2与网关1建立连接后，网关1获知设备2使用费率组2，虽然设备2可以与设备1共享客户级计费会话，但由于网关当前并没有为费率组2申请配额，所以网关1需要在第407步骤中为费率组2申请配额，第407步骤中申请配额的请求消息携带客户A的客户标识。在第408步骤中获取的配额和配额对应的计费事件，适用于客户A所有使用费率组2的设备。即当设备3与网关建立连接后，网关1无需再为设备3申请配额。图4中其它步骤可以参见图2中的步骤描述，此处不再赘述。
实施例3：离线计费Rf接口方式下，同一客户的多个设备共享计费会话
本方法实施例提供的方案不仅适用于在线计费，同样适用于离线计费，图5给出了离线计费Rf接口方式下，使用本发明方案的一种可能的实施例。Rf接口是PCN(Packet switched Core network Node，分组核心网节点)网元(如PDN GW)与CDF(Charging Data Function)间的接口，在这种方式下，PDN GW向CDF上报计费信息，由CDF生成CDR(Charging Data Record，计费数据记录)，并最终上报离线计费系统。即，在图1的网络架构中，网关和离线计费系统间插入一个CDF实体，负责生成CDR，并将CDR上报离线计费系统。离线计费Rf接口方式下，网关无需申请配额，直接根据本地配置的费率组对应的计费事件向CDF上报计费信息。本实施例中与前述实施例相同的步骤和方法不再赘述，如网关如何获取设备相关信息(如设备的标识，所述客户标识，计费策略和所述费率组，是否需要共享计费会话等)，此处仅重点描述离线计费Rf方式下，相同客户的多个设备如何共享计费会话，并在一个计费消息中上报多个设备的计费信息。
第502步骤中，网关1向CDF发送Accounting Request[start]消息，其中携带客户标识，开启网关和CDF间的客户级计费会话，CDF收到Accounting Request[start]消息，为客户A打开一个CDR，用以记录客户A的设备的计费信息。
第503步骤中，设备2与网关1建立连接后，网关1判断当前已经为客户A建立一个计费会话，则不再向CDF发送Accounting Request[start]消息，设备2和设备1共用一个客户级计费会话。
第504步骤中，设备1和设备2分别满足所属费率组所对应的计费事件，网关1在Accounting Request[Interim]消息中上报设备1和设备2的计费信息。Accounting Request[Interim]消息中包含客户A的客户标识和2个计费信息单元，2个计费信息单元分别包含设备1和设备2的标识及其计费信息。CDF收到Accounting Request[Interim]消息，将设备1和设备2的计费信息写入客户A的CDR。
第505步骤和第508步骤中，当有设备与网关1的连接拆除时，网关1判断当前还有客户A的其它连接，保留客户A与CDF的计费会话。在客户A的其它设备上线后，继续使用此 计费会话上报其它设备的计费信息，如在第507步骤中，网关1上报设备2和设备3的计费信息，在步骤509中，网关1上报设备3的计费信息。
第511步骤中，当客户A与网关1的最后一个连接拆除后(即设备3与网关的连接拆除)，网关1发送Accounting Request[Stop]消息拆除网关1与CDF间客户A的计费会话，CDF收到此消息后关闭客户A的CDR。
可见，使用本发明实施例提供的方案，在离线计费Rf接口方式下，与网关有连接的同一个客户的多个设备共享一个计费会话，并且在网关上报给CDF的计费消息中包含多个设备的计费信息，因此网关无需与CDF间建立多个计费会话，CDF也无需为同一个客户打开多个CDR，节省了网络开销，简化了网关侧和CDF侧计费的处理。
实施例3中描述的是CDF功能与网关分离部署场景下，多个设备共享计费会话的流程示意图。当网关本身具备CDF功能的场景下，网关本地记录并维护客户的CDR，并根据预订的规则向离线计费系统上报CDR。
实施例4：离线计费CDR方式下，同一客户的多个设备共享CDR
图6给出了网关离线计费CDR方式下，同一个客户的多个设备共享CDR的流程示意图。
在第601步骤中，设备1与网关1建立连接后，网关1确定当前没有与客户A的其它连接，则打开客户A的CDR，CDR中记录客户A的客户标识。网关1统计设备1的计费信息(如网络资源、数据流量使用信息)，并在设备1满足网关本地配置的计费事件时，将设备1的计费信息写入CDR。需要说明的是，离线计费方式下共享CDR的方法可以应用于网络中所有的客户及其设备，也可以通过签约或配置的方式，仅应用于部分客户及其设备，本发明实施例不做限定，当网络中不是所有的客户及其设备都需要共享CDR时，网关1仅对需要共享CDR的设备执行本发明实施例中所述的共享CDR的方法，如果设备不需要共享CDR，则网关1按照现有技术为每个与其连接的设备打开一个CDR。网关1可以在PCRF下发的计费策略中获知设备是否需要共享CDR，也可以在网关1本地配置哪些设备需要共享CDR，网关1还可以根据设备的标识到其他实体(如订购关系存储实体)中查询设备是否需要共享CDR。
在第602步骤和第604步骤中，当有其它设备与网关1建立连接时，由于网关1已经为客户A的打开了1个CDR，将不再打开新的CDR，而是多个设备共享此客户级CDR。当任一设备满足计费事件时，网关1将设备的计费信息作为一个计费信息单元写入CDR，计费信息单元中包含该设备的标识。
在第603步骤和第605步骤中，当有设备与网关1拆除连接时，由于CDR仍然被其它设备使用，所以网关1不会关闭CDR，而是继续使用该CDR记录其它设备的计费信息。
在第606步骤中，当客户A与网关1的最后一个连接拆除后，网关1将关闭客户A的CDR。
在第607步骤中，当满足CDR上报的条件时，如CDR记录时长达到限制时长，或CDR容量达到容量限制等，网关1上报CDR，此CDR中包含了客户A的客户标识和客户A的多个设备的计费信息。
上述主要从各个网元之间交互的角度对本发明实施例提供的方案进行了介绍。可以理解的是，各个网元，例如UE，基站，核心网络实体等为了实现上述功能，其包含了执行各个功能相应的硬件结构和/或软件模块。本领域技术人员应该很容易意识到，结合本文中所公开的实施例描述的各示例的单元及算法步骤，本发明能够以硬件或硬件和计算机软件的结合形式来实现。某个功能究竟以硬件还是计算机软件驱动硬件的方式来执行，取决于技术方案的特定应用和设计约束条件。专业技术人员可以对每个特定的应用使用不同方法来实现所描述 的功能，但是这种实现不应认为超出本发明的范围。
实施例5：计算机装置实施例
如图7所示，实施例1-实施例4中所述的网关、在线计费系统和离线计费系统可以以图7中的计算机设备(或系统)的方式来实现。
图7所示为本发明实施例提供的计算机设备示意图。计算机设备700包括至少一个处理器701，通信总线702，存储器703以及至少一个通信接口704。
处理器701可以是一个通用中央处理器(CPU)，微处理器，特定应用集成电路(application-specific integrated circuit，ASIC)，或一个或多个用于控制本发明方案程序执行的集成电路。
通信总线702可包括一通路，在上述组件之间传送信息。所述通信接口704，使用任何收发器一类的装置，用于与其他设备或通信网络通信，如以太网，无线接入网(RAN)，无线局域网(Wireless Local Area Networks，WLAN)等。
存储器703可以是只读存储器(read-only memory，ROM)或可存储静态信息和指令的其他类型的静态存储设备，随机存取存储器(random access memory，RAM)或者可存储信息和指令的其他类型的动态存储设备，也可以是电可擦可编程只读存储器(Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory，EEPROM)、只读光盘(Compact Disc Read-Only Memory，CD-ROM)或其他光盘存储、光碟存储(包括压缩光碟、激光碟、光碟、数字通用光碟、蓝光光碟等)、磁盘存储介质或者其他磁存储设备、或者能够用于携带或存储具有指令或数据结构形式的期望的程序代码并能够由计算机存取的任何其他介质，但不限于此。存储器可以是独立存在，通过总线与处理器相连接。存储器也可以和处理器集成在一起。
其中，存储器703用于存储执行本发明方案的应用程序代码，并由处理器701来控制执行。处理器701用于执行存储器703中存储的应用程序代码，从而实现本专利方法中网关、在线计费系统或离线计费系统的功能。
在具体实现中，作为一种实施例，处理器701可以包括一个或多个CPU，例如图7中的CPU0和CPU1。
在具体实现中，作为一种实施例，计算机设备700可以包括多个处理器，例如图7中的处理器701和处理器708。这些处理器中的每一个可以是一个单核(single-CPU)处理器，也可以是一个多核(multi-CPU)处理器。这里的处理器可以指一个或多个设备、电路、和/或用于处理数据(例如计算机程序指令)的处理核。
在具体实现中，作为一种实施例，计算机设备700还可以包括输出设备705和输入设备706。输出设备705和处理器701通信，可以以多种方式来显示信息。例如，输出设备705可以是液晶显示器(liquid crystal display，LCD),发光二级管(light emitting diode，LED)显示设备，阴极射线管(cathode ray tube，CRT)显示设备，或投影仪(projector)等。输入设备706和处理器701通信，可以以多种方式接受用户的输入。例如，输入设备706可以是鼠标、键盘、触摸屏设备或传感设备等。
上述的计算机设备700可以是一个通用计算机设备或者是一个专用计算机设备。在具体实现中，计算机设备700可以是台式机、便携式电脑、网络服务器、掌上电脑(Personal Digital Assistant，PDA)、移动手机、平板电脑、无线终端设备、通信设备、嵌入式设备或有图7中类似结构的设备。本发明实施例不限定计算机设备700的类型。
实施例6：在线计费场景网关装置实施例
本发明实施例可以对实施例1和实施例2中的网关进行功能模块的划分，例如，可以对应各个功能划分各个功能模块，也可以将两个或两个以上的功能集成在一个处理模块中。上述集成的模块既可以采用硬件的形式实现，也可以采用软件功能模块的形式实现。需要说明的是，本发明实施例中对模块的划分是示意性的，仅仅为一种逻辑功能划分，实际实现时可以有另外的划分方式。
比如，在采用对应各个功能划分各个功能模块的情况下，图8示出了上述实施例中所涉及的一种实现共享计费会话的网关的可能的结构示意图，该设备800包括：设备通信模块801，判断模块803，执行模块805，计费通信模块809。
设备通信模块801，用于向设备发送消息，或接收来自设备的消息，与客户的一个或多个设备建立连接；
判断模块803，用于设备通信模块801与所述客户的设备建立连接后，判断是否与在线计费系统间存在所述客户的客户级计费会话；
计费通信模块809，用于与所述在线计费系统进行通信，向在线计费系统发送执行模块805生成的计费相关的消息，并接收在线计费系统发送的消息；
执行模块805，用于在判断模块803判断不存在所述客户的客户级计费会话时，生成向在线计费系统建立客户级计费会话的请求，所述请求中包含客户的标识；还用于生成向在线计费系统申请所述客户的任一费率组的配额和对应计费事件的请求消息，所述请求消息中包含客户的标识；用于根据计费通信模块809接收的在线计费系统分配的配额和计费事件，对所述客户的设备进行计费，并生成上报所述客户的一个或多个设备的计费信息的消息，所述上报计费信息的消息中包含客户的标识；执行模块805所生成的上述各种与计费相关的消息通过计费通信模块809向在线计费系统发送。
实施例1和实施例2涉及的各步骤的所有相关内容均可以援引到对应功能模块的功能描述，在此不再赘述。
上述功能模块既可以采用硬件的形式实现，也可以此采用软件功能模块的形式实现。在一个简单的实施例中，本领域的技术人员可以想到网关800可以采用图7所示的形式。比如，图8中的判断模块803和执行模块805可以通过图7中的处理器701调用存储器703中的代码来实现；图8中的设备通信模块801和计费通信模块809可以通过图7中的通信接口704来实现，本发明实施例对此不作任何限制。
实施例7：离线计费Rf接口方式场景装置实施例
本发明实施例可以对实施例3中的网关进行功能模块的划分，例如，可以对应各个功能划分各个功能模块，也可以将两个或两个以上的功能集成在一个处理模块中。上述集成的模块既可以采用硬件的形式实现，也可以采用软件功能模块的形式实现。需要说明的是，本发明实施例中对模块的划分是示意性的，仅仅为一种逻辑功能划分，实际实现时可以有另外的划分方式。
比如，在采用对应各个功能划分各个功能模块的情况下，图9示出了上述实施例中所涉及的一种实现共享计费会话的网关的可能的结构示意图，该设备900包括：设备通信模块901，判断模块903，执行模块905，计费通信模块909。
设备通信模块901，用于向设备发送消息，或接收来自设备的消息，与客户的一个或多个设备建立连接；
判断模块903，用于设备通信模块901与所述客户的设备建立连接后，判断是否与CDF 间存在所述客户的客户级计费会话；
计费通信模块909，用于与所述在线计费系统进行通信，向在线计费系统发送执行模块805生成的计费相关的消息；
执行模块905，用于在判断模块903判断不存在所述客户的客户级计费会话时，生成向CDF建立客户级计费会话的请求，所述请求中包含客户的标识；用于根据计费事件，对所述客户的设备进行计费，并生成上报所述客户的一个或多个设备的计费信息的消息，所述上报计费信息的消息中包含客户的标识；执行模块905所生成的上述各种与计费相关的消息通过计费通信模块909向CDF发送。
实施例3涉及的各步骤的所有相关内容均可以援引到对应功能模块的功能描述，在此不再赘述。
上述功能模块既可以采用硬件的形式实现，也可以此采用软件功能模块的形式实现。在一个简单的实施例中，本领域的技术人员可以想到网关900可以采用图7所示的形式。比如，图9中的判断模块903和执行模块905可以通过图7中的处理器701调用存储器703中的代码来实现；图9中的设备通信模块901和计费通信模块909可以通过图7中的通信接口704来实现，本发明实施例对此不作任何限制。
实施例8：离线计费CDR方式场景装置实施例
本发明实施例可以对实施例4中的网关进行功能模块的划分，例如，可以对应各个功能划分各个功能模块，也可以将两个或两个以上的功能集成在一个处理模块中。上述集成的模块既可以采用硬件的形式实现，也可以采用软件功能模块的形式实现。需要说明的是，本发明实施例中对模块的划分是示意性的，仅仅为一种逻辑功能划分，实际实现时可以有另外的划分方式。
比如，在采用对应各个功能划分各个功能模块的情况下，图10示出了上述实施例中所涉及的一种实现共享计费会话的网关的可能的结构示意图，该设备1000包括：设备通信模块1001，判断模块1003，执行模块1005，计费通信模块1009。
设备通信模块1001，用于向设备发送消息，或接收来自设备的消息，与客户的一个或多个设备建立连接；
判断模块1003，用于所述设备通信模块1001与所述客户的设备建立连接后，判断是否存在所述客户的客户级CDR；
计费通信模块1009，用于向离线计费系统上报执行模块1005创建并记录的所述客户的客户级CDR；
执行模块1005，用于在判断模块1003判断不存在客户级CDR时，创建客户级CDR；用于根据所述客户的计费事件，对所述客户的设备进行计费，并将所述客户的一个或多个设备的计费信息写入所述客户的客户级CDR；所述客户级CDR中还包含客户的标识。
实施例4涉及的各步骤的所有相关内容均可以援引到对应功能模块的功能描述，在此不再赘述。
上述功能模块既可以采用硬件的形式实现，也可以此采用软件功能模块的形式实现。在一个简单的实施例中，本领域的技术人员可以想到网关1000可以采用图7所示的形式。比如，图10中的判断模块1003和执行模块1005可以通过图7中的处理器701调用存储器703中的代码来实现；图10中的设备通信模块1001和计费通信模块1009可以通过图7中的通信接口704来实现，本发明实施例对此不作任何限制。
实施例9：在线计费系统的功能装置实施例
本发明实施例可以对实施例1-实施例4中的在线计费系统或CDF进行功能模块的划分，例如，可以对应各个功能划分各个功能模块，也可以将两个或两个以上的功能集成在一个处理模块中。上述集成的模块既可以采用硬件的形式实现，也可以采用软件功能模块的形式实现。需要说明的是，本发明实施例中对模块的划分是示意性的，仅仅为一种逻辑功能划分，实际实现时可以有另外的划分方式。
比如，在采用对应各个功能划分各个功能模块的情况下，图11示出了上述实施例中所涉及的一种实现共享计费会话的网关的可能的结构示意图，该设备1100包括：接收模块1101，执行模块1102，和发送模块1103。
该接收模块1101，用于接收来自网关的消息，包括建立客户级计费会话请求消息，客户级配额申请消息，客户级计费消息上报。
该执行模块1102，用于在接收到网关的请求消息后，记录请求消息中的内容，并生成对应的响应消息。如在收到建立客户级计费会话请求消息后，记录请求消息中的客户标识，将该计费会话标记为该客户的客户级计费会话，并生成响应消息；在收到客户级配额申请消息时，分配客户粒度的配额，并生成响应消息；在收到网关上报的客户级计费消息时，记录计费消息中包含的一个或多个计费信息单元，并生成响应消息。
该发送模块1103，用于向网关发送执行模块生成的响应消息。
实施例1和实施例2涉及的各步骤的所有相关内容均可以援引到对应功能模块的功能描述，在此不再赘述。
上述功能模块既可以采用硬件的形式实现，也可以此采用软件功能模块的形式实现。在一个简单的实施例中，本领域的技术人员可以想到在线计费系统1100可以采用图7所示的形式。比如，图11中的执行模块1102可以通过图7中的处理器701调用存储器703中的代码来实现，本发明实施例对此不作任何限制。
实施例10：实现共享客户级计费会话或共享客户级CDR的系统实施例
图12给出了上述实施例中涉及的一种在线计费模式下，实现共享客户级计费会话的计费系统，该系统包括网关和在线计费系统。
网关，用于向在线计费系统发送建立客户级计费会话的请求消息，向在线计费系统请求客户级配额，接收在线计费系统授予的客户级配额，并向在线计费系统上报客户级计费消息，包含客户的标识，和一个或多个计费信息单元。
在线计费系统，用于接收网关发送的建立客户级计费会话请求消息，记录该客户级计费会话；接收网关发送的某客户的客户级配额申请消息，为客户分配客户级配额，并通过响应消息返回给网关；接收网关发送的客户级计费消息，记录消息中包含的一个或多个计费信息单元。
图13给出了上述实施例中涉及的一种离线计费Rf接口模式下，实现共享客户级计费会话的计费系统，该系统包括网关和CDF。
网关，用于向在CDF发送建立客户级计费会话的请求消息，并向在线计费系统上报客户级计费消息，包含客户的标识，和一个或多个计费信息单元。
CDF，用于接收网关发送的建立客户级计费会话请求消息，记录该客户级计费会话；接收网关发送的客户级计费消息，记录消息中包含的一个或多个计费信息单元。
图14给出了上述实施例中涉及的一种离线计费CDR模式下，实现共享CDR的计费系统， 该系统包括网关和离线计费系统。
网关，用于在同一个客户级CDR中记录多个设备的计费信息，CDR包含客户的标识和多个计费信息单元，并向离线计费系统发送客户级CDR。
离线计费系统，用于接收网关发送的客户级CDR，记录消息中包含的某个客户的一个或多个计费信息单元。
实施例1-实施例4涉及的各步骤的所有相关内容均可以援引到该系统中各实体，在此不再赘述。
结合本发明公开内容所描述的方法或者算法的步骤可以硬件的方式来实现，也可以是由处理器执行软件指令的方式来实现。软件指令可以由相应的软件模块组成，软件模块可以被存放于RAM存储器、闪存、ROM存储器、EPROM存储器、EEPROM存储器、寄存器、硬盘、移动硬盘、CD-ROM或者本领域熟知的任何其它形式的存储介质中。一种示例性的存储介质耦合至处理器，从而使处理器能够从该存储介质读取信息，且可向该存储介质写入信息。当然，存储介质也可以是处理器的组成部分。处理器和存储介质可以位于ASIC中。另外，该ASIC可以位于用户设备中。当然，处理器和存储介质也可以作为分立组件存在于用户设备中。
本领域技术人员应该可以意识到，在上述一个或多个示例中，本发明所描述的功能可以用硬件、软件、固件或它们的任意组合来实现。当使用软件实现时，可以将这些功能存储在计算机可读介质中或者作为计算机可读介质上的一个或多个指令或代码进行传输。计算机可读介质包括计算机存储介质和通信介质，其中通信介质包括便于从一个地方向另一个地方传送计算机程序的任何介质。存储介质可以是通用或专用计算机能够存取的任何可用介质。
以上所述的具体实施方式，对本发明的目的、技术方案和有益效果进行了进一步详细说明，本领域技术人员应该理解的是，以上所述仅为本发明的具体实施方式而已，并不用于限定本发明的保护范围，凡在本发明的技术方案的基础之上，所做的任何修改、等同替换、改进等，均应包括在本发明的保护范围之内。在权利要求中，“包括”一次不排除其他组成部分或步骤，“一”或“一个”不排除多个的情况。单个处理器或其它单元可以实现权利要求中列举的若干项功能。相互不同的从事权利要求中记载了某些措施，但这并不表示这些措施不能结合起来产生良好的效果。

Claims (26)

  1. 一种计费方法，其特征在于，
    网关在客户的客户级计费会话中，发送用于上报所述客户的计费信息的消息；所述上报计费信息的消息中包含所述客户的标识和所述客户的一个或多个设备的计费信息；
    所述客户级计费会话指以客户为粒度的计费会话；
    所述客户的一个或多个设备已与所述网关建立连接。
  2. 如权利要求1所述的方法，其特征在于，所述客户的某一设备与网关建立连接时，
    当所述网关上不存在所述客户的客户级计费会话时，所述网关为所述客户建立客户级计费会话；所述网关建立客户级计费会话的请求中包含所述客户的标识；
    当所述网关上存在所述客户的客户级计费会话时，所述网关使用所述客户的客户级计费会话上报所述设备的计费信息。
  3. 如权利要求1或2所述的方法，其特征在于，所述客户的某一设备与所述网关的连接拆除时，
    当所述要拆除的连接是所述客户在所述网关上的最后一个连接时，所述网关拆除所述客户的客户级计费会话；
    当所述要拆除的连接不是所述客户与所述网关的最后一个连接时，所述网关保留所述客户的客户级计费会话。
  4. 如权利要求1-3任一所述的方法，其特征在于，所述网关在所述客户级计费会话中上报所述客户的一个或多个设备的计费信息，其中每个设备的计费信息包含在一个计费信息单元中，所述计费信息单元中还包含所述设备的标识，以对不同设备的计费信息进行区分。
  5. 如权利要求1-4任一所述的方法，其特征在于，所述客户级计费会话是所述网关向在线计费系统请求建立的计费会话；所述网关通过所述客户级计费会话向在线计费系统上报所述客户的一个或多个设备的计费信息。
  6. 如权利要求5所述的方法，其特征在于，所述网关在与所述在线计费系统建立客户级计费会话后，
    所述网关向在线计费系统发送请求消息，为所述客户的某一费率组申请配额；所述请求消息中包含所述客户的标识；所述费率组为当前与所述网关有连接的所述客户的任一设备所属的费率组；
    所述网关接收在线计费系统下发的所述费率组的配额，及对应的计费事件；所述配额与计费事件应用于使用所述费率组的所述客户的一个或多个设备。
  7. 如权利要求6所述的方法，其特征在于，所述客户的任一设备与所述网关建立连接并且共享所述客户级计费会话后，
    当所述网关已经为所述设备所使用的费率组申请了配额，则所述网关对所述设备使用该配额；
    当所述网关没有为所述设备所使用的费率组申请配额，则所述网关为所述费率组申请配额。
  8. 如权利要求6或7所述的方法，其特征在于，网关检测计费事件，所述网关在所述客户级计费会话中，上报满足计费事件的上报条件的所述客户的一个或多个设备的计费信息。
  9. 如权利要求1-4任一所述的方法，其特征在于，所述客户级计费会话是所述网关向 CDF(Charging Data Function，计费数据功能)实体请求建立的计费会话；所述网关在所述客户级计费会话中向CDF上报所述客户的一个或多个设备的计费信息。
  10. 如权利要求9所述的方法，其特征在于，所述网关上配置所述客户任一费率组的计费事件，所述计费事件适用于使用所述费率组的所述客户的一个或多个设备。
  11. 如权利要求10所述的方法，其特征在于，网关检测计费事件，所述网关在所述客户级计费会话中，上报满足计费事件的上报条件的所述客户的一个或多个设备的计费信息。
  12. 如权利要求1-11任一所述的方法，其特征在于，所述网关对需要共享客户级计费会话的设备执行如权利要求1-11任一所述的方法；所述网关通过本地配置信息或PCRF下发的策略信息或到其它保存客户数据的实体中查询，获知所述设备是否需要共享客户级计费会话。
  13. 一种计费方法，其特征在于，
    网关与客户的一个或多个设备之间建立连接；
    所述网关在所述客户的客户级CDR(Charging Data Record，计费数据记录)中记录所述客户的一个或多个设备的计费信息；所述客户级CDR指以客户为粒度的CDR，其中包含所述客户的标识。
  14. 如权利要求13所述的方法，其特征在于，所述客户的某一设备与网关建立连接时，
    当所述网关上不存在所述设备所归属客户的客户级CDR时，所述网关为所述客户创建客户级CDR，以记录所述设备的计费信息；
    当所述网关上存在所述客户的客户级CDR时，所述网关使用所述客户级CDR记录所述设备的计费信息。
  15. 如权利要求13或14所述的方法，其特征在于，所述客户的某一设备与所述网关的连接拆除时，
    当所述要拆除的连接是所述客户与所述网关的最后一个连接时，所述网关关闭所述客户级CDR；
    当所述要拆除的连接不是所述客户与所述网关的最后一个连接时，所述网关继续使用所述客户级CDR记录所述客户其他设备的计费信息。
  16. 如权利要求13-15任一所述的方法，其特征在于，所述网关在所述客户级CDR中记录所述客户的一个或多个设备的计费信息，其中每个设备的计费信息包含在一个计费信息单元中，所述计费信息单元中还包含所述设备的标识，以对不同设备的计费信息进行区分。
  17. 如权利要求13-16任一所述的方法，其特征在于，所述网关上配置所述客户任一费率组的计费事件，所述计费事件适用于使用所述费率组的所述客户的一个或多个设备。
  18. 如权利要求17所述的方法，其特征在于，网关检测计费事件，所述网关在所述客户级CDR中，记录满足计费事件的所述客户的一个或多个设备的计费信息。
  19. 如权利要求13-18任一所述的方法，其特征在于，所述网关对需要共享客户级CDR的设备执行如权利要求13-18任一所述的方法；所述网关通过本地配置信息或PCRF下发的策略信息或到其它保存客户数据的实体中查询，获知所述设备是否需要共享客户级CDR。
  20. 一种计费方法，其特征在于，
    在线计费系统接收网关发送的建立计费会话的请求，根据所述请求中的客户的标识，与所述网关间建立所述客户的客户级计费会话；
    所述在线计费系统在所述客户级计费会话中，接收所述网关上报计费信息的消息，所述 上报计费信息的消息中包含所述客户的标识和所述客户的一个或多个设备的计费信息。
  21. 如权利要求20所述的方法，其特征在于，所述在线计费系统与所述网关建立客户级计费会话后，根据所述网关申请配额的请求，为所述客户分配配额，并向所述网关返回配额和对应的计费事件；所述网关申请配额的请求中包含所述客户的标识。
  22. 一种网关，其特征在于，包括
    通信接口，用于向设备发送消息，或接收来自设备的消息，与客户的一个或多个设备建立连接；还用于与在线计费系统进行通信，以建立客户级计费会话，申请配额和上报计费信息；
    存储器，用于存储计算机执行指令；
    处理器，通过总线与存储器和通信接口连接，当所述通信接口与设备建立连接时，处理器执行存储器中存储的计算机执行指令，并通过通信接口与在线计费系统通信，以完成权利要求1-8或12任一所述方法中网关的功能。
  23. 一种网关，其特征在于，包括
    通信接口，用于向设备发送消息，或接收来自设备的消息，以与客户的一个或多个设备建立连接；还用于与CDF进行通信，以建立客户级计费会话和上报计费信息；
    存储器，用于存储计算机执行指令；
    处理器，通过总线与存储器和通信接口连接，当所述通信接口与设备建立连接时，处理器执行存储器中存储的计算机执行指令，并通过通信接口与CDF通信，以完成权利要求1-4或9-12任一所述方法中网关的功能。
  24. 一种网关，其特征在于，包括
    通信接口，用于向设备发送消息，或接收来自设备的消息，以与客户的一个或多个设备建立连接；
    存储器，用于存储计算机执行指令；
    处理器，通过总线与存储器和通信接口连接，当所述通信接口与设备建立连接时，处理器执行存储器中存储的计算机执行指令，以完成权利要求13-19任一所述方法中网关的功能。
  25. 一种在线计费系统实体，其特征在于，包括
    通信接口，用于与网关进行通信，以建立客户级计费会话，下发配额和接收计费信息；
    存储器，用于存储计算机执行指令；
    处理器，通过总线与存储器和通信接口连接，当所述通信接口收到所述网关建立客户级计费会话的请求时，处理器执行存储器中存储的计算机执行指令，并通过通信接口与网关通信，以完成权利要求20或21所述方法中在线计费系统的功能。
  26. 一种计算机可读存储介质，包括指令，当其在计算机上运行时，使得计算机执行如权利要求1-8或12任一项所述的方法。
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