Charging mechanism for multicasting

Abstract

An apparatus for calculating a cost of receiving multicast data from a multicast session. A multicast network includes at least one multicast service, each multicast service including at least one multicast session. The apparatus receives a request to establish a connection to the multicast session, stores a start time for the connection and an end time for the connection and, after termination of the connection, calculates the cost of receiving the multicast data. The apparatus can receive a subsequent request to extend the connection, the subsequent request specifying a new end time for the connection, and store the new end time for the connection. Alternatively, the apparatus can receive a subsequent request to terminate the connection, the subsequent request specifying a new end time that precedes the end time for the connection, and store the new end time for the connection.

1 - 42 . (canceled)  
   
   
       43 . A system for calculating a cost of receiving multicast data at a mobile terminal from a service provider via a digital video broadcast network, comprising: 
 a first multicast serving node in a first coverage area of a digital video broadcast network, coupled to a service provider, for serving multicast data from the service provider to a mobile terminal when in the first coverage area and accumulating charging data as the terminal receives the multicast data;    a first multicast routing function coupled over the digital video broadcast network to the terminal, for providing first multicast data in a multicast session to the terminal in response to a join request by the terminal to join the multicast session;    a first multicast charging unit coupled to the first multicast routing function, for accumulating information related to a first charge for providing the first data to the terminal; and    a billing server coupled to the multicast serving node, for receiving information related to the charging data after the terminal no longer receives multicast data and preparing billing information based on said charging data.    
   
   
       44 . The system of  claim 43 , which further comprises: 
 a second multicast serving node in a second coverage area of the digital video broadcast network, coupled to the service provider, for serving multicast data from the service provider to the mobile terminal when in the second coverage area and accumulating charging data as the terminal receives the multicast data from the second multicast serving node;    a second multicast routing function in the second multicast serving node coupled over the multicast data network to the terminal, for providing second data in the multicast session to the terminal in response to a handover operation when the terminal is in the second coverage area;    a second multicast charging unit coupled to the second multicast routing function, for accumulating information related to a second charge for providing the second data to the terminal; and    said billing unit coupled to the first and second multicast charging units for receiving information related to said first and second charges and preparing billing information based on said first and second charges.    
   
   
       45 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein said first multicast serving node further comprises: 
 a first multicast security unit coupled to the terminal, for sending a first decryption key to the terminal in response to the join request, to enable the terminal to decrypt encrypted data it receives in the multicast session.    
   
   
       46 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein said second multicast serving node further comprises: 
 a second multicast security unit coupled to the terminal, for sending a second decryption key to the terminal in response to the handover operation, to enable the terminal to decrypt encrypted data it receives in the multicast session from the second multicast serving node.    
   
   
       47 . The system of  claim 45 , wherein said second multicast serving node further comprises: 
 a second multicast security unit coupled to the terminal, for sending a second decryption key to the terminal in response to the handover operation, to enable the terminal to decrypt encrypted data it receives in the multicast session from the second multicast serving node.    
   
   
       48 . The system of  claim 43 , which further comprises: 
 a second multicast serving node in a second coverage area of the digital video broadcast network, coupled to the service provider, for serving multicast data from the service provider to the mobile terminal when in the second coverage area and accumulating charging data as the terminal receives the multicast data from the second multicast serving node;    a second multicast routing function in the second multicast serving node coupled over the multicast data network to the terminal, for providing second data in the multicast session to the terminal in response to a handover operation when the terminal is in the second coverage area;    said first multicast charging unit coupled to the second multicast routing function, for accumulating information related to a second charge for providing the second data to the terminal; and    said billing unit coupled to the first multicast charging unit for receiving information related to said first and second charges and preparing billing information based on said first and second charges.    
   
   
       49 . The system of  claim 43 , which further comprises: 
 said first multicast serving node receiving said join request from the terminal to establish a connection to the multicast session, the join request establishing a start time for the connection; and    said first multicast charging unit calculating the cost of receiving the multicast data after termination of the connection with the first multicast serving node.    
   
   
       50 . The system of  claim 49 , which further comprises: 
 said first multicast charging unit calculating the cost of receiving the multicast data as an elapsed time of the connection with the first multicast serving node.    
   
   
       51 . The system of  claim 44 , which further comprises: 
 said second multicast serving node handover operation establishing a connection to the multicast session, the handover operation establishing a start time for the connection; and    said second multicast charging unit calculating the cost of receiving the multicast data after termination of the connection with the second multicast serving node.    
   
   
       52 . The system of  claim 51 , which further comprises: 
 said second multicast charging unit calculating the cost of receiving the multicast data as an elapsed time of the connection with the second multicast serving node.    
   
   
       53 . A method for calculating a cost of receiving multicast data at a mobile terminal from a service provider via a digital video broadcast network, comprising: 
 providing first multicast data in a multicast session to a mobile terminal when in a first coverage area of a digital video broadcast network in response to a join request by the terminal to join the multicast session;    accumulating information related to a first charge for providing the first data to the terminal;    providing second multicast data in the multicast session to the mobile terminal when in a second coverage area of the digital video broadcast network in response to a handover operation;    accumulating information related to a second charge for providing the second data to the terminal; and    preparing billing information based on said first and second charges.    
   
   
       54 . The method of  claim 53 , which further comprises: 
 sending a first decryption key to the terminal in response to the join request, to enable the terminal to decrypt the first data; and    sending a second decryption key to the terminal in response to the handover operation, to enable the terminal to decrypt the second data.    
   
   
       55 . The method of  claim 53 , which further comprises: 
 said join request establishing a start time for providing the first multicast data; and    calculating the cost of receiving the first multicast data after the terminal ceases receiving the first multicast data, as an elapsed time of receiving the first multicast data.    
   
   
       56 . The method of  claim 55 , which further comprises: 
 said handover operation establishing a start time for providing the second multicast data; and    calculating the cost of receiving the second multicast data after the terminal ceases receiving the first multicast data, as an elapsed time of receiving the first multicast data.    
   
   
       57 . A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium containing computer program logic recorded thereon for execution by a processor in communication with said computer readable medium for calculating a cost of receiving multicast data at a mobile terminal from a service provider via a digital video broadcast network, the computer program product comprising: 
 program code for providing first multicast data in a multicast session to a mobile terminal when in a first coverage area of a digital video broadcast network in response to a join request by the terminal to join the multicast session;    program code for accumulating information related to a first charge for providing the first data to the terminal;    program code for providing second multicast data in the multicast session to the mobile terminal when in a second coverage area of the digital video broadcast network in response to a handover operation;    program code for accumulating information related to a second charge for providing the second data to the terminal; and    program code for preparing billing information based on said first and second charges.    
   
   
       58 . The computer program product of  claim 57 , which further comprises: 
 program code for sending a first decryption key to the terminal in response to the join request, to enable the terminal to decrypt the first data; and    program code for sending a second decryption key to the terminal in response to the handover operation, to enable the terminal to decrypt the second data.    
   
   
       59 . The computer program product of  claim 57 , which further comprises: 
 said join request establishing a start time for providing the first multicast data; and    program code for calculating the cost of receiving the first multicast data after the terminal ceases receiving the first multicast data, as an elapsed time of receiving the first multicast data.    
   
   
       60 . The computer program product of  claim 59 , which further comprises: 
 said handover operation establishing a start time for providing the second multicast data; and    program code for calculating the cost of receiving the second multicast data after the terminal ceases receiving the first multicast data, as an elapsed time of receiving the first multicast data.