Packet radio network with charging information collected by nodes and forwarded to billing center

Abstract

In a digital mobile communication system, a packet radio system has been implemented by employing the radio interface of the mobile communication network. The packet radio system comprises packet radio support nodes (SGSN) connected to the mobile communication network, as well as gateway support nodes for providing an inter-connection to an external packet data network ( 15 ). The support nodes (SGSN, GGSN) are connected to an intra-operator packet switched backbone network ( 13 ). The serving support nodes and the gateway support nodes collect charging information on usage of the radio interface and the data network ( 15 ), respectively. The system is further provided with a billing gateway support node (BGGSN) connected to the internal backbone network (BGGSN) to receive user-specific charging information collected by the other support nodes, and to forward the charging information to a charging system.

1. A packet radio system comprising:
 a digital mobile communication network; 
 packet data terminal equipments; 
 packet radio support nodes connected to the mobile communication network which provides them with a radio interface for packet switched data transmission with the packet data terminal equipments; 
 gateway packet radio support nodes providing an access point to an external packet data network; 
 an internal packet switched backbone network to which the packet radio support nodes and the gateway packet radio support nodes are connected; and 
 a billing gateway support node, connected to said internal packet switched backbone network to receive user-specific charging information collected by the other support nodes and to forward the charging information to the a charging system. 
 
     
     
       2. The packet radio system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the a communication protocol between the billing gateway support node, the packet radio support nodes and the gateway packet radio support nodes is a packet switched communication protocol of said internal packet switched backbone network. 
     
     
       3. The packet radio system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the a first communication protocol between the billing gateway support node, the packet radio support nodes and the gateway packet radio support nodes is independent of a second communication protocol between the billing gateway support node and the charging system. 
     
     
       4. The packet radio system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the a communication protocol between the billing gateway support node and the charging system is different from a packet switched communication protocol of said internal packet switched backbone network. 
     
     
       5. The packet radio system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the billing gateway support node is provided with a direct connection to the billing charging system. 
     
     
       6. The packet radio system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the billing gateway support node is connected to the billing charging system via an intermediate network, such as the intermediate network comprising an intelligent network, or via an intermediate network element, such as the intermediate network element comprising a mobile services switching center. 
     
     
       7. The packet radio system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the an address of the billing gateway support node to which the other support nodes send charging information is fixed. 
     
     
       8. The packet radio system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the an address of the billing gateway support node to which the other support nodes send charging information is dynamic. 
     
     
       9. The packet radio system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the address of the billing gateway support node to which the other support nodes send charging information is subscriber-specific and is given to the respective other support node when the subscriber begins using a service. 
     
     
       10. The packet radio system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the support nodes are arranged to send the charging information to the billing gateway support node of the subscriber's home network or the a visited network. 
     
     
       11. The packet radio system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the a first communication protocol between the billing gateway support node, the packet radio support nodes and the gateway packet radio support nodes is independent of a second communication protocol between the billing gateway support node and the charging system. 
     
     
       12. The packet radio system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the communication protocol between the billing gateway support node and the charging system is different from a packet switched communication protocol of said internal packet switched backbone network. 
     
     
       13. The packet radio system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the communication protocol between the billing gateway support node and the charging system is different from a packet switched communication protocol of said internal packet switched backbone network. 
     
     
       14. An apparatus, comprising:
 a network interface interconnecting packet radio support nodes of a packet radio system which provides user terminal equipments with packet data services; and   gateway packet radio support nodes providing an access point to an external packet data network; and   said apparatus is configured to receive user-specific charging information collected by the other support nodes and to forward the charging information to a charging system.    
     
     
       15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein a communication protocol between a billing gateway support node, the packet radio support nodes and the gateway packet radio support nodes is a packet switched communication protocol of an internal backbone network.  
     
     
       16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein in that a first communication protocol between a billing gateway support node, the packet radio support nodes and the gateway packet radio support nodes is independent of a second communication protocol between the billing gateway support node and the charging system.  
     
     
       17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein a communication protocol between a billing gateway support node and the charging system is different from a packet switched communication protocol of an internal backbone network.  
     
     
       18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, comprising a direct connection to a billing system.  
     
     
       19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein a billing gateway support node is connected to the billing system via an intermediate network, the intermediate network comprising an intelligent network, or via an intermediate network element, the intermediate network element comprising a mobile services switching center.  
     
     
       20. The apparatus as claimed claim 14, wherein an address of a billing gateway support node to which the other support nodes send charging information is fixed.  
     
     
       21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein an address of a billing gateway support node to which the other support nodes send charging information is dynamic.  
     
     
       22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the address of a billing gateway support node to which the other support nodes send charging information is subscriber-specific and is given to the respective other support node when the subscriber begins using a service.  
     
     
       23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein a first communication protocol between a billing gateway support node, the packet radio support nodes and the gateway packet radio support nodes is independent of a second communication protocol between the billing gateway support node and the charging system.  
     
     
       24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein a communication protocol between a billing gateway support node and the charging system is different from a packet switched communication protocol of an internal backbone network.  
     
     
       25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the communication protocol between a billing gateway support node and the charging system is different from a packet switched communication protocol of an internal backbone network.