Patent ID: 8150369
Filing Date: 2012-04-03
Classification: H04L,H04M,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method of providing an IP Multimedia service to a mobile subscriber, the method comprising: registering the mobile subscriber to the IP multimedia service; prior to receiving a request to invoke the IP Multimedia service, utilizing an early session establishment procedure to reserve an estimated credit amount at a charging control node and to notify an IP Multimedia Serving Element of the estimated credit reservation, the estimated credit amount based on a charging rate for a preconfigured IP Multimedia service; upon receiving a request to invoke an actual IP Multimedia service, the IP Multimedia Serving Element proceeding immediately to establish a session of the actual IP Multimedia service by relying on the estimated credit reservation made by the early session establishment procedure; updating the credit reservation based on a charging rate of the actual IP Multimedia service invoked by the mobile subscriber, when the charging rate of the actual IP Multimedia service is different from the charging rate of the preconfigured IP Multimedia service; and notifying the IP Multimedia Serving Element of the updated credit reservation.