Patent ID: 9026075
Filing Date: 2015-05-05
Classification: H04L,H04M,H04W

Abstract:
1. An apparatus comprising: a network element for a communication network that serves User Equipment (UE); the network element including a processor comprising a Charging Trigger Function (CTF) configured to identify an initial chargeable event responsive to a start of a session, to generate an initial accounting request for the session responsive to the initial chargeable event, to insert a start timestamp in the initial accounting request indicating a start time for the session, and to transmit the initial accounting request to a first charging function to initiate session-based offline charging for the session; the CTF configured to identify a failure involving the first charging function, to detect an interim chargeable event during the session, to generate an interim accounting request for the session responsive to the interim chargeable event, to insert a session anchor timestamp in the interim accounting request indicating the start time for the session, and to transmit the interim accounting request to a second charging function.