Patent ID: 6999449
Filing Date: 2006-02-14
Classification: H04L,H04M

Abstract:
1. A system for monitoring and reporting a volume of data transferred between an end user and a data network during a data session, said system comprising: a Network Access Server (NAS) that provides the end user with access to the data network; and an accounting server in communication with the NAS that maintains accounting records for the network, said accounting server including a Prepaid Server (PPS) function that maintains an account balance for the end user comprising a volume of data that the end user is authorized to transfer, said PPS function informing the accounting server, during setup of the data session, of a predetermined volume of data that the end user may transfer during the session; said NAS monitoring the volume of data transferred between the end user and the data network during the data session, and sending interim accounting messages during the session to the accounting server, each interim accounting message reporting a cumulative volume of data transferred during the data session prior to sending the interim accounting message; said accounting server receiving the interim accounting messages from the NAS, determining when the predetermined volume of data has been transferred, and notifying the PPS function when the predetermined volume of data has been transferred; said PPS function notifying the accounting server when the account balance for the end user goes below a threshold volume of data; and said accounting server notifying the NAS that the data session should be terminated when the accounting server Is notified that the account balance for the end user has gone below the threshold volume of data.