Patent ID: 9077816
Filing Date: 2015-07-07
Classification: H04L,H04M,H04W

Abstract:
1. A visited Online Charging System (OCS) in a Long Term Evolution with Evolved Packed Core (LTE/EPC) network, comprising an Online Charging Function, an Account Balance Management Function, and a Rating Function, the functions being implemented by at least one processor, the system being configured to: receive a credit request from a network element in a visited network that has been requested to provide a service to a roaming mobile device; determine a local rating for the service based on a local tariff defined by the operator of the visited network; grant a quota of service units to the network element based on the local rating; transmit a credit response to the network element indicating the granted quota; transmit an online charging request to a home OCS of a mobile device requesting charging information for an end user of the mobile device, and to receive an online charging response from the home OCS that includes the charging information, wherein the charging information includes an allotment of service units from an account balance of the end user that is granted by the home OCS for use in credit control by the visited OCS; create a temporary account for the end user based on the allotment of service units; and monitor the temporary account of the end user as quotas are granted to network elements, wherein, if the temporary account becomes depleted, the visited OCS requests an additional credit reservation from the home OCS.