KR20090030563A - Method and apparatus for improving packet charging accuracy - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a packet charging method and apparatus. The charging processing method in the packet charging apparatus according to the present invention stores the access charging information in a predetermined recording area when receiving an access charging start packet including access charging information corresponding to an IP address assigned to a user terminal. Generating access charging information; An access charging information deleting step of deleting the stored access charging information from the recording area when receiving the access charging termination packet including the IP address; An access charging information insertion step of determining whether to insert the access charging information into the corresponding user packet according to the presence or absence of the access charging information when receiving the user packet corresponding to the IP address; And a charging processing step of determining whether to process charging according to whether the user packet includes the access charging information.

Accordingly, the packet charging apparatus according to the present invention has an advantage of generating more accurate charging data using the access charging information.

Description

Method and Apparatus for Improving Packet Billing Accuracy {Method and Apparatus for Improving the Accuracy of Packet Charging}

The present invention relates to a packet charging processing method and apparatus, and more particularly, to a packet charging apparatus using a connection charging information capable of performing more accurate charging using the connection charging information generated by a packet exchanger. A method and apparatus for improving charging accuracy.

With the recent development of mobile communication technology, the 3rd generation communication system has not only basic conversational services such as voice calls but also streaming services, interactive services, and background services. The same packet-based service is provided.

In general, in a packet-based service, packet usage is calculated in units of a service or content based on an IP and a port allocated to a corresponding terminal.

Also, predetermined user identification information for distinguishing the real user from the IP address assigned to the terminal based on the access charging information generated by the packet switch, including, for example, access ID, session information, telephone number, and the like. Is generated.

In the final charging step, the packet usage for each service for the real user is calculated using the correlation between the packet usage of the corresponding IP and the user identification information.

However, in the related art, packet-based charging processing and access charging-based charging processing are performed in different devices as well as processing data of different criteria, resulting in a problem that the final charging information is different.

Hereinafter, when a user terminates a forcibly connected session without performing a normal termination procedure with a streaming server providing a corresponding service in a user terminal while using a multimedia streaming service, for example, the user may turn off the power of the terminal. Will include the case of forcibly terminating the system, and the charging procedure for the service will be described in detail.

First, a packet switching device such as a Packet Data Serving Node (PDSN), a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN), an Access Control Router (ACR), etc., hereinafter referred to as a 'packet exchanger', is referred to as a corresponding terminal. Recognizing that the radio access channel is released, packet charging data up to the time of disconnection is generated.

Here, PDSN, GGSN and ACR are apparatuses for providing packet data services in a synchronous CDMA system, a UMTS system and a portable Internet system, respectively.

On the other hand, since the streaming server did not receive a normal stop command for the session from the terminal, the streaming server cannot immediately recognize that the wireless access channel to the terminal is released.

Therefore, the streaming server may continue to transmit the packet even after the radio access channel is released to the IP address corresponding to the terminal.

As a result, the streaming server may stop the packet transmission to the corresponding IP address only after determining that the packet cannot be normally transmitted to the IP address corresponding to the corresponding terminal.

That is, since the end point of packet charging between the packet exchanger and the streaming server is different, the packet usage calculated by the two devices may be different.

In the following description, another example in which an actual packet usage is incorrectly calculated when a session between a specific content server and a terminal ends abnormally will be described in detail.

For example, after a wireless access channel between a user terminal assigned a IP address of 1.2.3.4 and a packet switch is terminated, a Worm virus and a port scanning packet having an IP address of 1.2.3.4 are sent to the packet switch. Can be received.

At this time, the packet exchange does not generate charging data for the received packet since no actual radio access channel corresponding to the corresponding IP address exists. However, the dedicated packet charging device cannot recognize that the radio access channel is released, and simply generates charging data based on the IP address.

Therefore, the dedicated packet charging device has a problem of generating packet charging data even for packets that are not actually provided to the user.

In general, the dedicated packet charging device includes a function of generating charging data for each service, but the packet charging device interworking with the packet exchanger does not distinguish between various services only by generating charging data for each IP address.

In the following description, a packet charging system according to the prior art will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the packet charging system according to the related art includes a packet switch 102, a packet switch 103, a packet charging device 104, a connection charging device 105, a network 106, and first to fifth packets. N-th content server 110 may be included.

In this case, the user terminal 101 may transmit / receive packet data with the packet switch 102 through a wireless access network.

Referring to FIG. 1, the user terminal 101 may be assigned a specific IP address from the packet switch 102 by transmitting a predetermined service request signal to the packet switch 102. Thereafter, the user terminal 101 can communicate with the corresponding content server 110 using the assigned IP address.

For example, the packet generated by the user terminal 101 may be transmitted to the corresponding content server 110 via the packet switch 102, the packet switch 103, and the network 106 sequentially.

At this time, all packets passing through the packet switch 103 are copied and transmitted to the packet charging device 104.

The packet switch 102 is configured for a packet having a corresponding IP address from a time point at which an IP address is assigned to the user terminal 101 to a time point at which the IP address is retrieved or a time point at which the wireless access channel established with the user terminal 101 is released. The connection charging information is periodically generated and transmitted to the connection charging device 105.

At this time, the connection charging information is copied by the packet switch 103, and the copied connection charging information is transmitted to the packet charging device 104.

In general, in connection charging based processing, the packet switch 102 located between a wired network and a wireless network generates charging data based on the total amount of received packets, and transmits the charging data generated by a separate access charging device for processing the same. There is a characteristic to.

On the other hand, packet-based charging processing includes a packet switch 103 between the packet switch 102 and the network 106, whereby the packet switch 103 receives packets received from the packet switch 102 or the network 106. A copy is transmitted to the dedicated packet charging device 104. At this time, the packet charging device 104 generates charging data for the received packet.

As described above, since the charging data generated by the different devices are generated according to the access charging criterion and the actual use packet criterion, there is a high possibility that different charging results are generated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention for solving the problems of the prior art as described above is to provide a packet charging apparatus capable of charging a packet actually used by a user terminal by using access charging information generated by a packet exchanger.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a packet charging apparatus capable of performing real-time packet charging processing for each service type for a specific user terminal in one apparatus using access charging information.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a packet charging apparatus capable of preventing charging for illegal packets, including, for example, virus packets and port scanning packets.

Other objects of the present invention will be readily understood through the following description of the embodiments.

In order to achieve the object as described above, according to one aspect of the present invention, a charging processing method in a packet charging device is disclosed.

In the charging processing method in the packet charging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the access charging start packet including the access charging information corresponding to the IP address assigned to the user terminal is received, the access charging information is recorded. Generating access charging information stored in the area; An access charging information deleting step of deleting the stored access charging information from the recording area when receiving the access charging termination packet including the IP address; An access charging information insertion step of determining whether to insert the access charging information into the corresponding user packet according to the presence or absence of the access charging information when receiving the user packet corresponding to the IP address; And a charging processing step of determining whether to process charging according to whether the user packet includes the access charging information.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a packet charging apparatus for generating charging data for a packet service is disclosed.

Packet charging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention receives a packet, the packet receiver for transmitting the received packet to the packet analysis unit; A packet analyzer configured to identify a user terminal and an application layer entity by using an IP address and a service access point included in the packet received from the packet receiver, and perform a reliable data transfer function; An access charging session manager configured to manage access charging information according to the type of the packet received from the packet analyzer or to generate a user packet including the access charging information; And a packet charging data generation unit configured to generate charging data when the user packet is received from the access charging session managing unit and to identify valid charging data according to whether the access charging information is included in the charging data. .

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a packet charging processing system is disclosed.

Packet charging processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention, when setting or canceling a new wireless access channel with the user terminal, the packet exchanger for generating a predetermined access charging packet and transmits to the packet charging device; When the access charging packet is received from the packet exchanger, the access charging information is managed according to the type of the received access charging packet, the charging data for the user packet is generated using the access charging information, and the generated charging data is generated. A packet charging device for checking whether or not the access charging information is included in the charging data and determining the validity of the charging data, and copying a user packet transmitted and received between the user terminal and a content server to the packet charging device. It may include a packet switch.

The present invention has an advantage of providing a packet charging device capable of charging only packets actually used by a user terminal by using access charging information generated by a packet exchanger.

In addition, the present invention has an advantage of providing a packet charging device capable of accurately performing in real time the packet charging processing for each service type for the IP address assigned to the user terminal in one device using the access charging information.

In addition, the present invention has the advantage of providing a packet charging apparatus capable of preventing the charging for illegal packets, including virus packets and port scanning packets, by using the access charging information.

As the invention allows for various changes and numerous embodiments, particular embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the written description. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to specific embodiments, it should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The terms first, second, etc. may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by the terms. The terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component may be referred to as the second component, and similarly, the second component may also be referred to as the first component.

The term and / or includes a combination of a plurality of related items or any item of a plurality of related items. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

In this application, the terms "comprising" or "mounted" and "mounted" are intended to indicate that there is a feature, number, step, action, component, part, or combination thereof described on the specification, one Or other features or numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof in any way should not be excluded in advance.

Unless defined otherwise, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Terms such as those defined in the commonly used dictionaries should be construed as having meanings consistent with the meanings in the context of the related art, and shall not be construed in ideal or excessively formal meanings unless expressly defined herein. Do not.

Other aspects, features, and advantages other than those described above will become apparent from the following drawings, claims, and detailed description of the invention.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a packet charging method and an apparatus using the access charging information according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

2 is a block diagram of a packet charging system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the packet charging system according to the present invention, a packet charging device 104 and a connection charging device 105 exist separately in the conventional packet charging system, and each of them has a problem caused by performing independent functions. In order to solve, one packet charging device 204 is characterized in that the processing of the access charging information and the actual user packet at the same time.

That is, the packet charging apparatus 204 according to an embodiment of the present invention may perform charging processing for the user packet received in real time using the access charging information received from the packet switch 202.

Here, the access charging information may include various information generated in the packet switch 202 such as IP address information, user identification information, session information, location information of the user terminal 201.

Here, the user identification information may include a phone number assigned to the user terminal 201, an Internet access ID, an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), a Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (TMSI), and the like. It includes, but is enough information to identify the actual user.

The location information is information for identifying a packet network to which the corresponding user terminal 201 is connected, and may be location information measured in units of a packet switch, a radio network controller, a base station, and a cell. Here, the location information may also be used as reference information for calculating packet usage statistics for each region.

3 is an internal block diagram of a packet charging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, the packet charging cabinet 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a packet receiver 301, a packet analyzer 302, a connection charging session manager 303, and a packet charging data generator ( 304).

The packet receiver 301 receives the packet copied by the packet switch 203 and transfers the received packet to the packet analyzer 302.

The packet analyzer 302 is a network layer (Nework Layer), which is the third layer of an Open System Interface (OSI) reference model such as Internet Protocol (IP), Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), and User Datagram Protocol (UDP). And a transport layer which is a fourth layer.

Accordingly, the packet analysis unit 302 is connected to a connection-oriented application such as TELNET, File Transfer Protocol (FTP), Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), and the like, as well as non-connection such as Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP), Network File Transfer (NFT), and the like. It can handle all packets for oriented applications.

In particular, the packet analyzer 302 may identify an application layer entity by using a service access point (eg, including a port number in the TCP / IP protocol) included in the received packet. .

For example, port number 21 and port number 23 can be used as identification numbers for FTP applications and TELNET applications, respectively.

In addition, the packet analyzer 302 may identify the host using IP address information included in the received packet.

When the packet analysis unit 302 receives a retransmission function for reliable data transmission and a packet that is divided out of order, the packet analysis unit 302 performs a function of sorting the packet according to the order, and then processes the connection charging session management unit 303. The packet can be sent.

The connection charging session manager 303 checks whether the received packet is charging data for access charging, hereinafter referred to as a 'connection charging packet', and newly allocates a management memory area according to a result of the check, or previously allocated Performs a function of retrieving a managed memory area.

Here, it should be noted that the management memory is a memory shared by the packet analyzer 302 and the access charging session manager 303, and the allocation and release of a specific management memory area is performed by the access charging session manager 303.

For example, when the access charging session management unit 303 receives a connection charging packet indicating that the user terminal has started the connection to the packet switch 202, hereinafter referred to as a 'connection charging start packet', the corresponding user terminal Allocates a new management memory area for.

On the other hand, when the access charging session management unit 303 receives a connection charging packet indicating that the user terminal has terminated the connection to the packet exchanger 202, hereinafter referred to as an 'connection charging end packet', for the user terminal, Recall the allocated management memory area.

Here, the allocated management memory area for each user terminal includes an IP address assigned to the corresponding user terminal, real user information, where the real user information is a telephone number. Session information, location information, and the like, may be stored.

In particular, the access charging session management unit 303, when the received packet is an access charging end packet, a predetermined control signal indicating that the session corresponding to the IP address assigned to the user terminal is terminated, hereinafter, 'session termination notification signal' 'May be transmitted to the packet analyzer 302.

When the packet analysis unit 302 receives the session end notification signal from the access charging session manager 303, the packet analyzer 302 extracts a packet corresponding to the corresponding session of the corresponding IP address stored in an internal buffer in real time, and access access session manager 303. To be sent).

The connection charging session manager 303 adds session information to the packet received from the packet analyzer 302 and transmits the session information to the packet charging data generator 304. Here, the session information is preferably included in the packet header area and transmitted.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, when the access charging information for the corresponding user terminal does not exist in the management memory area, the packet analyzer 302 may discard a packet corresponding to the corresponding user terminal received thereafter.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the packet analyzer 302 and the access charging session manager 303 may indicate that the access charging information is not present in the management memory area when the access charging information corresponding to the IP address of the received packet does not exist. The packet not included may be transmitted to the packet charging data generator 304.

In this case, the packet charging data generation unit 304 may not perform the charging process on the packet that does not include the access charging information.

Therefore, the packet charging apparatus 300 according to the present invention is characterized in that the charging process is not performed on the packet received after the wireless or wired connection to the user terminal is terminated.

In the following description, charging data including access charging information, wherein the access charging information includes session information, among the charging data generated by the packet charging data generation unit 304 is referred to as 'HIT'. For example, billing data that does not include access billing information will be referred to as 'MISS'.

That is, the hit charging data refers to charging data for a packet that is the actual charging target from the access start time to the end time of the corresponding user terminal, and the miss charging data does not include the access charging information or the packet does not match the access charging information. It means the charging data generated corresponding to these.

For example, the missed billing data may be billing data generated for packets received by an illegal connection such as hacking from outside, Denial of Service (DOS), port scanning, or the like.

In addition, the missed billing data may be billing data generated for a packet to the corresponding user terminal received after the radio access channel with the corresponding user terminal is released.

The packet charging data generation unit 304 may generate necessary charging data for each protocol for application protocols such as HTTP, FTP, and WAP.

In addition, it should be noted that the packet charging data generation unit 304 may generate charging data of the fourth layer level of the OSI 7 layer according to the predefined charging policy and operator setting information.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of an access charging session management unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, when receiving a packet from the packet analyzer 302 (S402), the access charging session manager 303 determines whether the received packet is a connection charging packet (S404). Here, it is preferable that the determination on whether the access charging packet is performed through a predetermined packet type identifier.

As a result of the determination, when the received packet is the access charging packet, the access charging session managing unit 303 determines whether the access charging start packet indicates that the wireless access channel setting to the corresponding user terminal is completed (S406).

If the connection charging start packet, the connection charging session management unit 303 allocates a predetermined recording area to the management memory area for storing the connection charging information included in the connection charging start packet (S408), and assigns to the allocated area. The access charging information is stored (S410).

In step 406, if the access charging start packet is not, the access charging session managing unit 303 determines whether the received access charging packet is an access charging end packet indicating that the wireless access channel for the corresponding user terminal has been released. It is determined (S412).

As a result of determination, when the received packet is a connection charging end packet, the connection charging session management unit 303 transmits a predetermined connection termination notification signal to the packet analysis unit 302 instructing transmission of a packet corresponding to the corresponding IP address. (S414).

Here, when the packet analysis unit 302 receives the access termination notification signal, the packet analysis unit 302 extracts a packet corresponding to the corresponding IP address stored in the internal buffer and transmits the packet to the access charging session management unit 303.

The connection charging session management unit 303 waits for the reception of a packet corresponding to the connection terminated IP address (S416).

Thereafter, the access charging session manager 303 deletes the access charging information corresponding to the terminated IP address from the management memory area (S418).

Here, the access charging session management unit 303 charges access corresponding to the terminated IP address until all packets corresponding to the terminated IP address among the packets stored in the internal buffer of the packet analyzer 302 are received. It is desirable not to delete the information.

To this end, the packet analysis unit 302 according to an embodiment of the present invention is to provide the access billing session management unit 303 with predetermined control information indicating that all packets corresponding to the connection terminated IP address have been completed. desirable.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the access charging session manager 303 may wait for a predetermined time for a packet corresponding to the terminated access IP address and then delete the access charging information corresponding to the IP address.

In step 404, if the received packet is not a connection charging packet-that is, a user packet is received-the connection charging session management unit 303 extracts the connection charging information recorded in the management memory area- Here, the extracted access charging information is access charging information corresponding to the IP address included in the received user packet, and generates a user packet including the extracted access charging information and transmits it to the packet charging data generation unit 304. (S420).

Referring to FIG. 4, the access charging session manager 303 performs any one of steps 410, 418, and 420, and then returns to step 402.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention described above are disclosed for purposes of illustration, and those skilled in the art will be able to make various modifications, changes, and additions within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Additions should be considered to be within the scope of the following claims.

1 is a block diagram of a packet charging processing system according to the prior art.

2 is a block diagram of a packet charging processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a block diagram of a packet charging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a flow chart of a connection charging session manager according to an embodiment of the present invention.

* Key Drawing

202: packet switch

203: packet switch

204: packet charging device

301: packet receiving unit

302: packet analysis unit

303: Access Billing Session Management Department

304: packet charging data generation unit

Claims (15)

In the charging processing method in the packet charging apparatus, A connection charging information generation step of storing the connection charging information in a predetermined recording area when receiving the access charging start packet including access charging information corresponding to the IP address assigned to the user terminal; An access charging information deleting step of deleting the stored access charging information from the recording area when receiving the access charging termination packet including the IP address; An access charging information insertion step of determining whether to insert the access charging information into the corresponding user packet according to the presence or absence of the access charging information when receiving the user packet corresponding to the IP address; And A charging processing step of determining whether to process charging according to whether the user packet includes the access charging information; Charging processing method in a packet charging device comprising a. The method of claim 1, Deleting the access charging information Generating a predetermined access termination notification signal indicating that the access channel corresponding to the IP address has been released before deleting the access charging information; And Extracting a user packet corresponding to the IP address stored in an internal buffer according to generation of the access termination notification signal; Including, but wherein the access charging information insertion step and the charging processing step are sequentially performed on the extracted user packet. The method of claim 1, The charging process step And not charging the user packet not including the access charging information. The method of claim 1, The access charging information includes at least one of IP address information, user identification information, session information, location information. In the packet charging device for generating charging data for a packet service, A packet receiver which receives a packet and delivers the received packet to a packet analyzer; A packet analyzer configured to identify a user terminal and an application layer entity by using an IP address and a service access point included in the packet received from the packet receiver, and perform a reliable data transfer function; An access charging session manager configured to manage access charging information according to the type of the packet received from the packet analyzer or to generate a user packet including the access charging information; And Upon receiving the user packet from the access charging session manager, a packet charging data generation unit for generating charging data and identifying valid charging data according to whether the access charging information is included in the charging data. Packet charging device comprising a. The method of claim 5, The packet received from the packet analyzer includes an access charging packet, The access charging packet includes an access charging start packet including the access charging information and an access charging end packet indicating that the wireless access channel is released to indicate that a new wireless access channel is established. . The method of claim 6, And when the access charging session manager receives the access charging start packet, allocates a predetermined recording area for recording the access charging information, and stores the access charging information in the allocated recording area. Charging device. The method of claim 6, When the access charging session management unit receives the access charging termination packet, A packet charging device, characterized in that for transmitting a connection termination notification signal including a connection terminated IP address to the packet analysis unit. The method of claim 8, And, when the packet analyzer receives the connection termination notification signal, extracts a user packet corresponding to the terminated IP address from an internal buffer and transmits the user packet to the access charging session managing unit. The method of claim 9, And when the access charging session manager receives all user packets corresponding to the access terminated IP address, deletes the access charging information corresponding to the terminated IP address. The method of claim 5, When the received packet is a user packet, the access charging session manager generates a user packet including the access charging information, and transmits the generated user packet to the packet charging data generation unit. Device. The method of claim 5, The apparatus for charging a packet may include at least one of IP address information, user identification information, session information, and location information. A system for providing packet charging processing, A packet exchanger for generating a predetermined access charging packet and transmitting the predetermined access charging packet to the packet charging apparatus when setting or releasing a new wireless access channel with the user terminal; When the access charging packet is received from the packet exchanger, the access charging information is managed according to the received access charging packet, and the charging data for the user packet is generated using the access charging information, and the generation is performed. A packet charging device for determining the validity of the charging data by checking whether the access charging information is included in the charged charging data; Packet switch for copying the user packet transmitted and received between the user terminal and the content server to the packet charging device Packet charging processing system comprising a. The method of claim 13, The access charging packet includes a charge charging start packet including the access charging information to indicate that a new wireless access channel has been established, and a charge charging end packet indicating that the wireless access channel has been released. system. The method of claim 14, The packet charging device is Means for storing the connection charging information in a predetermined recording area when receiving the connection charging start packet; And Means for deleting the connection charging information from the recording area when receiving the connection charging termination packet; Packet charging processing system comprising a.

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