Mechanism for charging and session handling supporting forking

摘要

A network node, such as a network control node like a CSCF or an application server, executing forking forward only the first successful response message arriving from a forking branch, which enables the charging function in the forking node and in nodes in the backward direction from this point to apply charges only for the “winning” branch. By including a special Reason header sent in a BYE request of “unused” successfully contacted branches, charging function in nodes in the forward direction from the forking point are allowed to suppress charges for such unused branches. This is applicable both for online and offline charging methods as defined, for example, by 3GPP.

主权项

1. A method, comprising:
initializing a communication connection between at least two parties comprising a calling party and a called party; executing forking of the communication connection at a network node to a plurality of branches in a forward direction of the network node, wherein the forking comprises sending a plurality of invites through the plurality of branches to the called party; establishing a separate credit control session for each forked communication connection with the plurality of branches; receiving, at the network node, a plurality of response messages from at least one branch of the plurality of branches; forwarding a first received response message in a backward direction towards the calling party, wherein the first received message comprises a first successful response message to at least one of the plurality of invites sent through the plurality of branches to the called party, wherein the first successful response message is received before one or more further received response messages; generating at least one connection terminating message in response to a receipt of the one or more further received response messages; forwarding the at least one connection terminating message to terminate at least one of the sessions for the one or more further response messages associated with at least one of the plurality of branches other than a branch from which the first successful response message is received; maintaining the credit control session for the branch from which the first successful response message is received; and terminating credit control sessions for the at least one terminated session, such that charging is applied for the branch from which the first successful response message is received, and charging for at least one other branch corresponding to the at least one terminated session is suppressed.