| 摘要 |
A method is provided for online charging within an IP Multimedia Subsystem, IMS. A first credit control request message is received (S-A) at an IMS charging node (30) from an IMS service network node (20) over a service charging interface (22) provided between the IMS service node (20) and the IMS charging node (30). In response to receipt of the first credit control message, it is determined (S-B) at the IMS charging node (30), with reference to one or more triggering conditions, that a replenishment of credit is to be offered for a user associated with the first credit control request message. Following such a determination, a credit replenishment service is initiated in the IMS service node (20) by sending (S-D) a replenishment request in a first credit control answer message over the service charging interface (22) from the IMS charging node (30) to the IMS service node (20), the first credit control answer message being in response to the first credit control request message. Alternatively, a credit replenishment service is initiated (S-E) in the IMS charging node (30). In this alternative, a second credit control request message associated with the user is received (S-F) from a transport network node (40) over a bearer charging interface (42) provided between the transport node (40) and the IMS charging node (30); and, in response to receipt of the second credit control request message and as part of the replenishment service, a replenishment request is sent (S-G) in a second credit control answer message over the bearer charging interface (42) to the transport node (40), the second credit control answer message being in response to the second credit control request message. |
