Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (publ)

Atc Technologies, Inc.

Patrik Teppo

Jan Dahl

Ove Karlsson

Jari Tapio Vikberg

Monica Wifvesson

Vesa Lehtovirta

Tomas Hedberg

Vesa Torvinen

Robert Törnkvist

Harri Hakala

Katharina Pfeffer

Johan Lundström

The invention relates to methods and devices for enabling access to a plurality of communication networks (-). A wireless communication device () acquires (S) information regarding network access capabilities of any modems with which the wireless communication device is equipped, as well as information identifying operator profiles available to each of said any modems, and establishes (S) a connection with a network connectivity selection node () that can determine which network access is available for each of said any modems. The wireless communication device further reports (S) the acquired network access capabilities and operator profiles of each of said any modems to the network connectivity selection node, and receives (S), in reply to the reporting, a recommendation on which one or more of said any modems to use for connecting to one or more of the plurality of communication networks.

Method of enabling access to a plurality of communication networks for a wireless communication device

A node for use in a telecommunication network. The apparatus comprises a service session handler for establishing and controlling service sessions on behalf of end users served by the telecommunications network, and a charging generation point for generating charging data for established sessions involving served users as originating users and for reporting that charging data to a network charging system. The apparatus further comprises a signalling message handler for receiving, in respect of a given service session between an originating and a terminating user, a signalling message sent by or on behalf of the terminating user, the signalling message containing cost apportionment data apportioning costs between the originating and terminating users, the signalling message handler being configured to pass that cost apportionment data to the charging generation point. The charging generation point is further configured to apply the cost apportionment data to the generation of charging data so that the charging data reflects the required cost apportionment.

Methods and apparatus for allocating service costs in a telecommunications network

This relates to wireless communications, and in particular to the generation of keying material for security purposes. In particular, A method of performing authentication for a user terminal. The method comprises performing an Authentication and Key Agreement procedure for authenticating the user terminal in a cellular access network, wherein a core network of the cellular network comprises a Home Subscriber Server; determining in a Bootstrapping Server Function that the user terminal requires keying material for use outside the cellular access network. The method also comprises transferring authentication information directly from the Home Subscriber Server to the Bootstrapping Server Function; and generating session keys in the Bootstrapping Server Function using said authentication information, wherein said session keys are also generated in the user terminal.

Wireless communications

Apparatus for use within an IP Multimedia Subsystem, IMS, network to handle Session Initiation Protocol, SIP, messages. The apparatus comprises a receiver for receiving a SIP message from a peer IMS node, and a SIP message inspector for inspecting a P-Charging-Vector, PCV, header within a received SIP message in order to detect the presence within the PCV header of a parameter and associated handling determinator. The apparatus further comprises a SIP message handler for determining, on the basis of a handling determinator and without reference to said associated parameter, an action or actions to be applied to said parameter and associated handling determinator.

Charging information transfer in the IMS

Apparatus configured to operate as a network element within an IMS to provide services to a subscriber. The apparatus comprises a receiver for receiving charging function information for the subscriber provided by a subscriber profile server, the charging function information including an indication of a plurality of IMS network element types that may be used to provide services to the subscriber and, for each of the plurality of IMS network element types, specifying whether an IMS network element of that type should send charging information for the subscriber to an offline charging function and whether an IMS network of that type should send charging information for the subscriber to an online charging function. The apparatus further comprises a processor for determining whether the IMS network element should send charging information for the subscriber to an offline charging function and whether the IMS network should send charging information for the subscriber to an online charging function and a transmitter for sending charging information to any of an offline charging function accordingly.

Method and apparatus for use in a communications network

The present invention relates in general to communication networks and more specifically to a system and a method for charging in a communication network, especially in an IP Multimedia network. The new charging system allows charging principles used in traditional telecom networks to be applied also in IP Multimedia networks.

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Bobäck, Finland

Patrik Teppo