The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 15, 2006
Filed:
Oct. 04, 1999
Akram M. Hosain, Richardson, TX (US);
Emad Qaddoura, Plano, TX (US);
Mary Barnes, Flower Mound, TX (US);
Haseeb Akhtar, Garland, TX (US);
Akram M. Hosain, Richardson, TX (US);
Emad Qaddoura, Plano, TX (US);
Mary Barnes, Flower Mound, TX (US);
Haseeb Akhtar, Garland, TX (US);
Nortel Networks Limited, St. Laurent, CA;
Abstract
An accounting framework is provided for a communications system having a plurality of service providers, including cellular service providers and/or data network service providers, e.g., Internet service providers. Accounting units containing accounting information are exchanged between service providers to allow the service providers to charge for usage of services. The accounting units have a predetermined format to allow them to be exchanged between different service providers. Each accounting unit includes a plurality of fields, including a service type field, a usage of radio interface field, a usage of a visited or external network field, a usage of mobility management field, a quality of service field, a usage of a packet data protocol field, and other fields. Users may be charged for services based on these fields.