Telephony application server charging for evolved packet system fallback

Abstract

A server of a fifth generation (5G) network can provide substantially real-time charges for a UE during fallback to another network. A Telephony Application Server (TAS) in an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) can identify Evolved Packet System Fallback (EPSFB) and report the EPSFB to a charging system to cause the charging system to generate accurate charges for user equipment communicating over the 5G network and the other network. The TAS can comprise logic to identify a change in P-Access-Network-Information associated with each network, and generate a call detail records for billing, or real-time communication via an online charging and/or offline charging for the served UE. Information (a user profile, call detail records, instance of EPSFB, etc.) associated with the TAS can be used to make network improvements that decrease instances of EPSFB and increase an amount of new radio services available to UEs.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 establishing a first portion of a communication over a first network at a first time;   establishing a second portion of the communication over a second network at a second time different from the first time;   accessing, by a server, an identifier of a user equipment (UE) associated with the communication, the identifier indicating a type of technology of the first network at the first time;   determining, by the server, a change in the identifier associated with the UE; and   determining, by the server, a first charge for the UE associated with the communication over the first network and a second charge for the UE associated with the communication over the second network.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 combining, the first charge and the second charge; and   determining at least one of a call detail record, an online charge, or an offline charge for the UE based at least in part on the combining.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the change in the identifier comprises:
 identifying, by the server, first P-Access-Network-Information associated with the first network;   identifying, by the server, second P-Access-Network-Information associated with the second network; and   determining a difference between the first P-Access-Network-Information and the second P-Access-Network-Information.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 establishing the second portion of the communication over the second network at the second time is caused by Evolved Packet System Fallback (EPSFB) from the first network to the second network.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first network comprises a fifth generation telecommunications network;   the second network comprises a fourth generation telecommunications network; and   the communication is associated with a Voice over New Radio (VoNR) communication or Video over New Radio (ViNR).   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the server comprises a Telephony Application Server (TAS) associated with an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS); and   the TAS comprises one or more of: charge detail records interface, an online charging (Ro) interface, or an offline charging (Rf) interface.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, by the server and based at least in part on the identifier associated with the UE indicating a type of technology associated with a message received by the server, that a communication request associated with the message comprises Evolved Packet System Fallback (EPSFB) from the first network to the second network;   sending, by the server, information indicating the EPSFB to a charging system; and   receiving, by the server, a charge for the UE associated with a communication to another UE over the second network based at least in part on the information indicating the EPSFB sent to the charging system.   
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations comprising:   establishing a first portion of a communication over a first network at a first time;   establishing a second portion of the communication over a second network at a second time different from the first time;   accessing, by a server, an identifier of a user equipment (UE) associated with the communication, the identifier indicating a type of technology of the first network at the first time;   determining, by the server, a change in the identifier associated with the UE; and   determining, by the server, a first charge for the UE associated with the communication over the first network and a second charge for the UE associated with the communication over the second network.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 combining, the first charge and the second charge; and   determining at least one of a call detail record, an online charge, or an offline charge for the UE based at least in part on the combining.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein determining the change in the identifier comprises:
 identifying, by the server, first P-Access-Network-Information associated with the first network;   identifying, by the server, second P-Access-Network-Information associated with the second network; and   determining a difference between the first P-Access-Network-Information and the second P-Access-Network-Information.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 establishing the second portion of the communication over the second network at the second time is caused by Evolved Packet System Fallback (EPSFB) from the first network to the second network.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the first network comprises a fifth generation telecommunications network;   the second network comprises a fourth generation telecommunications network; and   the communication is associated with a Voice over New Radio (VoNR) communication or Video over New Radio (ViNR).   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the server comprises a Telephony Application Server (TAS) associated with an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS); and   the TAS comprises one or more of: charge detail records interface, an online charging (Ro) interface, or an offline charging (Rf) interface.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , the operations further comprising:
 determining, by the server and based at least in part on the identifier associated with the UE indicating a type of technology associated with a message received by the server, that a communication request associated with the message comprises Evolved Packet System Fallback (EPSFB) from the first network to the second network;   sending, by the server, information indicating the EPSFB to a charging system; and   receiving, by the server, a charge for the UE associated with a communication to another UE over the second network based at least in part on the information indicating the EPSFB sent to the charging system.   
     
     
         15 . A computing device comprising:
 one or more processors; and   memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:   establishing a first portion of a communication over a first network at a first time;   establishing a second portion of the communication over a second network at a second time different from the first time;   accessing, by the computing device, an identifier of a user equipment (UE) associated with the communication, the identifier indicating a type of technology of the first network at the first time;   determining, by the computing device, a change in the identifier associated with the UE; and   determining, by the computing device, a first charge for the UE associated with the communication over the first network and a second charge for the UE associated with the communication over the second network.   
     
     
         16 . The computing device of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 combining, the first charge and the second charge; and   determining at least one of a call detail record, an online charge, or an offline charge for the UE based at least in part on the combining.   
     
     
         17 . The computing device of  claim 15 , wherein determining the change in the identifier comprises:
 identifying, by the computing device, first P-Access-Network-Information associated with the first network;   identifying, by the computing device, second P-Access-Network-Information associated with the second network; and   determining a difference between the first P-Access-Network-Information and the second P-Access-Network-Information.   
     
     
         18 . The computing device of  claim 15 , wherein:
 establishing the second portion of the communication over the second network at the second time is caused by Evolved Packet System Fallback (EPSFB) from the first network to the second network.   
     
     
         19 . The computing device of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first network comprises a fifth generation telecommunications network;   the second network comprises a fourth generation telecommunications network; and   the communication is associated with a Voice over New Radio (VoNR) communication or Video over New Radio (ViNR).   
     
     
         20 . The computing device of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the computing device comprises a Telephony Application Server (TAS) associated with an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS); and   the TAS comprises one or more of: charge detail records interface, an online charging (Ro) interface, or an offline charging (Rf) interface.