A method of adapting quotas for a shared resource in a network includes: retrieving, at a charging server, a usage level and a time period for each of a plurality of communication sessions associated with the shared resource, the communication sessions corresponding to respective client devices connected to the network; determining, at the charging server, whether the shared resource can support each of the communication sessions for the corresponding retrieved usage level and time period; when the determination is negative, determining a common reduced time period for each of the communication sessions at the charging server; and at the charging server, when the reduced time period exceeds a predefined threshold, allocating quotas to each of the communication sessions from the shared resource based on the usage levels and the reduced time period.

A charging method includes: determining, by a control plane function entity (CP), that a data flow that is transmitted by user equipment (UE) on a first data session needs to be migrated to a second data session; charging, by the CP, the data flow on the first UP through a first charging session between the CP and a charging system; obtaining, by the CP, charging information of the data flow before the migration that is counted by the first UP; and determining, by the CP, a quota that is used for the data flow after the migration is necessary to be delivered to the second UP, and delivering the quota to the second UP, thereby charging a service data flow of a user in a case of migration between user planes.

Systems and methods may provide for establishing a data usage budget based on one or more of user input and historical usage data, wherein the data usage budget distinguishes between usage types and distinguishes between connection types. Additionally, a data usage of one or more client devices may be monitored in accordance with the data usage budget. In one example, the usage types are designated as one or more of a high bandwidth usage and a low bandwidth usage, and the connection types are designated as one or more of a capped connection and a non-capped connection.

A method and an apparatus for information exchange in online charging in order to reduce frequency of information exchange between a Charging Trigger Function (CTF) device and an Online Charging System (OCS), and reduce a pressure of information transmission between the CTF device and the OCS, where the method includes receiving, by a CTF device, a credit control answer (CCA) message that carries a non-real-time Trigger and sent by an OCS, recording, by the CTF device, charging information before and after a corresponding event of the non-real-time Trigger happens each time before sending a credit control request (CCR) message to the OCS next time, and sending, by the CTF device, the CCR message to the OCS.

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for managing a shared quota for a plurality of network subscribers in a consumer telecommunications network. In use, a first usage quota reservation out of a shared quota is allocated to at least one first subscriber among a plurality of network subscribers. Further, it is determined that at least a portion of the shared quota is available. Additionally, a progressively smaller at least one second usage quota reservation out of the at least a portion of the shared quota is recursively allocated to the at least one first subscriber among the plurality of network subscribers, the smaller at least one second usage quota reservation being smaller than the first usage quota reservation out of the shared quota.

A charging trigger function (CTF 40) in a communication network (30) advantageously uses pre-allocated usage units to authorize the use of a communication service by a user, when a pre-allocated usage unit is available with respect to the involved communication service and user. A pre-allocation function (PAF 42) provides the one or more pre-allocated usage units directly to the CTF (40) or indirectly via an online charging function (OCF 44). The pre-allocated usage units are determined, for example, according to predicted usage information, user account information, and configured rules. A usage prediction function (UPF 52) in the network (30) uses user-related information, such as historical usage data or other activity by the user, to generate the predicted usage information. Among its other advantages, authorizing the use of the communication service based on pre-allocated usage units obviates or reduces the need for usage authorization signaling going between the CTF and OCF.

Computer-implemented method for online charging telecommunication services in real time, comprising: (i) running a money-to-time algorithm, computing a time balance based on charging parameters and a wallet balance; (ii) if greater than zero, creating a charging data record, CDR, and writing a start timestamp therein, setting a terminate session timer based on the time balance, and confirming the communication session; (iii) if not greater than zero, or upon expiration of the terminate session timer, instructing to terminate the communication session, wherein upon expiration of the terminate session timer an end timestamp is written in the CDR. Online charging system, OCS, implementing the method.

Systems and methods may provide for establishing a data usage budget based on one or more of user input and historical usage data, wherein the data usage budget distinguishes between usage types and distinguishes between connection types. Additionally, a data usage of one or more client devices may be monitored in accordance with the data usage budget. In one example, the usage types are designated as one or more of a high bandwidth usage and a low bandwidth usage, and the connection types are designated as one or more of a capped connection and a nan-capped connection.

A charging trigger function (CTF 40) in a communication network (30) advantageously uses pre-allocated usage units to authorize the use of a communication service by a user, when a pre-allocated usage unit is available with respect to the involved communication service and user. A pre-allocation function (PAF 42) provides the one or more pre-allocated usage units directly to the CTF (40) or indirectly via an online charging function (OCF 44). The pre-allocated usage units are determined, for example, according to predicted usage information, user account information, and configured rules. A usage prediction function (UPF 52) in the network (30) uses user-related information, such as historical usage data or other activity by the user, to generate the predicted usage information. Among its other advantages, authorizing the use of the communication service based on pre-allocated usage units obviates or reduces the need for usage authorization signaling going between the CTF and OCF.

Systems and methods are provided for managing dynamically allocated storage and processing units. The systems and methods include operations for determining, a usage pattern having a peak usage portion and a low usage portion; reserving a first collection of units on a dynamic unit allocation system during the peak usage portion; detecting a transition from the peak usage portion to the low usage portion; in response to detecting the transition, instructing the dynamic unit allocation system to reduce the first collection of units to reserve a second collection of units corresponding to a second amount of the low usage portion; selecting asynchronous tasks that consume a set of units greater than the second collection of units; and during a period of time that the dynamic unit allocation system is reducing the first collection of units, causing the asynchronous tasks to be executed by the dynamic allocation system.