US 12,132,579 B2
Method and apparatus for performing an accounting network layer as a service
Howard Lang, Wayside, NJ (US); and Joseph Soryal, Glendale, NY (US)
Assigned to AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P., Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed by AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P., Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed on Oct. 19, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/969,167.
Prior Publication US 2024/0137234 A1, Apr. 25, 2024
Prior Publication US 2024/0235865 A9, Jul. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. H04W 4/00 (2018.01); H04L 12/14 (2006.01)
CPC H04L 12/1407 (2013.01) [H04L 12/1428 (2013.01); H04L 12/1439 (2013.01); H04L 12/1457 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a plurality of accounting nodes, each accounting node of the plurality of accounting nodes being associated with a respective service node of a plurality of network segments used to provide connectivity between an application provider and a user device, wherein at least two network segments of the plurality of network segments are operated by different network service providers, each accounting node configured to collect data usage information for the respective service node; and
a plurality of accounting servers in data communication with accounting nodes of the plurality of accounting nodes, each accounting server of the plurality of accounting servers being configured to receive from the accounting nodes the data usage information for each service node in a respective network segment and determine billing for data usage of each network segment.