Sony Ericsson LBI-38965 installation manual Billing Architecture BCU Operation Overview

LBI-38965

3.2.2. Billing Architecture

The EDACS billing system architecture is shown in Figure 3. Each IMC is connected to a BCU/CAL via a high-speed serial communications link using HDLC protocol.

RF	RF
System	System

RF	RF
System	System

Console

Terminal

Downlink

Console Terminal

DAT (Optional)

BCU

High-Speed

HDLC Link

Ethernet

TCP/IP WAN

C

A

M

MIM MIM

Area

IMC

DAT (Optional)

BCU

MIM MIM

CArea

AIMC

M

StarGate

Customer

Billing

Mainframe To other IMCs

The dotted lines enclose one optional setup for a StarGate (multi-node) billing architecture.

Figure 3 - Billing Architecture

3.2.3. BCU Operation Overview

Each RF system sends all call information to the IMC via the downlink. This is true for single-channel autonomous trunking (SCAT), Conventional Network Interface (CNI), basic EDACS, and RF systems operating in failsoft mode.

All call activity information messages received by the IMC are collected by the Central Activity Module (CAM), where each call message is time stamped. These messages, called raw activity records (RARs), are then passed via the high-speed serial link to the BCU/CAL.

If activity logging is enabled, the BCU first archives a copy of each RAR received. The BCU then examines each RAR and uses the time stamp values to determine the length of each call. The actual billing algorithm is quite complex and depends on the BCU's keeping a memory of outstanding calls. The output of the billing algorithm is stored to a regular disk file as a series of call detail records (CDR). Activity logging of RARs is a diagnostic capability not required for normal BCU functionality. RAR activity logging consumes disk space and can result in degraded system throughput. Although the feature is provided, its use is strongly discouraged for most users.

The CDR format is compatible with Cincinnati Bell Information System’s (CBIS) Cellware billing software.

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