Service type and device type-based policy and charging control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10797894-B2
Application number	US-201816217166-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2018
Priority date	Dec 28, 2017
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

A session management function receives a first message from an access and mobility management function requesting establishment PDU session(s) for a wireless device. The first message comprises a device type of the wireless device. The session management function sends a second message to a policy control function. The second message comprises a request for charging polic(ies) for the PDU session(s). The second message comprises the device type of the wireless device. The session management function receives a third message from the policy control function. The third message comprises the charging polic(ies) determined based on the device type for the wireless device. The session management function selects a user plane function based on the device type for the wireless device. The session management function sends a fourth message to the user plane function. The fourth message comprises reporting rules based on the charging polic(ies).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a session management function from an access and mobility management function, a first message comprising:
a request to establish at least one packet data unit (PDU) session for a wireless device; and
a device type of the wireless device;

sending, by the session management function to a policy control function, a second message comprising:
a request for at least one charging policy for the at least one PDU session; and
the device type of the wireless device received by the session management function from the access and mobility management function via the first message;

receiving, by the session management function from the policy control function, a third message comprising the at least one charging policy determined based on the device type of the wireless device;
selecting, by the session management function, a user plane function based on the device type of the wireless device received by the session management function from the access and mobility management function via the first message; and
sending, by the session management function to the user plane function, a fourth message comprising reporting rules based on the at least one charging policy.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fourth message further comprises a request for session establishment for the at least one PDU session.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending, by the session management function to an online charging system, a fifth message requesting at least one credit, the fifth message comprising the device type;
determining, by the online charging system a charging credit based on the device type; and
receiving, by the session management function from the online charging system and in response to the fifth message, a sixth message comprising the charging credit applied to the device type.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one charging policy comprises at least one of:
an information element indicating an online charging method;
an information element indicating an offline charging method; or
an information element indicating a charging rate.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device type comprises at least one of:
an internet of things (IoT) device;
a vehicle device;
a cell phone;
a wearable device; or
a sensor for industry automation.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the policy control function, the at least one charging policy based on the device type.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising determining, by the policy control function, an offline charging method based on the device type being a vehicle device type.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending, by the session management function to the access and mobility management function, a fifth message acknowledging establishment of the at least one PDU session.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first message further comprises a service type, wherein the service type comprises at least one of:
a machine type communications (MTC);
an ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC);
a vehicle-to-x communications (V2X);
an internet of things (IoT); or
an application type for packed data service.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
determining, by the policy control function, at least one charging policy for the at least one PDU session based on the service type.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second message further comprises a service type, wherein the service type comprises at least one of:
a machine type communications (MTC);
an ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC);
a vehicle-to-x communications (V2X);
an internet of things (IoT); or
an application type for packed data service.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the access and mobility management function from a wireless device, a fifth message requesting establishment of the at least one PDU session, the fifth message comprising the device type, wherein the device type comprises at least one of:
an internet of things device;
a vehicle device;
a cell phone;
a wearable device; or
a sensor for industry automation.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the session management function from the user plane function and in response to the fourth message, a fifth message acknowledging establishment of a user plane session.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending, by the session management function to an online charging system, a fifth message requesting credit for a service type, the fifth message comprising the service type;
determining, by the online charging system a charging credit based on the service type; and
receiving, by session management function from the online charging system, a seventh message comprising a granted charging credit units.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the fifth message further comprises at least one charging policy.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending, by the session management function to an offline charging system, a fifth message comprising a device type;
performing, by the offline charging system, offline charging based on the device type; and
receiving, by the session management function from the offline charging system a response message confirming the offline charging.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending, by the session management function to an offline charging system, a fifth message comprising a service type;
performing, by the offline charging system offline charging based on the service type; and
receiving, by the session management function from the offline charging system a response message confirming the offline charging.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending, by the session management function to the policy control function, a fifth message reporting at least one traffic event associated with a device type;
determining, by the policy control function, at least one charging rule based on the at least one traffic event associated with a device type; and
receiving, by the session management function from the policy control function, a sixth message comprising the at least one charging rule.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
sending, by the session management function to a charging system, a seventh message comprising the at least one traffic event associated with a device type;
performing, by the charging system, charging based on the at least one traffic event associated with a device type; and
receiving, by the session management function from the charging system, an eighth message acknowledging the charging.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the charging system comprises at least one of:
an online charging system; or
an offline charging system.

Assignees

• Qiao Weihua
• Dinan Esmael
• Park Kyungmin
• Talebi Fard Peyman
• Ofinno Llc

Inventors

• Qiao Weihua
• Dinan Esmael
• Park Kyungmin
• Talebi Fard Peyman

Classifications

• H04W4/24

  Accounting or billing · CPC title

• H04W8/02

  Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks · CPC title

• H04M15/61

  based on the service used · CPC title

• H04M15/66

  Policy and charging system · CPC title

• Y02T90/12

  Electric charging stations · CPC title