Charging control with SMF and PCF

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11039018-B2
Application number	US-201916564236-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2019
Priority date	Sep 13, 2018
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

A PCF receives from an SMF, a policy establishment request message requesting a charging control rule for a PDU session of a wireless device. In response to the policy establishment request message, the PCF sends to a CHF a charging policy request message requesting charging policy information for the PDU session. The PCF receives from the CHF a charging policy response message. The charging policy response message comprises the charging policy information. The charging policy information comprises a first charging method. Based on the charging policy information, the PCF determines a charging control rule for the PDU session. The PCF sends to the SMF a policy establishment response message comprising the charging control rule. The SMF enforces the charging control rule.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a policy control function (PCF) from a session management function (SMF), a policy establishment request message requesting a charging control rule for a packet data unit (PDU) session of a wireless device;
sending, by the PCF to a charging function (CHF) and in response to the policy establishment request message, a charging policy request message requesting charging policy information for the PDU session;
receiving, by the PCF from the CHF, a charging policy response message comprising the charging policy information, wherein the charging policy information indicates a charging method comprising one or more of:
online charging;
offline charging; and
converged charging;

determining, by the PCF, based on the charging method indicated by the charging policy response message, a charging control rule for the PDU session; and
sending, by the PCF to the SMF, a policy establishment response message comprising the charging control rule.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the charging policy request message comprises at least one of:
an identifier of the wireless device;
a UE IP address; or
an identifier of the PDU session.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending, by the PCF to the CHF, the charging policy request message via a network function.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the CHF, the charging policy information for the PDU session.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the determining is based on at least one of:
an identifier of the wireless device;
a type of PDU session;
an access type;
a radio access technology (RAT) type;
a public land mobile network (PLMN) identifier;
an application identifier;
a data network name (DNN);
a single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI);
the identifier of the PDU session; or
user location information.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the charging policy information further comprises an information element indicating a first charging rate is applicable for the PDU session.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the charging policy information further comprises an address of a first CHF.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the PCF based on the charging policy information, a policy and charging control (PCC) rule for the PDU session, wherein the PCC rule comprises at least one of:
a charging control rule;
a policy control rule comprising a QoS control rule;
a policy control rule comprising a gating control rule;
a usage monitoring control rule;
an application detection and control rule;
a traffic steering control rule; or
a service data flow detection information.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the charging control rule further comprises at least one of:
an information element indicating a second charging method;
an information element indicating a second charging rate; or
an information element indicating an identifier or address of a second CHF.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second charging method further comprises at least one of:
an information element indicating that an online charging is applicable for the PDU session;
an information element indicating that an offline charging is applicable for the PDU session; or
an information element indicating that a converged charging is applicable for the PDU session.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising enforcing charging control rule by the session management function further comprising:
sending, by the SMF to the CHF, a charging data request message requesting to establish a charging session, the charging data request message comprising a requested charging method indication; and
receiving, by the SMF from the CHF, a charging data response message comprising an accepted charging method indication.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the requested charging method indication comprises at least one of:
an information element indicating the online charging;
an information element indicating the offline charging; or
an information element indicating the converged charging.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the accepted charging method indication comprises at least one of:
an information element indicating the online charging;
an information element indicating the offline charging; or
an information element indicating the converged charging.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by the SMF a user plane rule for the PDU session, wherein the determining is based on at least one of:
the charging control rule; or
charging policy information received from the CHF;
sending, by the SMF to a user plane function (UPF), a N4 request message requesting to establish or modify a session, the N4 request message comprising the user plane rule for the PDU session and the wireless device; and
enforcing, by the UPF, the user plane rule.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the N4 request message further comprises an N4 session identifier for the PDU session.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the session is an N4 session.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the user plane rule comprises at least one of:
packet detection rule;
forwarding action rule;
QoS enforcement rule; or
usage reporting rule.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the enforcing user plane rule by the UPF further comprising:
sending, by the UPF to the SMF, a resource usage report for the PDU session; and
receiving, by the UPF from the SMF, a response message.

19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by an NRF from the PCF, a CHF selection request message comprising PDU session information;
determining, by the NRF, an address of a CHF based on the PDU session information; and
sending, by the NRF to the PCF, the address of the CHF.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the PDU session information comprises at least one of:
a UE IP address;
a type of PDU Session;
an access type;
a radio access technology (RAT) type;
User location information; or
information of the SMF for the PDU session.

Assignees

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

Inventors

• Qiao Weihua
• Dinan Esmael Hejazi
• Park Kyungmin
• Fard Peyman Talebi
• Bharatia Jayshree

Classifications

• H04M15/8033

  location-dependent, e.g. business or home · CPC title

• H04W4/24

  Accounting or billing · CPC title

• H04W84/042

  Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems · CPC title

• H04M15/8038

  Roaming or handoff · CPC title

• H04M15/65

  Off-line charging system · CPC title