Systems and methods for distributed charging in digital telecommunications networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11483685-B2
Application number	US-202016864683-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2020
Priority date	May 3, 2019
Publication date	Oct 25, 2022
Grant date	Oct 25, 2022

Abstract

Techniques for distributed charging in digital telecommunications networks are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method that includes provisioning a data path that carries a plurality of network flows, receiving a shared usage quota associated with the plurality of network flows, and allocating the shared usage quota among the plurality of network flows. For each network flow among the plurality of network flows, the method includes providing the data path with data indicative of an amount of the shared usage quota allocated to the network flow, configuring the data path to collect metering data associated with the network flow, and configuring the data path to enforce the shared usage quota based on the metering data associated with the network flow and the amount of the shared usage quota allocated to the network flow.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method comprising:
provisioning, by one or more computer processors, a data path that carries a plurality of network flows including a first network flow and a second network flow, the data path comprising a plurality of offloading points including a first offloading point chained in a series with a second offloading point, the first offloading point being configured to offload network traffic of the first network flow to a first network, the second offloading point being configured to offload network traffic of the second network flow to a second network, and wherein the first offloading point is chained to the second offloading point via a network tunnelling connection that enables the first offloading point to pass network traffic from the second network flow to the second offloading point;
receiving, by the one or more computer processors, a shared usage quota associated with the plurality of network flows;
allocating, by the one or more computer processors, the shared usage quota among the plurality of network flows; and
for each network flow among the plurality of network flows:
providing the data path with data indicative of an amount of the shared usage quota allocated to the network flow;
configuring the data path to collect metering data associated with the network flow at a corresponding offloading point among the plurality of offloading points where the network flow is offloaded from the data path; and
configuring the data path to enforce the shared usage quota based on the metering data associated with the network flow and the amount of the shared usage quota allocated to the network flow.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising dynamically re-allocating, by the one or more computer processors, the shared usage quota among the plurality of network flows in response to determining, based on the metering data, that a network flow among the plurality of network flows has a smaller amount of remaining quota than other network flows among the plurality of network flows.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of offloading points are arranged in a series, and wherein, at each of the plurality of offloading points, a determination is made whether to offload network traffic associated with the plurality of network flows or forward the network traffic to a subsequent offloading point in the series.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein a final offloading point in the series is configured to forward network traffic that is not offloaded at the final offloading point to a default network.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shared usage quota is allocated among the plurality of network flows in a weighted fashion.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the plurality of network flows is zero-rated.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shared usage quota is allocated among the plurality of network flows based on one or more applications associated with the plurality of network flows.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shared usage quota is allocated among the plurality of network flows based on one or more locations associated with the plurality of offloading points.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the data path to enforce the shared usage quota includes configuring the data path to perform at least one of blocking network traffic associated with the network flow, throttling the network traffic associated with the network flow, limiting an amount of the network traffic associated with the network flow, or charging a user for an additional amount of usage quota.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the data path to enforce the shared usage quota includes configuring the data path to enforce the shared usage quota in real-time.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data path includes an ingress point where the plurality of network flows enter the data path, wherein the ingress point moves in response to a mobility event, and wherein at least one of the plurality of offloading points does not move in response to the mobility event.

12. A method comprising:
provisioning, by a session management function (SMF) of a 5G Next Generation Mobile Core Network, a user plane that carries a plurality of network flows including a first network flow and a second network flow, the user plane comprising a first user plane function (UPF) instance chained in a series with a second UPF instance, the first UPF instance being configured to offload network traffic of the first network flow to a first network, the second UPF instance being configured to offload network traffic of the second network flow to a second network, and wherein the first UPF is chained to the second UPF via a network tunnelling connection that enables the first UPF to pass network traffic from the second network flow to the second UPF;
receiving, by the SMF, a shared usage quota associated with the plurality of network flows;
allocating, by the SMF, the shared usage quota among the plurality of network flows; and for each network flow among the plurality of network flows:
providing, by the SMF, a UPF instance among the plurality of UPF instances with data indicative of an amount of the shared usage quota allocated to the network flow, the UPF instance being configured to offload the network flow to one of an edge network or a data network;
configuring, by the SMF, the UPF instance to collect metering data associated with the network flow; and
configuring, by the SMF, the UPF instance to enforce the shared usage quota based on the metering data associated with the network flow and the amount of the shared usage quota allocated to the network flow.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein each of the first network flow and the second network flow is associated with a user equipment (UE).

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein shared usage quota is received via a service-based interface (SBI).

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the user plane is provisioned based on one or more activated traffic steering rules received from a policy control function (PCF).

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the shared usage quota is received from a charging function (CHF).

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the user plane is provisioned based on one or more activated traffic steering rules, wherein the one or more active traffic steering rules and the shared usage quota are each received from a policy control and charging function (PCH).

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein configuring the UPF instance to collect metering data comprises transmitting one or more messages over an N4 interface using a Packed Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP).

19. A system comprising:
a non-transitory memory; and
one or more hardware processors coupled to the non-transitory memory and configured to read instructions from the non-transitory memory that, when executed, cause the one or more hardware processors to perform operations comprising:
provisioning, a data path that carries a plurality of network flows including a first network flow and a second network flow, the data path comprising a plurality of offloading points including a first offloading point chained in a series with a second offloading point, the first offloading point being configured to offload network traffic of the first network flow to a first network, the second offloading point being configured to offload network traffic of the second network flow to a second network, and wherein the first offloading point is chained to the second offloading point via a network tunnelling con

Assignees

• Affirmed Networks Inc
• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Libby Mark
• Raghavan Anupama
• Gundamaraju Krishna
• Nair Girish

Classifications

• H04M15/41 Primary

  Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR] · CPC title

• H04L12/1407

  Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture · CPC title

• H04M15/64

  On-line charging system [OCS] · CPC title

• H04M15/31

  Distributed metering or calculation of charges · CPC title

• H04M15/854

  Available credit · CPC title