Systems and methods to optimize registration and session establishment in a wireless network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12549936-B2
Application number	US-202117517500-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2021
Priority date	Nov 2, 2021
Publication date	Feb 10, 2026
Grant date	Feb 10, 2026

Abstract

A user equipment (UE) device may include a processor configured to receive a request associated with a user equipment (UE) device and obtain subscription information associated with the UE device from a subscription management device, wherein the subscription information includes a charging function (CHF) group identifier associated with the UE device, in response to receiving the request. The processor may be further configured to select a CHF for the UE device based on the CHF group identifier and send a message associated with the request to the selected CHF.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
receiving, by a computer device, a request associated with a user equipment (UE) device; obtaining, by the computer device, subscription information associated with the UE device from a subscription management device, wherein the subscription information includes a charging function (CHF) group identifier associated with the UE device, in response to receiving the request; selecting, by the computer device, a CHF for the UE device based on the CHF group identifier, wherein selecting the CHF for the UE device based on the CHF group identifier includes:
accessing a cache that relates CHF group identifiers to pluralities of CHF instances;
determining that the cache includes an unexpired entry for the CHF group identifier and that a Network Repository Function (NRF) discovery to select a CHF is not to be performed; and
selecting, as the CHF for the UE device, a CHF instance from a plurality of CHF instances associated with the CHF group identifier in the cache, in response to determining that the cache includes the unexpired entry for the CHF group identifier and that the NRF discovery to select the CHF is not to be performed;
sending, by the computer device, a message associated with the request to the selected CHF for the UE device; receiving another request associated with another UE device; determining that an entry associated with another CHF group identifier associated with the other UE device does not exist in the cache or is expired; and performing the NRF discovery to identify a CHF associated with the other CHF group identifier, in response to determining that the entry associated with the other CHF group identifier does not exist in the cache or is expired.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining subscription information associated with the other UE device from the subscription management device, wherein the subscription information includes the other CHF group identifier associated with the other UE device; accessing the cache to determine whether the entry associated with the other CHF group identifier does not exist or is expired; and storing, in the cache, information associated with the identified CHF associated with the other CHF group identifier.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the request associated with the UE device includes a registration request, and wherein the request is received by an Access and Mobility Function (AMF).

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the request associated with the UE device includes a Packet Data Unit (PDU) session establishment request, and wherein the request is received by a Session Management Function (SMF).

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the request associated with the UE device includes a Packet Data Unit (PDU) session establishment request, and wherein the request is received by a Policy Control Function (PCF).

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing the CHF group identifier associated with the UE device to a Unified Data Management (UDM) function or a User Data Repository (UDR) during a subscription activation process for the UE device.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the CHF group identifier is based on at least one of:
a provider of wireless communication services associated with the UE device; a subscription type associated with the UE device; a customer account associated with the UE device; or a location associated with the UE device.

8 . A computer device comprising:
a processor configured to:
receive a request associated with a user equipment (UE) device;
obtain subscription information associated with the UE device from a subscription management device, wherein the subscription information includes a charging function (CHF) group identifier associated with the UE device, in response to receiving the request;
select a CHF for the UE device based on the CHF group identifier, wherein when selecting the CHF for the UE device based on the CHF group identifier, the processor is configured to:
access a cache that relates CHF group identifiers to pluralities of CHF instances;
determine that the cache includes an unexpired entry for the CHF group identifier and that a Network Repository Function (NRF) discovery to select a CHF is not to be performed; and
select, as the CHF for the UE device, a CHF instance from a plurality of CHF instances associated with the CHF group identifier in the cache, in response to determining that the cache includes the unexpired entry for the CHF group identifier and that the NRF discovery to select the CHF is not to be performed;

send a message associated with the request to the selected CHF for the UE device;
receive another request associated with another UE device;
determine that an entry associated with another CHF group identifier associated with the other UE device does not exist in the cache or is expired; and
perform the NRF discovery to identify a CHF associated with the other CHF group identifier, in response to determining that the entry associated with the other CHF group identifier does not exist in the cache or is expired.

9 . The computer device of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
obtain subscription information associated with the other UE device from the subscription management device, wherein the subscription information includes the other CHF group identifier associated with the other UE device; and access the cache to determine whether the entry associated with the other CHF group identifier does not exist or is expired; and store, in the cache, information associated with the identified CHF associated with the other CHF group identifier.

10 . The computer device of claim 8 , wherein the request associated with the UE device includes a registration request, and wherein the request is received by an Access and Mobility Function (AMF).

11 . The computer device of claim 8 , wherein the request associated with the UE device includes a Packet Data Unit (PDU) session establishment request, and wherein the request is received by a Session Management Function (SMF).

12 . The computer device of claim 8 , wherein the request associated with the UE device includes a Packet Data Unit (PDU) session establishment request, and wherein the request is received by a Policy Control Function (PCF).

13 . The computer device of claim 8 , wherein the CHF group identifier is based on at least one of:
a provider of wireless communication services associated with the UE device; a subscription type associated with the UE device; a customer account associated with the UE device; or a location associated with the UE device.

14 . A system comprising:
a first device configured to:
implement a Unified Data Management (UDM) function or a User Data Repository (UDR) that stores subscription information for user equipment (UE) devices; and
a second device configured to:
receive a request associated with a user equipment (UE) device;
obtain subscription information associated with the UE device from the UDM function or the UDR, wherein the subscription information includes a charging function (CHF) group identifier associated with the UE device, in response to receiving the request;
select a CHF for the UE device based on the CHF group identifier, wherein when selecting the CHF for the UE device based on the CHF group identifier, the processor is configured to:
access a cache that relates CHF group identifiers to pluralities of CHF instances;
determine that the cache includes an unexpired entry for the CHF group identifier and that a Network Repository Function (NRF)

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Yan Lixia
• Mathison James
• Hoffner Barry F

Classifications

• H04W60/04

  using triggered events · CPC title

• H04W48/18

  Selecting a network or a communication service · CPC title

• H04W76/10

  Connection setup · CPC title

• H04W4/24 Primary

  Accounting or billing · CPC title

• H04W8/20

  Transfer of user or subscriber data · CPC title