Systems and methods for supporting usage limits in access and mobility management and session management functions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12550095-B2
Application number	US-202318334819-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2023
Priority date	Jun 14, 2023
Publication date	Feb 10, 2026
Grant date	Feb 10, 2026

Abstract

A network device of a network may receive a registration request from a user equipment, and may generate, based on the registration request, a request for a usage limit control associated with the user equipment. The network device may provide the request for the usage limit control to another network device of the network, and may receive, based on the request, the usage limit control from the other network device. The network device may determine a policy for the user equipment based on the usage limit control, and may cause the policy to be implemented for the user equipment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method, comprising:
receiving, by a network device of a network, a registration request from a user equipment; generating, by the network device and based on the registration request, a request for a usage limit control associated with the user equipment; providing, by the network device, the request for the usage limit control to another network device of the network; receiving, by the network device and based on the request, the usage limit control from the other network device; determining, by the network device, a policy for the user equipment based on the usage limit control,
wherein the policy defines a time period for the user equipment to access a high-speed spectrum service or a low latency service, and
wherein the time period is determined based on the usage limit control received from the other network device; and
causing, by the network device, the policy to be implemented for the user equipment.

2 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the network device includes an access and mobility management function.

3 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the other network device includes a charging function.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a modified usage limit control from the other network device; determining a modified policy for the user equipment based on the modified usage limit control; and performing a configuration procedure for the user equipment based on the modified policy.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
performing a registration and authentication procedure for the user equipment based on the registration request.

6 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein causing the policy to be implemented for the user equipment comprises:
completing a registration for the user equipment based on the policy.

7 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the policy defines network slices for the user equipment or a radio access technology frequency selection priority for the user equipment.

8 . The method of claim 4 ,
wherein the modified policy defines a new time period for accessing the high-speed spectrum service or the low latency service based on the modified usage limit control.

9 . A network device of a network, comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
receive a registration request from a user equipment;
perform a registration and authentication procedure for the user equipment based on the registration request;
generate, based on the registration request, a request for a usage limit control associated with the user equipment;
provide the request for the usage limit control to another network device of the network;
receive, based on the request, the usage limit control from the other network device;
determine a policy for the user equipment based on the usage limit control,
wherein the policy defines a time period for the user equipment to access a high-speed spectrum service or a low latency service, and
wherein the time period is determined based on the usage limit control received from the other network device; and

cause the policy to be implemented for the user equipment.

10 . The network device of claim 9 ,
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
create a protocol data unit (PDU) session for the user equipment based on the request.

11 . The network device of claim 10 ,
wherein the one or more processors, to cause the policy to be implemented for the user equipment, are configured to:
accept the PDU session for the user equipment based on the policy.

12 . The network device of claim 10 ,
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive a modified usage limit control from the other network device based on creation of the PDU session;
determine a modified policy for the user equipment based on the modified usage limit control; and
perform a PDU session update procedure for the user equipment based on the modified policy.

13 . The network device of claim 10 ,
wherein the policy defines a charging characteristic for the PDU session or a quality-of-service characteristic for the PDU session.

14 . The network device of claim 12 ,
wherein the modified policy defines a new time period for accessing the high-speed spectrum service or the low latency service based on the modified usage limit control.

15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions comprising:
one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a network device of a network, cause the network device to:
receive a registration request from a user equipment;
perform a registration and authentication procedure for the user equipment based on the registration request;
generate, based on the registration request, a request for a usage limit control associated with the user equipment;
provide the request for the usage limit control to another network device of the network;
receive, based on the request, the usage limit control from the other network device;
determine a policy for the user equipment based on the usage limit control,
wherein the policy defines a time period for the user equipment to access a high-speed spectrum service or a low latency service, and
wherein the time period is determined based on the usage limit control received from the other network device; and

cause the policy to be implemented for the user equipment.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 ,
wherein the one or more instructions further cause the network device to:
receive a modified usage limit control from the other network device;
determine a modified policy for the user equipment based on the modified usage limit control; and
perform a configuration procedure for the user equipment based on the modified policy.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 ,
wherein the one or more instructions, that cause the network device to cause the policy to be implemented for the user equipment, cause the network device to:
complete the registration for the user equipment based on the policy.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 ,
wherein the policy defines network slices for the user equipment or a radio access technology frequency selection priority for the user equipment.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 ,
wherein the one or more instructions further cause the network device to:
create a protocol data unit (PDU) session for the user equipment based on the request.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 ,
wherein the one or more instructions further cause the network device to:
receive a modified usage limit control from the other network device;
determine a modified policy for the user equipment based on the modified usage limit control; and
perform a PDU session update procedure for the user equipment based on the modified policy.

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Cakulev Violeta
• Yan Lixia
• Eglip Helen Osias
• Steben Jerry

Classifications

• H04W60/00 Primary

  Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration · CPC title

• H04M15/66

  Policy and charging system · CPC title