Intelligent policy and charging rule function (pcrf) restoration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016286598-A1
Application number	US-201615179551-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 10, 2016
Priority date	Aug 23, 2013
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A first device associated with an evolved packet core network receives a first update request from a second device associated with the evolved packet core network. The first update request is associated with a communication session previously provided between the first device and the second device, and the first update request is generated based on a voice/video request. The first device generates an update answer in response to the first update request, where the update answer includes a code requesting that the communication session be restored between the first device and the second device. The first device receives, based on the code, a second update request from the second device, where the second update request includes session information associated with the communication session. The first device restores, based on the session information, the communication session between the first device and the second device to create a restored communication session.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method, comprising:
receiving, by a first device implementing a policy and charging rule function (PCRF) associated with an evolved packet core network, a first update request from a second device implementing a packet data network gateway (PGW) associated with the evolved packet core network,
the first update request being associated with a Gx communication session previously provided between the first device and the second device,
the first update request being generated based on a voice request or a video request;
generating, by the first device, an update answer based on being unable to identify the Gx communication session associated with the first update request,
the update answer including a code requesting that the communication session be restored between the first device and the second device;
receiving, by the first device and based on the code, a second update request from the second device,
the second update request including session information associated with the Gx communication session previously provided between the first device and the second device; and
restoring, by the first device and based on the session information, the Gx communication session between the first device and the second device to create a restored communication session.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing the voice request or the video request to the second device via the restored communication session.

3 . The method of claim 1 , where the first update request includes a current control request update (CCR-U) message.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining whether a particular time period has elapsed between receipt of the first update request and the restoring of the Gx communication session; generating an error message when the Gx communication session is not restored before the particular time period has elapsed; and outputting the error message.

5 . The method of claim 1 , where the session information includes at least one of an entire charging rule or a rule status.

6 . A first device implementing a policy and charging rule function (PCRF) associated with an evolved packet core network, the first device comprising:
one or more processors to:
receive a first update request from a second device implementing a packet data network gateway (PGW) associated with the evolved packet core network;
the first update request being associated with a Gx communication session previously provided between the first device and the second device,
the Gx communication session being unknown to the first device,
the first update request being generated based on a request for communication provided to the evolved packet core network;

generate an update answer based on being unable to identify the Gx communication session associated with the first update request,
the update answer including a code requesting that the Gx communication session be restored between the first device and the second device;

receive, based on the code, a second update request from the second device,
the second update request including session information associated with the Gx communication session previously provided between the first device and the second device; and

restore, based on the session information, the Gx communication session previously provided between the first device and the second device to establish a restored communication session.

7 . The first device of claim 6 , where the one or more processors are further to:
provide the request for communication to the second device via the restored communication session.

8 . The first device of claim 6 , where the first update request includes a current control request update (CCR-U) message.

9 . The first device of claim 6 , where the one or more processors are further to:
determine whether a particular time period has elapsed between receipt of the first update request and the restoring of the Gx communication session, generate an error message when the Gx communication session is not restored before the particular time period has elapsed, and output the error message.

10 . The first device of claim 6 , where the session information includes at least one of an entire charging rule or a rule status.

11 . A method, comprising:
receiving, by a first device implementing a policy and charging rule function (PCRF) associated with an evolved packet core network, an authentication/authorization request from a second device associated with an Internet protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network,
the authentication/authorization request being associated with a Gx communication session previously provided between the first device and a third device implementing a packet data network gateway (PDN) associated with the evolved packet core network, and
the authentication/authorization request being generated based on a voice request or a video request;
attempting, by the first device, to identify the Gx communication session based on the authentication/authorization request; providing, by the first device and to the second device, an authentication/authorization answer, in response to the authentication/authorization request, when the Gx communication session is not identified; providing, by the first device and when the Gx communication session is not identified, a reauthorization request to the third device; receiving, by the first device and based on the reauthorization request, an update request from the third device,
the update request including session information associated with the Gx communication session previously provided between the first device and the third device; and
restoring, by the first device and based on the session information, the Gx communication session previously provided between the first device and the third device to establish a restored communication session.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
providing the voice request or the video request to the third device via the restored communication session.

13 . The method of claim 11 , where:
the second device includes a proxy call session control function (P-CSCF).

14 . The method of claim 11 , where the session information includes at least one of an entire charging rule or a rule status.

15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining whether a particular time period has elapsed between receipt of the authentication/authorization request and the restoring of the Gx communication session; generating an error message when the Gx communication session is not restored before the particular time period has elapsed; and outputting the error message.

16 . A first device implementing a policy and charging rule function (PCRF) associated with an evolved packet core network, the first device comprising:
one or more processors to:
receive an authentication/authorization request from a second device associated with an Internet protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network,
the authentication/authorization request being associated with a Gx communication session previously provided between the first device and a third device implementing a packet data network gateway (PDN) associated with the evolved packet core network,
the authentication/authorization request being generated based on a request for communication via the evolved packet core network,

attempt to identify the Gx communication session based on the authentication/authorization request,
provide, to the second device, an authentication/authorization answer, in response to the

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc
• Cellco Partnership D/B/A Verizon Wireless

Inventors

• Avula Niranjan B
• Shaikh Imtiaz
• Lau Priscilla
• Cheuk Ho Yin
• Ephraim Robert M

Classifications

• H04W76/028 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04M15/66 Primary

  Policy and charging system · CPC title

• H04W56/002 Primary

  Mutual synchronization · CPC title

• H04W76/19

  Connection re-establishment · CPC title