Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
  • H04M15/60—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP based on actual use of network resources
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
  • H04L12/02—Details
  • H04L12/14—Charging, metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
  • H04L12/1403—Architecture for metering, charging or billing
  • H04L12/1407—Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
  • H04M15/58—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
  • H04M15/61—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP based on the service used
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
  • H04M15/62—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP based on trigger specification
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
  • H04M15/66—Policy and charging system
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
  • H04M15/80—Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
  • H04M15/8027—Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects based on network load situation
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
  • H04M15/81—Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
  • H04M15/83—Notification aspects
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
  • H04M15/83—Notification aspects
  • H04M15/84—Types of notifications
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
  • H04M15/83—Notification aspects
  • H04M15/85—Notification aspects characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W4/00—Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
  • H04W4/24—Accounting or billing

Definitions

• TITLE Method for monitoring the use of resources in at least one cell of a radio communication network.
• the invention relates to the field of Yield Management applied to telecommunications. More particularly, the invention relates to methods and equipment allowing the implementation of Yield Management solutions in radio communication networks.
• Yield Management from the English “yield” meaning yield, is a method of tariff management of available capacities. Yield Management aims to maximize the revenue of a service company. Yield Management solutions make it possible to identify market segments, assess their potential and set prices. Yield Management solutions also make it possible to create price reduction rules and to monitor their effectiveness and implementation. Finally, such solutions manage the available capacity through pricing and a range of services adapted to the specific nature of each customer segment identified.
• the implemented Yield Management solutions make it possible to dynamically adapt the tariff offers associated with certain services provided by telecommunications operators through their communication networks according to a level of use of resources. , or charge, of the telecommunication networks concerned.
• l operator in telecommunications applies the contractual pricing of the service offer.
• the telecommunications operator can apply a more advantageous tariff for its users for the same service offer in order to to encourage them to use more resources of the communication network during this period of under load.
• the user experience is improved without additional investment on the part of the telecommunications operator.
• a first solution consists in introducing probes into the communication network in order to monitor the load of the communication network.
• the data collected by the different probes are then collected and processed to determine the state of charge of the communications network.
• a second solution consists in predicting the periods during which the communication network is loaded or underloaded by means of statistics on the use of the resources of the communication network.
• Such a solution does not allow real-time knowledge of a state of charge of the communication network.
• the application of such a solution may lead, for example, a telecommunications operator to apply a tariff for the services provided corresponding to a state of underload of the communication network when the latter is, in fact, in a state of rated load or in overload condition.
• the invention meets this need by proposing a method for detecting an underuse of the resources of at least one zone to be monitored comprising at least one cell constituting a radio communication network, the method being implemented by equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the radio communication network and comprising the following steps:
• the solution which is the subject of the invention consists in collecting information relating to the use of the resources of the communication network for cells making up the radio communication network and for mobile terminals identified by the telecommunications operator in charge of '' operate the radio communication network. Consequently, the information relating to the use of the resources thus collected allows a precise application of the Yield Management solutions for each mobile terminal monitored according to its location in the radio communication network.
• the determining step consists in comparing a value representative of the use of the resources of said area to be monitored with a threshold of under-use of resources.
• the underuse threshold is determined by the telecommunications operator operating the radio communication network. Such an underuse threshold is specific to each area to be monitored and can, for the same area to be monitored, take different values over time as a function of the needs of the telecommunications operator operating the radio communication network.
• the resource underuse threshold is received during the reception step.
• the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the radio communication network receives a new value of the underuse threshold each time it receives monitoring information from the billing rules management equipment.
• the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the radio communication network systematically uses the value of the most recent monitoring threshold to detect an underuse of the resources of the area to be monitored.
• the value representative of the use of the resources of said area to be monitored is an average value of the use of the resources of said area to be monitored.
• the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the radio communication network ensures that a one-off peak in the use of the resources of the area to be monitored monitor is not passed to the billing rules management equipment and is not used for Yield Management.
• the detection method further comprises a step of:
• identification of the identifier of the at least one mobile terminal to be monitored from among the identifiers of the mobile terminals present in the area to be monitored.
• the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the area to be monitored receives repeatedly information relating to the use of the resources of the area to be monitored as well as a list of all the mobile terminals present in the area to be monitored. .
• the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the area to be monitored browses the list of mobile terminals present in the area to be monitored in order to identify the terminals to watch present in the area to watch.
• the detection method further comprises the following steps of:
• the equipment for managing billing rules transmits the identifier of the area to be monitored to the equipment for managing billing rules, of a parameter indicating the nominal use of the resources of the area to be monitored and the identifier of said mobile terminal to monitor.
• the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the zone to be monitored informs the management equipment of the billing rules.
• the zone to be monitored comprising at least two cells constituting the radio communication network
• the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the radio communication network detects an under-use of the resources of the zone to be monitored when the resources of the at least two constituent cells of the radio communication network included in the area to be monitored are simultaneously underused.
• the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the radio communication network detects a nominal use of the resources of the area to be monitored when the resources of at least one of the two constituent cells of the radio communication network included in the area to be monitored are used in nominal fashion.
• the subject of the invention is also a method of collecting data relating to an under-utilization of the resources of at least one zone to be monitored comprising at least one cell constituting a radio communication network, the method being implemented by billing rules management equipment and comprising the following steps of:
• the activation parameters fulfill the conditions for activating the monitoring, transmission, to a device for monitoring the use of the resources of the radio communication network, of at least one identifier of said zone to be monitored , and the identifier of the at least one mobile terminal to be monitored present in said area to be monitored,
• the invention also relates to equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of a radio communication network capable of detecting an underuse of the resources of at least one zone to be monitored, comprising at least one cell constituting the radio communication network.
• equipment for monitoring means for:
• Such equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the area to be monitored is, for example, equipment of the RCAF (RAN Congestion Awareness Function) type, as defined in the technical specification TS 23.203 published by the 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project). , and modified in order to be able to implement the solution which is the subject of the invention.
• RCAF RAN Congestion Awareness Function
• the invention also relates to a billing rules management equipment capable of collecting data relating to an under-utilization of the resources of at least one zone to be monitored comprising at least one cell constituting a radio communication network, the billing rules management equipment comprising means for:
• the activation parameters fulfill the conditions for activating the surveillance, transmit, to a device for monitoring the use of the resources of the radio communication network, at least one identifier of said zone to be monitored, and the identifier of at least one mobile terminal to be monitored present in said area to be monitored,
• Such billing rules management equipment is, for example, equipment of the PCRF (Policy and Charging Rules Function) type, as defined in the technical specification TS 23.203 published by the 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project), and modified in order to be able to implement the solution which is the subject of the invention.
• PCRF Policy and Charging Rules Function
• the invention relates to computer program products comprising program code instructions for implementing the methods as described above, when executed by a processor.
• the invention also relates to a recording medium readable by a computer on which computer programs are recorded comprising program code instructions for the execution of the steps of the methods according to the invention as described above.
• Such a recording medium can be any entity or device capable of storing the programs.
• the support may include a storage means, such as a ROM, for example a CD ROM or a microelectronic circuit ROM, a USB key, or else a magnetic recording means, for example a hard disk.
• such a recording medium can be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, which can be routed via an electrical or optical cable, by radio or by other means, so that the programs of computer it contains are executable remotely.
• the programs according to the invention can in particular be downloaded from a network, for example the Internet network.
• the recording medium can be an integrated circuit in which the programs are incorporated, the circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in the execution of the methods of the invention mentioned above.
• FIG. 1 it schematically represents a network architecture in which the solution which is the subject of the invention is implemented
• FIG. 3 it represents equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the area to be monitored according to one embodiment of the invention
• FIG. 4 it represents an item of equipment for managing billing rules according to one embodiment of the invention.
• the [fig. 1] schematically represents a network architecture in which the solution object of the invention is implemented.
• a radio communication network comprises a plurality of cells each comprising at least one base station (not shown in the figure) to which one or more mobile terminals are attached.
• a zone to be monitored ZAS is represented in FIG. 1 and comprises two cells cell1 and cell2 constituting the radio communication network.
• the communication network comprises a plurality of zones to be monitored and a zone to be monitored ZAS may include one or more cells according to the needs of the telecommunications operator operating the radio communication network.
• a mobile terminal MT1 is present in cell cell1 and a mobile terminal MT2 is present in cell cell2. Of course, several terminals can be present simultaneously in the same cell.
• MME mobile terminal mobility management equipment located in the radio communication network knows the identifiers of the mobile terminals MT1 and MT2 present in the cells celll and cell2 and transmits regularly, to other equipment present in the network radio communication, the identifiers of the mobile terminals actually present in a given cell.
• OAM operations, administration and maintenance management equipment located in the radio communication network, repeatedly collects information relating to the level of use of the resources of cells cell1 and cell2, such as for example a level of use of the bandwidth.
• the mobility management equipment of the MME mobile terminals and the OAM operations, administration and maintenance management equipment communicate with equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the area to be monitored e-RCAF to which they repeatedly transmit the information relating to the mobile terminals MT1 and MT2 and to the cells cell1 and cell2 which they have collected.
• the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the area to be monitored e-RCAF also communicates with a PCRF billing rules management equipment itself connected to the CORE core network.
• the mobility management equipment of the MME mobile terminals corresponds to an equipment of the MME (Mobility Management Entity) type, as defined in series 23 of the technical specifications of 3GPP.
• MME Mobility Management Entity
• the OAM operations, administration and maintenance management equipment corresponds to OAM (Operation, Administration and Maintenance) type equipment, as defined in series 32 of the 3GPP technical specifications.
• the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the area to be monitored is an RCAF (RAN Congestion Awareness Function) type of equipment, as defined in the technical specification TS 23.203 published by the 3GPP, and modified in order to be able to implements the solution which is the subject of the invention.
• the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the area to be monitored e-RCAF is capable of managing information relating to the level of use of the resources of the area to be monitored as well as of the areas to be monitored ZAS.
• the billing rules management equipment is for example a PCRF (Policy and Charging Rules Function) type equipment, as defined in the technical specification TS 23.203 published by the 3GPP, and modified in order to be able to implement the solution object of the invention.
• PCRF Policy and Charging Rules Function
• the [fig. 2] represents the different steps implemented by the various pieces of equipment of the radio communication network involved in the implementation of the solution which is the subject of the invention.
• the equipment for managing the mobility of the mobile terminals MME sends a first message MSG1 to the equipment for managing the billing rules PRCF informing it of the presence of the mobile terminal MT1 in the cell cell1.
• the transmission of the message MSG1 is for example triggered by the finalization of the procedure for attaching the mobile terminal MT1 to the base station of the cell cell1.
• the message MSG1 comprises an identifier of the mobile terminal MT1 and an identifier of the cell cell1.
• the PRCF billing rules management equipment defines a presence zone or PRA for "Presence Reporting Area" as defined in the technical specification TS 23.401 published by the 3GPP.
• a PRA presence zone comprises at least the cell1 cell.
• the PRCF billing rules management equipment transmits the identifier of the presence zone or PRA and the cells constituting it to the mobility management equipment of the mobile terminals MME thereby activating the presence zone or PRA.
• the presence zone or PRA corresponds to the zone to be monitored ZAS.
• the presence zone or PRA and the zone to be monitored ZAS consist of the same cells.
• the use of presence zones or PRA makes it possible to limit the exchange of signaling messages between the various items of equipment involved in the implementation of the method which is the subject of the invention.
• the equipment for managing the billing rules PRCF in response to the message MSG1, defines the zone to be monitored ZAS.
• the PRCF billing rules management equipment transmits an identifier of the zone to be monitored and cells constituting it to the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the zone to be monitored e-RCAF.
• the equipment for managing the billing rules PRCF determines parameters for activating the monitoring of a zone to be monitored ZAS comprising the cell cell1 and the mobile terminal MT1 to be monitored and verifies that the parameters activation conditions thus determined fulfill the conditions for activating the surveillance of a zone to be monitored comprising the cell cell1 and the mobile terminal MT1.
• the activation parameters include among others: the policy of the telecommunications operator operating the radio communication network, the subscription conditions of a user of the mobile terminal MT1.
• the zone to be monitored ZAS is identified by the PCRF billing rules management equipment as a function of the identifier of the presence zone or PRA or of the celll cell identifier depending on whether the method is executed in accordance with the first or in the second embodiment.
• the zone to monitor ZAS was previously created by the PRCF billing rules management equipment using the information provided by the telecommunications operator operating the radio communication network and linked, among other things, to the Yield Management solution. implementation in the radio communication network.
• the PCFR billing rules management equipment transmits a message MSG2 to the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the area to be monitored e-RCAF during a step E3.
• the message MSG2 comprises an identifier of the zone to be monitored ZAS, the identifier of the cell cell1 and an identifier of the cell cell2 constituting the zone to be monitored ZAS, the identifier of the mobile terminal MT1 to be monitored and, where appropriate, a value of an under-utilization threshold S of the resources of the zone to be monitored ZAS.
• a step E4 on receipt of the message MSG2, the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the area to be monitored e-RCAF associates in a storage unit 302 the identifier of the area to be monitored ZAS and the identifiers of the cells celll, cell2 which compose it with the value of the under-utilization threshold S of the resources of the zone to be monitored and the identifier of the mobile terminal MT1 to be monitored.
• steps E1 to E4 are again implemented.
• a step E5 the equipment for managing operations, administration and maintenance OAM sends a message MSG3 intended for the equipment for monitoring the use of resources in the e-RCAF surveillance area.
• the message MSG3 is sent for example every five minutes and includes information relating to the use of the resources in each of the cells cell1 and cell2 constituting the zone to be monitored ZAS.
• Step E5 is executed repeatedly by the operations management, administration and maintenance equipment OAM as long as it is in operation.
• the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the area to be monitored e-RCAF compares the values relating to the use of the resources in each of the cells cell1 and cell2 received during the step E5 with the value of the under-utilization threshold S of the resources of the zone to be monitored.
• the equipment for monitoring the use of resources in the area to be monitored e-RCAF determines that the resources in the area to be monitored ZAS are underutilized.
• the value representative of the use of the resources of said area to be monitored is an average value of the use of the resources of said area to be monitored calculated by the monitoring equipment of the use of the resources of the area to be monitored e-RCAF according to the information contained in the MSG3 message.
• the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the radio communication network ensures that a one-off peak in the use of the resources of the area to be monitored monitor is not passed to the billing rules management equipment and is not used for Yield Management.
• the equipment for monitoring the use of resources in the area to be monitored e-RCAF defines a low crossing threshold and a high crossing threshold around the value of the underutilization threshold S of the resources of the zone to be monitored.
• the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the area to be monitored e-RCAF then transmits, to the mobility management equipment of the mobile terminals MME, a message MSG4 comprising a request for obtaining the identifiers of the mobile terminals present in the zone to be monitored ZAS during a step E7.
• the equipment for managing the mobility of the mobile terminals MME then transmits a message MSG5 comprising a list comprising the identifiers of the mobile terminals present in the cells cell1 and cell2 of the zone to be monitored ZAS.
• the mobile terminals present in a cell are the mobile terminals which are effectively attached to the base stations of cells cell1 and cell2 of the zone to be monitored.
• steps E7 and E8 are optional and may not be implemented since the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of an area to be monitored e-RCAF maintains a list of mobile terminals MT1 and MT2 to be monitored and which are present in the area to be monitored ZAS.
• the execution of steps E7 and E8 make the information relating to the presence of the mobile terminals MT1 and MT2 to be monitored more reliable in the area to be monitored ZAS.
• steps E7 and E8 are executed repeatedly as long as the resources of the zone to be monitored ZAS are underused.
• the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of a zone to be monitored e-RCAF searches the list of mobile terminals present in the zone to be monitored ZAS in order to identify the mobile terminals MT1 and MT2 to be monitored present in the zone to be monitored using their identifiers and thus confirm their presence in the zone to be monitored ZAS.
• the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of an area to be monitored e-RCAF transmits, in a step E10, a message MSG6 intended for the equipment for managing the PCRF billing rules.
• the message MSG6 includes the identifier of the zone to be monitored ZAS, a parameter PSU indicating the under-utilization of the resources of the zone to be monitored ZAS and the identifier of the mobile terminals MT1 and MT2 to be monitored.
• the equipment for managing the PCRF billing rules determines the policy of the telecommunications operator operating the radio communication network, the subscription conditions of the users of the mobile terminals MT1 and MT2 and the information contained. in the message MSG6 which tariff policy to apply to the users of the mobile terminals MT1 and MT2 to be monitored.
• a step E12 the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the area to be monitored e-RCAF compares values relating to the use of the resources in each of the cells cell1 and cell2 received in a new message MSG3 so transmitted repeated by the OAM, administration and maintenance management equipment with the value of the underuse threshold S of the resources of the zone to be monitored. Since the last comparison made during step E6, the value of the under-utilization threshold S of the resources of the zone to be monitored may have changed.
• the equipment for monitoring the use of resources in the area to be monitored e-RCAF determines that the resources in the area to be monitored ZAS are used in a nominal manner or are over-used.
• the value representative of the use of the resources of said area to be monitored is an average value of the use of the resources of said area to be monitored calculated by the monitoring equipment of the use of the resources of the area to be monitored e-RCAF according to the information contained in the MSG3 message.
• the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the radio communication network By calculating an average value of the use of the resources of the area to be monitored, the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the radio communication network ensures that a one-off peak in the use of the resources of the area to be monitored monitor is not passed to the billing rules management equipment and is not used for Yield Management.
• the equipment for monitoring the use of resources in the area to be monitored e-RCAF defines a low crossing threshold and a high crossing threshold around the value of the underutilization threshold S of the resources of the zone to be monitored.
• the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the area to be monitored e-RCAF then transmits, to the mobility management equipment of the mobile terminals MME, a message MSG4 'comprising a request for obtaining the identifiers mobile terminals present in the zone to be monitored ZAS during a step E13.
• the equipment for managing the mobility of the mobile terminals MME then transmits a message MSG5 ′ comprising a list comprising the identifiers of the mobile terminals present in cells cell1 and cell2 of the zone to be monitored ZAS.
• steps E13 and E14 are optional and may not be implemented since the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of an area to be monitored e-RCAF maintains a list of mobile terminals MT1 and MT2 to be monitored and which are present in the area to be monitored ZAS.
• steps E7 and E8 are not optional and are therefore executed systematically.
• the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of a zone to be monitored e-RCAF traverses the list of mobile terminals present in the zone to be monitored ZAS in order to identify the mobile terminals MT1 and MT2 to be monitored present in the zone to be monitored using their identifiers and thus confirm their presence in the zone to be monitored ZAS.
• the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of an area to be monitored e-RCAF transmits, in a step E16, a message MSG6 ′ intended for the equipment for managing the PCRF billing rules.
• the message MSG6 ′ includes the identifier of the zone to be monitored ZAS, a parameter PN indicating the use in nominal mode of the resources of the zone to be monitored ZAS and the identifier of the mobile terminals MT1 and MT2 to be monitored.
• the equipment for managing the PCRF billing rules determines the policy of the telecommunications operator operating the radio communication network, the subscription conditions of the users of the mobile terminals MT1 and MT2 and the information contained. in the message MSG6 which tariff policy to apply to the users of the mobile terminals MT1 and MT2 to be monitored.
• steps E6 to Eli and E12 to E17 are alternately implemented allowing better application of the operator's Yield Management solutions in telecommunications operating the radio communication network.
• the equipment for managing the mobility of the mobile terminals MME transmits, in a step E18, a message MSG7 to the rules management equipment billing PRCF informing him of the departure of the MT1 mobile terminal from the celll cell.
• the transmission of the message MSG7 is for example triggered by the finalization of a hand-over procedure of the mobile terminal MT1 from the base station of the cell cell1.
• the message MSG7 includes an identifier of the mobile terminal MT1 and an identifier of the cell cell1.
• the equipment for managing the billing rules PRCF transmits a message MSG8 to the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the area to be monitored e-RCAF comprising the identifier of the zone to be monitored ZAS, the cell cell identifier and the identifier of the mobile terminal MT1 to be monitored and a parameter P indicating that it is necessary to stop monitoring the mobile terminal MT1.
• a step E20 on receipt of the message MSG8, the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the area to be monitored e-RCAF removes the association of the area identifier to be monitored ZAS and the identifiers of the cells cell1, cell2 which compose it with the value of the underuse threshold S of the resources of the zone to be monitored and the identifier of the mobile terminal MT1 to be monitored from its memory.
• the resource utilization monitoring equipment of the area to be monitored stops monitoring the ZAS area to be monitored.
• the [fig. 3] represents an equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the area to be monitored e-RCAF according to an embodiment of the invention.
• Such equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the area to be monitored e-RCAF is capable of implementing all the steps of the method described with reference to FIG. 2.
• Equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the area to be monitored e-RCAF can comprise at least one hardware processor 301, a storage unit 302, an input device 303, a display device 304, an interface 305, and at least one network interface 306 which are connected to each other through a bus 307.
• the components of the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the area to be monitored e-RCAF can be connected using a connection other than a bus.
• the processor 301 controls the operations of the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the area to be monitored e-RCAF.
• the storage unit 302 stores at least one program for the implementation of a monitoring method according to an embodiment of the invention to be executed by the processor 301, and various data, such as parameters used for calculations performed by processor 301, intermediate data for calculations performed by processor 301, etc.
• the processor 301 can be formed by any known and appropriate hardware or software, or by a combination of hardware and software.
• the processor 301 can be formed by dedicated hardware such as a processing circuit, or by a programmable processing unit such as a central processing unit (Central Processing Unit) which executes a program stored in a memory of this one.
• Central Processing Unit central Processing Unit
• the storage unit 302 can be formed by any suitable means capable of storing the program or programs and data in a manner readable by a computer.
• Examples of storage unit 302 include non-transient computer readable storage media such as semiconductor memory devices, and media magnetic, optical or magneto-optical recording devices loaded in a read and write unit.
• the input device 303 can be formed by a keyboard, a pointing device such as a mouse to be used by a user to enter commands.
• the display device 304 can also be formed by a display module, such as for example a graphical user interface or GUI (for Graphical User Interface).
• the interface 305 provides an interface between the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the area to be monitored e-RCAF and the equipment for managing the mobility of the MME mobile terminals. Interface 305 can communicate with the external device via a wireless connection.
• At least one network interface 306 provides a connection between the equipment for monitoring the use of the resources of the zone to be monitored e-RCAF and the equipment for managing the PCRF billing rules.
• Such equipment for monitoring the use of resources in the area to be monitored is for example equipment of the RCAF type, as defined in the technical specification TS 23.203 published by the 3GPP, and modified in order to be able to implement the object solution. of the invention.
• the [fig. 4] represents a device for managing PCRF billing rules according to an embodiment of the invention.
• Such PCRF billing rules management equipment is capable of implementing all the steps of the method described with reference to FIG. 2.
• PCRF billing rules management equipment can comprise at least one hardware processor 401, a storage unit 402, an input device 403, a display device 404, an interface 405, and at least one network interface 406 which are connected to each other through a bus 407.
• the components of the PCRF billing rules management equipment can be connected by means of a connection other than a bus.
• the processor 401 controls the operations of the PCRF billing rule management equipment.
• the storage unit 402 stores at least one program for the implementation of a data collection method according to an embodiment of the invention to be executed by the processor 401, and various data, such as parameters used for calculations made by processor 401, intermediate data of calculations made by processor 401, etc.
• the processor 401 can be formed by any known and appropriate hardware or software, or by a combination of hardware and software.
• the processor 401 can be formed by dedicated hardware such as a processing circuit, or by a programmable processing unit such as a central processing unit (Central Processing Unit) which executes a program stored in a memory of this one.
• Central Processing Unit central Processing Unit
• the storage unit 402 can be formed by any suitable means capable of storing the program or programs and data in a manner readable by a computer. Examples of storage unit 402 include non-transient computer readable storage media such as semiconductor memory devices, and magnetic, optical or magneto-optical recording media loaded into a read and write unit. 'writing.
• the input device 403 can be formed by a keyboard, a pointing device such as a mouse to be used by a user to enter commands.
• the display device 404 can also be formed by a display module, such as for example a graphical user interface or GUI (for Graphical User Interface).
• the interface 405 provides an interface between the PCRF billing rules management monitoring equipment and the resource usage monitoring equipment of an area to be monitored e-RCAF.
• the 405 interface can communicate with the external device via a wireless connection.
• At least one network interface 406 provides a connection between the PCRF billing rule management equipment and the CORE core network.
• Such billing rules management equipment is for example PCRF type equipment, as defined in the technical specification TS 23.203 published by the 3GPP, and modified in order to be able to implement the solution which is the subject of the invention.

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• 2018
  • 2018-12-05 FR FR1872333A patent/FR3089667A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
• 2019
  • 2019-11-27 WO PCT/FR2019/052817 patent/WO2020115401A1/fr unknown
  • 2019-11-27 EP EP19868184.3A patent/EP3891928A1/de active Pending
  • 2019-11-27 US US17/299,514 patent/US20220006905A1/en active Pending

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