WO2010069170A1

WO2010069170A1 - Method for realizing policy and charging control

Info

Publication number: WO2010069170A1
Application number: PCT/CN2009/072490
Authority: WO
Inventors: 孙闵; 彭江宇; 金海�
Original assignee: 中兴通讯股份有限公司
Priority date: 2008-12-18
Filing date: 2009-06-26
Publication date: 2010-06-24
Also published as: CN101754161A; CN101754161B

Abstract

A method for realizing Policy and Charging Control (PCC), includes that: the Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) receives a policy and charging rules request message sent by the Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF), then compares acquired service flow of user with accumulative used flow, and according to the comparing result, constitutes PCC rule in term of local configured or acquired flow control policy. PCRF of the present invention makes PCC rule decision according to acquired service flow of user, accumulative used flow and flow control policy, and transmits PCC rule to the PCEF to execute. And, PCEF reports to PCRF when the service flow of user arrives at a threshold, PCRF makes PCC rule decision again and transmits to PCEF to execute, consequently the purpose of policy and charging control according to the service flow of user is achieved.

Description

A method for implementing policy and charging control

Technical field

The present invention relates to a mobile communication system, and more particularly to a method for implementing policy and charging control.

Background technique

The whole network IP is the future development direction of the telecommunication network. With the general development of multimedia services in the IP network, how to correctly charge different multimedia services becomes a topic of general concern to operators. To this end, many standardization organizations have proposed the concept of FBC (flow-based billing). Currently, the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) standards organization organically combines Qos (Quality of Service) policy management and flow accounting, and proposes a PCC (Policy and Charging Control) system. Architecture. The PCC system architecture can be applied to both offline billing and online billing applications. Figure 1 shows the PCC system architecture defined by the 3GPP standards organization, including the following logical entities:

PCEF (Policy and Charging Enforcement Function): It exists in the gateway (GW). The operator can define policy and charging control rules (PCC rules) in the PCEF in advance or request PCRF through the Gx interface. Dynamic PCC rules are sent and received via the Gx interface. PCEF is a logical entity. 3GPP specifies that in the core network of GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) and UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), the network element GGSN (Gateway GPRS Support Node, GPRS) Support node gateway) Implement PCEF functions.

PCRF (Policy and Charging Rules Function): According to the bearer information provided by the PCEF, the service information provided by the AF (Application Function), and the SPR (Subscription Profile Repository) through the Sp interface. The obtained user's subscription information dynamically generates a PCC rule, and the PCC rule is sent to the PCEF through the Gx interface, and the PCC rule used in the PCEF is dynamically updated according to the event reported by the PCEF.

AF: Provides service information to the PCRF through the Rx interface to assist the PCRF in completing the dynamic PCC rules. Then the generation and selection. AF is a logical entity. 3GPP specifies that AF can be an application server in GPRS and UMTS core networks. In IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) core network, AF is P-CSCF (Proxy Session Service Control Function) or has Rx interface. Other network element entities.

OCS (Online Charging System): Connects to the PCEF through the Gy interface, and receives the PCEF request to control the credit limit.

OFCS (Offline Charging System): The PCEF sends the bill to the OFCS through the Gz interface to complete offline charging.

SPR (Subscription Profile Repository): Stores the user's subscription information.

FIG. 2 shows a method for implementing policy and charging control in the PULL mode in the prior art, including the following steps:

a user equipment (UE) sends a bearer request message to the PCEF to request to establish a bearer, where the bearer request message carries the bearer information;

202: After receiving the bearer request message, the PCEF sends a policy rule request message to the PCRF, requesting the PCRF to send the PCC rule, where the policy rule request message carries the bearer information obtained from the bearer request message;

Generally, the PCEF requests PCC rules from the PCRF when a specific event occurs, such as user online and offline, user initiated bearer request, user modified bearer, user initiated bearer termination, and PCRF specified event occurrence.

203: After receiving the policy rule request message, the PCRF determines, according to the bearer information carried by the user, the contract information of the user acquired from the SPR and the service information of the user acquired from the AF, to determine the PCC rule.

204: The PCRF sends a response message to the PCEF, where the response message carries the determined PCC rule.

The PCRF also carries an EVENT_TRIGGER parameter in the response message sent to the PCEF, indicating that the PCEF has a specific event when the bearer network, such as a PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network) change, an APN (Network Access Point) change, Reloading events such as loss and bearer recovery Send a policy rule request message and request to re-issue the PCC rule.

205: After receiving the response message sent by the PCRF, the PCEF installs the PCC rule carried in the response message.

206: The PCEF sends a bearer setup response message that responds to the bearer request message to the user. At this time, the user may perform data transmission on the established bearer channel.

207: The PCEF performs event detection. When an event such as a PLMN change, an APN change, a bearer loss, or a bearer recovery is detected, the PCEF sends a policy rule request message to the PCRF again, and carries the detected event.

208: After receiving the policy rule request message, the PCRF performs a PCC rule decision according to the detected event carried by the message, combined with the acquired subscription information, service information, and bearer information of the user.

209: The PCRF sends the re-determined PCC rule to the PCEF;

210: After the PCEF receives the PCC rule, the PCC rule is installed.

In the prior art, the PCRF determines the PCC rule according to the subscription information, the service information, and the bearer information of the user, and cannot implement the policy and the charging control according to the service traffic of the user. For example, the bandwidth of the QoS policy of the subscription service of the user is A1, and the service is The traffic is B1. When the traffic of the user exceeds B1, the applicable policy and charging rules cannot be regenerated. Summary of the invention

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a method for implementing policy and charging control, which determines PCC rules according to user traffic, and implements control of QOS policies and charging policies.

To solve the above technical problem, a method for implementing policy and charging control according to the present invention includes: After the policy and charging rule function PCRF receives the policy rule request message sent by the policy and charging execution function PCEF, the obtained user will be obtained. The service traffic is compared with the accumulated usage traffic. According to the comparison result, the policy and charging control are determined according to the locally configured or acquired traffic control policy.

PCC rules.

Further, the method for obtaining the user's service traffic and cumulative usage traffic by the PCRF is: After receiving the bearer request message sent by the user, the PCEF interacts with the online charging system OCS, obtains the user's service traffic and accumulated usage traffic from the OCS, and sends the service traffic and the accumulated usage traffic to the PCRF.

Further, the method for the PCRF to obtain the user's service traffic and the cumulative usage traffic is as follows: The PCRF interacts with the OCS to obtain the service traffic and the cumulative usage traffic of the user. Further, the PCRF obtains the user's service traffic and the cumulative usage traffic by: the user's service traffic is contracted in the user subscription device, and the operator's operation and maintenance support system or the OCS notifies the PCRF.

Further, the method for obtaining the cumulative usage flow of the user by the PCRF is:

When the PCEF receives the service data of the user, the usage traffic of the user is monitored and reported to the PCRF. The PCRF accumulates the usage traffic of the user reported by the PCEF to obtain the cumulative usage traffic of the user.

Further, the obtained flow control rule is configured in the user subscription device, and is obtained by the PCRF from the subscription device.

Further, after determining the policy and charging control PCC rules, the method further includes:

The PCRF sends the PCC rule to the PCEF by sending a response message to the policy request message to the PCEF. The response message also carries the event-trigger parameter, indicating that the PCEF sends the PCRF to the PCRF when the usage flow of the user's single session reaches a specified value. Resend the policy rule request message, requesting to re-determine and deliver the PCC rule.

Further, when the PCEF receives the service data of the user, the service data is monitored, and when the usage flow of the single session of the user reaches a specified value, the policy rule request message carrying the usage flow of the single session is sent to the PCRF again;

After receiving the policy rule request message carrying the traffic of a single session, the PCRF accumulates the usage traffic of the single session into the accumulated usage traffic of the user, determines the PCC rule, and sends the PCC rule to the PCEF.

Further, the PCEF sends the service traffic and the cumulative usage traffic to the PCRF through the online notification message or the policy rule request message, and when the user goes online and does not initiate the service, the PCEF reports the service traffic and the cumulative usage traffic to the PCRF through the online notification message; When the user goes online and initiates the service, the PCEF reports the service traffic and the cumulative usage traffic to the PCRF through the policy rule request message. Further, the PCRF requests the 0CS to deliver the service traffic and the accumulated usage traffic by sending a credit authorization request message to the 0CS.

After receiving the credit authorization request message, the OCS delivers the user's service traffic and accumulated usage traffic to the PCRF.

The PCRF of the present invention performs the PCC rule decision according to the service traffic, the cumulative usage flow, and the flow control policy of the user, and delivers the PCC rule to the PCEF for execution. In addition, when the user's service traffic reaches the threshold, the PCEF reports to the PCRF, and the PCF rules are re-executed by the PCRF and sent to the PCEF for execution; thereby achieving the policy and charging control according to the user's service traffic. BRIEF abstract

1 is a system diagram of a PCC system architecture proposed by the 3GPP in the prior art;

2 is a flow chart of a method for implementing policy and charging control in the prior art;

3 is a flowchart of implementing policy and charging control according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

4 is a flowchart of implementing policy and charging control according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of implementing policy and charging control according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

Preferred embodiment of the invention

When the method and the charging control are implemented, the PCRF performs the PCC rule decision according to the user's service traffic, the cumulative usage traffic, and the traffic control policy. The PCRF obtains the user service traffic, the cumulative usage traffic, and the traffic control respectively by the following methods. Strategy.

User traffic can be obtained in the following three ways:

1 : The PCRF interacts with the OCS to send a credit authorization request message to the OCS, and the OCS returns the user's service traffic. Among them, PCRF and OCS use the DIAMETER protocol to interact.

2: Each time the user goes online, the PCEF interacts with the OCS to obtain the service traffic of the user, and sends the PCRF to the message through the user online notification message or the policy rule request message. If the service is not initiated, the PCEF reports the service traffic to the PCRF through the online notification message. The line sends the service traffic to the PCRF through the policy rule request message.

3: After signing the service traffic for the user in the user subscription device, the operator's operation and maintenance support system or OCS notifies the PCRF of the user's service traffic.

The user's cumulative usage traffic can be obtained in the following three ways:

1 : After the PCRF sends a credit authorization request message to the OCS, the OCS returns the used traffic to the PCRF while returning the user's traffic to the PCRF.

2: Each time the user goes online, the PCEF interacts with the OCS to obtain the cumulative usage flow of the user, and reports the message to the PCRF through the user online notification message or the policy rule request message.

3: The PCEF monitors the user's usage traffic and reports the user's usage traffic to the PCRF.

The PCRF accumulates the user's usage traffic to obtain the cumulative usage traffic of the user.

A traffic control policy is a method for controlling a Qos policy and an accounting policy based on service traffic and cumulative traffic usage. It can be configured by the carrier. The traffic control policy can be configured in the user's subscription device when the user is subscribed. When the user goes online, the PCRF obtains the traffic control policy from the user's subscription device. The traffic control policy can also be directly configured by the operator in the local PCRF.

For example, if the cumulative usage traffic C2 reaches half of the service traffic C1, the bandwidth of the user X is reduced to half of the subscription bandwidth; when the cumulative usage traffic C2 reaches two-thirds of the traffic flow C1, User X's bandwidth is reduced to one-third of the contracted bandwidth.

The specific embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings:

To implement policy and accounting control, you need to pre-configure user subscription information in the SPR. For example, user X is type A and service B is contracted. The traffic control policy of the user is pre-configured in the PCRF. The service traffic of the user is pre-configured in the OCS, and the cumulative usage traffic of the user is calculated by the OCS. For example, the service traffic subscribed by user X to the B service is C1, and the accumulated traffic is C2.

Example 1: FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a method for implementing policy and charging control according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In this embodiment, when a user goes online, the PCRF obtains the service traffic and the accumulated usage traffic of the user from the OCS, and includes the following steps:

301: The user X sends a bearer request message to the PCEF to request to establish a service bearer, where the bearer request message carries the bearer information.

302: After receiving the bearer request message, the PCEF sends a policy rule request message requesting to the PCRF to send the PCC rule, where the policy rule request message carries the bearer information in the bearer request message;

303: After receiving the policy rule request message, the PCRF learns that the user is online, and sends a subscription information request message to the SPR, requesting the SPR to deliver the subscription information of the user X.

304: After receiving the subscription information request message, the SPR sends the subscription information of the user X to the PCRF.

The PCRF receives the subscription information returned by the SPR to obtain the user X contracted service 8.

305: The PCRF sends a credit authorization request message to the OCS, requesting the OCS to deliver the service traffic and the cumulative usage traffic of the user.

306: After receiving the credit authorization request message, the OCS delivers the service traffic and the cumulative usage traffic of the user X to the PCRF.

User X's service traffic for service B is C1, and the current cumulative usage traffic is C2.

307: After receiving the service traffic and the cumulative usage traffic of the user, the PCRF requests the bearer information in the message according to the policy rule, the subscription information of the user, the service traffic of the user, the cumulative usage traffic, the traffic control policy, and the user acquired from the AF. Business information to make decisions and determine PCC rules;

When the PCRF determines the PCC rule, the cumulative usage traffic C2 is compared with the traffic flow C1. When the cumulative usage traffic C2 does not reach half of the traffic C1, the PCRF determines the PCC rule for maintaining the existing bandwidth; when the cumulative usage traffic C2 reaches the service When half of the traffic C1, the PCRF determines the bandwidth after halving as the PCC rule; when the cumulative usage traffic C2 reaches two-thirds of the traffic C1, the PCRF determines one-third of the contracted bandwidth as the PCC rule.

308: The PCRF sends a response message to the PCEF, where the response message carries the determined PCC rule.

The PCRF also carries the EVENT_TRIGGER parameter in the response message sent to the PCEF. The PCEF resends the policy rule request message when the usage flow of the user's single session reaches a specified value, and requests the PCC rule to be re-issued to control the excessive occupation of resources by the user.

The specified value is configured by the operator. When the usage traffic of the user's single session reaches the specified value, the user needs to perform resource control.

309: After receiving the response message sent by the PCRF, the PCEF installs the PCC rule carried in the response message.

310: The PCEF sends a bearer setup response message in response to the bearer request message to the user. At this time, the user may perform data transmission on the established bearer channel.

311: After receiving the bearer setup response message, the user sends the service data to the PCEF.

312: When the PCEF receives the service data of the user, the service data of the user X is monitored. When the traffic of the user session of the user X reaches the specified value, the policy rule request message is sent to the PCRF, and the policy rule request message is sent. The usage traffic of the user X single session is carried in;

313: After receiving the policy rule request message, the PCRF accumulates the used traffic of the user X single session to the cumulative usage traffic of the user, and combines the bearer information, the subscription information, the service traffic, the traffic control policy, and the service information of the user. Make decisions and redefine PCC rules;

314: The PCRF re-issues the PCC rule to the PCEF.

315: After the PCEF receives the re-issued PCC rule, the PCC rule is executed.

Example 2:

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a method for implementing policy and charging control according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. In this embodiment, when a user goes online, the PCEF obtains the service traffic and the cumulative usage traffic of the user from the OCS, and reports the policy policy request message to the PCRF, including The following steps:

401: The user X sends a bearer request message to the PCEF, and requests to establish a service bearer, where the bearer request message carries the bearer information.

After receiving the bearer request message, the PCEF sends a traffic request message to the OCS, requesting the OCS to deliver the service traffic and the cumulative usage traffic of the user. 403: After receiving the traffic request message, the OCS sends the service traffic and the cumulative usage traffic of the user to the PCEF.

User X's traffic for service B is C1 and the cumulative traffic is C2.

404: After receiving the service traffic and the cumulative usage traffic of the user X, the PCEF sends a policy rule request message to the PCRF to send a PCC rule, where the policy rule request message carries the service traffic and the cumulative usage traffic of the user X, and the bearer. The bearer information contained in the request message;

405: After receiving the policy rule request message, the PCRF learns that the user is online, sends a subscription information request message to the SPR, and requests the SPR to deliver the subscription information of the user X.

406: After receiving the subscription information request message, the SPR sends the subscription information of the user X to the PCRF. The PCRF receives the subscription information returned by the SPR and learns the user X subscription service 8.

407: The PCRF determines, according to the bearer information in the policy rule request message, the subscription information of the user, the service traffic of the user, the cumulative usage traffic, the traffic control policy, and the service information of the user obtained from the AF, to determine the PCC rule.

408: The PCRF sends a response message to the PCEF, where the response message carries the determined PCC rule.

The PCRF also carries the EVENT_TRIGGER parameter in the response message sent to the PCEF, instructing the PCEF to resend the policy rule request message when the traffic of the user's single session reaches a specified value, requesting to re-issue the PCC rule to control the user to the resource. Excessive use.

409: After receiving the response message sent by the PCRF, the PCEF installs the PCC rule carried in the response message.

410: The PCEF sends a bearer setup response message to the user in response to the bearer request message. At this time, the user may perform data transmission on the established bearer channel.

411: After receiving the bearer setup response message, the user sends the service data to the PCEF.

412: When the PCEF receives the service data of the user X, the service data of the user X is monitored. When the usage flow of the user X in a single session reaches the specified value, the policy rule request message is sent to the PCRF again, and the policy rule request is sent. The message carries the usage traffic of the user X single session;

413: After receiving the policy rule request message, the PCRF will carry the user X in a single session. The traffic is added to the cumulative usage traffic of the user, and the user's bearer information, subscription information, service traffic, traffic control policy, and service information are used to make a decision, and the PCC rule is re-determined;

414: The PCRF re-issues the PCC rule to the PCEF.

415: After the PCEF receives the re-issued PCC rule, the PCC rule is executed.

Example 3:

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a method for implementing policy and charging control according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. In this embodiment, when a user subscribes to service traffic, the user is notified of the service traffic of the user, including the following steps: 501: On the subscription device When the user X subscribes to the service traffic, the OCS or the operator's operation and maintenance support system notifies the PCRF of the service traffic of the user X, and the PCRF stores or updates the service traffic subscribed by the user X;

Specifically, the OCS or the operation and maintenance support system notifies the PCRF of the service traffic, which can be actively selected by the operator.

502: The user X sends a bearer request message to the PCEF to request to establish a service bearer, where the bearer request message carries the bearer information.

503: After receiving the bearer request message, the PCEF sends a policy rule request message requesting to the PCRF to send a PCC rule, where the policy rule request message carries the bearer information in the bearer request message;

504: After receiving the policy rule request message, the PCRF learns that the user is online, and sends a subscription information request message to the SPR, requesting the SPR to deliver the subscription information of the user X.

505: After receiving the subscription information request message, the SPR sends the subscription information of the user X to the PCRF.

The PCRF receives the subscription information returned by the SPR and learns that the user X subscribes to the service 8.

506: The PCRF determines, according to the bearer information in the policy rule request message, the subscription information of the user, the service traffic of the user, the cumulative usage traffic, the traffic control policy, and the service information of the user obtained from the AF, to determine the PCC rule.

When the user first goes online, the default cumulative usage flow is zero.

507: The PCRF sends a response message to the PCEF, where the response message carries the determined PCC. rule;

The PCRF also carries the EVENT_TRIGGER parameter in the response message sent to the PCEF, indicating that the PCEF resends the policy rule request message to re-issue the PCC rule when the usage flow of the user's single session reaches a specified value.

508: After receiving the response message sent by the PCRF, the PCEF installs the PCC rule carried in the response message.

509: The PCEF sends a bearer setup response message to the user in response to the bearer request message. At this time, the user may perform data transmission on the established bearer channel.

510: After receiving the bearer setup response message, the user sends the service data to the PCEF.

511: When the PCEF receives the service data of the user X, the service data of the user X is monitored. When the usage flow of the user X in a single session reaches the specified value, the policy rule request message is sent to the PCRF again, and the policy rule request is sent. The message carries the usage traffic of the user X single session;

512: After receiving the policy rule request message, the PCRF adds the used traffic of the user X single session to the accumulated usage traffic of the user, and combines the bearer information, the subscription information, the service traffic, the traffic control policy, and the service information of the user. Make decisions and redefine PCC rules;

513: The PCRF re-issued the PCC rule to the PCEF;

514: After the PCEF receives the re-issued PCC rule, the PCC rule is executed.

The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalents, and modifications made within the spirit and scope of the present invention are included in the scope of the present invention. .

Claims

Claim

1. A method for implementing policy and charging control, comprising:

After receiving the policy rule request message sent by the policy and charging execution function PCEF, the PCRF compares the obtained user traffic with the accumulated usage traffic, and according to the comparison result, according to the local configuration or acquired flow control The policy determines the policy and charging control PCC rules.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method for obtaining, by the PCRF, the service traffic and the cumulative usage traffic of the user is:

After receiving the bearer request message sent by the user, the PCEF interacts with the online charging system OCS, obtains the service traffic and accumulated usage traffic of the user from the OCS, and uses the service traffic and the accumulated usage traffic. Send to the PCRF.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method for obtaining, by the PCRF, the service traffic and the cumulative usage traffic of the user is:

The PCRF obtains the traffic of the user and the accumulated usage traffic by interacting with the OCS.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method for obtaining, by the PCRF, the service traffic and the cumulative usage traffic of the user is:

The service traffic of the user is contracted in the user subscription device, and the PCRF is notified by the operator's operation and maintenance support system or OCS.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method for obtaining the cumulative usage flow of the user by the PCRF is:

When the PCEF receives the service data of the user, the usage traffic of the user is monitored and reported to the PCRF; the PCRF accumulates the usage traffic of the user reported by the PCEF, and obtains the user's usage traffic. Cumulative usage of traffic.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein The acquired traffic control rule is configured in the user subscription device, and is obtained by the PCRF from the subscription device.

The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein after determining the policy and the charging control PCC rule, the method further comprises:

The PCRF sends the PCC rule to the PCEF by sending a response message of the policy rule request message to the PCEF, and the event message also carries an event-trigger parameter, indicating that the PCEF is a single session of the user. When the traffic usage reaches a specified value, the policy rule request message is resent to the PCRF, requesting to re-determine and deliver the PCC rule.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein

When the PCEF receives the service data of the user, the service data is monitored, and when the usage flow of the single session of the user reaches the specified value, the policy rule for using the traffic of the single session is sent to the PCRF again. Request message

After receiving the policy rule request message carrying the traffic of the single session, the PCRF accumulates the usage traffic of the single session into the accumulated usage traffic of the user, determines the PCC rule, and sends the PCC rule to the PCEF.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein

The PCEF sends the service traffic and the cumulative usage traffic to the PCRF by using an online notification message or a policy rule request message. When the user goes online but does not initiate a service, the PCEF sends the service by using the online notification message. The traffic and the cumulative usage traffic are reported to the PCRF. When the user goes online and initiates the service, the PCEF reports the service traffic and the accumulated usage traffic to the PCRF through the policy rule request message.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein

The PCRF requests the OCS to send the service traffic and the accumulated usage traffic by sending a credit authorization request message to the OCS.

After receiving the credit authorization request message, the OCS delivers the service traffic and the cumulative usage traffic of the user to the PCRF.