WO2011060675A1

WO2011060675A1 - Method and system for usage monitoring between resource and admission control systems

Info

Publication number: WO2011060675A1
Application number: PCT/CN2010/077775
Authority: WO
Inventors: 尤建洁
Original assignee: 中兴通讯股份有限公司
Priority date: 2009-11-19
Filing date: 2010-10-15
Publication date: 2011-05-26
Also published as: CN102075908A

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method and system for usage monitoring between resource and admission control systems, so that the usage monitoring can be realized when a mobile user accesses a fixed network side and invokes service. The Policy and Charging Rule Function (PCRF) of the Policy Control and Charging (PCC) subscribes for usage monitoring from the Resource and Admission Control Function (RACF) in the present invention, and the RACF distributes information of usage monitoring to the Policy Enforcement Functional Entity (PE-FE).The PE-FE reports the usage monitoring result of the monitored user and/or service in a resource initialization response message, or a resource releasing response message, or a notification message, or explicitly by a usage monitoring response message, and thus the problem of usage monitoring between a PCC and an RACF is solved when a mobile user terminal accesses a fixed network side and invokes service.

Description

Method and system for monitoring usage between resource admission control systems

The present invention relates to the field of communications, and more particularly to a method and system for monitoring usage between resource admission control systems. Background technique

NGN (Network Generation Network) is a hot research topic in the field of communication standards. It uses packet technology such as IP as the bearer network technology to integrate fixed communication and mobile communication. NGN can provide richer multimedia services, such as emerging services with real-time requirements (such as VoIP, video conferencing, multimedia distance learning, video on demand, etc.), which require communication networks to provide efficient end-to-end quality of service (Quality of Service, QoS) support; At the same time, users have higher and higher requirements for network service quality. Therefore, how to provide end-to-end QoS will be one of the core issues of NGN.

The International Telecommunication Union-Telecommunications Standardization Sector (ITU-T) is a telecommunications division of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) that sets standards for resource admission control. In the latest ITU-T draft of the Resource and Admission Control Functions (RACF), the functional framework of RACF is provided. As shown in Figure 1, the RACF consists of two parts, namely the policy decision function entity ( Policy Decision Functional Entity (PD-FE) and Transport Resource Control Functional Entity (TRC-FE), where TRC-FE interacts with the transport function through the Rc interface and performs functional entities through the Rn interface and the transport resource ( Transport Resource Enforcement Functional Entity (TRE-FE) interacts, and the PD-FE interacts with the TRC-FE through the Rt interface, through the Rh interface and the Customer Premises Network (Customer Premises Network, CPN) interaction, interacting with the Policy Enforcement Functional Entity (PE-FE) through the Rw interface, interacting with the Service Control Functions (SCF) of the service layer through the Rs interface, and controlling the connection through the Ru interface and the network. The Network Attachment Control Functions (NACF) interacts, and the PD-FE interacts with other next-generation networks through the Ri interface.

In addition, the PD-FE is independent of the transmission technology and has nothing to do with the SCF. The PD-FE is based on the network policy rules, the service information provided by the SCF, the transport layer subscription information provided by the NACF, and the resource availability decision result provided by the TRC-FE. The final decision on resource acceptance control.

TRC-FE is not related to the business, but is related to transmission technology. The TRC-FE is responsible for collecting and maintaining transmission network information and resource status information. Upon receiving a resource request from the PD-FE, the TRC-FE performs resource-based admission control based on QoS, priority requirements, resource availability information, and transport-related policy rules.

The transport layer consists of the policy enforcement function entity PE-FE and the transport resource execution function entity TRE-FE. The PE-FE performs the policy rule delivered by the PD-FE. The PE-FE is a packet-to-packet gateway. It can be located between the customer premises network CPN and the access network, between the access network and the core network, or between different carrier networks. , is a key node that supports dynamic QoS control, port address translation control, and Network Address Translator (NAT) traversal. The TRE-FE implements the transmission resource policy rules delivered by the TRC-FE. The scope and function of the TRE-FE and the Rn interface need to be further studied, and are not studied in the R2 phase.

3GPP (The 3rd Generation Partnership Project) proposes PCC (Policy Control and Charging) to complete the resource admission control function from the perspective of mobile access. The PCC is located between the service control layer and the access/bearer layer. It implements a certain QoS control mechanism for the characteristics of the mobile access network. The main functions provided are: policy control based on user-defined information, and billing based on service data flow. control.

The functional architecture diagram of the 3GPP PCC is shown in Figure 2. PCRF ( Policy and Charging Rule Function, policy and charging rules functions) include policy control decisions and per-flow charging control. The PCRF provides network control functions for detection, gating, QoS, and per-flow charging (except credit management) for service data flows for the PCEF (Policy and Charging Enforcement Function).

PCEF includes service data flow detection, policy enforcement, and per-flow billing. This functional entity is located at the gateway (GW). The PCEF provides service data flow detection, user plane traffic processing, trigger control plane session management, QoS implementation, traffic data flow measurement, and interaction with the billing system. SPR (Subscription Profile Repository) stores user subscription data. OCS (Online Count System) and OFCS (Offline Count System) are an online charging system and an offline charging system, respectively, in which OCS includes mobile network enhanced custom application logical service control points. (CAMEL SCP) and Service Data Flow Based Credit Control.

Mobile networks are not as secure as multimedia networks such as fixed networks or WIFI (Wireless Fidelity). Therefore, mobile users (dual-mode mobile terminals) can prefer fixed network access when conditions permit. Access business in the mobile network. The networking scheme is shown in Figure 3. The resource admission control function RACF in the fixed network is connected to the policy and charging rule function PCRF in the mobile network, and the PCRF is connected to the user information base. Figure 4 further shows the interaction diagram between RACF and PCC. There is an interface between RACF and PCC for information interaction. At present, the problem of monitoring the amount of interaction between PCC and RACF in this scenario has not been solved. Summary of the invention

In view of the above, the main object of the present invention is to provide a method and system for monitoring usage between resource admission control systems to achieve usage monitoring when mobile users access and conduct services on the fixed network side.

In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution of the present invention is achieved as follows: A method for monitoring usage between resource admission control systems, the method comprising: a policy control and charging function (PCC) subscribing to a resource admission control function (RACF) subscription usage monitoring, and carrying the required monitoring in the delivered subscription request information User and/or business and corresponding usage threshold information;

After receiving the subscription request information sent by the PCC, the RACF subscribes to the policy execution function entity (PE-FE) for usage monitoring, and carries the user and/or service to be monitored and the corresponding usage amount in the delivered subscription request information. Wide value information;

The PE-FE performs the usage monitoring according to the subscription request information, and reports the usage monitoring result to the RACF;

The RACF reports the usage monitoring result to the PCC.

Further, at the beginning of the service, the subscription request information sent by the PCC to the RACF is sent to the RACF in the policy rule sent by the PCC to the RACF; the subscription request information sent by the RACF to the PE-FE is included in the RACF to the PE- The resource initialization request sent by the FE is sent to the PE-FE.

Further, during the running of the service, the PCC explicitly sends a usage monitoring report request to the RACF; after receiving the usage monitoring report request, the RACF explicitly sends a usage monitoring request to the PE-EF; when the PE-FE receives After the usage of the RACF is monitored, the usage monitoring result of the currently monitored user and/or service is reported to the RACF; the RACF forwards the usage monitoring result to the PCC.

Further, the method further includes: when the monitored user and/or service usage reaches a corresponding usage threshold, the PE-FE monitors the result to the RACF; and the RACF forwards the usage monitoring result to the PCC.

Further, the method further includes: after receiving the monitored user and/or service resource release request, the PE-FE reports the usage monitoring result to the RACF; the RACF forwards the usage monitoring result to the PCC.

Based on the above method, the present invention also proposes a usage monitoring system between resource admission control systems. The system includes: PCC, RACF, PE-FE; the PCC is also used to subscribe to the RACF subscription usage monitoring, and carries the user and/or service to be monitored and the corresponding usage amount in the subscription request information sent by the RACF. The value-added information; the RACF is further configured to receive the subscription request information sent by the PCC, and subscribe the usage monitoring to the PE-FE, and report the usage monitoring result reported by the PE-FE to the PCC, where the subscription request information is Carrying the required monitoring user and/or service and corresponding usage threshold information; the PE-FE is further configured to perform usage monitoring according to the subscription request information, and report the usage monitoring result to the RACF.

Further, when the service starts, the subscription request information sent by the PCC to the RACF is sent to the RACF in the policy rule sent by the PCC to the RACF; the subscription request sent by the RACF to the PE-FE The information is sent to the PE-FE in the resource initialization request sent by the RACF to the PE-FE.

Further, during the running of the system, the PCC is further configured to explicitly send a usage monitoring report request to the RACF; the RACF is configured to explicitly send the usage monitoring to the PE-EF after receiving the usage monitoring report request. After receiving the usage monitoring report request sent by the RACF, the PE-FE reports the monitoring result of the currently monitored user and/or service to the RACF; the RACF forwards the usage monitoring result to the PCC.

Further, in the system, when the usage of the monitored user and/or service reaches the corresponding usage threshold, the PE-FE is also used to report the usage monitoring result to the RACF; the RACF is also used to forward the usage monitoring to the PCC. result.

Further, the PE-FE is further configured to report the usage monitoring result to the RACF after receiving the monitored user and/or service resource release request; the RACF forwards the usage monitoring result to the PCC.

In the present invention, the PCRF in the PCC subscribes to the usage monitoring of the RACF, and the RACF delivers the usage monitoring information to the PE-FE, and the PE-FE passes the resource initialization response message, or the resource release response message, or the notification message, or explicitly passes. Usage monitoring response message on monitored user and/or business The usage monitoring result, so as to solve the PCC and the mobile user terminal accessing the service on the fixed network side

The amount of usage monitoring between RACF. DRAWINGS

1 is a schematic diagram of a RACF functional architecture of an ITU-T in the prior art;

2 is a schematic diagram of a PCC functional architecture of the 3GPP in the prior art;

3 is a networking diagram of interaction between resource admission control systems in the prior art;

4 is a schematic diagram of information exchange between RACF and PCC in the prior art;

Figure 5 is a flow chart of the first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 6 is a flow chart of a second embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 7 is a flow chart of a third embodiment of the present invention. detailed description

The basic idea of the present invention is: the policy control and charging function PCC subscribes to the resource admission control function RACF subscription usage monitoring, and carries the user and/or service information to be monitored and the corresponding usage threshold and other information in the subscription request; RACF According to the subscription request of the PCC, the policy execution function entity PE-FE subscribes to the usage monitoring, and carries the required monitoring user and/or service information and the corresponding usage threshold value in the delivered subscription request; PE-FE performs usage monitoring And report the usage monitoring result to RACF; RACF reports the usage monitoring result to PCC.

The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Example 1

5 is a schematic diagram of a usage monitoring process in a resource request process in which a mobile user terminal accesses a network on a fixed network side and performs a service, and involves a resource request process between the PCRF and the RACF, and includes the following steps: Step 501: A user terminal (UE) conducts a service The application layer service negotiation is completed, that is, the service data flow type of the service to be carried out, the address and port number used by the service data flow, and the number of services. Negotiation of information such as bandwidth required for streaming, codec mode for service data flow, and priority of service data flow processing;

Step 502: Application Function (AF) provides service information to the PCRF.

Step 503, the PCRF stores the service information, and returns a response message to the AF;

Step 504: If the PCRF does not have the subscription information of the user, the user information exchange is performed to obtain the subscription information of the user. The user subscription information includes usage monitoring information, where the usage monitoring information refers to the user and/or the user to be monitored. The information about the service and the corresponding usage threshold, the user and/or the service information refers to the identification information of the user and/or the service; the usage monitoring information may be a combination of the following three types of information:

The user identification information and the usage threshold information corresponding to the user; the service identification information and the usage threshold information corresponding to the service; the user identification information, the service identification information, and the usage threshold information corresponding to the user and the service.

Step 505: The PCRF performs authorization check on the service according to the user subscription information and the local operator policy rule. If yes, the PCRF performs policy decision and formulates a policy rule.

Step 506: The PCRF sends a policy rule to the RACF, where the policy rule includes subscription request information for the usage monitoring, and the subscription request information includes information about the user and/or service to be monitored and the corresponding usage threshold.

Step 507: The RACF first performs an authorization check according to the local operator policy rule, resource availability, and the like. If passed, the RACF performs a policy decision, and generates a final policy rule according to the policy rule from the PCRF, where the policy rule includes a subscription for the usage monitoring. Request information, the subscription request information includes information such as the user and/or service to be monitored and the corresponding usage threshold;

Step 508: The RACF sends a resource initialization request to the PE-FE, where the message carries a final policy rule, where the policy rule includes subscription request information for usage monitoring;

Step 509: The PE-FE installs a policy rule, and sends a resource initialization response message to the RACF. The message carries the usage monitoring result;

Step 510: The RACF sends a response message to the PCRF, where the message carries the usage monitoring result. Note: In step 503, the response message sent by the PCRF to the AF may also be sent after step 510. Further, in this embodiment, the PCC may also explicitly request the RACF to report the usage of the monitored user and/or service, and the RACF explicitly requests the PE-FE to perform the reported usage of the monitored user and/or service. When the PE-FE receives the explicit request for the usage report, it reports the current usage monitoring result to the RACF; the RACF reports the current usage monitoring result to the PCC. The explicit means that during the operation of the service, if the PCC wants to know the current usage monitoring result, the PCRF independent underground usage monitoring request in the PCC is sent to the RACF, and the RACF independently sends the usage monitoring request to the PE-FE, that is, the usage. The monitored subscription request is not delivered with the policy rule at the beginning of the service, but is delivered separately during the running of the service. Similarly, the user and/or service to be monitored and the corresponding usage need to be carried in the report request. Information such as thresholds;

Example 2

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a usage monitoring process in a resource release process in which a mobile user terminal accesses a network and performs a service on a fixed network side, and involves a RACF and a PCRF. The method includes the following steps: Step 601: A user initiates a service release request, and sends a release Requesting a message to the AF, triggering the AF to generate a resource release request;

Step 602: The AF sends a resource release request to the PCRF to release the service data flow corresponding to the service.

Step 603, the PCRF sends a resource release request to the RACF;

Step 604: The RACF sends a resource release request to the PE-FE to uninstall the policy rule on the UE, and release the corresponding resource.

Step 605: The PE-FE replies the resource release response to the RACF, and reports the usage monitoring result. Step 606: The RACF returns a resource release response to the PCRF, and reports the usage monitoring result. Step 607: The PCRF replies to the resource release response to the AF. Example 3

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of processing the usage monitoring result reported by the PE-FE to the RACF when the usage of the monitored user and/or service reaches the corresponding usage threshold; the RACF reports the usage monitoring result to the PCC, including the following steps:

Step 701: When the usage of the monitored user and/or service reaches the corresponding usage threshold,

The PE-FE sends a notification message to the RACF to report the usage monitoring result.

Step 702: The RACF sends a notification message to the PCC, and reports the usage monitoring result.

It is a matter of course that the invention can be embodied in various other forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

Claim

A method for monitoring usage between resource admission control systems, characterized in that the method comprises:

The policy control and charging function (PCC) subscribes to the resource admission control function (RACF) subscription usage monitoring, and carries the user and/or service to be monitored and the corresponding usage threshold information in the delivered subscription request information;

The RACF reports the usage monitoring result to the PCC.

The method according to claim 1, wherein, at the start of the service, the subscription request information sent by the PCC to the RACF is sent to the RACF in a policy rule sent by the PCC to the RACF; The subscription request information sent by the FE is sent to the PE-FE in the resource initialization request sent by the RACF to the PE-FE.

The method according to claim 2, wherein during the running of the service, the PCC explicitly sends a usage monitoring report request to the RACF; the RACF explicitly sends the usage monitoring report request to the PE-EF. After the PE-FE receives the usage monitoring report request sent by the RACF, the PE-FE reports the monitoring result of the currently monitored user and/or service to the RACF; the RACF forwards the usage monitoring to the PCC. result.

4. The method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the method further comprises:

When the monitored user and/or service usage reaches the corresponding usage threshold, PE-FE The RACF reports the usage monitoring result; the RACF forwards the usage monitoring result to the PCC.

The method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the method further comprises:

After receiving the monitored user and/or service resource release request, the PE-FE reports the usage monitoring result to the RACF; the RACF forwards the usage monitoring result to the PCC.

6. A usage monitoring system between resource admission control systems, including PCC, RACF, PE-FE, characterized by:

The PCC is also used to subscribe to the usage monitoring of the RACF, and carries the user and/or service to be monitored and the corresponding usage threshold information in the subscription request information sent by the RACF;

The RACF is further configured to receive the subscription request information sent by the PCC, and subscribe to the PE-FE for usage monitoring, and report the usage monitoring result reported by the PE-FE to the PCC, where the subscription request information carries the user to be monitored. And/or business and corresponding usage threshold information;

The PE-FE is further configured to perform usage monitoring according to the subscription request information, and report the usage monitoring result to the RACF.

The system according to claim 6, wherein, at the start of the service, the subscription request information sent by the PCC to the RACF is sent to the RACF in the policy rule sent by the PCC to the RACF; the RACF to the PE-FE The subscribed request information is sent to the PE-FE in the resource initialization request sent by the RACF to the PE-FE.

The system according to claim 6, wherein during the running of the service, the PCC is further configured to explicitly send the usage monitoring report request to the RACF; the RACF receives the usage of the usage monitoring and further uses the request. After the PE-FE sends the usage monitoring request to the PE-EF, the PE-FE reports the usage monitoring result of the currently monitored user and/or service to the RACF after receiving the usage monitoring report request from the RACF. The RACF forwards the usage monitoring result to the PCC.

The system according to claim 6, 7 or 8, wherein the PE-FE is also used for reporting to the RACF when the monitored user and/or service usage reaches a corresponding usage threshold. The monitoring result; the RACF is also used to forward the usage monitoring result to the PCC.

The system according to claim 6, 7 or 8, wherein the PE-FE is further configured to report the usage monitoring result to the RACF after receiving the monitored user and/or service resource release request; The PCC forwards the usage monitoring result.