WO2018049871A1 - 一种计费的方法、装置和系统 - Google Patents

一种计费的方法、装置和系统 Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2018049871A1
WO2018049871A1 PCT/CN2017/091219 CN2017091219W WO2018049871A1 WO 2018049871 A1 WO2018049871 A1 WO 2018049871A1 CN 2017091219 W CN2017091219 W CN 2017091219W WO 2018049871 A1 WO2018049871 A1 WO 2018049871A1
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Prior art keywords
quota
information
charging
policy
reporting policy
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PCT/CN2017/091219
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English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
柴晓前
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华为技术有限公司
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Publication date
Application filed by 华为技术有限公司 filed Critical 华为技术有限公司
Priority to EP21152277.6A priority Critical patent/EP3873028B1/en
Priority to EP17850074.0A priority patent/EP3503468B1/en
Publication of WO2018049871A1 publication Critical patent/WO2018049871A1/zh
Priority to US16/352,685 priority patent/US10609225B2/en
Priority to US16/808,980 priority patent/US11032433B2/en

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    • 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
    • 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
    • H04M15/64—On-line charging system [OCS]
    • 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
    • H04M15/65—Off-line 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
    • H04M15/66—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
    • H04M15/70—Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
    • H04M15/785—Reserving amount on the account
    • 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
    • H04M15/852—Low balance or limit reached
    • 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
    • H04M15/853—Calculate maximum communication time or volume
    • 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
    • H04M15/854—Available credit
    • 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

  • the present invention relates to the field of communications technologies, and in particular, to a charging method, a charging device, and a system in a network architecture for control and data flow forwarding separation.
  • the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) defines the architecture diagram of the Policy and Charging Control (PCC) framework, including: policy control and charging rules functional entities.
  • Policy Control and Charging Rules Function PCRF
  • Policy and Charging Enforcement Functification PCEF
  • OCS Online Charging System
  • PCRF Policy Control and Charging Rules Function
  • PCEF Policy and Charging Enforcement Function
  • PCEF Policy and Charging Enforcement Function
  • PCEF is generally implemented based on a gateway and can connect to multiple access networks.
  • the basic mechanism of online charging is that the charging trigger function (CTF, Charging Trigger Function) in the gateway completes quota application, quota management, quota usage monitoring, performs accounting collection, and detects all charging triggers on the gateway.
  • CTF Charging Trigger Function
  • the conditions of the event/condition trigger (such as user location change, QoS change, etc.) are met, and the PCEF located in the gateway device uses the rate group information to apply for a reserved credit authorization to the OCS, and reports the collected to the billing system under certain conditions.
  • the location of the data gateway (for example, PDN Gateway, or PGW for short) is too high. That is, the data gateway needs to be deployed in a centralized manner in order to cooperate with the accounting and cooperate with the PCRF. Relatively far, each packet must be transmitted over a long distance in the network to be forwarded.
  • 3GPP proposes the separation of the control plane and the user plane (referred to as CU, also referred to as data plane), that is, the data gateway is split into user plane and control plane for separate deployment.
  • the User Plane Gateway UGW
  • the user plane can be moved down to a lower location, such as the access network (Radio Access Network).
  • the gateway here may be a PGW of a 4G core network or a data gateway of a 5G core network.
  • the inventor found that in the network control and data flow forwarding separation architecture, the charging execution function cannot be completed at one point, for example, the trigger condition is distributed on the network control plane entity and the user. Face Entities, quota application, quota management, and data flow information collection cannot be completed at one point, so they face the problem of multi-point collaborative execution billing.
  • the existing charging mechanism and charging scheme cannot meet the online credit control under the network control and data flow forwarding separation architecture.
  • the embodiment of the invention provides a charging method, a charging device and a system, so as to solve the problem that the existing charging mechanism and the charging solution cannot satisfy the online credit control under the network control and data flow forwarding separation architecture.
  • an embodiment of the present invention provides a charging method, which is applied to a network architecture in which network control and data flow forwarding are separated, and includes: a control plane entity CP performs policy control and a charging rule function entity PCRF installation or activation.
  • the CP generates a user plane entity UP reporting policy according to the charging rule; the CP requests a required quota from the online charging system OCS according to the charging rule; and the CP receives the OCS
  • the quota is generated, and the UP quota information is generated according to the quota; the CP establishes an association relationship between the UP report policy and the UP quota information, and carries an indication in the UP report policy and/or the UP quota information.
  • the parameter of the association relationship, and the UP reporting policy and the UP quota information are sent to the UP.
  • the quota issued by the OCS is a quota allocated for a rate group of one or more charging rules
  • the CP is associated with the UP quota information corresponding to the quota delivered by the OCS.
  • An UP reporting policy corresponding to the one or more charging rules; or, the quota issued by the OCS is a quota allocated for a rate group and a service identifier of one or more charging rules
  • the CP is Associate the UP quota information corresponding to the quota issued by the OCS with the UP report policy corresponding to the one or more charging rules; and the carrying the indication in the UP reporting policy and/or the UP quota information
  • the parameter of the relationship includes: the UP quota ID used in the UP report policy, or the corresponding UP report policy identifier included in the UP quota information, or included in the UP report policy.
  • the UP quota ID used, and the corresponding UP report policy identifier is included in the UP
  • the CP generates a corresponding UP reporting policy for the charging rule, where the UP reporting policy includes a combination of one or more of the following: a reporting policy ID, and a flow feature in the charging rule. And the application ID, the priority of the generated UP reporting policy, the subscription event of the CP, the use of the UP quota information indication, and the used UP quota ID, the CP saves the correspondence between the charging rule and the UP reporting policy relationship.
  • the CP receives the quota issued by the OCS, and generates the UP quota information according to the quota issued by the OCS, including: the CP generates the corresponding quota corresponding to each OCS.
  • An UP quota information where the UP quota information includes one or more of the following: a quota ID, a quota type, a quota value, one or more of the user plane trigger event Trigger corresponding to the quota, and a corresponding UP report policy identifier;
  • the CP stores the correspondence between the UP quota ID and the quota issued by the OCS.
  • the quota issued by the OCS includes a time or an event segmentation point
  • the UP quota information further includes: the one or more segmentation statistics points, so that the UP may be distinguished according to the segmentation points. Use quotas and count and report usage information.
  • the CP is each of the charging rules.
  • the rate group generates an UP quota information
  • the UP report policy identifier included in the UP quota information is all the UP report policies corresponding to one or more billing rules corresponding to the rate group;
  • the quota is a quota pool, and the CP generates an UP quota information for all the rate groups in the quota pool, and the UP report policy identifier included in the UP quota information is corresponding to all the rate groups in the quota pool.
  • the CP sends the generated UP report policy or UP quota information separately after the UP report policy or the UP quota information is generated, and the UP report policy or the UP quota information and the current UP existence UP.
  • the CP receives the quota issued by the OCS, and before generating the UP quota information according to the quota, the method further includes: determining, by the CP, whether to go to the UP according to the CCA message returned by the OCS.
  • the quota information is sent. Specifically, if the OCS issuing quota is 0, or the CCA returns an error message, the quota information is not sent to the UP; or, if the CP itself can manage the use of the quota , the quota information is not sent to the UP.
  • the method before the CP requests the online charging system OCS for the quota required by the rate group in the charging rule, the method further includes: determining, by the CP, whether the charging rule has a rate. The available quota of the group; if there is no available quota, the CP requests the quota required by the rate group in the charging rule from the OCS; if there is an available quota, and the charging rule has a corresponding UP reporting policy And the CP modifies the UP reporting policy according to the charging rule, and sends an updated UP reporting policy to the UP; if the available quota is available and the charging rule has no corresponding UP reporting policy, the CP is The charging rule generates a new UP reporting policy, and sends the new UP reporting policy to the UP.
  • the CP generates a new UP reporting policy for the charging rule, and generates updated UP quota information for the UP quota information corresponding to the rate group of the charging rule, where the updated UP quota information includes the new The UP reports the policy, and delivers the new UP reporting policy and the updated UP quota information to the UP.
  • the CP receives the quota usage information reported by the UP, and generates a charging report message CCR according to the saved correspondence between the UP quota ID and the OCS issuing quota, where the CCR includes: a quota fee.
  • the receiving, by the CP, the quota usage information reported by the UP includes: the CP detects that the first charging trigger event occurs on the CP side, where the first charging trigger event corresponds to the first quota information; The CP sends a first request message to the UP, where the first request message carries the first quota identifier or the UP report policy ID list corresponding to the first quota, and requests the UP report to report the first quota.
  • the CP receives the usage information corresponding to the first quota returned by the UP, and the usage information corresponding to the first quota includes the first quota identifier, and all UP reporting policies corresponding to the first quota ID and corresponding quota usage information, Trigger currently satisfied by the UP plane.
  • the receiving, by the CP, the quota usage information reported by the UP includes: receiving, by the CP, the quota usage information corresponding to the second quota reported by the UP, where the quota usage information corresponding to the second quota is Description After the second accounting triggering event on the UP side is detected, the usage information corresponding to the second quota corresponding to the second charging triggering event reported by the CP is used, and the usage information corresponding to the second quota includes The second quota identifier, all the UP report policy IDs corresponding to the second quota, the corresponding quota usage information, and the Trigger currently satisfied by the UP plane.
  • the receiving, by the CP, the quota usage information reported by the UP includes: the CP detects the occurrence of the third charging trigger event corresponding to the third quota, and sends a second request message to the UP, requesting the reporting.
  • the CP receives the response message of the second request message returned by the UP, and the response message includes: an indication that the requested quota usage information has been reported.
  • the embodiment of the present invention provides a charging method, which is applied to a network architecture in which network control and data flow forwarding are separated, and the user plane entity UP receives the UP reporting policy and the UP quota information sent by the control plane entity CP.
  • the UP calculates the usage information of the UP quota according to the UP quota information and the UP reporting policy, and the UP reports the UP quota usage information to the CP.
  • the UP reporting policy includes a combination of one or more of the following: the reporting policy ID, the flow feature and/or the application ID in the charging rule, and the priority of the generated UP reporting policy.
  • the UP quota information includes one or more of the following: a quota ID, a quota type, a quota value, and one of the user plane Trigger corresponding to the quota.
  • the UP according to the UP quota information and the usage information of the UP reporting policy and the service data flow information, including: the UP is according to the UP reporting policy And the flow characteristics and/or the application ID, the traffic characteristics and/or the service data flow corresponding to the application are matched according to the priority of the UP reporting policy, and the UP corresponding to the UP reporting policy is used for the matched service data flow.
  • the quota information is used, and the detected service data flow information is separately collected according to the UP reporting policy.
  • the UP determines that the UP reporting policy is used for online charging according to the UP quota information indicated in the UP reporting policy or the UP quota ID used.
  • the UP determines that the UP reporting policy is used for online charging according to the “Using the UP quota information indication” parameter of the UP reporting policy when the UP reporting policy is executed, and the UP is If the UP policy does not have associated UP quota information, the associated UP quota information is requested from the CP.
  • the UP when the UP detects that a subscription event of the CP included in the reporting policy occurs, the event is reported to the CP, and the reported message does not report usage information of the UP quota.
  • the UP establishes an association relationship between the UP reporting policy and the UP quota information according to the “UP quota ID used” parameter in the UP reporting policy; or
  • the "upper UP reporting policy ID" parameter included in the UP quota information establishes an association relationship between the UP reporting policy and the UP quota information; or the UP is based on the used UP quota in the UP reporting policy.
  • the ID parameter and the corresponding UP report policy ID parameter included in the UP quota information establish an association relationship between the UP report policy and the UP quota information.
  • the UP quota information further includes: one or more segmentation statistics points, wherein the UP separately collects service data stream information before and after each of the segmentation statistics points.
  • the UP receives the update message of the UP report policy sent by the CP, or the update policy of the UP quota information, and detects the new UP report policy and/or the new UP quota policy.
  • the traffic feature and/or the service data flow corresponding to the application, and the UP quota information corresponding to the updated UP reporting policy is used for the detected service data flow, and the detected according to the new UP reporting policy.
  • Business data flow information is used for the detected service data flow, and the detected according to the new UP reporting policy.
  • the UP receives the first request message sent by the CP, and the request message is sent after the first charging trigger event on the CP side is detected by the CP, where the first meter is sent.
  • the fee triggering event corresponds to the first quota information
  • the first request message carries the first quota identifier or the UP report policy ID list corresponding to the first quota, and requests the UP report to report the first quota.
  • the UP returns the usage information of the first quota to the CP, and the usage information of the first quota includes the first quota identifier, all UP reporting policy IDs corresponding to the first quota, and corresponding quotas Use information.
  • the quota usage information corresponding to the second quota reported by the UP to the CP, and the quota usage information corresponding to the second quota is the second charging trigger of the UP detecting the UP side.
  • the quota usage information corresponding to the second quota corresponding to the second charging trigger event reported by the CP includes the second quota identifier, and the second quota Corresponding all UP reporting policy IDs and corresponding quota usage information.
  • the UP reports the quota usage information of the UP report policy ID to the CP
  • the method includes: the UP reports the quota usage information corresponding to the third quota to the CP, and the quota usage information
  • the response message of the second request message returned by the UP to the CP contains: an indication that the requested quota usage information has been reported.
  • the present invention provides a charging apparatus, which is applied to a network architecture of network control and data stream forwarding, and the charging apparatus is a control plane CP function apparatus, and specifically includes: a policy generating unit, configured to execute The policy control and charging rule function entity PCRF installs or activates the charging rule, and generates a user plane entity UP reporting policy according to the charging rule; the quota information generating unit is configured to request the charging from the online charging system OCS The quota required by the rate group in the rule receives the quota issued by the OCS, and generates the UP quota information according to the quota; the sending unit is configured to establish an association relationship between the UP reporting policy and the UP quota information, And the parameter that indicates the association relationship is carried in the UP report policy and/or the UP quota information, and the UP report policy and the UP quota information are sent to the UP.
  • a policy generating unit configured to execute The policy control and charging rule function entity PCRF installs or activates the charging
  • the charging device further includes: a triggering unit, configured to send a first request message to the user plane entity UP after detecting that the first charging trigger event on the control plane side occurs, the request message Carrying a first quota identifier or a list of UP report policy IDs corresponding to the first quota, requesting the first quota of the UP report
  • the first charging trigger event is associated with the first quota information
  • the receiving unit is configured to receive usage information corresponding to the first quota returned by the UP, where the usage information corresponding to the first quota includes The first quota identifier, the all the UP report policy IDs and the corresponding quota usage information corresponding to the first quota, and the Trigger that the UP plane currently satisfies;
  • the reporting unit is configured to use the information about the first quota reported by the UP, Generate a charging report message and send it to the OCS.
  • the charging apparatus further includes: a receiving unit, configured to receive quota usage information corresponding to the second quota reported by the UP, where the quota usage information corresponding to the second quota is the UP After the second charging triggering event on the UP side is detected, the usage information corresponding to the second quota corresponding to the second charging triggering event reported by the CP is used, and the usage information corresponding to the second quota includes the The second quota identifier, all the UP reporting policy IDs corresponding to the second quota, the corresponding quota usage information, and the Trigger currently satisfied by the UP plane.
  • the charging device further includes: a triggering unit, configured to detect a third charging trigger event corresponding to the third quota, and send a second request message to the UP, requesting to report the third quota a receiving unit, configured to receive the quota usage information corresponding to the third quota reported by the UP, where the quota usage information is that the UP detects the fourth charging trigger event on the UP side, The quota usage information corresponding to the third quota reported by the CP, where the usage information of the third quota includes the third quota identifier, all UP reporting policy IDs corresponding to the third quota, and corresponding quota usage information;
  • the receiving unit is further configured to receive a response message of the second request message returned by the UP, where the response message includes: an indication that the requested quota usage information has been reported.
  • the present invention provides a charging apparatus, which is applied to a network architecture in which network control and data stream forwarding are separated, and the charging apparatus is a user plane UP function apparatus, and specifically includes: a receiving unit, configured to receive and control The UP reporting policy and the UP quota information sent by the CP function device; the statistics unit is configured to collect the usage information of the UP quota according to the UP quota information and the UP reporting policy; the reporting unit is configured to send the CP Report the UP quota usage information of the statistics.
  • the UP reporting policy includes a combination of one or more of the following: the reporting policy ID, the flow feature and/or the application ID in the charging rule, and the priority of the generated UP reporting policy.
  • the UP quota information includes one or more of the following: a quota ID, a quota type, a quota value, and one of the user plane Trigger corresponding to the quota.
  • the corresponding UP reporting policy ID; the statistic unit is further configured to match the flow feature according to the priority of the UP reporting policy according to the flow feature and/or the application ID in the UP reporting policy.
  • the corresponding service data flow is applied, and the UP quota information corresponding to the UP reporting policy is used for the matched service data flow, and the detected service data flow information is separately collected according to the UP reporting policy.
  • the receiving unit is further configured to receive a first request message that is sent by the CP, where the request message is sent after the first charging trigger event on the CP side is detected by the CP.
  • the first charging trigger event is associated with the first quota information
  • the first request message carries the first quota identifier or the UP report policy ID list corresponding to the first quota, requesting the UP report to be The usage information of the first quota;
  • the reporting unit is further configured to return the usage information of the first quota to the CP, where the usage information of the first quota includes the first quota And all the UP reporting policy IDs corresponding to the first quota and the corresponding quota usage information.
  • the present invention provides a charging system, which is applied to a network architecture for separating network control and data flow forwarding, wherein the charging system includes a user plane UP function device and a control plane CP function device, and the CP function
  • the device is configured to execute a charging rule of the policy control and charging rule function entity PCRF installation or activation; generate a user plane entity UP reporting policy according to the charging rule; and request the online charging system OCS according to the charging rule a quota for receiving the quota issued by the OCS, generating UP quota information according to the quota, establishing an association relationship between the UP reporting policy and the UP quota information, and reporting the policy and/or the UP in the UP
  • the quota information carries a parameter indicating the association relationship, and the UP reporting policy and the UP quota information are sent to the UP function device; the user plane UP function device is configured to interact with the CP function device, And receiving the UP reporting policy and the UP quota
  • the embodiment of the present invention provides a charging device, where the charging device has the functions of implementing the foregoing method embodiments, and the functions may be implemented by using hardware or by executing corresponding software by hardware.
  • the hardware or software includes one or more units or modules corresponding to the functions described above.
  • the structure of the charging device includes a processor and a memory for storing application code for supporting the meter device to perform the above method, the processor being configured to execute in the memory Stored apps.
  • the charging device can also include a communication interface for the charging device to communicate with other devices or communication networks.
  • an embodiment of the present invention provides a computer storage medium for storing computer software instructions for use in the foregoing charging apparatus, including a program designed to perform the foregoing aspects as a charging apparatus.
  • the names of the control plane entity, the user plane entity, the control plane function device, the user plane function device, the charging device or the billing system, and the names of the subordinate units do not limit the device itself. In actual implementation, these The device or unit can appear under other names. As long as the functions of the respective devices are similar to the present invention, they are within the scope of the claims and the equivalents thereof.
  • the solution provided by the present invention implements online communication control under the network control and data flow forwarding separation architecture, so that the charging can support the optimal deployment of the network, realize accurate charging of the data service under optimized deployment, and improve Network efficiency and user experience.
  • FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of a policy and charging control system provided by the prior art
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a network control and data flow forwarding separation architecture
  • FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a charging architecture in a CU separation architecture according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an application for generating an UP report policy and charging a quota according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 6 is a flowchart of reporting usage information of a charging quota when a trigger condition of a CP is satisfied according to an embodiment of the present disclosure
  • FIG. 7 is a flowchart of reporting the usage information of the charging quota when the UP triggering condition is satisfied according to an embodiment of the present disclosure
  • FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a charging apparatus 800 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a charging apparatus 900 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a charging system 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a charging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 it is a PCC architecture diagram defined by 3GPP, including: PCRF, PCEF, TDF, and OCS.
  • the PCRF is mainly used to determine the PCC rules or the ADC rules of the user, and the determined PCC rules are sent to the PCEF through the Gx interface, and the determined ADC rules are sent to the TDF through the Sd interface.
  • the PCC rule or the ADC rule includes a control policy and a charging policy, and the control policy includes: quality of service (QoS) parameters, gating, redirection, etc.; the charging policy includes: charging key value, charging method, and metering Fee system address, measurement method, etc.
  • QoS quality of service
  • PCEF is mainly responsible for performing PCF rules for PCRF activation (including dynamic PCC rules or static PCC rules).
  • PCEF is generally deployed on packet data gateways in the network.
  • TDF is mainly responsible for performing ADCF activation of ADC rules (including dynamic ADC rules or static ADC rules). ), the subsequent description takes PCEF as an example, and the TDF implementation is similar.
  • the basic mechanism of online charging is that the online charging triggering point CTF (here, PCEF is taken as an example) completes quota application, quota usage monitoring, performs charging collection function, and detects all charging trigger event triggers ( Whether the conditions such as user position change, QoS change, etc. are satisfied.
  • the basic mechanism is as follows: the PCEF in the gateway device uses the rate group to apply for a quota to the OCS, and reports the quota usage and the collected service information to the billing system under certain conditions. The OCS uses the quota according to the reported quota. The situation and business use information are deducted.
  • the PCEF will use the quota and collect the service information according to the billing granularity (the two types of granularity: SERVICE_IDENTIFIER_LEVEL or RATING_GROUP_LEVEL) issued by the PCRF, and report the quota usage and the collected business information to the billing system for deduction under certain conditions. If the billing granularity is RATING_GROUP_LEVEL, the PCEF must report the service usage information for each rate group. If the billing granularity is SERVICE_IDENTIFIER_LEVEL, the PCEF must report the service usage information for each rate group and service identifier.
  • the billing granularity is RATING_GROUP_LEVEL
  • the PCEF must report the service usage information for each rate group and service identifier.
  • the accounting triggering event for reporting the accounting information includes (in the case of online charging as an example): the service starts, the service is stopped, the authorized quota is used up, the authorized quota expires, the OCS requires the re-authorization, and the OCS is issued. Trigger events are met and so on.
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a network control and data flow forwarding separation architecture.
  • the gateway device PDN-Gateway is divided into two parts, namely, a PDN Gateway-C and a PDN Gateway-U, or It is called CP entity and UP entity, and processes the relevant data of the control plane and the user plane respectively.
  • the dotted line in the figure represents the control plane data
  • the solid line represents the user plane data
  • the separated two network elements are connected through the Sxb interface.
  • the embodiment of the present invention is described by using the foregoing PDN-Gateway CU separation architecture as an example.
  • the embodiment of the present invention does not limit the deployment mode of the user plane gateway position to move down. Program.
  • FIG. 4 The overall charging architecture proposed by the embodiment of the present invention is as shown in FIG. 4, which includes the functional entities defined below, for example, in the network control and data flow forwarding separation (ie, CU separation) architecture shown in FIG.
  • CCF Charge Collection Function
  • the CCF is located in the user plane UP entity of the data gateway after the CU is separated, and can be closer to the access network side, and is responsible for interacting with the CTF entity to complete quota usage and service data flow.
  • Information collection including trigger condition management, quota validity period management, quota usage monitoring, data flow information collection, etc.).
  • CTF Charge Trigger Function
  • the CTF is located in the control plane CP entity of the CU-separated data gateway, and is responsible for establishing an online charging session with the OCS, applying for quotas (time, traffic, service-specific quota units). Etc.), is the endpoint of the online charging session, and is responsible for interacting with the UP to complete the use of quotas and business data flow information collection (including trigger condition management, quota distribution, etc.);
  • OCS Online Charging System, which is responsible for establishing an online charging session with the CTF of the embodiment of the present invention, performing quota authorization, is an endpoint of the online charging session, and deducting the account balance based on the charging information reported by the CTF. .
  • a CP entity (or CP) is used as a CTF entity
  • a UP entity (or UP) is used as a CCF entity.
  • the trigger event Trigger of the user plane entity may include: a Trigger related to the data stream, such as: expiration of the corresponding quota of the data stream, no data stream transmission within the specified threshold, start of the data stream, end of the data stream, etc.;
  • the trigger event Trigger of the control plane entity may include: a non-data stream related Trigger, such as: QoS change, RAT Type change, Location change, and the like.
  • online charging and credit control under the network architecture of the CU separation can be realized through the division and cooperation of the CP and the UP in the charging process.
  • the network architecture and the service scenario described in the embodiments of the present invention are used to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, and do not constitute a limitation of the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present invention.
  • the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present invention are equally applicable to similar technical problems.
  • Embodiment 1 of the present invention an UP reporting policy generation and a charging quota application; the embodiment is mainly described in a network control and data flow forwarding separation architecture, specifically, in the network architecture described in FIG. 4 of the foregoing embodiment, using the foregoing
  • An UP reporting policy generation and charging quota application method performed by the UP and CP entities defined in the embodiment. The specific process is shown in Figure 5, and the method is described as follows:
  • Step 500 The control plane entity CP performs a charging rule of the policy control and charging rule function entity PCRF installation or activation;
  • the PCRF makes a policy decision based on the information reported by the CP or the information reported by the OCS to determine the PCC rule to be installed/activated, and sends a command to the CP to install/activate the PCC rule.
  • the CP executes the PCC rule.
  • the PCC rule may be a dynamic PCC rule that is sent by the PCRF, or a static PCC rule that is activated by the PCRF and stored in the CP.
  • the charging rules here can be one or more.
  • the PCC rule includes a charging parameter, and the charging parameter refers to a parameter used for charging in the PCC rule.
  • Each charging PCC rule has an identification ID, and includes a set of charging parameters, including: Rating Group, Charging method, Measurement method, Reporting Level, priority, etc.
  • multiple charging rules may contain the same rate group, that is, one rate group may correspond to one or more charging rules.
  • the charging rule in this application may refer to the charging parameter group included in the PCC rule, or may refer to the PCC rule itself. Since the PCC rule and the charging parameter it contains are 1:1, the charging rule is understood to be any of the two. One does not affect the implementation of the solution of the present invention.
  • Step 501 The CP generates or modifies a user plane entity UP reporting policy according to the charging rule.
  • the UP reporting policy is used by the CP to indicate UP: how to collect service flow information (for example, which service data flow information is counted together), and how to report the statistical service data flow information to the CP;
  • the CP generates or modifies the UP reporting policy based on the accounting rules.
  • the charging rule is a new charging rule
  • a corresponding UP reporting policy is generated for each charging rule (the charging rule includes a granular reporting level reported to the charging system).
  • the UP reporting policy includes at least one of the following parameters: a reporting policy ID (uniquely identifying the UP reporting policy), a flow feature in the charging rule, and/or an application ID (the application ID is used to identify the application by deep packet inspection)
  • the UP report policy may be associated with the UP quota information, and the UP report policy may not carry the used
  • the UP quota ID parameter the UP establishes an association relationship between the UP report policy and the UP quota information according to the parameter of the one or more UP report policy identifiers corresponding to the quota information.
  • the UP reporting policy carries the "UP quota ID” parameter
  • the UP quota information also includes the "one or more UP reporting policy identifiers corresponding to the quota" parameter, and the UP is based on the "office" in the UP reporting policy.
  • the association between the UP report policy and the UP quota information is established by using the UP quota ID parameter and the one or more UP report policy identifiers corresponding to the quota.
  • the priority corresponds to the priority in the charging rule, and the priority is used to match the service data flow to the corresponding UP. Report the policy and UP quota, and then use the quota.
  • the parameters "Use UP quota information indication” and "Usage quota ID used” may exist at the same time, or only one of them may be used. If the same exists, the UP determines whether the UP reporting policy is used for online charging according to the “Using the UP quota information indication” (ie, whether to associate with a certain quota, and whether the control service data flow is allowed to pass based on the quota), Determine the quota to use based on the "UP quota ID used.” If one of the ones is used, when the UP quota ID is used, if the UP report policy includes the UP quota ID, the UP is determined to be used for online charging, and when the "use UP quota information indication" is used, The value can be a Boolean value, and when the value of the parameter is true or false, UP is determined to be used for online charging.
  • the service flow statistics are performed according to the associated UP quota information, and the data stream transmission is suspended when there is no associated quota (if the report has been reported, or the CP has not yet granted the quota) or the associated quota is used up. Optionally, apply for a corresponding quota to the CP. If it is determined to be used for offline charging, the service data flow usage information is directly calculated according to the UP reporting policy, and the statistics do not affect the transmission of the service data flow.
  • the CP may send a subscription event of the CP to the UP, so that the UP reports the event to the CP when the event is detected (indicating that the event occurs).
  • the quota usage information may not be reported, and only the event is reported, CP. Quota management based on this event.
  • the CP can apply for the quota at the beginning of the data flow, and the CP can send the “data flow start” event in the UP reporting policy.
  • the UP starts detecting the data flow corresponding to the UP reporting policy.
  • the subscription event of the CP is different from the UP-based Trigger.
  • the UP-side Trigger is used to trigger the use of the quota.
  • the subscription event of the CP is only used to notify the CP that the event occurs, and does not affect the quota usage.
  • the quota usage information corresponding to the policy is reported.
  • the UP determines the required quota according to the "Use UP quota information indication", but the current UP quota is not available (that is, the current UP does not change the UP quota information associated with the UP reporting policy), and then the CP can Requesting the UP quota associated with the UP reporting policy, the CP performs quota allocation according to the request, for example, applying a new quota to the OCS and issuing the new quota, or modifying the UP reporting policy to associate with an existing quota.
  • the CP saves the correspondence between the charging rule and the UP reporting policy, for example, the correspondence between the charging rule ID and the UP reporting policy ID.
  • the charging rule is an update of the existing charging rule
  • the UP reporting policy corresponding to the charging rule is found, and the corresponding UP reporting policy is modified according to the information in the charging rule.
  • Step 502 The CP requests the required quota from the online charging system OCS according to the charging rule.
  • the CP applies, to the OCS, the quota corresponding to the rate group in the charging rule according to the one or more charging rules that are executed.
  • the service data flow corresponding to the charging rule belongs to the same CP and OCS charging session.
  • the CP determines whether there is a quota available for the rate group in the charging rule. If not, the CP applies the quota to the rate group in the charging rule according to the charging rule, and performs steps 503-504; , step 505 is performed;
  • the CP determines the granularity of the Gy session corresponding to the charging rule. If the Gy session granularity is the IP-CAN Bearer granularity, the CP determines whether the quota of the rate group is available on the IP-CAN Bearer; For the IP-CAN Sessivity granularity, the CP determines whether there is a quota available for the rate group on the IP-CAN Session. Generally, a quota is a quota that belongs to a Gy session, so it is necessary to find a quota in the corresponding Gy session.
  • Step 503 The CP receives the quota issued by the OCS, and generates UP quota information according to the quota issued by the OCS.
  • the UP quota information is used by the UP to control the usage quota of the service data flow.
  • the CP may determine whether to send the quota information to the UP according to the CCA message returned by the OCS, as follows:
  • the OCS passes the CCA message, the quota is 0 or the error message is returned, and the message is not sent to the UP, that is, the UP quota information is not generated.
  • the quota information is not sent to the UP. For example, if the CP determines that the quota is a continuous time quota or a quota for the CP side event, the CP does not send quota information to the UP, and the CP uses the quota.
  • the CP generates the quota information for the UP according to the quota issued by the OCS. Specifically, the CP generates an UP quota information corresponding to the quota issued by each OCS.
  • the UP quota information includes: a quota ID (corresponding to the rate group in the charging rule corresponding to the Gy session), a quota type (traffic, duration, traffic, duration, etc.), a quota value, and a user plane Trigger corresponding to the quota.
  • a quota ID corresponding to the rate group in the charging rule corresponding to the Gy session
  • a quota type traffic, duration, traffic, duration, etc.
  • a quota value a user plane Trigger corresponding to the quota.
  • a user plane Trigger corresponding to the quota.
  • the policy-reporting parameter is configured.
  • the UP establishes the association between the UP reporting policy and the UP quota information according to the UP quota ID used in the UP reporting policy. Or, if the UP reporting policy carries the "UP quota ID" parameter, the UP quota information also includes the "one or more UP reporting policy identifiers corresponding to the quota" parameter, and the UP is used according to the "UP reporting policy”.
  • the UP quota ID parameter and the one or more UP report policy identifiers corresponding to the quota in the UP quota information establish an association relationship between the UP report policy and the UP quota information.
  • the user plane Trigger corresponding to the quota includes one or more combinations of the following information: the quota issued by the OCS has corresponding quota usage parameters (for example, the Quota-Consumption-Time quota statistics interval, Time-Quota-Mechanism quota usage statistics method, Quota-Holding-Time quota validity period, Time-Quota-Threshold time quota consumption threshold, Volume-Quota-Threshold traffic quota consumption threshold, etc., or the CP determines the need to go to UP according to the local configuration.
  • the quota is used to allocate parameters.
  • the UP quota information further includes: one or more split statistics points, where the split statistics point can be It is a time or event, which is used by the UP plane to distinguish usage quotas and count and report usage information according to the division point.
  • the CP stores the correspondence between the UP quota ID and the quota issued by the OCS.
  • the method for the CP to determine the one or more UP reporting policy identifiers corresponding to the quota is: the quota issued by the OCS is a quota allocated for a rate group of one or more charging rules, and the CP association
  • the UP quota information corresponding to the quota issued by the OCS and the UP reporting policy corresponding to the one or more charging rules; or the quota issued by the OCS is a rate group of one or more charging rules.
  • the CP is associated with the UP quota information corresponding to the quota issued by the OCS, and the UP reporting policy corresponding to the one or more charging rules, that is, the CP only associates the UP quota information with the The UP reporting policy corresponding to the charging rule corresponding to the service identifier. Specifically, the CP first determines the charging rule corresponding to the quota issued by the OCS according to the quota request, and then determines the corresponding UP reporting policy according to the correspondence between the saved charging rule and the UP reporting policy.
  • the CP separates the CP plane Trigger and the UP plane Trigger from the Trigger sent by the OCS, and includes the UP plane Trigger in the UP quota information.
  • the CP If a single quota is issued by the OCS (that is, each quota is used only for a certain rate group in the Gy session), the CP generates an UP quota information for each rate group, and the UP reporting policy included in the UP quota information. Identifying all UP reporting policies corresponding to one or more charging rules corresponding to the rate group;
  • the OCS delivers a quota pool (that is, the OCS allocates a quota for multiple rate groups), and the quota pool corresponds to multiple charging rules (multiple rate groups) in the Gy session, the CP is the rate.
  • the multiple rate group in the pool generates an UP quota information, and the UP report policy identifier included in the UP quota information is all the UP report policies corresponding to the multiple billing rules.
  • Segmentation of statistical points one or more, time or event, used by the UP plane to differentiate usage quotas based on the split time or event points and to report and report usage information
  • Step 504 The CP determines (or establishes) an association relationship between the UP reporting policy and the UP quota information, and carries a parameter indicating the association relationship in the UP reporting policy and/or the UP quota information, and The UP report policy and/or UP quota information is sent to the UP.
  • the method for determining, by the CP, the association relationship between the UP reporting policy and the UP quota information may be: the quota issued by the OCS is a quota allocated for a rate group of one or more charging rules. And the CP is associated with the UP quota information corresponding to the quota issued by the OCS and the UP reporting policy corresponding to the one or more charging rules; or the quota issued by the OCS is for one or more The fee rate group of the fee rule and the quota allocated by the service identifier, the CP is associated with the UP quota information corresponding to the quota issued by the OCS, and the UP reporting policy corresponding to the one or more charging rules, that is, the CP is only associated with the policy.
  • the UP quota information is sent to the UP reporting policy corresponding to the charging rule corresponding to the service identifier. Specifically, the CP first determines the charging rule corresponding to the quota issued by the OCS according to the quota request, and then determines the corresponding UP reporting policy according to the correspondence between the saved charging rule and the UP reporting policy.
  • the method for carrying the parameter indicating the association relationship in the UP reporting policy and/or the UP quota information may be: including the used UP quota ID in the UP reporting policy, or including the UP quota information in the UP reporting information.
  • the CP may separately send the generated UP report policy or the UP quota information, and the UP report policy or the UP quota information and the UP quota information existing in the current UP or The UP reports the policy association, or does not associate with any current UP quota information or UP report policy, but waits for the subsequent CP to send the UP quota information or the UP report policy, and then associates with the UP policy or the UP quota information.
  • the policy can be delivered at the same time (for example, when the CP generates or modifies the UP report policy according to the charging rule, the CP saves the policy first, and then sends the same when the CP generates the UP quota information according to the quota issued by the OCS).
  • the UP After receiving the UP reporting policy and the UP quota information sent by the CP, the UP uses the UP quota information and the usage information of the UP reporting policy to calculate the quota usage information and the service data flow information, and when the reporting condition is satisfied, The CP reports the quota usage information of the UP report policy ID that is counted (refer to the following Embodiments 2, 3, and 4). Specifically, the UP monitors, according to the flow feature and/or the application ID in the UP reporting policy, the traffic feature and/or the service data flow corresponding to the application according to the priority of the UP reporting policy, and is detected.
  • the service data flow uses the UP quota information corresponding to the UP report policy (the UP quota information corresponding to the UP report policy is determined according to the association information carried in the UP report policy and/or the UP quota information), and the detected service is separately counted. Data stream information. If the UP quota information further includes: the one or more segmentation statistics points, the UP separately collects service data stream information before and after each of the segmentation statistics points. If the UP receives the update message of the UP report policy sent by the CP, or the update policy of the UP quota information, the flow feature is detected according to the priority of the new UP report policy and the new UP quota policy.
  • the UP may request the quota from the CP.
  • Step 503 and step 504 may be performed multiple times, that is, when there are no steps 501 and 502, the usage may be performed separately according to the usage of the quota (for example, the quota is used up).
  • Step 505 If there is a quota available and the charging rule has a corresponding UP reporting policy, the CP modifies the UP reporting policy according to the charging rule, and sends an update message to the UP to update the corresponding UP reporting policy; If the charging rule has no corresponding UP reporting policy, the CP generates a new UP reporting policy for the charging rule, and sends the new UP reporting policy to the UP.
  • the UP quota information is not included in the UP quota information. ID parameter case).
  • the CP generates a new UP reporting policy for the charging rule, and generates updated UP quota information for the UP quota information corresponding to the rate group of the charging rule, where the updated UP quota information includes the new one.
  • the UP reports the policy, and sends the new UP reporting policy and the updated UP quota information to the UP (for the UP quota information including the used UP quota ID parameter).
  • the CP first reports the usage of the quota and the collected service information to the OCS (for details, refer to the second embodiment), and re-apply the quota;
  • the UP quota information sent by the CP to the UP includes a trigger event Trigger.
  • the UP reports the usage information of the quota and the collected service data flow information to the CP according to the UP reporting policy.
  • the CP in the network control and data flow forwarding separation architecture, the CP generates an UP reporting policy according to the charging policy activated by the PCRF, and determines whether to issue the quota information to the UP according to the quota issued by the OCS, thereby generating the UP.
  • the quota information and the association between the UP reporting policy and the UP quota information are implemented, and the online charging and control and usage information reporting under the CP and the UP separation architecture are implemented.
  • the second embodiment of the present invention is mainly described in the network control and data flow forwarding separation architecture.
  • the UP quota information is sent according to the method described in Embodiment 1.
  • the CP and the UP function entity defined in the foregoing embodiment are used to perform the reporting method of the charging quota usage information and the service data flow information when the CP triggering condition is satisfied.
  • the billing quota usage information reporting main process is shown in Figure 6, and the process is described in detail as follows:
  • Step 601 The CP detects a trigger event of the CP plane; the UP detects a trigger event of the UP plane, and monitors the use of the UP quota information;
  • Step 602 The CP detects that the trigger event Trigger corresponding to a quota (for example, the first quota information) on the CP side is satisfied, for example, the first charging trigger event, and the first charging trigger event corresponds to the first quota information. For example, it detects that the user Locat ion has changed.
  • the CP may receive the re-authorization request RAR trigger by the OCS.
  • Step 603 The CP sends a Request message (for example, a first request message) to the UP, and the request message carries the quota ID or the UP report policy ID list corresponding to the quota, and requests to report the usage information of the quota.
  • a Request message for example, a first request message
  • Step 604 The CP receives the usage information corresponding to the first quota returned by the UP, and the usage information corresponding to the first quota includes the first quota identifier, all UP reporting policy IDs corresponding to the first quota, and corresponding The quota usage information and the Trigger currently satisfied by the UP plane.
  • the UP obtains the quota information corresponding to the usage information of the quota in the UP quota information or the usage information corresponding to all the UP report policy IDs in the UP acquisition request, and the usage information is divided into the granularity statistics defined by the UP reporting policy, and the UP is to the CP.
  • Responding to the Response message which carries the quota ID, the obtained quota usage information corresponding to the quota, and the Trigger that the UP plane satisfies.
  • the quota usage information includes an UP reporting policy ID and corresponding usage information.
  • the UP quota information sent by the CP carries the split statistics point (one or more, time or event, and the UP plane uses the quota according to the split time or event point to collect and report usage statistics), then UP The usage information of the reported quota includes information before and after the split time point.
  • Quota-ID (if the Request uses a quota ID)
  • Segmentation indication (Optional, if the CP sends one or more segmentation statistics points, this parameter indicates which segmentation statistics of the segmentation statistics are used.)
  • Segmentation indication (Optional, if the CP sends one or more segmentation statistics points, this parameter indicates which segmentation statistics of the segmentation statistics are used.)
  • Step 605 The CP generates a charging report message CCR according to the relationship between the saved UP quota ID and the OCS quota.
  • the CCR includes: the RG of the quota, the quota usage information corresponding to each UP reporting policy ID, and the control plane entity information. For example, the user location, the PLMN identity, etc., the Trigger that the CP plane satisfies, the Tr igger that the UP plane satisfies (if any), and optionally, the ID or address of the UP;
  • Step 606 The CP sends a CCR report charging information to the OCS, and optionally, applies for a new quota.
  • steps after the OCS issues a new quota refer to steps 503-504 of the first embodiment.
  • the solution of the implementation of the present invention in the network control and the data flow forwarding and separate architecture, is configured to monitor the trigger event of the network-side control plane entity by the CP, and when the trigger event corresponding to a certain quota on the CP side is detected, the UP is reported to report the event.
  • the usage information of the corresponding quota is reported to the OCS, and the triggering condition of the control plane entity is full under the CU separation architecture. Collection and reporting of usage information of the time-based billing quota.
  • the third embodiment of the present invention is mainly described in the network control and data flow forwarding separation architecture.
  • the UP quota information is sent according to the method described in the first embodiment.
  • the UP and CP entities defined in the foregoing embodiment are used to perform the reporting method of the charging quota usage information when the triggering condition of the user plane entity is satisfied.
  • the charging quota is met.
  • the main process of using the information report is shown in Figure 7. The process is described as follows:
  • Step 701 The CP detects a trigger event of the CP plane; the UP detects a trigger event of the UP plane, and monitors the use of the UP quota information;
  • Step 702 The UP detects that the trigger event Trigger (for example, the second charging trigger event) corresponding to the quota of the UP side is satisfied, for example, the quota is expired; and the UP obtains all the UP reports corresponding to the quota.
  • the usage information corresponding to the policy ID, and the usage information is divided into the granularity statistics defined by the UP reporting policy;
  • Step 703 The UP sends a report message to the CP, where the quota ID, the obtained quota usage information corresponding to the quota, and the Trigger currently satisfied by the UP plane are carried.
  • the usage information is separately packaged according to the UP reporting policy (that is, the UP reports the policy ID and the corresponding usage information);
  • mapping between the quota and the UP reporting policy ID is defined in the UP quota information sent by the CP.
  • the UP quota information sent by the CP carries the split statistics point (one or more, time or event, and the UP plane uses the quota according to the split time or event point to collect and report usage statistics), then UP The usage information of the reported quota includes information before and after the split time point.
  • Quota-ID (if the Request uses a quota ID)
  • Segmentation indication (Optional, if the CP sends one or more segmentation statistics points, this parameter indicates which segmentation statistics of the segmentation statistics are used.)
  • Segmentation indication (Optional, if the CP sends one or more segmentation statistics points, this parameter indicates which segmentation statistics of the segmentation statistics are used.)
  • Step 704 The CP generates a charging report message CCR according to the corresponding relationship between the policy report ID and the charging rule, and the CCR includes: the RG of the quota, the quota usage information corresponding to each UP reporting policy ID, and the control plane entity information (for example: The user location, the PLMN identity, etc., the Trigger that the UP plane satisfies, the Trigger that the CP plane satisfies (if any), and optionally, the ID or address of the UP;
  • Step 705 The CP sends a CCR report charging information to the OCS, and optionally, applies for a new quota.
  • Step 706 The OCS delivers the quota by using the CCA message.
  • steps after the OCS sends a new quota refer to steps 503-504 of the first embodiment.
  • the solution of the present invention is to monitor the trigger event of the user plane entity by the UP located in the user plane entity, and to detect that the trigger event corresponding to a certain quota on the UP side is satisfied, in the network control and data flow forwarding separation architecture,
  • the corresponding CP reports the usage information of the quota corresponding to the event, and implements the collection and reporting of the usage information of the charging quota when the triggering condition of the user plane entity is satisfied.
  • the fourth embodiment of the present invention is mainly described in the network control and data flow forwarding separation architecture. Specifically, in the network architecture described in FIG. 2 of the foregoing embodiment, the UP quota information is sent according to the method described in the first embodiment. After the UP reports the policy, the triggering conditions of the user plane entity and the control plane entity that are executed by using the UP and CP entities defined in the foregoing embodiment simultaneously satisfy the charging quota usage information reporting method.
  • both the CP and the UP detect that the Trigger of the corresponding quota (for example, the third quota) is satisfied, for example, if the user-side change is detected on the CP surface and the quota is expired on the UP plane, the CP will trigger the CP to send the request for UP.
  • the accounting information is reported, and the UP side triggers "UP reports the accounting information to the CP.”
  • "simultaneously" means that the CP detects that the CP Trigger (eg, the third charging trigger event) is satisfied, before the UP has not received the Request message (for example, the second request message) sent by the CP to the CP Trigger.
  • the UP also detects that the UP Trigger (for example, the fourth charging trigger event) is satisfied, it is regarded as simultaneous, or the UP detects that the UP Trigger (eg, the fourth charging trigger event) is satisfied, but the CP has not received the UP.
  • the CP Before the reported message sent by the Trigger, the CP also detects that the CP Trigger is satisfied (for example, the third charging trigger event), and considers that it is not the same at the same time.
  • the UP actively reports the usage information corresponding to the UP report policy ID corresponding to the quota to the CP.
  • the CP After receiving the information reported by the UP, the CP carries the quota ID, the obtained quota usage information corresponding to the quota, and the UP.
  • the Trigger, etc. directly generates the CCR, which includes the RG of the quota, the quota usage information corresponding to each UP reporting policy ID, and the control plane entity information (such as the user location, PLMN identity, etc.), CP.
  • it can also carry the ID or address of the UP.
  • the CP sends a Request message (for example, a second request message) to the UP, and requests to report the usage information of the quota.
  • a Request message for example, a second request message
  • the UP After receiving the request message of the CP, the UP sends the charging information to the CP actively. If no further information is available for reporting, a Response (eg, a response message of the second request message) is returned to the CP, and the Response message does not carry the usage information of the quota, but carries the reported indication;
  • a Response eg, a response message of the second request message
  • the UP monitors the trigger event of the user plane entity
  • the CP monitors the trigger event of the control plane entity, and realizes the user plane entity and the control plane through appropriate interaction arrangement.
  • the information reporting method of the charging quota is used when the triggering condition of the entity is satisfied.
  • the embodiment of the present invention further provides a charging apparatus 800, which is applied to a network architecture separated by network control and data stream forwarding, and a method for executing the control plane entity in the foregoing embodiment, the charging apparatus For the control plane CP function device, referring to FIG. 8, includes:
  • a policy generating unit 801 configured to execute a charging rule that is installed or activated by the policy control and charging rule function entity PCRF, and generate a user plane entity UP reporting policy according to the charging rule;
  • the quota information generating unit 802 is configured to request, by the online charging system OCS, a quota required by the rate group in the charging rule, receive a quota issued by the OCS, and generate UP quota information according to the quota;
  • the sending unit 803 is configured to determine an association relationship between the UP reporting policy and the UP quota information, and carry the parameter indicating the association relationship in the UP reporting policy and/or the UP quota information, and The UP reporting policy and the UP quota information are sent by the UP.
  • the charging apparatus 800 further includes:
  • the triggering unit 804 is configured to send a first request message to the user plane entity UP after the first billing trigger event on the control plane side is generated, where the request message carries the first quota identifier or the UP reporting policy corresponding to the first quota.
  • An ID list requesting usage information of the first quota in the UP report; the first charging trigger event is corresponding to the first quota information;
  • the receiving unit 805 is configured to receive usage information corresponding to the first quota returned by the UP, where the usage information corresponding to the first quota includes the first quota identifier, and all UP reports corresponding to the first quota The policy ID and the corresponding quota usage information, and the Trigger currently satisfied by the UP plane;
  • the reporting unit 806 is configured to generate a charging report message and send the message to the OCS according to the usage information of the first quota reported by the UP.
  • the charging apparatus 800 further includes (not shown in FIG. 8), and the receiving unit is configured to receive the second quota reported by the UP.
  • the quota usage information corresponding to the second quota is corresponding to the second charging trigger event reported by the UP to the CP after the second charging triggering event of the UP is detected.
  • the usage information corresponding to the second quota, the usage information corresponding to the second quota includes the second quota identifier, and all UP reporting policy IDs and corresponding quota usage information corresponding to the second quota, and the UP plane are currently satisfied. Trigger.
  • the charging apparatus 800 further includes (not shown in FIG. 8),
  • the triggering unit is configured to detect the occurrence of the third charging trigger event corresponding to the third quota, and send a second request message to the UP, requesting to report the usage information of the third quota;
  • a receiving unit configured to receive quota usage information corresponding to the third quota reported by the UP, where the quota usage letter is used
  • the information is the quota usage information corresponding to the third quota reported by the UP after the fourth charging triggering event of the UP is detected, and the usage information of the third quota includes the third a quota identifier, all UP reporting policy IDs corresponding to the third quota, and corresponding quota usage information;
  • the receiving unit is further configured to receive a response message of the second request message returned by the UP, where the response message includes: an indication that the requested quota usage information has been reported.
  • the charging device 800 provided by the implementation of the present invention has a control plane CP function, and generates an UP reporting policy according to the charging rule in the charging policy activated by the PCRF under the network control and the data flow forwarding and separating structure, and is issued according to the OCS.
  • the quota generates the UP quota information, and the report policy and the UP quota information are sent to the UP.
  • the interaction between the CP and the UP in the CU-separated architecture is implemented.
  • the association between the UP reporting policy and the UP quota information is established to implement the CU separation architecture.
  • the online charging and accounting control and the usage information reporting are performed, and in the case that the various triggering conditions are different, the corresponding quota quota usage information collection and reporting method is given, and the flexibility of charging is realized.
  • the embodiment of the present invention further provides a charging apparatus 900, which is applied to a network architecture of network control and data stream forwarding, and a method for executing a user plane entity in the foregoing embodiment, with reference to FIG.
  • the UP function device is generally located in the gateway device close to the access network after the CU is separated, and includes:
  • the receiving unit 901 is configured to receive an UP reporting policy and UP quota information that are sent by the control plane CP function device.
  • the statistics unit 902 is configured to collect usage information of the UP quota according to the UP quota information and the UP reporting policy.
  • the reporting unit 903 is configured to report usage information of the statistical UP quota to the CP.
  • the UP reporting policy includes a combination of one or more of the following: the reporting policy ID, the flow feature and/or the application ID in the charging rule, the priority of the generated UP reporting policy, the subscription event of the CP, and the use.
  • the UP quota information indicates the UP quota ID used.
  • the UP quota information includes one or more of the following: a quota ID, a quota type, a quota value, one or more of the user plane Triggers corresponding to the quota, and a corresponding UP reporting policy ID.
  • the statistic unit 902 is further configured to match, according to the flow feature and/or the application ID in the UP reporting policy, the traffic feature and/or the service data flow corresponding to the application according to the priority of the UP reporting policy, and The matched service data flow uses the UP quota information corresponding to the UP reporting policy, and separately collects the detected service data flow information according to the UP reporting policy.
  • the charging quota usage information is reported when the control plane entity triggering condition is satisfied; the charging quota usage information is reported when the data plane entity triggering condition is satisfied; and the charging quota is satisfied when the data plane entity and the control plane entity triggering condition are simultaneously satisfied.
  • the charging device 900 refer to the description of the UP function entity in the foregoing embodiment, and details are not described herein again.
  • the charging device 900 provided by the implementation of the present invention has the control plane UP function, and receives the UP reporting policy and the UP quota information delivered by the control device CP function device under the network control and data flow forwarding separation architecture;
  • the quota information and the usage information of the UP reporting policy statistics quota and the service data flow information are reported to the CP, and the quota usage information of the UP reporting policy ID is reported to the CP, thereby realizing the online charging and control information and usage information under the CU separation architecture. Reported.
  • the embodiment of the present invention further provides a charging system 1000, which is applied to a network architecture separated by network control and data flow forwarding, with reference to FIG. 10, for performing all the foregoing method embodiments, where the charging system includes a control plane.
  • the CP function device 1001 (corresponding to the charging device 800 in the foregoing device embodiment) and the user plane UP function device 1002 (corresponding to the charging device 900 in the foregoing device embodiment) for executing the policy Controlling and charging rules function entity PCRF installed or activated charging rules; generating a user plane entity UP reporting policy according to the charging rules; requesting a quota required by the online charging system OCS according to the charging rules;
  • the quota issued by the OCS, the UP quota information is generated according to the quota; the association relationship between the UP reporting policy and the UP quota information is determined, and the indication is carried in the UP reporting policy and/or the UP quota information.
  • the user plane UP function device 1002 is configured to interact with the CP function device, and configured to receive an UP report policy and an UP quota information that are sent by the CP function device, according to the UP quota information and the UP report policy statistics.
  • the usage information of the UP quota is used to report the statistical UP quota usage information to the CP function device.
  • the charging system 1000 provided by the implementation of the present invention realizes online charging and control information and usage information under the CP and UP separation architectures through the division and cooperation of the CP function device and the UP function device under the network control and data flow forwarding separation architecture. Reported.
  • FIG. 11 illustrates a structure or implementation of a charging apparatus 1100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, which may be used to perform all the foregoing method embodiments.
  • the charging apparatus 1100 includes: at least one processor 1101 (for example, a CPU). At least one network interface 1105 or other communication interface, memory 1106, and at least one communication bus 1103 are used to effect connection communication between these devices.
  • the processor 1102 is configured to execute executable modules, such as computer programs, stored in the memory 1106.
  • the memory 1106 may include a high speed random access memory (RAM), and may also include a non-volatile memory such as at least one disk memory.
  • the communication connection between the system gateway and at least one other network element is implemented by at least one network interface 1105 (which may be wired or wireless), and may use an Internet, a wide area network, a local network, a metropolitan area network, or the like.
  • the memory 1106 stores a program 11061 that can be executed by the processor 1102.
  • This program includes:
  • the control plane entity CP performs a charging rule for the policy control and charging rule function entity PCRF installation or activation;
  • the CP requests a required quota from the online charging system OCS according to the charging rule
  • the CP establishes an association relationship between the UP reporting policy and the UP quota information, and carries a parameter indicating the association relationship in the UP reporting policy and/or the UP quota information, and sends the parameter to the UP And sending the UP reporting policy and the UP quota information.
  • the user plane entity UP receives the UP reporting policy and the UP quota information sent by the control plane entity CP.
  • the UP collects usage information of the UP quota according to the UP quota information and the UP reporting policy;
  • the UP reports the UP quota usage information to the CP.
  • the storage medium may be a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a read-only memory (ROM), or a random access memory (RAM).

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Abstract

本发明公开了一种计费方法，应用于网络控制和数据流转发分离的网络架构中，包括：控制面实体CP接收策略控制和计费规则功能实体PCRF下发的计费规则；所述CP根据所述计费规则生成用户面实体UP上报策略；所述CP向在线计费系统OCS请求所述计费规则中的费率组所需的配额；所述CP接收所述OCS下发的配额，根据所述配额生成UP配额信息；所述CP向所述UP下发生成的所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息，通过本发明实施例提供的方案，可以实现网络控制和数据流转发分离架构下的在线信用控制和计费。

Description

一种计费的方法、装置和系统
本申请要求于2016年9月21日提交中国专利局、申请号为201610839333.2、发明名称为“一种计费的方法、装置和系统”的中国专利申请，和要求于2016年9月14日提交中国专利局、申请号为201610826665.7、发明名称为“一种计费的方法、装置和系统”的中国专利申请的优先权，其全部内容通过引用结合在本申请中。
技术领域
本发明涉及通信技术领域，具体涉及一种应用于控制和数据流转发分离的网络架构中计费方法、计费装置和系统。
背景技术
第三代移动通信标准化伙伴项目(3rd Generation Partnership Project，简称3GPP)中定义了策略与计费控制(Policy and Charging Control，简称PCC)框架的架构图，其中包括：策略控制和计费规则功能实体(Policy Control and Charging Rules Function，PCRF)，(Policy and Charging Enforcement Funct ion，PCEF)，在线计费系统(Online Charging System，简称OCS)等。其中，PCRF主要用于确定用户的PCC规则，并将确定的PCC规则发送给策略和计费执行功能实体(Policy and Charging Enforcement Function，PCEF)。PCEF一般基于网关实现，可以连接多种接入网络。
目前在线计费的基本机制是：网关中的计费触发功能(CTF，Charging Trigger Function)完成配额申请、配额管理、配额使用监控，执行计费采集功能，在网关上检测所有的计费的触发事件/条件trigger(如用户位置变化，QoS变化等)的条件满足，位于网关装置中的PCEF会使用费率组信息向OCS申请预留信用授权，并在一定条件下向计费系统上报所收集的业务信息，OCS根据所上报的业务使用信息进行扣费。
当前的网络架构中，数据网关(例如：PDN Gateway,简称PGW)所在的位置过高，即数据网关为了配合计费、配合PCRF等，需要集中部署，离接入网比较远，也就离用户比较远，导致每一个数据包都要在网络中传输很长距离才能得到转发处理。在这样的情况下，3GPP提出了控制面和用户面(Control plane and User plane，简称CU，也称为数据面)分离的构想，即将数据网关拆分成用户面与控制面进行分离部署。具体的，用户面网关(User Plane Gateway,简称UGW)可以分布式部署，与传统网关(位置较高)相比可以下移到位置较低的地方，比如靠近接入网(Radio Access Network,简称RAN)。一些本地业务(服务器在本地)E2E的用户面传输可以全部在本地进行，无需经过骨干网，节省了很多传输时延。同时控制面网关仍然保留集中部署。这里的网关可以是4G核心网的PGW，也可以是5G核心网的数据网关。
在对现有技术的研究和实践过程中，发明人发现，在网络控制和数据流转发分离架构中，计费的执行功能无法在一个点完成，比如：触发条件分布在网络控制面实体和用户面 实体，配额的申请、配额的管理、数据流信息采集等均无法在一个点完成，所以面临多点协同执行计费的问题。
现有计费机制和计费方案无法满足网络控制和数据流转发分离架构下进行在线信用控制。
发明内容
本发明实施例提供了一种计费的方法、计费装置和系统，以解决现有计费机制和计费方案无法满足网络控制和数据流转发分离架构下进行在线信用控制问题。
第一方面，本发明实施例提供了一种计费方法，应用于网络控制和数据流转发分离的网络架构中，包括：控制面实体CP执行策略控制和计费规则功能实体PCRF安装或激活的计费规则；所述CP根据所述计费规则生成用户面实体UP上报策略；所述CP根据所述计费规则向在线计费系统OCS请求所需的配额；所述CP接收所述OCS下发的配额，根据所述配额生成UP配额信息；所述CP建立所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息的关联关系，并在所述UP上报策略和/或所述UP配额信息中携带指示所述关联关系的参数，并向所述UP下发所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息。
在一个可能的设计中，所述OCS下发的配额是为某一个或多个计费规则的费率组分配的配额，则所述CP关联该所述OCS下发的配额对应的UP配额信息和所述一个或多个计费规则对应的UP上报策略；或者，所述OCS下发的配额是为某一个或多个计费规则的费率组和业务标识分配的配额，则所述CP关联该OCS下发的配额对应的UP配额信息和所述一个或多个计费规则对应的UP上报策略；所述在所述UP上报策略和/或所述UP配额信息中携带指示所述关联关系的参数，具体包括：在所述UP上报策略中包括所使用的UP配额ID，或者，在所述UP配额信息中包括对应的UP上报策略标识，或者，同时在所述UP上报策略中包括所使用的UP配额ID，且在所述UP配额信息中包括对应的UP上报策略标识
在一个可能的设计中，所述CP为所述计费规则生成对应的UP上报策略，所述UP上报策略包括如下一个或多个的组合：上报策略ID、所述计费规则中的流特征和/或应用ID、生成的UP上报策略的优先级、CP的订阅事件、使用UP配额信息指示、所使用的UP配额ID，所述CP保存所述计费规则和所述UP上报策略的对应关系。
在一个可能的设计中，所述CP接收所述OCS下发的配额，根据所述OCS下发的配额生成UP配额信息，包括：所述CP为每个所述OCS下发的配额对应的生成一个UP配额信息；所述UP配额信息包括如下一个或多个：配额ID、配额类型、配额值、配额对应的用户面触发事件Trigger中的一个或多个，对应的UP上报策略标识；所述CP保存所述UP配额ID与所述OCS所下发的所述配额的对应关系。
在一个可能的设计中，所述OCS下发的配额包含时间或者事件分割点，所述UP配额信息还包括：所述一个或多个分割统计点，以便所述UP可以根据所述分割点区分使用配额并统计和上报使用信息。
在一个可能的设计中，确定所述OCS下发的配额为单个配额或者是配额池；若确定所述OCS下发的配额为单个配额，则所述CP为所述计费规则中的每个费率组生成一个UP配额信息，所述UP配额信息所包括的UP上报策略标识为所述费率组对应的一个或多个计费规则对应的所有UP上报策略；若确定所述OCS下发的配额为配额池，则所述CP为所述配额池中所有费率组生成一个UP配额信息，所述UP配额信息所包括的UP上报策略标识为所述配额池中的所有费率组对应的所有计费规则对应的所有UP上报策略。在一个可能的设计中，所述CP在生成UP上报策略或UP配额信息后，单独下发所生成的UP上报策略或UP配额信息，所述UP上报策略或UP配额信息与当前UP存在的UP配额信息或UP上报策略关联，或者不与任何当前UP存在的UP配额信息或UP上报策略关联，或者；所述CP向所述UP同时下发生成的所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息。
在一个可能的设计中，所述CP接收所述OCS下发的配额，根据所述配额生成UP配额信息之前，还包括：所述CP根据所述OCS返回的CCA消息确定是否向所述UP下发配额信息，具体的，若所述OCS下发配额为0，或者所述CCA返回错误消息，则不向所述UP下发配额信息；或者，若所述CP本身可以管理所述配额的使用，则不向所述UP下发配额信息。
在一个可能的设计中，所述CP向在线计费系统OCS请求所述计费规则中的费率组所需的配额之前，还包括：所述CP判断是否有所述计费规则的费率组可用的配额；若没有可用的配额，则所述CP向所述OCS请求所述计费规则中的费率组所需的配额；若有可用配额且该计费规则有对应的UP上报策略，则所述CP根据所述计费规则修改所述UP上报策略，并向UP下发更新的UP上报策略；若有可用配额且该计费规则无对应的UP上报策略，则所述CP为所述计费规则生成新的UP上报策略，并向UP下发所述新的UP上报策略。或者，所述CP为所述计费规则生成新的UP上报策略，同时为所述计费规则的费率组对应的UP配额信息生成更新的UP配额信息，该更新的UP配额信息包含该新的UP上报策略，并向UP下发所述新的UP上报策略和更新的UP配额信息。
在一个可能的设计中，所述CP接收UP上报的配额使用信息，根据保存的所述UP配额ID及OCS下发配额的对应关系，生成计费上报消息CCR，所述CCR包括：配额的费率组、每个UP上报策略ID对应的配额使用信息、控制面实体信息、CP面满足的Trigger，和/或UP面满足的Trigger。
在一个可能的设计中，所述CP接收UP上报的配额使用信息具体包括：CP检测到CP侧的第一计费触发事件发生，所述第一计费触发事件与第一配额信息对应；所述CP向UP发送第一请求消息，所述第一请求消息携带所述第一配额标识或所述第一配额对应的UP上报策略ID列表，请求所述UP报告所述所述第一配额的使用信息；所述CP接收所述UP返回的所述第一配额对应的使用信息，所述第一配额对应的使用信息包括所述第一配额标识，所述第一配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息、UP面当前满足的Trigger。
在一个可能的设计中，所述CP接收UP上报的配额使用信息具体包括：所述CP接收所述UP上报的第二配额对应的配额使用信息，所述第二配额对应的配额使用信息为所述 UP在检测到UP侧的第二计费触发事件发生后，向所述CP上报的所述第二计费触发事件对应的第二配额对应的使用信息，所述第二配额对应的使用信息包括所述第二配额标识，所述第二配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息、UP面当前满足的Trigger。
在一个可能的设计中，所述CP接收UP上报的配额使用信息具体包括：所述CP检测到第三配额对应的第三计费触发事件的发生，并向UP发送第二请求消息，请求上报第三配额的使用信息；所述CP接收所述UP上报的第三配额对应的配额使用信息，所述配额使用信息为所述UP在检测到UP侧的第四计费触发事件发生后，向所述CP上报的所述第三配额对应的配额使用信息，所述第三配额的使用信息包括所述第三配额标识，所述第三配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息；所述CP接收所述UP返回的所述第二请求消息的响应消息，所述响应消息中包含：所请求配额使用信息已上报的指示。
第二方面，本发明实施例提供一种计费方法，应用于网络控制和数据流转发分离的网络架构中，用户面实体UP接收控制面实体CP下发的UP上报策略和UP配额信息；所述UP根据所述UP配额信息和所述UP上报策略，统计所述UP配额的使用信息；所述UP向所述CP上报所述UP配额使用信息。
在一个可能的设计中，所述UP上报策略包括如下一个或多个的组合：所述上报策略ID、所述计费规则中的流特征和/或应用ID、生成的UP上报策略的优先级、CP的订阅事件、使用UP配额信息指示、所使用的UP配额ID；所述UP配额信息包括如下一个或多个：配额ID、配额类型、配额值、配额对应的用户面Trigger中的一个或多个，及对应的UP上报策略ID；所述UP根据所述UP配额信息和所述UP上报策略统计配额的使用信息和业务数据流信息，包括：所述UP根据所述UP上报策略中的流特征和/或应用ID，按照所述UP上报策略的优先级匹配所述流特征和/或应用对应的业务数据流，并为所匹配到的业务数据流使用所述UP上报策略对应的UP配额信息，并按照UP上报策略单独统计所述检测到的业务数据流信息。
在一个可能的设计中，所述UP根据所述UP上报策略中的使用UP配额信息指示或所使用的UP配额ID，确定该UP上报策略是用于在线计费。
在一个可能的设计中，所述UP在执行所述UP上报策略时，根据所述UP上报策略的“使用UP配额信息指示”参数确定所述UP上报策略用于在线计费，且所述UP上报策略没有关联的UP配额信息，则向所述CP请求关联的UP配额信息。
在一个可能的设计中，所述UP在检测到所述上报策略包含的CP的订阅事件出现，则向所述CP上报所述事件，所述上报消息不上报UP配额的使用信息。
在一个可能的设计中，所述UP根据所述UP上报策略中的“所使用的UP配额ID”参数建立所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息的关联关系；或者，所述UP根据所述UP配额信息包括的“对应的UP上报策略ID”参数建立所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息的关联关系；或者，所述UP根据所述UP上报策略中的“所使用的UP配额ID”参数和所述UP配额信息包括的“对应的UP上报策略ID”参数建立所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息的关联关系。
在一个可能的设计中，所述UP配额信息还包括：一个或多个分割统计点，则所述UP分开统计每个所述分割统计点前后的业务数据流信息。
在一个可能的设计中，所述UP接收到所述CP下发的UP上报策略的更新消息，或者UP配额信息的更新策略，按照新的UP上报策略和/或新的UP配额策略检测所述流特征和/或应用对应的业务数据流，并为所检测到的业务数据流使用所述更新的UP上报策略对应的UP配额信息，并按照所述新的UP上报策略统计所述检测到的业务数据流信息。
在一个可能的设计中，所述UP接收所述CP下发的第一请求消息，所述请求消息是CP检测到CP侧的第一计费触发事件发生后下发的，所述第一计费触发事件与第一配额信息对应，所述第一请求消息携带所述第一配额标识或所述第一配额对应的UP上报策略ID列表，请求所述UP报告所述所述第一配额的使用信息；所述UP向CP返回所述第一配额的使用信息，所述第一配额的使用信息包括所述第一配额标识，所述第一配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息。
在一个可能的设计中，所述UP向所述CP上报的第二配额对应的配额使用信息，所述第二配额对应的配额使用信息为所述UP在检测到UP侧的第二计费触发事件发生后，向所述CP上报的所述第二计费触发事件对应的第二配额对应的配额使用信息，所述第二配额的使用信息包括所述第二配额标识，所述第二配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息。
在一个可能的设计中，所述UP向CP上报所统计的UP上报策略ID的配额使用信息，具体包括：所述UP向所述CP上报第三配额对应的配额使用信息，所述配额使用信息为所述UP在检测到UP侧的第四计费触发事件发生后，向所述CP上报的所述第三配额对应的配额使用信息，所述第三配额的使用信息包括所述第三配额标识，所述第三配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息；所述UP接收所述CP发送的第二请求消息，所述第二请求消息为所述CP检测到第三配额对应的第三计费触发事件的发生，向UP发送第二请求消息，请求上报第三配额的使用信息；所述UP向所述CP返回的所述第二请求消息的响应消息，所述响应消息中包含：所请求配额使用信息已上报的指示。
第三方面，本发明提供了一种计费装置，应用于网络控制和数据流转发分离的网络架构中，所述计费装置为控制面CP功能装置，具体包括：策略生成单元，用于执行策略控制和计费规则功能实体PCRF安装或激活的计费规则，并根据所述计费规则生成用户面实体UP上报策略；配额信息生成单元，用于向在线计费系统OCS请求所述计费规则中的费率组所需的配额，接收所述OCS下发的配额，根据所述配额生成UP配额信息；发送单元，用于建立所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息的关联关系，并在所述UP上报策略和/或所述UP配额信息中携带指示所述关联关系的参数，并向所述UP下发所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息。
在一个可能的设计中，所述计费装置进一步包括：触发单元，用于检测到控制面侧的第一计费触发事件发生后，向用户面实体UP发送第一请求消息，所述请求消息携带第一配额标识或第一配额对应的UP上报策略ID列表，请求所述UP报告所述所述第一配额的 使用信息；所述第一计费触发事件与第一配额信息对应；接收单元，用于接收所述UP返回的所述第一配额对应的使用信息，所述第一配额对应的使用信息包括所述第一配额标识，所述第一配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息、UP面当前满足的Trigger；上报单元，用于根据UP上报的所述第一配额的使用信息，生成计费上报消息并发送给OCS。
在一个可能的设计中，所述计费装置进一步包括：接收单元，用于接收所述UP上报的第二配额对应的配额使用信息，所述第二配额对应的配额使用信息为所述UP在检测到UP侧的第二计费触发事件发生后，向所述CP上报的所述第二计费触发事件对应的第二配额对应的使用信息，所述第二配额对应的使用信息包括所述第二配额标识，所述第二配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息、UP面当前满足的Trigger。
在一个可能的设计中，所述计费装置进一步包括：触发单元，用于检测第三配额对应的第三计费触发事件的发生，并向UP发送第二请求消息，请求上报第三配额的使用信息；接收单元，用于接收所述UP上报的第三配额对应的配额使用信息，所述配额使用信息为所述UP在检测到UP侧的第四计费触发事件发生后，向所述CP上报的所述第三配额对应的配额使用信息，所述第三配额的使用信息包括所述第三配额标识，所述第三配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息；所述接收单元还进一步用于接收所述UP返回的所述第二请求消息的响应消息，所述响应消息中包含：所请求配额使用信息已上报的指示。
第四方面，本发明提供了一种计费装置，应用于网络控制和数据流转发分离的网络架构中，所述计费装置为用户面UP功能装置，具体包括：接收单元，用于接收控制面CP功能装置下发的UP上报策略和UP配额信息；统计单元，用于根据所述UP配额信息和所述UP上报策略统计所述UP配额的使用信息；上报单元，用于向所述CP上报所述统计的UP配额使用信息。
在一个可能的设计中，所述UP上报策略包括如下一个或多个的组合：所述上报策略ID、所述计费规则中的流特征和/或应用ID、生成的UP上报策略的优先级、CP的订阅事件、使用UP配额信息指示、所使用的UP配额ID；所述UP配额信息包括如下一个或多个：配额ID、配额类型、配额值、配额对应的用户面Trigger中的一个或多个，及对应的UP上报策略ID；所述统计单元进一步用于根据所述UP上报策略中的流特征和/或应用ID，按照所述UP上报策略的优先级匹配所述流特征和/或应用对应的业务数据流，并为所匹配到的业务数据流使用所述UP上报策略对应的UP配额信息，并按照UP上报策略单独统计所述检测到的业务数据流信息。
在一个可能的设计中，所述接收单元进一步用于接收所述CP下发的第一请求消息，所述请求消息是CP检测到CP侧的第一计费触发事件发生后下发的，所述第一计费触发事件与第一配额信息对应，所述第一请求消息携带所述第一配额标识或所述第一配额对应的UP上报策略ID列表，请求所述UP报告所述所述第一配额的使用信息；所述上报单元进一步用于向CP返回所述第一配额的使用信息，所述第一配额的使用信息包括所述第一配额 标识，所述第一配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息。
第五方面，本发明提供了一种计费系统，应用于网络控制和数据流转发分离的网络架构中，所述计费系统包含用户面UP功能装置以及控制面CP功能装置,所述CP功能装置用于执行策略控制和计费规则功能实体PCRF安装或激活的计费规则；根据所述计费规则生成用户面实体UP上报策略；根据所述计费规则向在线计费系统OCS请求所需的配额；接收所述OCS下发的配额，根据所述配额生成UP配额信息；建立所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息的关联关系，并在所述UP上报策略和/或所述UP配额信息中携带指示所述关联关系的参数，并向所述UP功能装置下发所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息；所述用户面UP功能装置用于和所述CP功能装置交互，用于接收CP功能装置下发的UP上报策略和UP配额信息，根据所述UP配额信息和所述UP上报策略统计所述UP配额的使用信息，向所述CP功能装置上报所述统计的UP配额使用信息。
第六方面，本发明实施例提供了一种计费装置，该计费装置具有实现上述方法实施例的功能，所述功能可以通过硬件实现，也可以通过硬件执行相应的软件实现。所述硬件或软件包括一个或多个与上述功能相对应的单元或者模块。
在一个可能的设计中，计费装置的结构中包括处理器和存储器，所述存储器用于存储支持计装置执行上述方法的应用程序代码，所述处理器被配置为用于执行所述存储器中存储的应用程序。所述计费装置还可以包括通信接口，用于计费装置与其他设备或通信网络通信。
第七方面，本发明实施例提供了一种计算机存储介质，用于储存为上述计费装置所用的计算机软件指令，其包含用于执行上述方面为计费装置所设计的程序。
本发明中，控制面实体，用户面实体，控制面功能装置，用户面功能装置，计费装置或者计费系统等名字以及下属单元的名字，对设备本身不构成限定，在实际实现中，这些设备或者单元可以以其他名称出现。只要各个设备的功能和本发明类似，属于本发明权利要求及其等同技术的范围之内。
相较于现有技术，本发明提供的方案实现了网络控制和数据流转发分离架构下进行在线信控，使得计费可以支撑网络的优化部署，实现优化部署下数据业务的精准计费，提高网络效率和用户体验。
附图说明
为了更清楚地说明本发明实施例中的技术方案，下面将对实施例描述中所需要使用的附图作简单地介绍，显而易见地，下面描述中的附图仅仅是本发明的一些实施例，对于本领域普通技术人员来讲，在不付出创造性劳动性的前提下，还可以根据这些附图获得其他的附图。
图1为现有技术提供的策略和计费控制系统结构图；
图2为在线计费的基本机制流程图；
图3为一种网络控制和数据流转发分离架构的示意图；
图4为本发明实施例提供的CU分离架构下的计费架构示意图；
图5为本发明实施例提供的一种UP上报策略生成和计费配额申请流程图；
图6为本发明实施例提供的一种CP触发条件满足时计费配额使用信息上报流程图；
图7为本发明实施例提供的一种UP触发条件满足时计费配额使用信息上报流程图；
图8为本发明实施例提供的一种计费装置800示意图；
图9为发明实施例提供的一种计费装置900示意图；
图10为发明实施例提供的一种计费系统1000示意图；
图11为本发明实施例提供的一种计费装置示意图。
具体实施方式
下面将结合本发明实施例中的附图，对本发明实施例中的技术方案进行清楚、完整地描述，显然，所描述的实施例仅仅是本发明一部分实施例，而不是全部的实施例。基于本发明中的实施例，本领域普通技术人员在没有作出创造性劳动前提下所获得的所有其他实施例，都属于本发明保护的范围。
如图1所示，是3GPP定义的PCC架构图，包括：PCRF，PCEF，TDF和OCS。PCRF主要用于确定用户的PCC规则或者ADC规则，并将确定的PCC规则通过Gx接口发给PCEF执行，将确定的ADC规则通过Sd接口下发给TDF执行。PCC规则或ADC规则包括控制策略和计费策略，控制策略包括：服务质量(Quality of Service，QoS)参数、门控、重定向等；计费策略包括：计费键值、计费方式、计费系统地址、度量方式等。PCEF主要负责执行PCRF激活的PCC规则(包括动态PCC规则或静态PCC规则)，PCEF一般部署在网络中的分组数据网关上，TDF主要负责执行PCRF激活的ADC规则(包括动态ADC规则或静态ADC规则)，后续描述以PCEF为例，TDF实现类似。
参考附图2，目前在线计费的基本机制为，在线计费触发点CTF(这里以PCEF为例)完成配额申请、配额使用监控，执行计费采集功能，检测所有的计费触发事件trigger(如用户位置变化，QoS变化等)的条件是否满足。其基本机制为：位于网关装置中的PCEF使用费率组向OCS申请配额(quota)，并在一定条件下向计费系统上报配额使用情况及所收集的业务信息，OCS根据所上报的配额使用情况及业务使用信息进行扣费。PCEF会根据PCRF下发的计费粒度(分为两种粒度：SERVICE_IDENTIFIER_LEVEL或RATING_GROUP_LEVEL)使用配额并收集业务信息，并在一定条件下向计费系统上报配额使用情况及所收集的业务信息以进行扣费，如果计费粒度为RATING_GROUP_LEVEL，则PCEF必须为每个费率组上报业务使用信息，如果计费粒度为SERVICE_IDENTIFIER_LEVEL，则PCEF必须为每个费率组和业务标识上报业务使用信息。上报计费信息的计费触发事件包括(以在线计费为例)：业务开始、业务停止、授权的配额用完、授权的配额过期、OCS要求重授权、OCS下发的 触发事件满足等等。
参考附图3，是一种网络控制和数据流转发分离架构的示意图，从附图3可以看出，网关装置PDN-Gateway分成了两部分，分别是PDN Gateway-C和PDN Gateway-U,或者称之为CP实体和UP实体，分别处理控制面和用户面的相关数据，图中点划线表示控制面数据，实线表示用户面数据，分离后的两个网元通过Sxb接口连接。
本发明实施例以上述PDN-Gateway CU分离架构为例说明，本发明实施例对用户面网关位置下移的部署形态不做限定，其他形态的网关位置下移也可以利用本发明实施例提供的方案。
在例如图3中所示的网络控制和数据流转发分离(即CU分离)架构下，本发明实施例提出的计费总体架构如附图4所示，其中包括下面定义的功能实体：
CCF(Charging Collection Function，信息采集功能实体)，这里的CCF位于CU分离后的数据网关的用户面UP实体中，可以更接近接入网侧，负责和CTF实体交互完成配额的使用及业务数据流信息采集(包括触发条件管理、配额有效期管理、配额使用监控、数据流信息采集等)。
CTF(Charging Trigger Function，计费触发功能实体)，这里的CTF位于CU分离后的数据网关的控制面CP实体中，负责和OCS建立在线计费会话，申请配额(时间、流量、业务特定配额单元等)，是在线计费会话的端点，并负责和UP交互完成配额的使用及业务数据流信息采集(包括触发条件管理、配额分发等)；
OCS：Online Charging System，在线计费系统，负责和本发明实施例的CTF建立在线计费会话，执行配额授权，是在线计费会话的端点，同时基于CTF上报的计费信息进行扣减账户余额。
本发明实施例中，以CP实体(或CP)作为CTF实体，UP实体(或UP)作为CCF实体进行说明。
用户面实体的触发事件Trigger可以包括：数据流相关的Trigger，如：数据流对应配额的过期、规定阈值内无数据流传输、数据流开始、数据流结束等；
控制面实体的触发事件Trigger可以包括：非数据流相关的Trigger，如：QoS改变，RAT Type改变，Location改变等。
基于上述CU分离的网络架构以及本发明实施例定义的CP和UP功能实体，通过CP和UP在计费过程中的分工和配合，可以实现CU分离的网络架构下的在线计费和信用控制。
本发明实施例描述的网络架构以及业务场景是为了更加清楚的说明本发明实施例的技术方案，并不构成对于本发明实施例提供的技术方案的限定，本领域普通技术人员可知，随着网络架构的演变和新业务场景的出现，本发明实施例提供的技术方案对于类似的技术问题，同样适用。
本发明实施例一：UP上报策略生成和计费配额申请；该实施例主要描述在网络控制和数据流转发分离架构下，具体的，在前述实施例附图4描述的网络架构下，利用前述实施例中定义的UP和CP实体，来执行的一种UP上报策略生成和计费配额申请方法。具体流程参考附图5所示，方法描述如下：
步骤500：控制面实体CP执行策略控制和计费规则功能实体PCRF安装或激活的计费规则；
数据连接建立时或者建立后，PCRF根据CP上报的信息或者OCS上报的信息等进行策略决策，以确定要安装/激活的PCC rule(PCC规则)，并向CP下发命令安装/激活该PCC rule，CP执行该PCC rule。该PCC rule可以是PCRF下发安装的动态PCC rule，或者是PCRF激活的存储在CP的静态PCC rule。
这里的计费规则可以是一个或多个。
其中，PCC rule包含计费参数，计费参数指PCC rule中用于计费的参数，每个计费PCC rule都有标识ID，并包括一组计费参数，包括：Rating Group，Charging method，Measurement method，Reporting Level、优先级等。其中，多个计费规则可能会包含相同的费率组，也就是说，一个费率组可能对应一个或多个计费规则。
本申请中的计费规则可以指PCC rule包含的计费参数组，或者可以指PCC rule本身，由于PCC rule和其包含的计费参数是1:1的，所以计费规则理解为二者任何一个都不影响本发明方案实施。
步骤501：CP根据所述计费规则生成或修改用户面实体UP上报策略；
UP上报策略用于CP指示UP：如何统计业务流信息(例如，哪些业务数据流信息统计在一起)，以及如何向CP上报所统计的业务数据流信息；
CP根据计费规则生成或修改UP上报策略具体为：
若该计费规则为新的计费规则，则为每个计费规则(该计费规则中包含一个向计费系统上报的粒度Reporting Level)生成一个对应的UP上报策略。UP上报策略至少包括以下参数中的一个或多个：上报策略ID(唯一标识该UP上报策略)、计费规则中的流特征和/或应用ID(应用ID用于通过深度包检测识别应用)、UP上报策略的优先级、CP的订阅事件、使用UP配额信息指示、所使用的UP配额ID。其中，若UP配额信息包括了“该配额对应的一个或多个UP上报策略标识”参数，则意味着UP上报策略可以关联到该UP配额信息，则该UP上报策略可以不携带“所使用的UP配额ID”参数，UP根据UP配额信息包括的“该配额对应的一个或多个UP上报策略标识”参数建立UP上报策略和UP配额信息的关联关系。或者，若该UP上报策略携带了“所使用的UP配额ID”参数，UP配额信息也包括“该配额对应的一个或多个UP上报策略标识”参数，UP根据该UP上报策略中的“所使用的UP配额ID”参数和UP配额信息中的“该配额对应的一个或多个UP上报策略标识”建立UP上报策略和UP配额信息的关联关系。
其中，该优先级对应计费规则中的优先级，该优先级用于业务数据流匹配到对应的UP 上报策略和UP配额，进而进行配额的使用。
其中，参数“使用UP配额信息指示”、“所使用的UP配额ID”可以同时存在，或者只使用其中某一个。若同时存在，则UP根据“使用UP配额信息指示”确定该UP上报策略是否用于在线计费(即：是否要关联到某一配额，并基于该配额进行控制业务数据流是否允许通过)，根据“所使用的UP配额ID”确定所要使用的配额。若使用其中某一个，当使用“所使用的UP配额ID”时，若该UP上报策略包含UP配额ID，则UP确定为用于在线计费，当使用“使用UP配额信息指示”时，其值可以是布尔型值，则当该参数的值为真或假时，UP确定为用于在线计费。若确定为用于在线计费，则根据其关联UP配额信息进行业务流统计，并在无关联配额(如已上报，或者CP还未授予配额)或者关联配额用完时，暂停数据流传输，可选的，向CP申请对应配额。若确定为用于离线计费，则根据该UP上报策略直接进行业务数据流使用信息统计，该统计不会影响业务数据流的传输。
其中，CP可以向UP下发CP的订阅事件，以便UP在检测到事件发生时向CP上报该事件(以表示该事件出现)，此时可以不上报配额使用信息，仅仅是上报该事件，CP根据该事件进行配额管理。例如：在某些场景下，CP可以在数据流开始时才进行配额申请，则CP可以在UP上报策略中下发“数据流开始”事件，UP在检测到该UP上报策略对应数据流开始，上报该事件给CP，则CP根据该事件向OCS申请配额。这里的CP的订阅事件不同于UP面Trigger，UP面Trigger用于触发配额的使用上报，而该CP的订阅事件只用于通知CP所述事件出现，不影响配额使用，不会触发该UP上报策略对应的配额使用信息上报。
UP在执行该UP上报策略时，在根据“使用UP配额信息指示”确定需要配额时，但当前无可用UP配额(即：当前UP没有改UP上报策略关联的UP配额信息)，则可以向CP请求该UP上报策略关联的UP配额，CP根据该请求进行配额分配，如：向OCS申请新配额并下发，或者修改该UP上报策略以关联到某一已有配额上。
CP保存计费规则和UP上报策略的对应关系，例如，保存计费规则ID和UP上报策略ID的对应关系。
若该计费规则为已有计费规则的更新，则找到该计费规则对应的UP上报策略，并根据该计费规则中的信息修改对应的UP上报策略。
CP生成的UP上报策略示例如下：
上报策略ID
Flow Information(业务流信息)
Application ID(应用标识)
Precedence(优先级)
Event(CP的订阅事件)
OnlineControl(使用UP配额信息指示)
Quota ID(所使用的UP配额ID)
步骤502：CP根据所述计费规则向在线计费系统OCS请求所需的配额；
具体的，CP根据执行的一个或多个计费规则，向OCS申请所述计费规则中费率组对应的配额。所述计费规则对应的业务数据流属于同一个CP和OCS间计费会话。
具体的，CP判断是否有该计费规则中费率组可用的配额，若没有，则CP根据计费规则向OCS为计费规则中的费率组申请配额，执行步骤503-504；若有，则执行步骤505；
具体的，CP确定该计费规则对应的Gy会话的粒度，若Gy会话粒度为IP-CAN Bearer粒度，则CP判断该IP-CAN Bearer上是否有该费率组可用的配额；若会话粒度为IP-CAN Sess ion粒度，则CP判断该IP-CAN Sess ion上是否有该费率组可用的配额。一般来说，配额是归属某个Gy会话的配额，所以判断是否有可用的配额，需要在对应的Gy会话中找。
步骤503：CP接收所述OCS下发的配额，根据所述OCS下发的配额生成UP配额信息；
UP配额信息用于UP对业务数据流的使用限额进行控制。
可选的，生成UP配额信息之前，CP可以根据OCS返回的CCA消息确定是否向UP下发配额信息，具体方法如下：
–如果OCS通过CCA消息，下发配额为0或者返回错误消息，则不向UP下发，即：不生成UP配额信息；
–如果所述CP本身可以管理该配额的使用(即：CP具备该配额的使用功能)，则不向所述UP下发配额信息。例如：CP判断配额为连续的时间配额或CP侧事件的配额，则不向UP下发配额信息，由CP使用配额。
CP根据OCS下发的配额为UP生成配额信息具体为：CP为每个OCS下发的配额对应的生成一个UP配额信息。
该UP配额信息包括：配额ID(对应该Gy会话对应的计费规则中的该费率组)、配额类型(流量、时长、流量+时长等)、配额值、该配额对应的用户面Trigger中的一个或多个，及该配额对应的一个或多个UP上报策略标识。其中，若UP上报策略携带了“所使用的UP配额ID”参数，则意味着UP上报策略可以关联到该UP配额信息，则该UP配额信息可以不包括“该配额对应的一个或多个UP上报策略标识”参数，UP根据UP上报策略中的“所使用的UP配额ID”参数建立UP上报策略和UP配额信息的关联关系。或者，若UP上报策略携带了“所使用的UP配额ID”参数，该UP配额信息也包括“该配额对应的一个或多个UP上报策略标识”参数，UP根据UP上报策略中的“所使用的UP配额ID”参数和该UP配额信息中的“该配额对应的一个或多个UP上报策略标识”建立UP上报策略和UP配额信息的关联关系。
该配额对应的用户面Trigger包括如下信息中的一个或多个的组合：OCS下发的配额有对应的配额使用参数(如：Quota-Consumption-Time配额统计间隔、 Time-Quota-Mechanism配额使用统计方法、Quota-Holding-Time配额有效期、Time-Quota-Threshold时间配额消费阈值、Volume-Quota-Threshold流量配额消费阈值等)，或者CP根据本地配置确定需要向UP下发配配额使用参数。
若OCS下发的配额包含时间或者事件分割点，如：费率切换点、一些不需要实时上报的Trigger事件，则该UP配额信息还包括：一个或多个分割统计点，该分割统计点可以是时间或事件，用于UP面根据该分割点区分使用配额并统计和上报使用信息。
CP保存UP配额ID及OCS所下发配额的对应关系。
其中，CP确定该配额对应的一个或多个UP上报策略标识的方法为：所述OCS下发的配额是为某一个或多个计费规则的费率组分配的配额，则所述CP关联该OCS下发的配额对应的UP配额信息和所述一个或多个计费规则对应的UP上报策略；或者，所述OCS下发的配额是为某一个或多个计费规则的费率组和业务标识分配的配额，则所述CP关联该OCS下发的配额对应的UP配额信息和所述一个或多个计费规则对应的UP上报策略，即：CP只关联该UP配额信息到该业务标识对应的计费规则对应的UP上报策略。具体的，CP首先根据配额请求确定该OCS下发的配额对应的计费规则，然后根据保存的计费规则和UP上报策略的对应关系，确定对应的UP上报策略。
其中，CP从OCS下发的Trigger中，分离CP面Trigger和UP面Trigger，并将UP面Trigger包含在UP配额信息中。
若OCS下发的单个配额(即每个配额只用于该Gy会话中某个费率组)，则CP为每个费率组生成一个UP配额信息，该UP配额信息所包括的UP上报策略标识为该费率组对应的一个或多个计费规则对应的所有UP上报策略；
若OCS下发的是配额池(即：OCS为多个费率组分配一个配额)，该配额池对应该Gy会话中多个计费规则(多个费率组)，则CP为该费率池多个费率组生成一个UP配额信息，该UP配额信息所包括的UP上报策略标识为该多个计费规则对应的所有UP上报策略。
CP生成的UP配额信息示例：
Quota-ID        (配额ID)
Quota        (配额参数)
分割统计点(一个或者多个，时间或事件，用于UP面根据该分割时间或事件点区分使用配额并统计和上报使用信息)
CC-Time(时间配额)
CC-Total-Octets(流量配额)
CC-Input-Octets(上行流量配额)
CC-Output-Octets(下行流量配额)
UP上报策略ID(1个或多个)
UP Trigger(1个或多个)
步骤504：CP确定(或建立)所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息的关联关系，并在所述UP上报策略和/或所述UP配额信息中携带指示所述关联关系的参数，并向UP下发UP上报策略和/或UP配额信息。
CP确定(或建立)所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息的关联关系的方法具体可以是：所述OCS下发的配额是为某一个或多个计费规则的费率组分配的配额，则所述CP关联该OCS下发的配额对应的UP配额信息和所述一个或多个计费规则对应的UP上报策略；或者，所述OCS下发的配额是为某一个或多个计费规则的费率组和业务标识分配的配额，则所述CP关联该OCS下发的配额对应的UP配额信息和所述一个或多个计费规则对应的UP上报策略，即：CP只关联该UP配额信息到该业务标识对应的计费规则对应的UP上报策略。具体的，CP首先根据配额请求确定该OCS下发的配额对应的计费规则，然后根据保存的计费规则和UP上报策略的对应关系，确定对应的UP上报策略。
在所述UP上报策略和/或所述UP配额信息中携带指示所述关联关系的参数方法具体可以是：在UP上报策略中包括所使用的UP配额ID，或者，在UP配额信息中包括该UP配额信息对应的UP上报策略标识，或者，同时在UP上报策略中包括所使用的UP配额ID，且在UP配额信息中包括该UP配额信息对应的UP上报策略标识。
具体的，所述CP在生成UP上报策略或UP配额信息后，可以单独下发所生成的UP上报策略或UP配额信息，所述UP上报策略或UP配额信息与当前UP存在的UP配额信息或UP上报策略关联，或者不与任何当前UP存在的UP配额信息或UP上报策略关联，而是等待后续CP下发UP配额信息或UP上报策略后再进行关联；或者，UP上报策略和UP配额信息可以同时下发(例如：CP在根据计费规则生成或修改UP上报策略时，先保存该策略，然后等CP根据OCS下发的配额生成UP配额信息时一起下发)。
UP在接收到CP下发的UP上报策略和UP配额信息后，所述UP根据所述UP配额信息和所述UP上报策略统计配额的使用信息及业务数据流信息，并在上报条件满足时向CP上报所统计的UP上报策略ID的配额使用信息(具体参见下述实施例二、三、四)。具体的，UP根据所述UP上报策略中的流特征和/或应用ID，按照所述UP上报策略的优先级监测所述流特征和/或应用对应的业务数据流，并为所检测到的业务数据流使用所述UP上报策略对应的UP配额信息(根据UP上报策略和/或UP配额信息携带的关联信息确定该UP上报策略对应的UP配额信息)，并单独统计所述检测到的业务数据流信息。若所述UP配额信息还包括：所述一个或多个分割统计点，则所述UP分开统计每个所述分割统计点前后的业务数据流信息。若所述UP接收到所述CP下发的UP上报策略的更新消息，或者UP配额信息的更新策略，则按照新的UP上报策略的优先级和新的UP配额策略检测所述流特征和/或应用对应的业务数据流，并为所检测到的业务数据流使用所述更新的UP上报策略对应的UP配额信息，并按照所述新的UP上报策略统计所述检测到的业务数据流信息。其中，若CP向UP下发了CP的订阅事件，则UP检测该事件的发生，并在事件发生时向UP上报， 此时可以不上报配额使用信息，仅仅是上报该事件，以便UP在检测到事件发生时向CP上报，CP根据该事件进行配额管理。其中，UP在执行该上报策略时，在根据“使用UP配额信息指示”确定需要配额时，但当前无可用UP配额，则可以向CP请求配额。
说明：步骤503、步骤504可以多次执行，即没有步骤501、502时，也可以根据配额的使用情况(如配额用完)单独执行。
步骤505：若有可用配额且该计费规则有对应的UP上报策略，则CP根据计费规则修改UP上报策略，并向UP下发更新消息更新对应的UP上报策略；若有可用配额且该计费规则无对应的UP上报策略，则CP为该计费规则生成新的UP上报策略，并向UP下发所述新的UP上报策略(用于UP配额信息中不包含所使用的UP配额ID参数情况)。或者，所述CP为所述计费规则生成新的UP上报策略，同时为该计费规则的费率组对应的UP配额信息生成更新的UP配额信息，该更新的UP配额信息包含该新的UP上报策略，并向UP下发该新的UP上报策略和更新的UP配额信息(用于UP配额信息中包含所使用的UP配额ID参数情况)。
进一步，若所述计费规则导致CP侧Trigger满足，则CP首先向OCS上报配额使用情况及收集的业务信息(具体上报方法参见实施例二)，并重新申请配额；
在步骤505中，CP向UP发送的UP配额信息中包含触发事件Trigger，触发事件满足时，UP向CP根据UP上报策略上报该配额的使用信息及采集的业务数据流信息。
本发明实施的方案，在网络控制和数据流转发分离架构下，通过CP根据PCRF激活的计费策略生成UP上报策略，以及根据OCS下发的配额确定是否向UP下发配额信息，进而生成UP配额信息，并建立UP上报策略和UP配额信息的关联，实现了CP和UP分离架构下在线计费信控和使用信息上报。
本发明实施例二：主要描述在网络控制和数据流转发分离架构下，具体的，可以是在前述实施例附图4描述的网络架构下，基于实施例一描述的方法下发UP配额信息及UP上报策略后，利用前述实施例中定义的CP和UP功能实体，来执行CP触发条件满足时，计费配额使用信息及业务数据流信息的上报方法，该实施例下，CP触发条件满足时，计费配额使用信息上报主流程如附图6所示，流程详细描述如下：
步骤601：CP检测CP面的触发事件；UP检测UP面的触发事件，并监控UP配额信息的使用；
步骤602：CP检测到CP侧某配额(如：第一配额信息)对应的触发事件Trigger(如：第一计费触发事件，所述第一计费触发事件与第一配额信息对应)满足，如：检测到用户Locat ion发生变化。这里也可以是CP接收到OCS下发重授权请求RAR触发；
步骤603：CP向UP下发Request消息(如：第一请求消息)，该请求消息携带该配额ID或者该配额对应的UP上报策略ID列表，请求上报该配额的使用信息；
步骤604：CP接收UP返回的所述第一配额对应的使用信息，所述第一配额对应的使用信息包括所述第一配额标识，所述第一配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息、UP面当前满足的Trigger。
具体的，UP获取该配额ID对应UP配额信息中配额的使用信息或者UP获取Request中携带的所有UP上报策略ID对应的使用信息，该使用信息分UP上报策略所定义的粒度统计,UP向CP回应Response消息，其中携带配额ID、所获取的该配额对应的配额使用信息、UP面满足的Trigger等。其中，配额使用信息包含UP上报策略ID及对应使用信息。
其中，若CP下发的UP配额信息中携带了分割统计点(一个或者多个，时间或事件，用于UP面根据该分割时间或事件点区分使用配额并统计和上报使用信息)，则UP上报的配额的使用信息包含分割时间点前和后的信息。
UP向CP上报的消息示例(配额相关部分)：
Quota-ID(如果Request使用了配额ID)
满足的Trigger(一个或多个)
Used-Quota-Value
UP上报策略ID1
UP上报策略ID1对应的Quota使用信息
分割指示(可选的，若CP下发了一个或多个分割统计点，该参数指示这里的使用信息是哪个分割统计点分段统计的信息)
Used-Quota-Value
UP上报策略ID2
UP上报策略ID2对应的Quota使用信息
分割指示(可选的，若CP下发了一个或多个分割统计点，该参数指示这里的使用信息是哪个分割统计点分段统计的信息)
步骤605：CP根据保存的UP配额ID及OCS下发配额的对应关系，生成计费上报消息CCR，CCR包括：配额的RG、每个UP上报策略ID对应的配额使用信息、控制面实体信息(如：用户位置、PLMN标识等)、CP面满足的Trigger、UP面满足的Tr igger(若有)，可选的，还可以携带UP的ID或地址；
步骤606：CP向OCS发送CCR上报计费信息，可选的，申请新配额。
OCS下发新配额后的步骤参见实施例一的步骤503-504。
本发明实施的方案，在网络控制和数据流转发分离架构下，通过由CP监控网络侧控制面实体的触发事件，并在检测到CP侧某配额对应的触发事件满足时，请求UP上报该事件对应的配额的使用信息并上报给OCS，实现了CU分离架构下的，控制面实体触发条件满 足时计费配额使用信息的收集和上报。
本发明实施例三：主要描述在网络控制和数据流转发分离架构下，具体的，可以是在前述实施例附图4描述的网络架构下，基于实施例一描述的方法下发UP配额信息及UP上报策略后，利用前述实施例中定义的UP和CP实体，来执行的用户面实体触发条件满足时计费配额使用信息上报方法，该实施例下，用户面实体触发条件满足时计费配额使用信息上报主流程如图7所示，流程描述如下：
步骤701：CP检测CP面的触发事件；UP检测UP面的触发事件，并监控UP配额信息的使用；
步骤702：UP检测到UP侧某配额(如：第二配额)对应的触发事件Trigger(如：第二计费触发事件)满足，如：检测到配额过期；UP获取该配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID对应的使用信息，该使用信息分UP上报策略所定义的粒度统计；
步骤703：UP向CP发送上报消息，其中携带配额ID、所获取的该配额对应的配额使用信息、UP面当前满足的Trigger等。其中，使用信息基于UP上报策略分别打包(即：UP上报策略ID及对应使用信息)；
其中，配额和UP上报策略ID的对应关系在CP下发的UP配额信息中定义。
其中，若CP下发的UP配额信息中携带了分割统计点(一个或者多个，时间或事件，用于UP面根据该分割时间或事件点区分使用配额并统计和上报使用信息)，则UP上报的配额的使用信息包含分割时间点前和后的信息。
UP向CP上报的消息示例(配额相关部分)：
Quota-ID(如果Request使用了配额ID)
满足的Trigger(一个或多个)
Used-Quota-Value
UP上报策略ID1
UP上报策略ID1对应的Quota使用信息
分割指示(可选的，若CP下发了一个或多个分割统计点，该参数指示这里的使用信息是哪个分割统计点分段统计的信息)
Used-Quota-Value
UP上报策略ID2
UP上报策略ID2对应的Quota使用信息
分割指示(可选的，若CP下发了一个或多个分割统计点，该参数指示这里的使用信息是哪个分割统计点分段统计的信息)
步骤704：CP根据UP上报策略ID与计费规则的对应关系，生成计费上报消息CCR，CCR包括：配额的RG、每个UP上报策略ID对应的配额使用信息、控制面实体信息(如：用户位置、PLMN标识等)、UP面满足的Trigger、CP面满足的Trigger(若有)，可选的，还可以携带UP的ID或地址；
步骤705：CP向OCS发送CCR上报计费信息，可选的，申请新配额；
步骤706：OCS通过CCA消息下发配额。
OCS下发新配额后的步骤可以参见实施例一的步骤503-504。
本发明实施的方案，在网络控制和数据流转发分离架构下，通过由位于用户面实体中的UP监控用户面实体的触发事件，并在检测到UP侧某配额对应的触发事件满足时，向对应的CP上报该事件对应的配额的使用信息，实现了CU分离架构下的，用户面实体触发条件满足时计费配额使用信息的收集和上报。
本发明实施例四：主要描述在网络控制和数据流转发分离架构下，具体的，可以是在前述实施例附图2描述的网络架构下，基于实施例一描述的方法下发UP配额信息及UP上报策略后，利用前述实施例中定义的UP和CP实体，来执行的用户面实体和控制面实体的触发条件同时满足时计费配额使用信息上报方法。
若CP和UP同时检测到对应配额(如：第三配额)的Trigger满足，如：CP面检测到用户Location变化，同时UP面检测到配额过期，则CP面触发“CP会下发请求要求UP上报计费信息”，同时UP面触发“UP向CP上报计费信息”。这里的“同时”指：CP检测到CP Trigger(如：第三计费触发事件)满足，在UP还没有接收到CP为该CP Trigger下发的Request消息(如：第二请求消息)之前，UP也检测到UP Trigger(如：第四计费触发事件)满足，则视为同时，或者，UP检测到UP Trigger(如：第四计费触发事件)满足，但CP还没有接收到UP为该Trigger发送的上报消息之前，CP也检测到CP Trigger满足(如：第三计费触发事件)，则视为同时，并不一定是严格的同一时刻。
在上述情况下：UP主动向CP上报该配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID对应的使用信息，CP在接收到UP上报的信息后(携带配额ID、所获取的该配额对应的配额使用信息、UP面满足的Trigger等)，直接生成计费上报消息CCR，CCR包括：配额的RG、每个UP上报策略ID对应的配额使用信息、控制面实体信息(如：用户位置、PLMN标识等)、CP面满足的Trigger、UP面满足的Trigger，可选的，还可以携带UP的ID或地址；
同时，CP向UP下发Request消息(如：第二请求消息)，请求上报该配额的使用信息，UP在接收到CP的该请求消息后，由于已经向CP主动发送了计费信息，此时没有进一步信息可供上报，则返回Response(如：第二请求消息的响应消息)给CP，该Response消息不携带配额的使用信息，而是携带已上报指示；
本发明实施的方案，在网络控制和数据流转发分离架构下，UP监控用户面实体的触发事件，CP监控控制面实体的触发事件，通过适当的交互安排，实现了用户面实体和控制面 实体的触发条件同时满足时计费配额使用信息上报方法。
本发明实施例还提供了一种计费装置800，参考附图8，应用于网络控制和数据流转发分离的网络架构中，用于执行前述实施例中控制面实体的方法，该计费装置为控制面CP功能装置，参考附图8，包括：
策略生成单元801，用于执行策略控制和计费规则功能实体PCRF安装或激活的计费规则，并根据所述计费规则生成用户面实体UP上报策略；
配额信息生成单元802，用于向在线计费系统OCS请求所述计费规则中的费率组所需的配额，接收所述OCS下发的配额，根据所述配额生成UP配额信息；
发送单元803，用于确定所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息的关联关系，并在所述UP上报策略和/或所述UP配额信息中携带指示所述关联关系的参数，并向所述UP下发所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息。
在控制面实体触发条件满足时计费配额使用信息上报的情况下，如附图8所示，所述计费装置800进一步包括：
触发单元804，用于检测到控制面侧的第一计费触发事件发生后，向用户面实体UP发送第一请求消息，所述请求消息携带第一配额标识或第一配额对应的UP上报策略ID列表，请求所述UP报告所述所述第一配额的使用信息；所述第一计费触发事件与第一配额信息对应；
接收单元805，用用于接收所述UP返回的所述第一配额对应的使用信息，所述第一配额对应的使用信息包括所述第一配额标识，所述第一配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息、UP面当前满足的Trigger；
上报单元806，用于根据UP上报的所述第一配额的使用信息，生成计费上报消息并发送给OCS。
在数据面实体触发条件满足时计费配额使用信息上报的情况下，所述计费装置800进一步包括(附图8中未示出)，接收单元，用于接收所述UP上报的第二配额对应的配额使用信息，所述第二配额对应的配额使用信息为所述UP在检测到UP侧的第二计费触发事件发生后，向所述CP上报的所述第二计费触发事件对应的第二配额对应的使用信息，所述第二配额对应的使用信息包括所述第二配额标识，所述第二配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息、UP面当前满足的Trigger。
在数据面实体和控制面实体的触发条件同时满足时的情况下，所述计费装置800进一步包括(附图8中未示出)，
触发单元，用于检测第三配额对应的第三计费触发事件的发生，并向UP发送第二请求消息，请求上报第三配额的使用信息；
接收单元，用于接收所述UP上报的第三配额对应的配额使用信息，所述配额使用信 息为所述UP在检测到UP侧的第四计费触发事件发生后，向所述CP上报的所述第三配额对应的配额使用信息，所述第三配额的使用信息包括所述第三配额标识，所述第三配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息；
所述接收单元还进一步用于接收所述UP返回的所述第二请求消息的响应消息，所述响应消息中包含：所请求配额使用信息已上报的指示。
本发明实施提供的计费装置800，具备控制面CP功能，在网络控制和数据流转发分离架构下，根据PCRF激活的计费策略中的计费规则，生成UP上报策略，以及根据OCS下发的配额生成UP配额信息，并将上报策略和UP配额信息下发给UP，实现了CP和UP在CU分离架构下的交互，通过建立UP上报策略和UP配额信息的关联，实现了CU分离架构下在线计费信控和使用信息上报，并且在各种触发条件不同的情况下，给出了对应的额配额使用信息的收集和上报方法，实现了计费的灵活性。
本发明实施例还提供了一种计费装置900，参考附图9，应用于网络控制和数据流转发分离的网络架构中，用于执行前述实施例中用户面实体的方法，该计费装置为UP功能装置，一般位于CU分离后，比较靠近接入网的网关设备中，包括：
接收单元901，用于接收控制面CP功能装置下发的UP上报策略和UP配额信息；
统计单元902，用于根据所述UP配额信息和所述UP上报策略统计所述UP配额的使用信息；
上报单元903，用于向所述CP上报所述统计的UP配额的使用信息。
所述UP上报策略包括如下一个或多个的组合：所述上报策略ID、所述计费规则中的流特征和/或应用ID、生成的UP上报策略的优先级、CP的订阅事件、使用UP配额信息指示、所使用的UP配额ID；
所述UP配额信息包括如下一个或多个：配额ID、配额类型、配额值、配额对应的用户面Trigger中的一个或多个，及对应的UP上报策略ID。
所述统计单元902进一步用于根据所述UP上报策略中的流特征和/或应用ID，按照所述UP上报策略的优先级匹配所述流特征和/或应用对应的业务数据流，并为所匹配到的业务数据流使用所述UP上报策略对应的UP配额信息，并按照UP上报策略单独统计所述检测到的业务数据流信息。
对于在控制面实体触发条件满足时计费配额使用信息上报；在数据面实体触发条件满足时计费配额使用信息上报；以及在数据面实体和控制面实体的触发条件同时满足时的计费配额使用信息上报的情形下，计费装置900的功能，可以参考前述实施例中涉及UP功能实体的说明，在此不再赘述。
本发明实施提供的计费装置900，具备控制面UP功能，在网络控制和数据流转发分离架构下，通过接收控制面CP功能装置下发的UP上报策略和UP配额信息；并根据所述UP 配额信息和所述UP上报策略统计配额的使用信息和业务数据流信息，并向CP上报所述统计的UP上报策略ID的配额使用信息，实现了CU分离架构下在线计费信控和使用信息上报。
本发明实施例还提供了一种计费系统1000，参考附图10，应用于网络控制和数据流转发分离的网络架构中，用于执行前述所有方法实施例，所述计费系统包含控制面CP功能装置1001(对应于前述装置实施例中的计费装置800)以及用户面UP功能装置1002(对应于前述装置实施例中的计费装置900)，所述CP功能装置1001用于执行策略控制和计费规则功能实体PCRF安装或激活的计费规则；根据所述计费规则生成用户面实体UP上报策略；根据所述计费规则向在线计费系统OCS请求所需的配额；接收所述OCS下发的配额，根据所述配额生成UP配额信息；确定所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息的关联关系，并在所述UP上报策略和/或所述UP配额信息中携带指示所述关联关系的参数，并向所述UP功能装置下发所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息；
所述用户面UP功能装置1002用于和所述CP功能装置交互，用于接收CP功能装置下发的UP上报策略和UP配额信息，根据所述UP配额信息和所述UP上报策略统计所述UP配额的使用信息，向所述CP功能装置上报所述统计的UP配额使用信息。
本发明实施提供的计费系统1000，在网络控制和数据流转发分离架构下，通过CP功能装置和UP功能装置的分工和交互，实现了CP和UP分离架构下在线计费信控和使用信息上报。
附图11描述了本发明实施例提供的计费装置1100的一种结构或者实现方式，可以用于用于执行前述所有方法实施例，该计费装置1100包括：至少一个处理器1101(例如CPU)，至少一个网络接口1105或者其他通信接口，存储器1106，和至少一个通信总线1103，用于实现这些装置之间的连接通信。处理器1102用于执行存储器1106中存储的可执行模块，例如计算机程序。存储器1106可能包含高速随机存取存储器(RAM：Random Access Memory)，也可能还包括非不稳定的存储器(non-volatile memory)，例如至少一个磁盘存储器。通过至少一个网络接口1105(可以是有线或者无线)实现该系统网关与至少一个其他网元之间的通信连接，可以使用互联网，广域网，本地网，城域网等。
在一些实施方式中，存储器1106存储了程序11061，程序11061可以被处理器1102执行，这个程序包括：
控制面实体CP执行策略控制和计费规则功能实体PCRF安装或激活的计费规则；
所述CP根据所述计费规则生成用户面实体UP上报策略；
所述CP根据所述计费规则向在线计费系统OCS请求所需的配额；
所述CP接收所述OCS下发的配额，根据所述配额生成UP配额信息；
所述CP建立所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息的关联关系，并在所述UP上报策略和/或所述UP配额信息中携带指示所述关联关系的参数，并向所述UP下发所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息。
或者：
用户面实体UP接收控制面实体CP下发的UP上报策略和UP配额信息；
所述UP根据所述UP配额信息和所述UP上报策略，统计所述UP配额的使用信息；
所述UP向所述CP上报所述UP配额使用信息。
上述装置和系统内的各单元模块之间的信息交互、执行过程等内容，由于与本发明方法实施例一至四基于同一构思，具体内容可参见本发明方法实施例中的叙述，此处不再赘述。
本领域普通技术人员可以理解实现上述实施例方法中的全部或部分流程，是可以通过计算机程序来指令相关的硬件来完成，上述的程序可存储于一计算机可读取存储介质中，该程序在执行时，可包括如上述各方法的实施例的流程。其中，上述的存储介质可为磁碟、光盘、只读存储记忆体(ROM：Read-Only Memory)或随机存储记忆体(RAM：Random Access Memory)等。
本文中应用了具体实施例对本发明的原理及实施方式进行了阐述，以上实施例的说明只是用于帮助理解本发明的方法及其思想；同时，对于本领域的一般技术人员，依据本发明的思想，在具体实施方式及应用范围上均会有改变之处，综上所述，本说明书内容不应理解为对本发明的限制。

Claims (32)

  1. 一种计费方法，应用于网络控制和数据流转发分离的网络架构中，其特征在于，所述方法包括：
    控制面实体CP执行策略控制和计费规则功能实体PCRF安装或激活的计费规则；
    所述CP根据所述计费规则生成用户面实体UP上报策略；
    所述CP根据所述计费规则向在线计费系统OCS请求所需的配额；
    所述CP接收所述OCS下发的配额，根据所述配额生成UP配额信息；
    所述CP建立所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息的关联关系，并在所述UP上报策略和/或所述UP配额信息中携带指示所述关联关系的参数，并向所述UP下发所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息。
  2. 如权利要求1所述的方法，其特征在于，所述CP建立所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息的关联关系，具体包括：
    所述OCS下发的配额是为某一个或多个计费规则的费率组分配的配额，则所述CP关联所述OCS下发的配额对应的UP配额信息和所述一个或多个计费规则对应的UP上报策略；或者，所述OCS下发的配额是为某一个或多个计费规则的费率组和业务标识分配的配额，则所述CP关联该OCS下发的配额对应的UP配额信息和所述一个或多个计费规则对应的UP上报策略；
    所述在所述UP上报策略和/或所述UP配额信息中携带指示所述关联关系的参数，具体包括：
    在所述UP上报策略中包括所使用的UP配额ID，或者，在所述UP配额信息中包括对应的UP上报策略标识，或者，同时在所述UP上报策略中包括所使用的UP配额ID，且在所述UP配额信息中包括对应的UP上报策略标识。
  3. 如权利要求1或2中所述的方法，其特征在于，所述CP根据所述计费规则生成UP上报策略，包括：
    所述CP为所述计费规则生成对应的UP上报策略，所述UP上报策略包括如下一个或多个的组合：上报策略ID、所述计费规则中的流特征和/或应用ID、生成的UP上报策略的优先级、CP的订阅事件、使用UP配额信息指示、所使用的UP配额ID，
    所述CP保存所述计费规则和所述UP上报策略的对应关系。
  4. 如权利要求1或3所述的方法，其特征在于，所述CP接收所述OCS下发的配额，根据所述OCS下发的配额生成UP配额信息，包括：
    所述CP为每个所述OCS下发的配额对应的生成一个UP配额信息；
    所述UP配额信息包括如下一个或多个：配额ID、配额类型、配额值、配额对应的用户面触发事件Trigger中的一个或多个，对应的UP上报策略标识；
    所述CP保存所述UP配额ID与所述OCS所下发的所述配额的对应关系。
  5. 如权利要求1-4中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，
    所述OCS下发的配额包含时间或者事件分割点，所述UP配额信息还包括：所述一个或多个分割统计点，以便所述UP可以根据所述分割点区分使用配额并统计和上报使用信息。
  6. 如权利要求1-5中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，
    确定所述OCS下发的配额为单个配额或者是配额池；
    若确定所述OCS下发的配额为单个配额，则所述CP为所述计费规则中的每个费率组生成一个UP配额信息，所述UP配额信息所包括的UP上报策略标识为所述费率组对应的一个或多个计费规则对应的所有UP上报策略；
    若确定所述OCS下发的配额为配额池，则所述CP为所述配额池中所有费率组生成一个UP配额信息，所述UP配额信息所包括的UP上报策略标识为所述配额池中的所有费率组对应的所有计费规则对应的所有UP上报策略。
  7. 如权利要求1-6中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述CP向所述UP下发生成的所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息，包括：
    所述CP在生成UP上报策略或UP配额信息后，单独下发所生成的UP上报策略或UP配额信息，所述UP上报策略或UP配额信息与当前UP存在的UP配额信息或UP上报策略关联，或者不与任何当前UP存在的UP配额信息或UP上报策略关联，或者；
    所述CP向所述UP同时下发生成的所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息。
  8. 如权利要求1-7中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述CP接收所述OCS下发的配额，根据所述配额生成UP配额信息之前，还包括：
    所述CP根据所述OCS返回的CCA消息确定是否向所述UP下发配额信息，具体的，
    若所述OCS下发配额为0，或者所述CCA返回错误消息，则不向所述UP下发配额信息；或者，
    若所述CP本身可以管理所述配额的使用，则不向所述UP下发配额信息。
  9. 如权利要求1-8中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述CP向在线计费系统OCS请求所述计费规则中的费率组所需的配额之前，还包括：
    所述CP判断是否有所述计费规则的费率组可用的配额；
    若没有可用的配额，则所述CP向所述OCS请求所述计费规则中的费率组所需的配额；
    若有可用配额且该计费规则有对应的UP上报策略，则所述CP根据所述计费规则修改所述UP上报策略，并向UP下发更新的UP上报策略；
    若有可用配额且该计费规则无对应的UP上报策略，则所述CP为所述计费规则生成新的UP上报策略，并向UP下发所述新的UP上报策略。或者，所述CP为所述计费规则生成 新的UP上报策略，同时为所述计费规则的费率组对应的UP配额信息生成更新的UP配额信息，该更新的UP配额信息包含该新的UP上报策略，并向UP下发所述新的UP上报策略和更新的UP配额信息。
  10. 如权利要求1-9任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述方法进一步包括，所述CP接收UP上报的配额使用信息，根据保存的所述UP配额ID及OCS下发配额的对应关系，生成计费上报消息CCR，所述CCR包括：配额的费率组、每个UP上报策略ID对应的配额使用信息、控制面实体信息、CP面满足的Trigger，和/或UP面满足的Trigger。
  11. 如权利要求10所述的方法，其特征在于，所述CP接收UP上报的配额使用信息具体包括：
    CP检测到CP侧的第一计费触发事件发生，所述第一计费触发事件与第一配额信息对应；
    所述CP向UP发送第一请求消息，所述第一请求消息携带所述第一配额标识或所述第一配额对应的UP上报策略ID列表，请求所述UP报告所述所述第一配额的使用信息；
    所述CP接收所述UP返回的所述第一配额对应的使用信息，所述第一配额对应的使用信息包括所述第一配额标识，所述第一配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息、UP面当前满足的Trigger。
  12. 如权利要求10或者11所述的方法，其特征在于，所述CP接收UP上报的配额使用信息具体包括：
    所述CP接收所述UP上报的第二配额对应的配额使用信息，所述第二配额对应的配额使用信息为所述UP在检测到UP侧的第二计费触发事件发生后，向所述CP上报的所述第二计费触发事件对应的第二配额对应的使用信息，所述第二配额对应的使用信息包括所述第二配额标识，所述第二配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息、UP面当前满足的Trigger。
  13. 如权利要求10-12中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述CP接收UP上报的配额使用信息具体包括：
    所述CP检测到第三配额对应的第三计费触发事件的发生，并向UP发送第二请求消息，请求上报第三配额的使用信息；
    所述CP接收所述UP上报的第三配额对应的配额使用信息，所述配额使用信息为所述UP在检测到UP侧的第四计费触发事件发生后，向所述CP上报的所述第三配额对应的配额使用信息，所述第三配额的使用信息包括所述第三配额标识，所述第三配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息；
    所述CP接收所述UP返回的所述第二请求消息的响应消息，所述响应消息中包含：所请求配额使用信息已上报的指示。
  14. 一种计费方法，应用于网络控制和数据流转发分离的网络架构中，其特征在于，所述方法包括：
    用户面实体UP接收控制面实体CP下发的UP上报策略和UP配额信息；
    所述UP根据所述UP配额信息和所述UP上报策略，统计所述UP配额的使用信息；
    所述UP向所述CP上报所述UP配额使用信息。
  15. 如权利要求14中所述的方法，其特征在于，所述方法包括：
    所述UP上报策略包括如下一个或多个的组合：所述上报策略ID、所述计费规则中的流特征和/或应用ID、生成的UP上报策略的优先级、CP的订阅事件、使用UP配额信息指示、所使用的UP配额ID；
    所述UP配额信息包括如下一个或多个：配额ID、配额类型、配额值、配额对应的用户面Trigger中的一个或多个，及对应的UP上报策略ID；
    所述UP根据所述UP配额信息和所述UP上报策略统计配额的使用信息和业务数据流信息，包括：
    所述UP根据所述UP上报策略中的流特征和/或应用ID，按照所述UP上报策略的优先级匹配所述流特征和/或应用对应的业务数据流，并为所匹配到的业务数据流使用所述UP上报策略对应的UP配额信息，并按照UP上报策略单独统计所述检测到的业务数据流信息。
  16. 如权利要求14或者15中所述的方法，其特征在于，所述方法包括：
    所述UP根据所述UP上报策略中的使用UP配额信息指示或所使用的UP配额ID，确定该UP上报策略是用于在线计费。
  17. 如权利要求16中所述的方法，其特征在于，所述方法包括：
    所述UP在执行所述UP上报策略时，根据所述UP上报策略的“使用UP配额信息指示”参数确定所述UP上报策略用于在线计费，且所述UP上报策略没有关联的UP配额信息，则向所述CP请求关联的UP配额信息。
  18. 如权利要求14-17中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述方法包括：
    所述UP在检测到所述上报策略包含的CP的订阅事件出现，则向所述CP上报所述事件，所述上报消息不上报UP配额的使用信息。
  19. 如权利要求14-18中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述方法包括：
    所述UP根据所述UP上报策略中的“所使用的UP配额ID”参数建立所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息的关联关系；或者，
    所述UP根据所述UP配额信息包括的“对应的UP上报策略ID”参数建立所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息的关联关系；或者，
    所述UP根据所述UP上报策略中的“所使用的UP配额ID”参数和所述UP配额信息包括的“对应的UP上报策略ID”参数建立所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息的关联关系。
  20. 如权利要求14-19中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述方法包括：
    所述UP配额信息还包括：一个或多个分割统计点，则所述UP分开统计每个所述分割统计点前后的业务数据流信息。
  21. 如权利要求14-20中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述方法包括：
    所述UP接收到所述CP下发的UP上报策略的更新消息，或者UP配额信息的更新策略，按照新的UP上报策略和/或新的UP配额策略检测所述流特征和/或应用对应的业务数据流，并为所检测到的业务数据流使用所述更新的UP上报策略对应的UP配额信息，并按照所述新的UP上报策略统计所述检测到的业务数据流信息。
  22. 如权利要求14-21中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述UP向CP上报所述UP配额使用信息，具体包括：
    所述UP接收所述CP下发的第一请求消息，所述请求消息是CP检测到CP侧的第一计费触发事件发生后下发的，所述第一计费触发事件与第一配额信息对应，所述第一请求消息携带所述第一配额标识或所述第一配额对应的UP上报策略ID列表，请求所述UP报告所述所述第一配额的使用信息；
    所述UP向CP返回所述第一配额的使用信息，所述第一配额的使用信息包括所述第一配额标识，所述第一配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息。
  23. 如权利要求14-22中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述UP向CP上报所述UP配额使用信息，具体包括：
    所述UP向所述CP上报的第二配额对应的配额使用信息，所述第二配额对应的配额使用信息为所述UP在检测到UP侧的第二计费触发事件发生后，向所述CP上报的所述第二计费触发事件对应的第二配额对应的配额使用信息，所述第二配额的使用信息包括所述第二配额标识，所述第二配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息。
  24. 如权利要求14-23中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述UP向CP上报所统计的UP上报策略ID的配额使用信息，具体包括：
    所述UP向所述CP上报第三配额对应的配额使用信息，所述配额使用信息为所述UP在检测到UP侧的第四计费触发事件发生后，向所述CP上报的所述第三配额对应的配额使用信息，所述第三配额的使用信息包括所述第三配额标识，所述第三配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息；
    所述UP接收所述CP发送的第二请求消息，所述第二请求消息为所述CP检测到第三配额对应的第三计费触发事件的发生，向UP发送第二请求消息，请求上报第三配额的使用信息；
    所述UP向所述CP返回的所述第二请求消息的响应消息，所述响应消息中包含：所请求配额使用信息已上报的指示。
  25. 一种计费装置，应用于网络控制和数据流转发分离的网络架构中，其特征在于，所述计费装置为控制面CP功能装置，具体包括：
    策略生成单元，用于执行策略控制和计费规则功能实体PCRF安装或激活的计费规则，并根据所述计费规则生成用户面实体UP上报策略；
    配额信息生成单元，用于向在线计费系统OCS请求所述计费规则中的费率组所需的配额，接收所述OCS下发的配额，根据所述配额生成UP配额信息；
    发送单元，用于建立所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息的关联关系，并在所述UP上报策略和/或所述UP配额信息中携带指示所述关联关系的参数，并向所述UP下发所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息。
  26. 如权利要求25中任一项所述的计费装置，其特征在于，所述计费装置进一步包括：
    触发单元，用于检测到控制面侧的第一计费触发事件发生后，向用户面实体UP发送第一请求消息，所述请求消息携带第一配额标识或第一配额对应的UP上报策略ID列表，请求所述UP报告所述所述第一配额的使用信息；所述第一计费触发事件与第一配额信息对应；
    接收单元，用于接收所述UP返回的所述第一配额对应的使用信息，所述第一配额对应的使用信息包括所述第一配额标识，所述第一配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息、UP面当前满足的Trigger；
    上报单元，用于根据UP上报的所述第一配额的使用信息，生成计费上报消息并发送给OCS。
  27. 如权利要求25-26中任一项所述的计费装置，其特征在于，所述计费装置进一步包括：接收单元，用于接收所述UP上报的第二配额对应的配额使用信息，所述第二配额对应的配额使用信息为所述UP在检测到UP侧的第二计费触发事件发生后，向所述CP上报的所述第二计费触发事件对应的第二配额对应的使用信息，所述第二配额对应的使用信息包括所述第二配额标识，所述第二配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息、UP面当前满足的Trigger。
  28. 如权利要求25-27中任一项所述的计费装置，其特征在于，所述计费装置进一步包括：
    触发单元，用于检测第三配额对应的第三计费触发事件的发生，并向UP发送第二请求消息，请求上报第三配额的使用信息；
    接收单元，用于接收所述UP上报的第三配额对应的配额使用信息，所述配额使用信息为所述UP在检测到UP侧的第四计费触发事件发生后，向所述CP上报的所述第三配额对应的配额使用信息，所述第三配额的使用信息包括所述第三配额标识，所述第三配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息；
    所述接收单元还进一步用于接收所述UP返回的所述第二请求消息的响应消息，所述响应消息中包含：所请求配额使用信息已上报的指示。
  29. 一种计费装置，应用于网络控制和数据流转发分离的网络架构中，其特征在于，所述计费装置为用户面UP功能装置，具体包括：
    接收单元，用于接收控制面CP功能装置下发的UP上报策略和UP配额信息；
    统计单元，用于根据所述UP配额信息和所述UP上报策略统计所述UP配额的使用信息；
    上报单元，用于向所述CP上报所述统计的UP配额使用信息。
  30. 如权利要求29中所述的计费装置，其特征在于，
    所述UP上报策略包括如下一个或多个的组合：所述上报策略ID、所述计费规则中的流特征和/或应用ID、生成的UP上报策略的优先级、CP的订阅事件、使用UP配额信息指示、所使用的UP配额ID；
    所述UP配额信息包括如下一个或多个：配额ID、配额类型、配额值、配额对应的用户面Trigger中的一个或多个，及对应的UP上报策略ID；
    所述统计单元进一步用于根据所述UP上报策略中的流特征和/或应用ID，按照所述UP上报策略的优先级匹配所述流特征和/或应用对应的业务数据流，并为所匹配到的业务数据流使用所述UP上报策略对应的UP配额信息，并按照UP上报策略单独统计所述检测到的业务数据流信息。
  31. 如权利要求29或30中所述的计费装置，其特征在于，其特征在于，
    所述接收单元进一步用于接收所述CP下发的第一请求消息，所述请求消息是CP检测到CP侧的第一计费触发事件发生后下发的，所述第一计费触发事件与第一配额信息对应，所述第一请求消息携带所述第一配额标识或所述第一配额对应的UP上报策略ID列表，请求所述UP报告所述所述第一配额的使用信息；
    所述上报单元进一步用于向CP返回所述第一配额的使用信息，所述第一配额的使用信息包括所述第一配额标识，所述第一配额对应的所有UP上报策略ID及对应的配额使用信息。
  32. 一种计费系统，应用于网络控制和数据流转发分离的网络架构中，所述计费系统包含用户面UP功能装置以及控制面CP功能装置,其特征在于：
    所述CP功能装置用于执行策略控制和计费规则功能实体PCRF安装或激活的计费规则；根据所述计费规则生成用户面实体UP上报策略；根据所述计费规则向在线计费系统OCS请求所需的配额；接收所述OCS下发的配额，根据所述配额生成UP配额信息；建立所述 UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息的关联关系，并在所述UP上报策略和/或所述UP配额信息中携带指示所述关联关系的参数，并向所述UP功能装置下发所述UP上报策略和所述UP配额信息；
    所述用户面UP功能装置用于和所述CP功能装置交互，用于接收CP功能装置下发的UP上报策略和UP配额信息，根据所述UP配额信息和所述UP上报策略统计所述UP配额的使用信息，向所述CP功能装置上报所述统计的UP配额使用信息。
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