WO2011017925A1 - Policy and charging control method and apparatus based on the number of service uses - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention discloses a Policy and Charging Control (PCC) method based on the number of service uses, comprising: Policy and Charging Rule Function (PCRF) makes PCC policies according to information on number of subscription service uses obtained from Subscription Profile Repository (SPR), and sends the PCC policies to Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF). Meanwhile, the present invention discloses a Policy and Charging Control (PCC) apparatus based on the number of service uses, comprising: an obtaining unit for obtaining information on number of subscription service uses from SPR; a PCC policy making unit for making PCC policies according to the information on number of subscription service uses; a sending unit for sending the PCC policies to PCEF. The present invention enables charging and policy management of a subscription service based on number of uses, and enriches charging and policy control of a service for a system.

Description

 TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a policy and charging control technology, and in particular, to a policy and charging control method and apparatus based on the number of times of service usage. Background technique

 Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of an evolved packet system (EPS, Evolved Packet System). As shown in Figure 1, the EPS defined by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP, 3rd Generation Partnership Project) is evolved by the universal mobile communication system. E-UTRAN (Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network), Mobility Management Entity (MME), S-GW (Serving Gateway), Packet Data Network Gateway (P-GW or PDN GW, Packet Data Network Gateway, Home Subscriber Server (HSS), 3GPP Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA), Policy and Charging Rules Function Entity (PCRF, Policy and Charging) Rule Function ) and other supporting nodes. Each node is connected by the interface shown in the figure (S6a, S11, Gxc, etc. in the figure). Among them, Policy Control and Charging Control (PCC, Policy and Charging Control) is part of it.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the PCC system architecture. As shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2, the functions of the PCC in the EPS architecture are: The PCRF is the policy and charging rule function entity, and the Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) In the P-GW, the bearer binding and event reporting function (BBERF) can exist in the S-GW, and the application function (AF, Application Function) of the service exists in the carrier network. In the service network (IP, Internet Protocol), the SPR (Spread Profile Repository) can be integrated with the HSS. In 3GPP, the corresponding PDN network can be found by the access point name (APN, Access Point Name). A connection from a User Equipment (UE, User Equipment) to a PDN network is usually referred to as an IP-Connected Access Network (IP-CAN) session.

 In the EPS architecture, the access type of the user is jointly identified by the IP-CAN type and the Radio Access Type (RAT): The IP-CAN type is used to distinguish the access network type such as 3GPP or global chopping interconnect access. (WiMAX, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), etc., when the IP-CAN type is 3GPP or 3GPP2 access, it is necessary to further rely on the RAT to distinguish the wireless access type. For example, when it is 3GPP access, it is wireless access of UTRAN or E-UTRAN.

 The PCC is applicable to all 3GPP IP-CANs. The PCRF is responsible for the formulation of policy and accounting rules. The PCC policy and charging rules are sent to the PCEF through the Gx interface. The PCEF installs and executes the PCC policy and reports related events. , exchange billing information with the billing system.

 The PCRF sends the QoS (Quality of Service) rules to the BBERF through the Gxx interface. The BBERF does not exchange accounting information with the accounting system. It is only responsible for the bearer binding and reporting of related events. The AF provides the service information to the PCRF through the Rx interface. The SPR saves the service information subscribed by the user. The PCRF can query the SPR for the service information subscribed by the user through the Sp interface. The PCEF sends the online charging information to the online charging system (OSC, Online Charging System) through the Gy interface, and is responsible for online charging statistics. The offline charging information is sent to the offline charging system (OFCS, Offline Charging System) through the Gz interface. .

 Currently, in the PCC architecture, the PCRF can dynamically send a PCC policy to the PCEF, and the policy information includes QoS and charging information. The PCRF formulates a PCC policy based on the service-related information provided by the AF, the bearer-related information reported by the PCEF, and the service information subscribed by the user in the SPR.

In addition to the usage information such as traffic duration, operators need to pay attention to the number of times the service is used. For example, for a certain type of service, the operator desires to limit the number of times the user uses the user during a certain period of time, such as 300 times per month. After the number of times, the operator may reject the service or impose a differential charge on the service. If more than 300 times, the fee will be charged separately, which is convenient for operators to refine the management of the business and system performance control.

 In the prior art, when the current PCRF formulates the PCC rule, the number of service uses cannot be obtained, and thus the operator's fine management of the service cannot be realized. Summary of the invention

 In view of the above, the main object of the present invention is to provide a method and device for controlling policy and charging based on the number of times of service usage, so that the PCRF can perform more accurate charging and policy control on the service according to the information of the number of times of subscription service.

 In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution of the present invention is achieved as follows:

 A policy and charging control method based on the number of times of service usage, involving a policy and charging execution function entity PCEF, a policy and charging rule function entity PCRF, and a user subscription database SPR, wherein

 The SPR pre-stores information about the number of times the user equipment UE subscribes to the service;

 The PCRF formulates a policy and a charging control PCC policy according to the acquired service usage information information saved by the SPR.

 Preferably, after the PCRF formulates the policy and the charging control PCC policy according to the subscription service usage number information saved by the SPR, the PCRF sends the formulated PCC policy to the PCEF.

 Preferably, the information about the number of subscription service usages that the PCRF obtains from the SPR includes: after receiving the IP-CAN session creation indication message of the PCEF, the PCRF sends a subscription information request message to the SPR, requesting to obtain the subscription service. Number of times;

The PCRF obtains the subscription service usage count information by using the subscription information response message returned by the SPR. Preferably, the subscription information response message includes the subscription service usage number information, or the subscription service usage frequency information and status information, or the subscription service usage has reached the maximum usage count information.

 Preferably, the information about the number of times of subscription service usage obtained by the PCRF from the SPR includes: when the SPR detects that the number of times of subscription service usage information is changed, the SPR notifies the changed number of subscription service usage times to the PCRF.

 Preferably, the method further includes:

 The PCRF determines whether to re-establish the PCC policy based on the changed number of times of subscription service usage. If yes, the re-established PCC policy notifies the PCEF.

 Preferably, the number of times of subscription service usage includes information on the number of times the IP connection access network service is used, the number of times the service is used under the access point name APN, or the number of times the service is used.

 Preferably, the method further includes:

 The PCRF notifies the SPR of the subscription service end information, and the SPR updates the usage frequency information of the subscription service.

 A policy and charging control device based on the number of times of service usage, comprising:

 An obtaining unit, configured to obtain information about the number of times of subscription service usage from the user subscription database SPR;

a PCC policy making unit, configured to formulate a PCC policy according to the acquired number of times of contracted service usage;

 And a sending unit, configured to send the PCC policy to the PCEF.

 Preferably, the acquiring unit includes:

 a receiving module, configured to receive an IP-CAN session creation indication message of the PCEF and a subscription information response message returned by the SPR;

a sending module, configured to send a subscription information request message to the SPR, requesting to obtain information about the number of times of subscription service usage; The obtaining module is configured to obtain the subscription service usage times information by using the subscription information response message received by the receiving module.

 Preferably, the acquiring unit includes:

 a detecting module, configured to trigger a notification module when detecting an ongoing subscription service usage information change;

 The notification module is configured to notify the PCRF of the changed number of times of subscription service usage. Preferably, the device further includes: a determining unit, configured to determine, according to the changed number of times of subscription service usage, whether to re-establish a PCC policy, and if so, triggering the PCRF to determine whether to re-determine according to the changed number of times of subscription service usage The PCC policy, and notifies the PCEF of the re-established PCC policy by the sending unit.

 Preferably, the subscription service usage number information includes service usage times information, service usage times information under the APN, or information based on service usage times of the user.

 Preferably, the device further includes:

 a notification unit, configured to notify the SPR of the subscription service end information;

 And an update unit, configured to update usage information of the subscription service in the SPR.

 In the present invention, the PCRF obtains the usage number information of the subscription service from the SPR when the policy is formulated, and formulates the policy according to the usage number information of the subscription service, and notifies the PCEF to execute, and realizes the charging according to the usage times of the contracted service. And policy management, enriching the system's billing and policy control of the business. The technical solution of the invention is simple and practical. DRAWINGS

 1 is a schematic diagram of an architecture of an evolved packet system;

 2 is a schematic diagram of a PCC system architecture;

 3 is a schematic flowchart of Embodiment 1 of a policy and charging control method based on service usage times according to the present invention;

4 is a flow of a second embodiment of a policy and charging control method based on service usage times according to the present invention; Schematic diagram

 FIG. 5 is a schematic flowchart of Embodiment 3 of a policy and charging control method based on service usage times according to the present invention;

 6 is a schematic flowchart of Embodiment 4 of a policy and charging control method based on service usage times according to the present invention;

 FIG. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a policy and charging control apparatus based on the number of times of service usage according to the present invention;

 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a component of an acquisition unit of the present invention;

 FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing another composition structure of the acquisition unit of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The basic idea of the present invention is: When performing policy formulation, the PCRF obtains the usage number information of the subscription service from the SPR, and formulates the policy according to the usage number information of the subscription service, and notifies the PCEF to execute, and implements the contracted service. Billing and policy management by usage times enrich the billing and policy control of the system. The technical solution of the invention is simple and practical.

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

 Embodiment 1

 When the UE initiates a certain service, the PCEF initiates an IP-CAN session creation request to the PCRF, and the PCRF requests the subscription information from the SPR, and obtains the signed service usage information from the SPR to formulate the PCC policy as one of the input information. 3 is a schematic flowchart of Embodiment 1 of a policy and charging control method based on the number of times of service usage. As shown in FIG. 3, the method and charging control method based on the number of times of service usage in the present example includes the following steps:

 Step 301: The PCEF receives the request for creating an IP-CAN bearer session initiated by the user or the network side, and sends an IP-CAN session creation indication message to the PCRF.

Step 302: After receiving the IP-CAN session creation indication message of the PCEF, the PCRF sends an SPR to the SPR. Sending a contract information request message, requesting the service usage number information of the contract. Here, it may be the service usage number information of the user's subscription, and the service usage times are set by the operator according to the service service requirement, or according to the current network support capability.

 Step 303: The SPR returns a subscription information response message to the PCRF, where the subscription information response message carries the signed service usage information.

 Step 304: The PCRF stores the subscription information. Develop a PCC strategy based on information such as the number of times the contracted business is used.

 Step 305: The PCRF returns an IP-CAN session to the PCEF to create a corresponding message, and sends a PCC policy to the PCEF.

 The granularity of the number of times of subscription service usage in this embodiment is each IP-CAN session, that is, the number of times a user uses a certain service at a time cannot exceed a set number of times, and the interaction information and process of PCRF and SPR are processed in the IP-CAN. When the session is created, the PCRF obtains the number of times of service usage for the IP-CAN session. When the IP-CAN session ends, the PCRF releases the stored information about the number of times the service is acquired from the SPR. If the number of uses of each APN is based, the interaction information and process of the PCRF and the SPR are only generated when the first IP-CAN session under the APN is created, that is, for the IP-CAN session under the APN, PCRF The number of times of using the service can be obtained. When all IP-CAN sessions under the APN are completed, the PCRF releases the stored usage information of the service obtained from the SPR. Similarly, if it is based on the service usage information of each user, the interaction information and process processing of the PCRF and the SPR appear only when the first IP-CAN session of the user is created.

 Embodiment 2

During the service process, when the SPR senses that the subscription information has changed, for example, if the number of times of contracted service changes, the PCRF needs to be notified to the PCRF. The PCRF checks and determines whether the PCC policy needs to be updated, and updates the PCC policy if necessary. 4 is a schematic flowchart of Embodiment 2 of a policy and charging control method based on the number of times of service usage of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the example is based on the industry. The policy and charging control method for the number of times of use includes the following steps:

 Step 401: The SPR detects the change of the subscription information of an ongoing service. In this example, the information of the number of times of subscription is changed.

 Step 402: The SPR sends a subscription information update request message to the PCRF, and sends the usage information of the corresponding subscription service of the user to the PCRF.

 Step 403: After receiving the subscription information update request message of the SPR, the PCRF returns an update response to the SPR for confirmation.

 Step 404: The PCRF stores the updated information, and determines whether the corresponding policy update needs to be performed according to the updated subscription service usage information, and re-defines the policy when needed.

 Step 405: If there is a policy update, the PCRF sends an updated PCC policy to the PCEF. Embodiment 3

 At the end of the service, when the PCRF senses the end of the session, the session ends the indication from the PCEF or the AF, counts the number of times of the subscription service under the IP-CAN session, and sends a request message to the SPR, and the IP-CAN session is The number of times of contracted service usage is reported to SPR, SPR returns a response message, and the subscription information is updated. This embodiment describes the flow from the PCEF. When the PCEF receives the UE's IP-CAN Session End Request message, or the PCEF detects that the IP-CAN session needs to be terminated, it sends a session termination indication to the PCRF. FIG. 5 is a schematic flowchart of Embodiment 3 of a policy and charging control method based on the service usage times of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the method and charging control method based on the number of service usages in this example includes the following steps:

 Step 501: The PCEF receives the IP-CAN session end request of the UE, or the PCEF detects that the IP-CAN session needs to be terminated, and initiates an IP-CAN termination process.

 Step 502: The PCEF sends a session termination indication message to the PCRF.

 Step 503: The PCRF collects the number of times of the subscription service in the IP-CAN session, and sends a request message to the SPR, and reports the number of times of the subscription service usage of the IP-CAN session to the SPR.

Step 504: After receiving the subscription information update message, the SPR performs information about the number of subscription services and the like. Update.

 Step 505: The SPR returns a response message.

 Step 506: After receiving the IP-CAN session termination indication message, the PCRF performs subsequent processing on the IP-CAN session-related PCC rule according to the termination indication, and returns a final response message to the PCEF.

 The granularity of the number of times of subscription service usage in this embodiment is each IP-CAN session. If it is based on each APN, then the interaction information and process processing of PCRF and SPR appear only at the end of the last IP-CAN session under the APN. Similarly, if it is based on each user, the interaction information and process processing of PCRF and SPR will only occur when the last IP-CAN session of the user ends.

 Embodiment 4

 When the UE initiates a certain service, the PCEF initiates an IP-CAN session creation request message to the PCRF, and the PCRF requests the subscription information from the SPR. When receiving the PCRF application subscription information request message, the SPR determines whether to return the subscription information according to the number of serviced subscriptions. If the contract information is not returned, the reason is indicated in the response message, or the subscription information and the status information in the returned subscription information. The PCRF formulates a PCC policy based on the information returned by the SPR (the number of times of contracted service usage or the number of times the contracted service is used and its status information). FIG. 6 is a schematic flowchart of Embodiment 4 of a policy and charging control method based on the number of times of service usage according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, the method and the charging control method based on the number of times of service usage include the following steps:

 Step 601: The PCEF receives the Create IP-CAN 7 Session Request message and sends an IP-CAN session creation indication message to the PCRF.

 Step 602: When the PCRF receives the IP-CAN session creation indication message of the PCEF, the PCRF sends a subscription information request to the SPR.

Step 603: When receiving the PCRF application subscription information request message, the SPR returns a response message to the PCRF. SPR judges according to the current number of times the contracted business is used, if it has reached the set time The number of times, the response message does not carry the usage information of the subscription service, and carries the corresponding reason value; if the subscription service usage information includes some specific status information, such as only during a specific time period, such as 10 to 12 o'clock every day The number of times of the contracted business is meaningful.

 Step 604: The PCRF formulates a PCC policy according to the information returned by the SPR, such as the number of times of the subscription service or the number of times of the subscription service and its status information.

 Step 605: The PCRF returns an IP-CAN session to the PCEF to create a corresponding message, and sends a PCC policy to the PCEF.

 The granularity of the number of times of subscription service usage in this embodiment is each IP-CAN session. If it is based on each APN, the interaction information and process processing of the PCRF and the SPR are only created in the first IP-CAN session under the APN. Appears. Similarly, if it is based on each user, the interaction information and process processing of PCRF and SPR appear only when the user's first IP-CAN session is created.

 FIG. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a policy and charging control apparatus based on the number of times of service usage according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, the policy and charging control apparatus based on the number of times of service of the present invention includes an obtaining unit 70 and a PCC policy determining unit 71. And a sending unit 72, wherein the obtaining unit 70 is configured to obtain the subscription service usage number information from the user subscription database SPR; the PCC policy formulation unit 71 is configured to formulate a PCC policy according to the acquired subscription service usage number information; and the sending unit 72 is configured to The PCC policy is sent to the PCEF. The subscription service usage information includes service usage information, service usage information under the APN, or information based on the user's service usage times.

 As shown in FIG. 7, the policy and charging control apparatus based on the service usage count of the present invention further includes a notification unit 73 and an update unit 74, wherein the notification unit 73 is configured to notify the SPR of the subscription service end information; and the update unit 74 Used to update the usage count information of the subscription service in the SPR.

FIG. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a component of the acquiring unit of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 8, the acquiring unit 70 of the present invention includes a receiving module 700, a sending module 701, and an obtaining module 703, where the receiving module 700 is configured to receive the PCEF. IP-CAN session creation indication message and the SPR The returned subscription information response message; the sending module 701 is configured to send a subscription information request message to the SPR, requesting to obtain the subscription service usage number information; and the obtaining module 702 is configured to obtain the subscription service usage by using the subscription information response message received by the receiving module. Number of times.

 FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of another component structure of the acquiring unit of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 9, the acquiring unit 70 of the present invention includes a detecting module 703 and a notification module 704, wherein the detecting module 703 is configured to detect the number of times of the contracted service being used. When the information is changed, the notification module 704 is triggered; the notification module 704 is configured to notify the PCRF of the changed subscription service usage number information. When the structure of the acquisition unit 70 is as shown in FIG. 9, the policy and charging control device based on the number of times of service usage of the present invention further includes a determining unit 75, configured to determine whether to re-establish the PCC policy according to the changed number of times of subscription service usage. If yes, the PCRF is triggered to determine whether to re-establish the PCC policy according to the changed number of times of subscription service usage, and notify the PCEF of the re-established PCC policy by the sending unit 72.

 It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the policy and charging control apparatus based on the number of times of service shown in FIG. 7 is set to implement the foregoing policy and charging control method based on the number of times of service usage, and the apparatus shown in FIG. Each processing unit and processing module can be understood by referring to the methods shown in the foregoing Embodiments 1 to 4, and the functions thereof can be implemented by a program running on a processor, or can be realized by a specific logic circuit. The notification unit 73, the update unit 74, and the determination unit 75 shown in Fig. 7 are not essential technical features for realizing the apparatus shown in Fig. 7.

 The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

Claims

Claim

 A policy and charging control method based on the number of times of service usage, which relates to a policy and charging execution function entity PCEF, a policy and charging rule function entity PCRF, and a user subscription database SPR, wherein the method includes:

 The SPR pre-stores information about the number of times the user equipment UE subscribes to the service;

 The PCRF formulates a policy and a charging control PCC policy according to the acquired service usage information information saved by the SPR.

 The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: after the PCRF formulates a PCC policy according to the number of times of subscription service usage saved by the SPR, the method further includes:

The method according to claim 1, wherein the information about the number of times of subscription service acquired by the PCRF from the SPR is:

 After receiving the IP-CAN session creation indication message of the PCEF, the PCRF sends a subscription information request message to the SPR, requesting to obtain the subscription service usage times information;

 The PCRF obtains the subscription service usage number information by using the subscription information response message returned by the SPR.

 The method according to claim 3, wherein the subscription information response message includes the subscription service usage number information, or the subscription service usage frequency information and status information, or the subscription service usage has reached the maximum usage count information.

 The method according to claim 1, wherein the information about the number of times of subscription service acquired by the PCRF from the SPR is:

 When the SPR detects that the number of subscription service usage information changes, the SPR notifies the PCRF of the changed number of times of subscription service usage.

The method according to claim 5, wherein the method further comprises: determining, by the PCRF, whether to re-establish according to the changed number of times of subscription service usage The PCC policy is to notify the PCEF of the re-established PCC policy.

 The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the subscription service usage number information includes an IP connection access network service usage number information, an access point name APN service usage number information, or Based on the user's business usage information.

 The method according to claim 7, wherein the method further comprises: the PCRF notifying the SPR of the subscription service end information, wherein the SPR updates the usage frequency information of the subscription service.

 9. A policy and charging control device based on the number of times of service usage, characterized in that the device comprises an obtaining unit, a PCC policy making unit and a sending unit, wherein:

 An obtaining unit, configured to obtain information about the number of times of subscription service usage from the SPR;

 a PCC policy making unit, configured to formulate a PCC policy according to the acquired number of times of contracted service usage;

 And a sending unit, configured to send the PCC policy to the PCEF.

 The device according to claim 9, wherein the obtaining unit comprises a receiving module, a sending module and an obtaining module, wherein:

 a receiving module, configured to receive an IP-CAN session creation indication message of the PCEF and a subscription information response message returned by the SPR;

 a sending module, configured to send a subscription information request message to the SPR, requesting to obtain information about the number of times of signing service usage;

 And an obtaining module, configured to obtain the subscription service usage times information by using the subscription information response message received by the receiving module.

 The device according to claim 9, wherein the obtaining unit comprises a detecting module and a notification module, wherein:

a detecting module, configured to: when the information about the number of times of the contracted service usage is changed, triggering the notification module; The notification module is configured to notify the PCRF of the changed number of times of subscription service usage.

The device according to claim 9, wherein the device further comprises: a determining unit, configured to determine whether to re-establish a PCC policy according to the changed number of times of subscription service usage, and trigger the PCRF to change according to The subsequent subscription service usage information determines whether to re-establish the PCC policy, and notifies the PCEF of the re-established PCC policy through the sending unit.

 The device according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the subscription service usage number information includes service usage number information, service usage number information under the APN, or service usage number information based on the user.

 14. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the apparatus further comprises a notification unit and an update unit, wherein:

 a notification unit, configured to notify the SPR of the subscription service end information;

 And an update unit, configured to update usage information of the subscription service in the SPR.