# US 10,455,409 B2 · Policy and charging control for groups

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- Number: US 10,455,409 B2
- Document ID: US10455409B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/537,614
- Filed: 2014-12-18
- Published: 2018-02-08
- Granted: 2019-10-22
- Earliest claimed: 2014-12-18
- Assignees: Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy
- Applicants: Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy
- Inventors: Tuija Helena Hurtta
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10455409B2

## CPC

- H04W 8/186: {Processing of subscriber group data}
- H04L 12/6418: {Hybrid transport}
- H04L 41/0893: Assignment of logical groups to network elements
- H04W 4/08: User group management
- H04W 4/70: Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
- H04W 76/10: Connection setup
- H04W 76/18: Management of setup rejection or failure
- G06F 21/44: Program or device authentication
- H04L 41/0894: Policy-based network configuration management
- H04W 48/02: Access restriction performed under specific conditions
- H04W 76/12: Setup of transport tunnels
- H04W 76/15: Setup of multiple wireless link connections
- H04W 76/22: Manipulation of transport tunnels
- H04W 76/32: Release of transport tunnels
- H04W 76/40: for selective distribution or broadcast
- H04W 88/16: Gateway arrangements
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

Policy and charging control for groups It is provided a method, comprising checking whether a first data connection to be established belongs to a predefined group of data connections; supervising whether a group session to a steering device is established, wherein the group session is dedicated to the group; prohibiting, if the first data connection belongs to the group and the group session is established, an apparatus performing the method from establishing a connection session to the steering device, wherein the connection session is dedicated to the first data connection only.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising
at least one processor; and
at least one memory including computer program code;
the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform:
requesting a requested value of a parameter from a steering device for a terminal;
checking if a message received in response to the request comprises an identifier of a group;
identifying, if the message comprises the identifier, a stored value of the parameter, wherein the stored value is stored for the group;
applying the stored value to the terminal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:
monitoring if the terminal belongs to the group before the requesting means requests the requested value;
supervising whether a group session to the steering device is established, wherein the group session is dedicated to the group;
prohibiting, if the terminal belongs to the group and the group session is established, the apparatus from establishing a connection session to the steering device, wherein the connection session is dedicated to the request of the parameter.

### Claim 3

Method, comprising:
requesting a requested value of a parameter from a steering device for a terminal;
checking if a message received in response to the request comprises an identifier of a group;
identifying, if the message comprises the identifier, a stored value of the parameter, wherein the stored value is stored for the group;
applying the stored value to the terminal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method according to claim 3, further comprising:
monitoring if the terminal belongs to the group before the requested value is requested;
supervising whether a group session to the steering device is established, wherein the group session is dedicated to the group;
prohibiting, if the terminal belongs to the group and the group session is established, an apparatus performing the method from establishing a connection session to the steering device, wherein the connection session is dedicated to the request of the parameter.