Quota management in a session management function (SMF) for online charging
AssigneeNokia Solutions and Networks Oy
InventorsYigang Cai, Ranjan Sharma
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems, methods, and software for performing online charging in next generation networks. In one embodiment, a Session Management Function (SMF) of a next generation network implements a Charging Trigger Function (CTF) that directly interfaces with an Online Charging System (OCS). The CTF transmits a charging request to the OCS requesting a quota of service units for the SMF, and receives a charging response from the OCS indicating the quota of service units granted to the SMF by the OCS. The CTF then manages the quota by allocating slices of the quota to User Plane Functions (UPF) implemented in a user plane of the next generation network.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a Session Management Function (SMF) element implemented in a control plane of a next generation network;
- the SMF element comprising:
- a first interface component configured to directly communicate with an Online Charging System (OCS);
- a second interface component configured to directly communicate with a plurality of User Plane Function (UPF) elements implemented in a user plane of the next generation network, wherein the UPF elements are provisioned by the SMF element to serve a session requested by User Equipment (UE);
- and
- a controller that implements a Charging Trigger Function (CTF) configured to transmit a charging request to the OCS through the first interface component requesting a quota of service units for the SMF element, and to receive a charging response from the OCS through the first interface component indicating the quota of service units granted to the SMF element by the OCS;
- the CTF is configured to manage the quota by allocating slices of the quota to the UPF elements, and to transmit messages to the UPF elements through the second interface component indicating the slices of the quota allocated to the UPF elements.
A method operable in a Session Management Function (SMF) element implemented in a control plane of a next generation network, the method comprising:
- transmitting a charging request from the SMF element to an Online Charging System (OCS) requesting a quota of service units for the SMF element;
- receiving a charging response at the SMF element from the OCS indicating the quota of service units granted to the SMF element by the OCS;
- managing the quota at the SMF element by allocating slices of the quota to a plurality of User Plane Function (UPF) elements implemented in a user plane of the next generation network, wherein the UPF elements are provisioned by the SMF element to serve a session requested by User Equipment (UE);
- and
- transmitting messages from the SMF element to the UPF elements indicating the slices of the quota allocated to the UPF elements.
A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying programmed instructions executed by one or more processors, wherein the instructions direct the processors to implement:
- a Session Management Function (SMF) in a control plane of a next generation network;
- the SMF is configured to directly communicate with an Online Charging System (OCS), and is configured to directly communicate with a plurality of User Plane Function (UPF) elements in a user plane of the next generation network, wherein the UPF elements are provisioned by the SMF to serve a session requested by User Equipment (UE);
- the SMF includes a Charging Trigger Function (CTF) configured to transmit a charging request to the OCS requesting a quota of service units for the SMF, and to receive a charging response from the OCS indicating the quota of service units granted to the SMF by the OCS;
- the CTF is configured to manage the quota by allocating slices of the quota to the UPF elements, and to transmit messages to the UPF elements indicating the slices of the quota allocated to the UPF elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.