Method for establishing diameter session for packet flow based charging

A method for establishing a Diameter session for packet flow based charging, comprising:

• using a processor, establishing, for bearers with a same access point name (APN) of each subscriber, a Diameter session between a Traffic Plane Function (TPF) and a Charging Rule Function (CRF), the Diameter session being identified by a Diameter session identifier;
• and
• the TPF intercommunicating with the CRF based on the established Diameter session, the method further comprising:
• before establishing the Diameter session, the TPF confirming, according to subscriber identifier information and APN information, that no Diameter session for the APN of the subscriber has been established between the TPF and the CRF,
• wherein the step of establishing the Diameter session comprises:
• the TPF establishing a TPF/CRF Diameter Session State Model, allocating a TPF-part Diameter session identifier to the Diameter session and providing the CRF with the TPF-part Diameter session identifier;
• and
• the CRF establishing a TPF/CRF Diameter Session State Model, allocating a CRF-part Diameter session identifier to the Diameter session and combining the TPF-part Diameter session identifier and the CRF-part Diameter session identifier to form an integrated Diameter session identifier as the Diameter session identifier of the TPF/CRF Diameter session;
• and after the step of establishing the Diameter session, the method further comprising:
• the CRF providing the TPF with the integrated Diameter session identifier;
• and
• the TPF acquires the established TPF/CRF Diameter Session State Model according to the TPF-part Diameter session identifier of the integrated Diameter session identifier, and updating the TPF-part Diameter session identifier to the integrated Diameter session identifier.

A method in a communication system, the method comprising:

• establishing, for each bearer of a subscriber, a Diameter session between a traffic plane function (TPF) entity in a flow based charging communication system and a charging rule function (CRF) entity in the flow based charging communication system, the Diameter session being identified by a session identifier;
• and
• intercommunicating between the traffic plane function entity and the charging rule function entity based on the established Diameter session, wherein content of the intercommunication comprises at least one of a group of charging rule, event trigger and combination thereof, the event trigger being used to trigger the TPF entity request charging rule from the CRF entity;
• the method further comprising sending, by the traffic plane function entity, the session identifier to the charging rule function entity,
• wherein the step of sending the session identifier comprises sending, by the TPF entity, a charging rule request to the CRF entity for request charging rule from the CRF, the session identifier being carried in the charging rule request.