Method and apparatus for controlling service traffic in a communication network

A method performed by a network node for operating an online charging system to control service traffic in a communication network, wherein the network node comprises a computing device, the method comprising steps of:

• receiving, by the computing device, a request for service traffic control, the request including at least data identifying a first communication network account and an access network charging address and an access network charging identifier;
• determining, by the computing device, based on the received data and a predefined set of rules, a first network traffic policy profile associated with the first account;
• transmitting, by the computing device, to a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) a first policy control command including an identifier identifying the first network traffic policy profile stored in an network traffic policy profile entity, to be applied in controlling the service;
• receiving, by the computing device, from a Packet Gateway a request for credit control of a service including a packet gateway address and a charging identity;
• determining, by the computing device, a second account to charge for the service;
• determining, by the computing device, that the request for service traffic control and the request for credit control relate to the same service instance by matching the access network charging addresses with the packet gateway address and matching the access network charging identifier with the charging identity;
• determining, by the computing device, that the second account to charge differs from the first account;
• determining, by the computing device, based on the received data and the predefined set of rules, a second network traffic policy profile associated with the second account;
• and
• transmitting, by the computing device, to the PCRF a second policy control command including an identifier identifying the second network traffic policy profile stored in a second network traffic policy profile entity, to be applied in controlling the service.

An online credit control system for controlling service traffic in a communication network, wherein the online credit control system comprises a computing device, wherein the computing device further comprises:

• an interface module configured to receive a request for service traffic control, the request including at least data identifying a first communication network account, an access network charging address and an access network charging identifier;
• and
• a determination module configured to determine, based on the received data and a predefined set of rules, a first network traffic policy profile associated with the first account;
• the interface module further configured to transmit to a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) a first policy control command including an identifier identifying the first network traffic policy profile stored in an network traffic policy profile entity, to be applied in controlling the service;
• the interface module configured to receive from a Packet Gateway a request for credit control of a service including a packet gateway address and a charging identity;
• the determination module configured to:
• determine a second account to charge for the service;
• determine that the request for service traffic control and the request for credit control relate to the same service instance by matching the access network charging addresses with the packet gateway address and matching the access network charging identifier with the charging identity:
• determine that the second account to charge differs from the first account;
• determine, based on the received data and the predefined set rules, a second network traffic policy profile associated with the second account;
• and
• the interface module configured to transmit to the PCRF a second policy control command including an identifier identifying the second network traffic policy profile stored in a second network traffic policy profile entity, to be applied in controlling the service.