Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090196225 | DEVICES AND METHOD FOR GUARANTEEING QUALITY OF SERVICE PER SERVICE DATA FLOW THROUGH THE BEARER LAYER - In scenarios where the quality of service is negotiated through a signalling layer whereas the services are actually carried through a bearer layer, application functions at the signalling layer are not always aware of how quality of service is individually accomplished at the bearer layer on a service basis. The invention provides a method and devices whereby events are detected on a service data flow basis at a detection device in the bearer layer and notified towards an application device in the signalling layer via a control device between the signalling and the bearer layer. The list of events to be notified is obtainable at the control device from the application device and is included in Quality of Service related rules, along with service data flow filters. This Quality of Service related rules are provided to the detection device for inspecting individual service data flows in order to detect and notify the indicated events. | 08-06-2009 |
20090215454 | Method and Apparatus for use in a Communications Network - A method and apparatus for registering a mobile node such as a User Equipment (UE) of a UMTS telecommunications network with a subsystem of the network such as an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). A Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) node provides policy and charging rules, and a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) enforces the rules for traffic flows. The UE sends a registration request to the GGSN, which selects a PCRF. When a Proxy Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF) receives the registration request, the P-CSCF selects a candidate PCRF and validates the selection. If the candidate PCRF is the PCRF selected by the GGSN, the registration is successful. If not, the P-CSCF may select another PCRF and repeat the validation process. | 08-27-2009 |
20100217877 | Method and System for Enabling Access Policy and Charging Control - The present invention relates in general to a method and apparatus concerning access policy and charging control. In particular it relates to enhanced service information for access policy and charging control. A media stream management of a service session between a first and a second electronic communication device comprise obtaining identity address data related to the first electronic communication device step, obtaining policy information associated with the second electronic communication device step, and performing a media stream management control step involving the identity address data related to the first electronic communication device and the policy information related to the second electronic communication device such that media streams between the first electronic communication device and the second electronic communication device can be controlled. | 08-26-2010 |
20110208853 | POLICY AND CHARGING CONTROL METHOD, SERVERS AND COMPUTER PROGRAMS THEREFOR - A policy and charging control method includes creating by a policy and charging rules function (PCRF), first policy and charging control (PCC) rules at establishment of a user plane session associated with the UE. The first PCC rules are installed at a policy and charging enforcement function (PCEF) and the service is initiated in accordance with these rules. During the lifetime of the user plane session, a quality-of-service (QoS) change request is transmitted by the UE upon activation of a user interface command. The PCRF creates second PCC rules based on the request, and installs them at the PCEF by replacing the first PCC rules by the second PCC rules. The service is continued in accordance with the second PCC rules. PCRF and PCEF servers as well as computer programs are also defined. | 08-25-2011 |
20110235510 | DEVICES AND METHOD FOR GUARANTEEING QUALITY OF SERVICE PER SERVICE DATA FLOW THROUGH THE BEARER LAYER - In scenarios where the quality of service is negotiated through a signalling layer whereas the services are actually carried through a bearer layer, application functions at the signalling layer are not always aware of how quality of service is individually accomplished at the bearer layer on a service basis. The invention provides a method and devices whereby events are detected on a service data flow basis at a detection device in the bearer layer and notified towards an application device in the signalling layer via a control device between the signalling and the bearer layer. The list of events to be notified is obtainable at the control device from the application device and is included in Quality of Service related rules, along with service data flow filters. This Quality of Service related rules are provided to the detection device for inspecting individual service data flows in order to detect and notify the indicated events. | 09-29-2011 |
20120023246 | GROUP SESSION MANAGEMENT FOR POLICY CONTROL - At present some situations occur where a policy control at individual user level is not enough. For example, where a plurality of users surpasses a load limit in a certain location area, which could imply a risk of network congestion, policy control decisions in conventional architectures have to be made by submitting corresponding orders for each user affected by the decision, thus resulting in a higher signalling and processing load. To overcome these drawbacks, the present specification provides for new network entities and method to monitor and control a plurality of users, as dynamically determined according to different selection criteria, in order to compile users-related aggregated reports, to establish dynamic group of users whom specific policy control rules can be applied, and to map orders and information between group and user level. | 01-26-2012 |
20120059943 | Establishing a Communication Session - According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of operating an IP Multimedia Subsystem Application Server to facilitate a communication session between a first user and a second user at a required Quality of Service. The method comprises receiving a notification that a Policy and Charging Rules function associated with the first user has not authorised said required Quality of Service (B | 03-08-2012 |
20120059944 | ESTABLISHING A COMMUNICATION SESSION - According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of facilitating a communication session between a user terminal and an Application Function over an IP Connectivity Access Network. The method comprises, at a Policy and Charging Rules Function, receiving information relating to the session from the Application Function (B3), determining one or more Policy and Charging Control rules for the session including deriving a Quality of Service authorised for the session, and sending the Policy and Charging Control rules, including the authorised Quality of Service, to a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (B5). At the Policy and Charging Enforcement Function, installing the one or more Policy and Charging Control rules including the aurhtorised Quality of Service for the session, and, if it is determined that the authorised Quality of Service cannot be achieved due to a limitation on a Quality of Service available in the Access Network, then reporting this to the Policy and Charging Rules Function and including the available Quality of Service (B8). At the Policy and Charging Rules Function, receiving the report from the Policy and Charging Enforcement Function, including the available Quality of Service, and using the available Quality of Service to determine whether and/or how to maintain the session. | 03-08-2012 |
20120064878 | POLICY AND CHARGING CONTROL METHOD, NETWORK ENTITIES, COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND COMPUTER PROGRAM THEREFOR - It is provided a policy and charging control method carried out in a communication network. The communication network comprises a first network entity ( | 03-15-2012 |
20120136992 | USAGE-SENSITIVE POLICY AND CHARGING CONTROL METHOD, SERVERS, SYSTEMS AND COMPUTER PROGRAMS - In a policy and charging control method carried out by a server including a policy and charging enforcement function (PCEF), identification information for identifying a particular service instance of a particular service type is obtained. When a packet is received, the PCEF determines whether the packet belongs to the particular service instance by using the identification information and by inspection of at least one of Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) layer n control information of the packet, wherein n is an integer equal to or larger than 3, and the packet's payload. If it is determined that the packet belongs to the particular service instance, the PCEF updates a usage parameter representing an accumulated usage associated with the particular service instance. The PCEF then makes available to a policy and charging rules function (PCRF), the usage parameter or information derived therefrom. | 05-31-2012 |
20120144049 | POLICY AND/OR CHARGING CONTROL FOR A COMMUNICATION SESSION - According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of implementing policy and/or charging control for user communication sessions over an IP Connectivity Access Network. The method comprises: at a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function, configuring a plurality of profiles, each profile defining one or more policy and/or charging control characteristics; at a Policy and Charging Rules Function, configuring a plurality of profile selection rules to be used to determine which of the plurality of profiles should be applied to communication sessions; at the Policy and Charging Enforcement Function, when establishing a communication session, sending a request for policy and/or charging control characteristics for the session to the Policy and Charging Rules Function; at the Policy and Charging Rules Function, receiving the request, using the profile selection rules to select one or more profiles, and sending a response to the Policy and Charging Enforcement Function including an identifier for each of the one or more selected profiles; and at the Policy and Charging Enforcement Function, receiving the response, retrieving the one or more policy and/or charging control characteristics from the one or more selected profiles identified in the response and enforcing the retrieved characteristics for the session. | 06-07-2012 |
20120210003 | Fair Usage Enforcement in Roaming Packet Based Access - Means and methodology for a Policy and Charging Rule Function, in a network visited by a roaming terminal, to determine its role and mode of operation in concurrence with a Policy and Charging Rule Function in the home network of that terminal. The role is determined base on the fact the terminal is roaming, a roaming agreement exists between both networks or can be established and visitor network's operator rules. Determining mode of operation comprises negotiation and possible rule transfer between visited network and home network Policy and Charging Rule Functions. | 08-16-2012 |
20130003529 | HIGH-AVAILABLE POLICY AND CHARGING-CONTROL IN GEOGRAPHICAL REDUNDANCY PCRF CONFIGURATIONS - The present invention is related to handling redundancy of a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) in a wireless communication network having an active PCRF, a standby PCRF and a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) by replicating accumulative quota usage of the active PCRF in a memory of the standby PCRF every time an update request is received at the active PCRF. The present invention is directed to a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) active in a wireless communication network having a standby PCRF and a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF), wherein the PCRF includes a memory in which accumulative quota usage is stored. The PCRF includes a network interface unit which receives update requests. The PCRF includes a processing unit which produces a message having the accumulative quota usage from the memory and that is sent to the standby PCRF from the network interface unit every time an update request is received by the network interface unit so the standby PCRF can become an active PCRF when a switchover is required. The present invention is also directed to a method for handling redundancy of a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) in a wireless communication network having an active PCRF, a standby PCRF and a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF). | 01-03-2013 |
20130044645 | Handling of Policy and Charging Information and User Profiles in a Multisite Communication's Network - It is provided a method for handling policy and charging information, PCI, relating to a user, wherein the method is carried out in a communications network comprising a first and a second site at least (S1, S2). Each of these sites comprises at least a policy and charging rules, PCR, network entity. The method comprises sending (SI1O) from a first network entity of a first site (110; AF-1; PCEF-1) to a PCR network entity of said first site (PCRF-1) a request to obtain PCI dependent on a user profile; generating—if it is determined that said user profile is not accessible at the first site (PCRF-1)—a redirection message comprising an identity of the PCR network entity of the first site (PCRF-1); forwarding said redirection message to a PCR network entity of said second site (PCRF-2). | 02-21-2013 |
20130054800 | EFFICIENT DATA DELIVERY METHOD AND APPARATUS - A method of delivering data to user terminals connected to an Internet Protocol Connectivity Access Network, IP-CAN, wherein the IP-CAN implements a Policy and Charging Control, PCC, architecture. The method comprises caching data within an IP-CAN cache server upon a decision made by a Policy and Charging Rules Function, PCRF, of the PCC architecture. The cached data is then identified to a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function, PCEF, of the PCC architecture. At the PCEF, data requests made by user terminals are monitored and a determination made as to whether or not a request relates to cached data. If a request does relate to cached data, then that cached data is delivered from the IP-CAN cache server to the requesting user terminal. | 02-28-2013 |
20130132570 | METHOD AND APPARATUSES FOR POLICY DECISIONS ON USAGE MONITORING - The present invention improves control rules requests between reporting periods, and provides for enhanced PCRF and PCEF carrying out a method of controlling usage of network resources. This method comprises: determining at the PCEF events requiring control rules; requesting control rules and providing information about usage of network resources during the re-porting period from the PCEF to the PCRF; determining at the PCRF first control rules by using the information about usage of network resources; determining at the PCRF second control rules by using an initial value for usage of network resources during a next reporting period; submitting from the PCRF to the PCEF the first and second control rules; enforcing at the PCEF the first control rules received from the PCRF; and upon starting the next reporting period for the user, inactivating the first control rules and enforcing at the PCEF the second control rules received from the PCRF. | 05-23-2013 |
20140036716 | DEVICES AND METHOD FOR GUARANTEEING QUALITY OF SERVICE PER SERVICE DATA FLOW THROUGH THE BEARER LAYER - In scenarios where the quality of service is negotiated through a signalling layer whereas the services are actually carried through a bearer layer, application functions at the signalling layer are not always aware of how quality of service is individually accomplished at the bearer layer on a service basis. The invention provides a method and devices whereby events are detected on a service data flow basis at a detection device in the bearer layer and notified towards an application device in the signalling layer via a control device between the signalling and the bearer layer. The list of events to be notified is obtainable at the control device from the application device and is included in Quality of Service related rules, along with service data flow filters. This Quality of Service related rules are provided to the detection device for inspecting individual service data flows in order to detect and notify the indicated events. | 02-06-2014 |
20140237129 | Service Redirection from a Policy and Charging Control Architecture - For authorizing redirection services in a policy and charging control architecture, a policy and charging control rules function (PCRF) server determines control rules and redirection information per service in an internet protocol connectivity access network session, and a policy charging and enforcement function (PCEF) device receives control rules and redirection information per service basis, determines redirection per service request, and triggers the redirection. Upon a first request for a service, the PCEF device returns a redirection message with a redirection identifier; and upon completion of the service redirection, the first request for the service reaching the PCEF, the PCEF verifies the service is authorized and submits a service allowance toward the service server in charge of the service. Methods are also disclosed. | 08-21-2014 |
20140254484 | Establishing a Communication Session - A method for operating an IP Multimedia Subsystem Application Server to facilitate a communication session between a first user and a second user at a required Quality of Service (QoS) is provided. The method calls for receiving a notification that a Policy and Charging Rules function (PCRF) associated with the first user has not authorised the required QoS. The notification includes an indication of additional QoS required by the first user in order to achieve the required QoS. Authorization for the additional QoS for the first user is then requested from a PCRF associated with the second user. The method then calls for receiving a notification that the PCRF associated with the second user has authorised the additional QoS, and notifying the PCRF associated with the first user that the additional QoS has been authorised for the first user. | 09-11-2014 |