Patent Application
20070115861
The present invention relates to the field of charging for packet data, and more particularly to a method for selecting a charging rule in connection with subscriber and a system thereof.
Along with the increasing applications of packet data service, it has become a common concern of operators to charge for packet data service accurately and reasonably.
In the present charging system of all packet-switch based network, for example, the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, since service data flow based on a terminal can only be differentiated down to the level identified by an Access Point Name (APN) and charging information is colleted per Packet Data Protocol (PDP) Context, it is only possible to charge according to the APN and the PDP Context. In practical terms, however, a plurality of parallel service data flows may likely be borne in one PDP Context, for which it may be necessary to charge in different charging modes. This is a requirement the present GPRS charging system can not satisfy. For example, a packet streaming service and a multi-media messaging service may be carried through a terminal at the same time and the two services are born in one PDP Context to the same APN at the same time. The charging rules for the two services, however, may be different as the packet streaming service needs to be charged based on the data volume received on the terminal or the time duration of the service while the multi-media messaging service needs to be charged based on an event, which may be sending or receiving a multi-media message. In order to charge for packet-switch based data services of different types by the same approach, it is necessary to put forward a new charging architecture for all the packet-switch based charging system and to adopt a universal charging mechanism based on service data flow.
In view of the above, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is discussing the implementation of Flow Based Charging (FBC) based on Internet Protocol (IP). In terms of a packet data service, the data volume or time consumed by the terminal when using the service is referred to as Service Data Flow, which aggregates set of packet flows. A plurality of different packet data service flows can be borne in one PDP Context to one APN. Thus, the charging granularity based on service data flow is far detailed than the charging granularity based on a PDP Context. As charging based on service data flow gives a more actual reflection of the resources occupied by a certain service data flow, it provides the operator or service provider with more flexible approaches to charge for the services.
The system architecture, functional specifications, and message interactive processes of FBC have been described in 3GPP.
The FBC system architecture supporting off-line charging is shown as
The functions implemented by each functional entity are described below in accordance with the current definitions of FBC functional entities in 3GPP.
TPF 105 is the functional entity for bearing service data flow, being able to differentiate data packets belonging to different processes of packet data service and used for collecting off-line charging information and performing on-line credit control. When the bearer of a service data flow changes, for example, in the processes of bearer creating, bearer modifying, and bearer deleting, TPF 105 will request a charging rule from CRF 103 via Gx and the message requesting a charging rule may carry relevant information of the terminal, features of the bearer as well as information related with the network, where relevant information of the terminal may comprise the international number of Mobile Station Integrated Service Data Network (MSISDN), the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), and etc, relevant information on features of bearer may comprise parameters of Quality of Service (QoS), and information related with the network may comprise the Mobile Network Code (MNC), Mobile Country Code (MCC), and etc. TPF 105 performs packet data filtering and charging-information collecting on the corresponding service data flow in accordance with the charging rule returned by CRF 103. One TPF 105 can be served by one or multiple CRF 103, and when one TPF 105 is served by multiple CRFs 103, an appropriate CRF 103 can be selected according to the terminal identification for interaction with TPF 105. TPF 105 supports predefined charging rules and predefined service data flow filters.
CRF 103 is the functional entity for storing charging rules, supporting dynamic and static charging rules. A dynamic charging rule refers to a rule generated in real-time time in accordance with the charging policy of a packet data service and applied to the corresponding service data flow; a static charging rule refers to a rule that does not change in the process while the terminal is using a packet data service and can be activated dynamically by some events during the process when the terminal is using a packet data service. CRF 103 can select appropriate charging rules in accordance with the information provided by TPF 105, and/or AF 104, and/or OCS 106, and provide the selected charging rule for TPF 105 when TPF 105 requests a charging rule from it or a specific event has occurred. One CRF 103 may correspond to multiple TPF 105.
AF 104 represents all functional entities associated with application. AF 104 may be a network entity of the operator itself, or a network entity of a third-party service provider. AF 104 provides CRF 103 with appropriate information related with service and application, based on which CRF 103 can select or configure appropriate charging rules. One AF 104 may correspond to more than one CRF 103, and when more than one CRF 103 corresponds to one AF 104, an appropriate CRF 103 can be selected according to the terminal identification for interaction with AF 104.
CC 102 is the functional entity for performing credit control, which is used only in online charging system and can be implemented by adding a new function to the existing OCS 106. CC 102 in OCS 106 can provide CRF 103 via interface Ry with relevant online charging information for use in selecting a charging rule.
CGF 107/CCF 108 is the functional entity for off-line charging system and can be implemented with approaches in the present packet-switched data charging system.
If the bearer network is a GPRS network, TPF 105 will be a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN), AF 104 will be an application proxy or an application server in a Packet Data Network (PDN). When an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) is borne on a GPRS network, AF 104 will be a Proxy Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF) entity, CRF 103 will be a newly-added logic entity.
The above mentioned charging architecture and functions implemented by each functional entity are also applicable to the network architecture of 3GPP2.
In the existing charging systems based on the FBC mechanism, AF 104 and CRF 103 are connected via Rx interface. That is why CRF 103 can select appropriate charging rules or configure some parameters for charging rules based on some application-relevant information provided by AF 104. The operator can determine which data from AF 104 can be used in selecting a charging rule when configuring a charging rule in CRF 103. At present, the information which AF 104 provides for CRF 103 includes: identity information of a service data flow, which can identify the aggregate set of IP flows through using wildcard; information for use in selecting a charging rule, including application/service identification, events for triggering an application/service charging rule, type of a service data flow, and rate of a service data flow. The identity information of a service data flow can support wildcard, and type of a service data flow can be audio, video, and etc., which is an optional parameter, and so is the rate of a service data flow.
A method for selecting a charging rule in connection with subscriber comprises:
an Application Function (AF) providing a Charging Rule Function (CRF) with service information and user information used for selecting a charging rule;
the CRF selecting a charging rule for a subscriber according to the user information and service information.
A system for selecting a charging rule in connection with a subscriber comprises an Application Function (AF) and a Charging Rule Function (CRF); wherein,
the AF provides the CRF with service information and user information used for selecting a charging rule;
the CRF selects the charging rule for the subscriber according to the user information and service information.
A system for selecting a charging rule in connection with a subscriber comprises an Application Function (AF), an agent Charging Rule Function (CRF) of the subscriber and an home CRF of the subscriber; wherein,
the AF provides the agent CRF with service information and user information used for selecting the charging rule;
the agent CRF forwards the service information and the user information to the home CRF of the subscriber;
the home CRF of the subscriber selects the charging rule for the subscriber according to the user information and service information.
As seen from the above-mentioned scheme, the AF provides the CRF with the user information as well as the service information such that the CRF can select a charging rule in connection with the subscriber according to the user information, that is, differentiated charging can be implemented in accordance with different ways of using a same packet data service, thus attracting subscribers of packet data services, increasing the frequency of use thereof, and promoting the spread of packet data services.
When a subscriber is roaming, if the AF currently accessed by the subscriber and the home CRF of the subscriber are not the same one, it will be necessary in the selection of a charging rule that the AF forward the information to the home CRF of the subscriber via another CRF. In this case, as the AF has provided the other CRF with the user information as well as the service information, the other CRF will be able to address the home CRF of the subscriber according to the user information, and further, forward to the home CRF of the subscriber the service information for use in selecting a charging rule so that the home CRF can select a charging rule in connection with a roaming subscriber. In addition, the implementation of this invention will have no impact on existing charging modes in a PLMN due to good compatibility.
The invention is hereinafter further described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in order to give a clearer picture of the object, technical solution and advantages of this invention.
According to this invention, an AF provides a CRF with user information as well as service information such that the CRF will be able to choose a charging rule in connection with the subscriber according to the user information. The user information comprises a user identification, which may be in the format of subscriber terminal identification, for identifying different independent subscribers; or group identification for identifying different user groups consisting of one or more subscribers. Group identification may be a logical one and a user group may be defined on the basis of applications of packet data service or by a rule provided by the operator. The corresponding relationship between user identification and group identification may be stored in the CRF or in other functional entities of PLMN. The user information may also comprise a combination of user identification and group identification for identifying different subscribers in a certain group, or different subscribers in different groups.
Step 201: The AF sends to the CRF Application/Service Data Flow Charging Information, which contains service information and user information. The service information may comprise application/service identification, trigger event of application/service charging rule, type of service data flow, and rate of service data flow.
Step 202: Upon receiving the application/service information, the CRF returns an ACK message to the AF to notify the AF of having received the application/service information sent by the AF.
In the subsequent operation, if the CRF which receives the application/service information is the home CRF of the subscriber, this CRF will choose an appropriate charging rule for the subscriber according to the user information and service information and send to the TPF the charging rule finally selected. Upon receiving the charging rule, the TPF performs charging for the corresponding service data flow according to the selected charging rule. If the CRF which receives the application/service information is not the home CRF of the subscriber, this CRF will find the home CRF of the subscriber according to the user information and send to the home CRF of the subscriber the service information and user information provided by the AF. Upon receiving the information, the home CRF will select for the corresponding subscriber an appropriate charging rule according to the user information and service information and then send the selected charging rule to the TPF. Upon receiving the charging rule, TPF will perform charging for the corresponding service data flow according to the selected charging rule.
The user information may comprise one or more user identifications for identifying one or more independent subscribers, or one or more group identifications for identifying one or more groups, or a combination of one or more user identifications and one group identification for identifying one or more independent subscribers in a group, or a combination of a plurality of user identifications and one group identification for identifying different subscribers in a certain group, or a combination of a plurality of user identifications and a plurality of group identifications for identifying different independent subscribers in different groups. In addition, the user information may be null for use in requesting the CRF to select the same charging rule for all subscribers. The number of user identifications, group identifications or combinations of user identification and group identification can be set based on specific applications or the desire of the operator.
In this way, if the AF wishes to implement a specific charging rule for a subscriber or group, it can provide the user information comprising user identification, or group identification, or combination of user identification and group identification for the CRF, which will select a charging rule in connection with the subscriber or group, thus diversified charging can be implemented.
Steps 301˜302: The AF provides the CRF with the service information and user information. The CRF selects an appropriate charging rule for the corresponding subscriber according to the user information and service information received.
Steps 303˜304: The CRF sends the selected charging rule to the TPF. Upon receiving the charging rule, the TPF performs the charging rule for the corresponding service data flow in connection with the corresponding subscriber.
The invention is further described below by examples of application with reference to
The first example: the AF is the application server of an Internet Service Provider (ISP) providing on-line game service, and the subscribers are charged in different rates according to different levels of each subscriber in the on-line game. For instance, a subscriber with 10,000 credits would be given a 50% discount of the charging rate and a subscriber with 5,000 credits would enjoy 20% discount. A preferential charging policy will be applied to any subscriber who has acquired the amount of credits set in advance as long as she/he continues to use the on-line game service provided by the application server. Thus, it is necessary to modify the charging rule performed on that subscriber when her/his credits have reached 10,000. The specific implementation comprises the steps of:
Steps 301A˜302A: There is information about the subscriber's credit stored in AF, so when the subscriber's credits accumulated have reached 10,000, AF will send Application/Service Data Flow Charging Information to the CRF to inform the CRF that the specific subscriber should be charged with a new charging rule. Said Application/Service Data Flow Charging Information includes the service information and the subscriber identification. The service information may comprise: service data flow identification for identifying the service data flow on which a new charging rule needs to be performed, the AF application identification for identifying the modification to the charging rule for the on-line game service, and the trigger event of application/service charging rules for indicating that the charging rate is to be modified to 50% of the rate. The subscriber identification is for indicating that the new rule is to be applied only to the identified subscriber. Upon receiving the Application/Service Data Flow Charging Information, the CRF will select an appropriate charging rule for the subscriber according to the user identification and service information as well as the information from the TPF. The charging rate in this selected charging rule will be 50% of the original rate.
Steps 303A˜304A: the CRF sends to the TPF the selected charging rule. Upon receiving the rule, the TPF makes appropriate operations on the received charging rule, for instance, creating a new charging rule, deleting the original charging rule, or modifying the original charging rule. Then the TPF will perform the charging rule on the corresponding service data flow in connection with the subscriber.
It can be seen from the above that charging subscribers of high credits with preferential charging rates can attract not only subscribers of high credits to continue to use the packet data service but also other subscribers to have more access to this service so as to be given a preferential charging rate, thus promoting the packet data service, in this case, the on-line game service.
The second example: The operator is promoting the application of packet data service in subscribers of a group. In the promotion period, all subscribers of the group can be given a 20% discount of the charging rate when using the on-line network service provided by the operator. Thus, it is necessary to modify the charging rule performed on the subscribers of the group at the beginning of the promotion period. The specific implementation comprises the steps of:
Steps 301B˜302B: The AF in charge of on-line services in the operator's network provides the service information and group identification for the CRF. The service information includes the service data flow identification with wildcard for identifying all service data flows on which new charging rules are to be performed, the AF application identification for indicating that the modification is made to the charging rules for on-line services, the trigger event of application/service charging rules for indicating that the charging rate is to be modified to 80% thereof, and the group identification for indicating the new charging rule is to be performed only on the group subscriber. Upon receiving the service information and group identification, the CRF will select an appropriate charging rule for the group subscriber according to the group identification and service information as well as the information from the TPF. The charging rate in this charging rule is 80% of the original rate.
Steps 303B˜304B: The CRF sends the selected charging rule to the TPF. Upon receiving the charging rule, the TPF makes appropriate operations on the received rule, for instance, creating a new charging rule, deleting the original charging rule, or modifying the original charging rule. Then the TPF performs the charging rule on the corresponding service data flow in connection with the subscribers of the corresponding group.
The group identification mentioned above can identify one or more groups, for instance, with one specific group identification identifying one group and a wildcard identification identifying a plurality of groups; and can identify all the groups, for instance, when the group identification is set as 0 (zero), it identifies all groups.
In addition, it is possible to perform a preferential charging rule on one or more subscribers in the group. Then the AF needs to provide the CRF with the user identification along with the group identification to indicate that one or more the subscribers of the group should be charged with a preferential charging policy, or those different subscribers in different groups should be charged with a preferential charging policy.
At the end of the promotion period, the charging rate can be modified to the original rate by the above procedures to stop charging the group subscriber with a preferential charging policy.
Step A1: AF 401 receives the packet data service request sent from a subscriber and decides that the home PLMN of the subscriber is not PLMN 40 according to the user information, for instance, the user identification. Then AF 401 sends to V-CRF 402 which is configured in advance for AF 401 as an agent CRF the Application/Service Data Flow Charging Information used for selecting a charging rule, which includes the service information and user information. If AF 401 determines according to the user identification that the home PLMN of the subscriber is PLMN 40, AF 401 will send directly to the home CRF of the subscriber the Application/Service Data Flow Charging Information used for selecting a charging rule.
Step A2: Upon receiving the Application/Service Data Flow Charging Information, V-CRF 402 determines according to the user information that the home PLMN of the subscriber is PLMN 41 and then forwards the Application/Service Data Flow Charging Information used for selecting a charging rule to H-CRF 411 in PLMN 41. Upon receiving the Application/Service Data Flow Charging Information provided by AF 401, H-CRF 411 selects an appropriate charging rule for the corresponding subscriber based on the user information and service information contained in the Application/Service Data Flow Charging Information.
If the TPF currently used by the subscriber is in the same PLMN as H-CRF 411 of the subscriber, that is, both TPF and H-CRF 411 are located in HPLMN 41, H-CRF 411 will send directly to TPF the selected charging rule. Upon receiving the charging rule, TPF performs the charging rule on the corresponding service data flow in connection with the subscriber. If TPF 403 currently used by the subscriber is located in a different PLMN from H-CRF 411 of the subscriber, as shown in
Step A3: After selecting a charging rule for the corresponding subscriber, H-CRF 411 sends to V-CRF 404 the selected charging rule. Upon receiving the selected charging rule provided by H-CRF 411, V-CRF 404 may make proper modification to the charging rule provided by H-CRF 411 according to the charging policy of VPLMN 40 to create a new charging rule, and then sends the created charging rule to TPF 403. Upon receiving the created charging rule, TPF 403 performs the created charging rule on the corresponding service data flow in connection with the subscriber.
The step of the CRF selecting a charging rule as mentioned above may comprise: the CRF selecting a certain charging rule among the existing charging rules, which are configured in advance by the operator and have been stored in CRF, or the CRF modifying the configuration parameters of the existing charging rules to create new charging rules, or the CRF creating new charging rules by configuring whole new parameters.
It is appreciated that the above description is only preferred embodiments of this invention and not to be construed as limits to the protection scope of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200410044425.9 | May 2004 | CN | national |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/CN05/00634 | May 2005 | US |
| Child | 11542214 | Oct 2006 | US |
