Method and apparatus for controlling service traffic in a communication network

Abstract

A method and corresponding apparatus for controlling service traffic in a communication network including an online charging system performing the steps of receiving a request for service traffic control, the request including at least data identifying a first communication network account; determining, based on the received data and a predefined set of rules, a first network traffic policy profile associated with the first account; transmitting 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.

1 . A method for operating an online charging system to control service traffic in a communication network, the method comprising steps of:
 receiving a request for service traffic control, the request including at least data identifying a first communication network account;   determining, based on the received data and a predefined set of rules, a first network traffic policy profile associated with the first account;   transmitting 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.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein:
 before the step of determining a network traffic policy profile determining, based on the received data, a service package associated with said account to which said service relates; and 
 wherein the step of determining the network traffic policy profile comprises the determination being based on an association between said service package and the network traffic policy profile. 
 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the received request for service traffic control further includes a first subscriber identity and the method further comprises the steps:
 receiving from a Packet Gateway a request for credit control of a service including a second subscriber identity; 
 determining, using the second subscriber identity, a second account to charge for the service; 
 determining that the received requests for service traffic control and credit control relates to the same service instance by matching the first and second subscriber identity; 
 determining that the second account to charge differs from the first account; 
 determining, based on the received data and the predefined set of rules, a second network traffic policy profile associated with the second account; and 
 transmitting 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. 
 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the received request for service traffic control further includes an access network charging address and an access network charging identifier, and the method further comprises the steps:
 receiving from a Packet Gateway a request for credit control of a service including a packet gateway address and a charging identity;   determining a second account to charge for the service;   determining that the received requests for service traffic control and credit control relates 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 that the second account to charge differs from the first account;   determining, based on the received data and the predefined set of rules, a second network traffic policy profile associated with the second account; and   transmitting 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.   
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 3  wherein the identifier identifying the second network traffic policy profile is sent as a DIAMETER Re-Authentication-Request. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the step of determining a first and/or second network traffic policy profile is further based on account data. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6  wherein the account data comprises data identifying subscriber group and/or data specifying services associated with the account. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 3  wherein the step of determining a first and/or second network traffic policy profile is further based on data received from the Packet Gateway in the request for credit control. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the network traffic policy profile contains a quality of service parameter of bandwidth and/or priority that is to a particular value. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the network traffic policy profile contains at least a parameter indicating that a type of traffic within a traffic flow should be service traffic controlled separately from other traffic within the traffic flow. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the network traffic policy profile is associated with one or more service packages. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein a service package is associated with several network traffic policy profiles. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the step of transmitting a policy control command further comprises determining if the identified NTPP is stored in the NTPP Entity, and if not, transmitting said NTTP to the PCRF for storage in the NTTP entity. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the request for service traffic control is a Diameter Credit Control Request command. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the policy control command further comprises a network traffic policy profile activation and/or deactivation time parameter. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the policy control command further comprises an indicator indicating that resources beyond or below a threshold has been consumed from the account. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the policy control command further comprises a revalidation time indicating when the PCRF must send a new request for service traffic control. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the first policy control command further comprises a plurality of identifiers identifying a plurality of network traffic policy profiles and a priority value indicating which network traffic policy profile to apply when several are applicable to the service. 
     
     
         19 . An online credit control system for controlling service traffic in a communication network, the online credit control system comprising:
 an interface module adapted for receiving a request for service traffic control, the request including at least data identifying a first communication network account;   a determination module adapted for determining, 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 adapted for transmitting 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.   
     
     
         20 . An online credit control system according to  claim 19  wherein the determination module is further adapted to:
 before carrying the determining the first network traffic policy profile, determining based on the received data a service package associated with said account to which said service relates; and 
 wherein determining the first network traffic policy profile is carried out based on an association between said service package and the network traffic policy profile. 
 
     
     
         21 . An online credit control system according to  claim 19  wherein the received request for service traffic control further includes an access network charging address and an access network charging identifier, and the system further comprises:
 the interface module adapted for receiving from a Packet Gateway a request for credit control of a service including a packet gateway address and a charging identity; 
 the determination module adapted for: 
 determining a second account to charge for the service; 
 determining that the received requests for service traffic control and credit control relates 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 that the second account to charge differs from the first account; 
 determining, based on the received data and the predefined set of rules, a second network traffic policy profile associated with the second account; and 
 the interface module adapted for transmitting 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. 
 
     
     
         22 . An online credit control system according to  claim 21  wherein the determining a first and/or second network traffic policy profile is further based on data received from the Packet Gateway in the request for credit control. 
     
     
         23 . An online credit control system according to  claim 19  wherein the network traffic policy profile contains at least a parameter indicating that a type of traffic within a traffic flow should be service traffic controlled separately from other traffic within the traffic flow. 
     
     
         24 . An online credit control system according to  claim 19  wherein the network traffic policy profile is associated with one or more service packages. 
     
     
         25 . An online credit control system according to  claim 19  wherein a service package is associated with several network traffic policy profiles. 
     
     
         26 . An online credit control system according to  claim 19  wherein the policy control command further comprises a network traffic policy profile activation and/or deactivation time parameter. 
     
     
         27 . An online credit control system according  claim 19  wherein the policy control command further comprises a revalidation time indicating when the PCRF must send a new request for service traffic control. 
     
     
         28 . An online credit control system according to  claim 19  wherein the first policy control command further comprises a plurality of identifiers identifying a plurality of network traffic policy profiles and a priority value indicating which network traffic policy profile to apply when several are applicable to the service.