Providing radio resource ownership indicators for user equipment charging records in a mobile network environment

Abstract

Techniques are described herein for providing radio resource ownership indicators in charging records for a charging function. In one example, a method may include determining, by a session management node of a mobile network, that a user equipment is utilizing a particular radio resource of a mobile network resource for a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session of the user equipment, wherein the mobile network resource is capable of being utilized via a plurality of radio resources and the particular radio resources is associated with an enterprise entity; and reporting charging information for the PDU session of the user equipment to a charging function of the mobile network to facilitate storing a charging record for the user equipment that is to include an identifier of the enterprise entity that is associated with the particular radio resource.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 obtaining, by a session management node of a mobile network, usage information for a protocol data unit (PDU) session for a user equipment associated with an enterprise entity, wherein the user equipment is utilizing a particular radio resource for a mobile network slice for the PDU session, the particular radio resource is configured for use by the enterprise entity for the mobile network slice, and the mobile network slice is capable of being utilized by other user equipment via a plurality of other radio resources that are not configured for use by the enterprise entity; and   reporting charging information for the PDU session of the user equipment to a charging function of the mobile network to facilitate storing a charging record for the PDU session for the user equipment that is to include an identifier of the enterprise entity that is associated with the particular radio resource.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile network slice is operated by a mobile network operator that is not the enterprise entity. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particular radio resource is at least one of:
 a radio frequency configured for use by the enterprise entity for the mobile network slice;   a radio frequency band configured for use by the enterprise entity for the mobile network slice; or   a radio beam represented by a beam identifier.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the obtaining comprises:
 obtaining, by the session management node of the mobile network, a radio usage report from a radio node of the mobile network, the radio usage report comprising the identifier of the enterprise entity and an identifier of the particular radio resource that the user equipment is utilizing for the mobile network slice for the PDU session, wherein the radio node is configured with a mapping that includes the identifier of the enterprise entity in association with the identifier of the particular radio resource that is configured for use by the enterprise entity for the mobile network slice; and   obtaining, by the session management node, a usage report from a user plane function of the mobile network, the usage report comprising usage details for the PDU session of the user equipment.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein reporting the charging information for the PDU session of the user equipment includes reporting the charging record and the identifier of the enterprise entity. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the charging function of the mobile network is configured with a mapping that includes an identifier for the particular radio resource in association with the identifier of the enterprise entity. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the obtaining comprises:
 obtaining, by the session management node of the mobile network, a radio usage report from a radio node of the mobile network, the radio usage report comprising the identifier of the particular radio resource that the user equipment is utilizing for the mobile network slice for the PDU session; and   obtaining, by the session management node, a usage report from a user plane function of the mobile network, the usage report comprising usage details for the PDU session of the user equipment.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein reporting the charging information for the PDU session of the user equipment includes reporting the charging record and the identifier of the particular radio resource that the user equipment is utilizing for the mobile network slice for the PDU session. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 obtaining, by a radio node of the mobile network, a data packet from the user equipment via the particular radio resource;   providing, by the radio node of the mobile network in a header of a data packet, the identifier of the enterprise entity and an identifier of the particular radio resource that the user equipment is utilizing for the mobile network slice for the PDU session; and   forwarding the data packet toward a user plane function of the mobile network.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the obtaining comprises:
 obtaining, by the session management node of the mobile network, a report from the user plane function of the mobile network, the report comprising usage details for the PDU session of the user equipment, the identifier of the particular radio resource that the user equipment is utilizing for the mobile network slice for the PDU session, and the identifier of the enterprise entity.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein reporting the charging information for the PDU session of the user equipment includes reporting the usage details for the PDU session of the user equipment, the identifier of the particular radio resource that the user equipment is utilizing for the mobile network slice for the PDU session, and the identifier of the enterprise entity. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identifier of the enterprise entity is one of:
 a Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Object Identifier (OID);   an Organizationally Unique Identifier (OUI); or   a Roaming Consortium Organizational Identifier (RCOI).   
     
     
         13 . One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, comprising:
 obtaining, by a session management node of a mobile network, usage information for a protocol data unit (PDU) session for a user equipment associated with an enterprise entity, wherein the user equipment is utilizing a particular radio resource for a mobile network slice for the PDU session, the particular radio resource is configured for use by the enterprise entity for the mobile network slice, and the mobile network slice is capable of being utilized by other user equipment via a plurality of other radio resources that are not configured for use by the enterprise entity; and   reporting charging information for the PDU session of the user equipment to a charging function of the mobile network to facilitate storing a charging record for the PDU session for the user equipment that is to include an identifier of the enterprise entity that is associated with the particular radio resource.   
     
     
         14 . The media of  claim 13 , wherein the particular radio resource is at least one of:
 a radio frequency configured for use by the enterprise entity for the mobile network slice;   a radio frequency band configured for use by the enterprise entity for the mobile network slice; or   a radio beam represented by a beam identifier.   
     
     
         15 . The media of  claim 13 , wherein the obtaining comprises:
 obtaining, by the session management node of the mobile network, a radio usage report from a radio node of the mobile network, the radio usage report comprising the identifier of the enterprise entity and an identifier of the particular radio resource that the user equipment is utilizing for the mobile network slice for the PDU session, wherein the radio node is configured with a mapping that includes the identifier of the enterprise entity in association with the identifier of the particular radio resource that is configured for use by the enterprise entity for the mobile network slice; and   obtaining, by the session management node, a usage report from a user plane function of the mobile network, the usage report comprising usage details for the PDU session of the user equipment.   
     
     
         16 . The media of  claim 15 , wherein reporting the charging information for the PDU session of the user equipment includes reporting the charging record and the identifier of the enterprise entity. 
     
     
         17 . A session management node of a mobile network comprising:
 at least one memory element for storing data; and   at least one processor for executing instructions associated with the data, wherein executing the instructions causes the session management node to perform operations, comprising:
 obtaining, by a session management node of a mobile network, usage information for a protocol data unit (PDU) session for a user equipment associated with an enterprise entity, wherein the user equipment is utilizing a particular radio resource for a mobile network slice for the PDU session, the particular radio resource is configured for use by the enterprise entity for the mobile network slice, and the mobile network slice is capable of being utilized by other user equipment via a plurality of other radio resources that are not configured for use by the enterprise entity; and 
 reporting charging information for the PDU session of the user equipment to a charging function of the mobile network to facilitate storing a charging record for the PDU session for the user equipment that is to include an identifier of the enterprise entity that is associated with the particular radio resource. 
   
     
     
         18 . The session management node of  claim 17 , wherein the mobile network slice is operated by a mobile network operator that is not the enterprise entity. 
     
     
         19 . The session management node of  claim 17 , wherein the particular radio resource is at least one of:
 a radio frequency configured for use by the enterprise entity for the mobile network slice;   a radio frequency band configured for use by the enterprise entity for the mobile network slice; or   a radio beam represented by a beam identifier.   
     
     
         20 . The session management node of  claim 17 , wherein the session management node is a Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Session Management Function (SMF).