Method for authorizing PCF strategy based on user type

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for authorizing a PCF strategy based on a user type, and the method comprises the steps: 1, setting a binding relation between a strategy center and a PCF on a network management platform, and configuring a database address for the data storage of the strategy center; and step 2, the user is online for the first time, a message of a session creation request strategy is sent to the PCF network element, and the PCF network element is triggered to make a strategy matching and authorization process according to the user type. The method provided by the invention has the superior technical effects that the strategy center can provide uniform and flexible strategy authorization based on different user types; corresponding strategies can be formulated and executed according to different user types; all strategies can be executed on the same equipment or system in a centralized manner, so that the management process is simplified, and the management efficiency is improved; the strategy center provides abundant terminal security health check strategies, and can prevent unsafe terminals and terminals which do not meet enterprise security strategies from accessing the network, thereby improving the overall information security level.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of mobile communications, and in particular relates to a method for authorizing a PCF strategy based on user type. Background Art

[0002] At present, with the rapid development of mobile communication technology, China's mobile communication users have already exceeded one billion. The number is huge, and the types are becoming more and more diverse. Users are classified into various categories, which help operators better understand user needs and provide more accurate services. For example, according to the characteristics of the user population, they are divided into individual users, family users and group users. Individual users include brands such as China Unicom, M-Zone, China Unicom, and G3. These brands provide differentiated services for different user groups. For example, China Unicom is mainly for high-end and business travelers, M-Zone is more popular among students and young and fashionable people, and China Unicom mainly serves the general public. Family users refer to the phenomenon that one person in the family uses a brand, which may affect other family members, forming a family using the same brand. Operators have also launched packages and services for family users to meet the needs of family communication and entertainment. Group customers are mainly composed of local economic pillar enterprises, medium-sized enterprises and small enterprises. Operators provide these customers with overall mobile information solutions, such as short number cluster network, enterprise information communication, mobile switchboard, etc., to comprehensively improve the level of e-government and e-commerce through mobile management. According to the importance of customers, ordinary users who use general mobile products, important users who contribute a lot of value to operators, credit users with good reputation, and potential users who have not yet become mobile users can be divided. If divided by psychological factors, people who are extremely sensitive to the new products (services) launched by operators can be divided into service-sensitive users, terminal-sensitive users who are highly dependent on mobile physical service halls, and tariff-sensitive users who are extremely sensitive to the company's service charging standards. There are also star users divided by consumption capacity and service value, and many other user types. Operators divide user types to better meet the needs of different types of users and provide more personalized and accurate services. PCF, as the network element that most directly understands the details of different types of users using different packages, does not have the ability to authorize different policies according to user types. The result will inevitably lead to operational losses for mobile operators, affecting the entire set of core network products. It does not have the ability to maintain customer interests and achieve long-term win-win results. It will inevitably be eliminated by the rapid development of the communications industry. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present invention provides a method for authorizing a PCF policy based on user type.

[0004] The method for authorizing a PCF policy based on user type comprises the following steps:

[0005] Step 1: Set the binding relationship between the Policy Center and PCF on the network management platform and configure the database address for storing the Policy Center data.

[0006] Step 2: When the user goes online for the first time, a message requesting a session creation policy is sent to the PCF network element, triggering the PCF network element to make a policy match and authorization process based on the user type.

[0007] Furthermore, in step 1, the binding relationship between the policy center and the PCF is set on the network management platform, and the database address for storing the policy center data is configured, which specifically includes the following steps:

[0008] Step 1.1, enter the policy center configuration page, configure the attribute user type of the operator user type planning, and the differentiated user type of the attribute user type refinement;

[0009] Step 1.1.1, configure the effective time range of user type planning to facilitate the iteration cycle length of user type planning;

[0010] Step 1.1.2, configure whether user types are allowed to cross, and family user type members are also group users;

[0011] Step 1.2, configure session rules. Each user uses a terminal device to start a communication service and completes the process of the terminal device accessing the mobile communication network through a base station. During the successful access process, the policy of any user type that the PCF needs to authorize contains a session rule, and the session rule configuration is completed through steps 1.2.1 and 1.2.2;

[0012] Step 1.2.1, configure the session rule set. This configuration can flexibly match new session rules in the session policy set when the user goes online for the first time, or in response to the location migration or service migration of the user's terminal device. The PCF network element authorizes the user terminal, configures the session rule set index, the name of the session rule set, and configures 1 to 16 associated session rules.

[0013] Step 1.2.2, configure a single session rule. This configuration complies with the 3GPP standard protocol constraints and the session rule requirements under the standard framework. Configure the session rule index, configure the session rule name, configure the maximum uplink bandwidth of the session-level data service, configure the maximum downlink bandwidth of the session-level data service, and configure the data network name (Data Network Name, hereinafter referred to as DNN) as the matching condition of the session rule.

[0014] Step 1.2.3, configure 5G QoS Identifier (5QI), priority level (PL), preemption capability (PC), preemption vulnerability (PV);

[0015] Step 1.3 configures the charging and control policy (hereinafter referred to as PCC) rules. This configuration is used in the scenario where the user goes online for the first time, or the user's terminal successfully obtains the assigned address, or the access data network of the user terminal changes. The charging and control rules are flexibly issued to steps 1.2.1, 1.2.2, and 1.2.3. Specifically:

[0016] Step 1.3.1, configure PCC service, configure service index, specific service identifier, associated service description index, associated service policy index;

[0017] Step 1.3.2, configure the service description index, the flow description index associated with the service description, and configure the specific content of the flow description, including: source IP address, destination IP address, source port, destination port, and protocol type;

[0018] Step 1.3.3, configure the service policy content, including: the association between the customized event index and the policy set index in the policy derivation, the setting of the customized event, the PCC rules specifically associated in the policy set, the specific rule names in the PCC rules, the conditions required by the PCC, the configured matching conditions are successful, and the configuration of the authorized rule content, including: the billing policies for online billing and offline billing, and the service quality including the maximum uplink bandwidth, the maximum downlink bandwidth, the uplink guaranteed bandwidth, and the downlink guaranteed bandwidth constrained by the rules;

[0019] Step 1.3.4: Based on the configurations in steps 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3, continue to configure the content of policies for different user types, the indexes of 1 to 8 session rules associated with the user type, and the indexes of 1 to 8 PCC rules;

[0020] Step 1.3.5 opens an account for the user, fills in the international mobile user identity code of the terminal, and configures the user type according to the international mobile user identity code of the terminal. The selected user type is not exclusive, and multiple user types can be selected. Each user type has a priority and a validity period.

[0021] Furthermore, in step 2, when the user goes online for the first time, a message of the session creation request policy is sent to the PCF network element, triggering the policy matching and authorization process made by the PCF network element according to the user type, which specifically includes the following steps:

[0022] Step 2.1: PCF checks whether the user is a legitimate subscriber. If the user is legitimate, it proceeds to step 2.2. If the user is not legitimate, it directly rejects policy authorization.

[0023] Step 2.1.1, the PCF queries the user type stored in the database cluster system according to the international mobile subscriber identity code of the terminal carried by the legal subscriber;

[0024] Step 2.1.2: If there is only one type of user, further query the control and charging policies associated with this user type based on the queried user type;

[0025] Step 2.1.3, query the content of the session rule set, first perform DNN condition matching according to the session rules associated with the session rule set, and if DNN is matched, record the session rule;

[0026] Step 2.1.4, query the content of the PCC rule set, first perform condition group matching according to the PCC rules associated with the PCC rule set, and if the condition group condition is matched, record the PCC rule;

[0027] Step 2.1.5: The session rules and PCC rules are successfully obtained, and the user type policy is authorized to the user's terminal;

[0028] Step 2.1.6: If the user has two or more user types, query the control and charging policies associated with each user type based on the queried user type, and repeat steps 2.1.2 to 2.1.5. If the queried policies conflict, filter the policy with a higher priority and issue authorization based on the priority.

[0029] Step 2.1.7: If no user type is found, repeat steps 2.1.2 to 2.1.5 according to the default user type to grant the user type policy authorization;

[0030] Step 2.2: Various user types are stored in the policy center and its associated database cluster system to cope with various failure scenarios, including the following steps:

[0031] Step 2.2.1: During the stable operation of PCF, user account opening, user package contract signing, and user policy set by user type in the policy center will be directly written into the database linked to the policy center. The databases that are mutually primary and standby will establish a synchronization chain of cluster relationships during the deployment process. The data stored in one of the databases will be quickly synchronized to another database system in the database cluster system. The databases in the database cluster are all separately deployed systems.

[0032] Step 2.2.2, PCF equipment is normal, the policy center stores the database failure scenario of PCC policies for multiple user types, and a database in the database cluster system crashes. The database system that operates normally in the cluster will take over the floating address of the database cluster to ensure that the PCF equipment can normally link to the database that backs up the PCC policies for different user types, ensure the user terminal online process, update the multiple levels of policy authorization of the process, and keep the user terminal long session from being disconnected.

[0033] Compared with the prior art in this technical field, the superior technical effects of the present invention are:

[0034] 1. The method of authorizing PCF policies based on user types described in the present invention implements unified and flexible policy management. The policy center can provide unified and flexible policy authorization based on different user types. Corresponding policies can be formulated and executed according to different user types. All policies can be centrally executed on the same device or system, thereby simplifying the management process and improving management efficiency.

[0035] 2. The method of authorizing PCF policies based on user types described in the present invention improves the level of information security. The policy center provides a variety of terminal security health check strategies, which can prevent unsafe terminals and terminals that do not meet the enterprise security policies from accessing the network, thereby improving the overall information security level.

[0036] 3. The method of authorizing PCF policies based on user types described in the present invention improves work efficiency and user experience. The policy center can be integrated with the operator's BOSS system and a third-party data service provider to achieve data sharing and interaction, thereby improving work efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] Figure 1 A method for authorizing a PCF policy based on user type in an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the PCF uses a policy center to authorize a user to control and charge a request for session creation, and a schematic diagram of a corresponding solution;

[0038] Figure 2A method for authorizing a PCF policy based on user type in an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the PCF uses a policy center to authorize a user to request a control and charging policy for a session update, and a schematic diagram of a corresponding solution;

[0039] Figure 3 The figure is a flow chart of the method for authorizing PCF policy based on user type in an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] The following is combined with Figure 1-2 The implementation of the method for authorizing PCF policy based on user type of the present invention is described in detail.

[0041] The drawings provided for the method of user type-based PCF policy authorization described in the present invention are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention and constitute a part of this application. The schematic embodiments of the present invention and their description are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute an improper limitation on the present invention.

[0042] Example 1

[0043] The method for authorizing PCF policy based on user type described in the present invention is as follows: Figure 1 As shown in the figure, in a normal scenario, the user session creation request message is sent to SMF, and SMF further requests PCF authorization control and charging policy. The steps are as follows:

[0044] Step 11: SMF sends a policy request for the user 1 session creation process to PCF;

[0045] Step 12: The PCF device queries the user type-related policies of user 1 managed by the policy center;

[0046] Step 13: PCF queries the user type to which the user belongs in the policy center;

[0047] Step 14: The user type into which the user is classified is successfully queried, and the authorized session policy and PCC policy associated with the user type are further queried;

[0048] Step 15: The authorized policy query based on the user type is successful, and the PCF authorizes and delivers the control and charging policies required by the user.

[0049] Step 16: If the user is classified into multiple user types, execute the authorized session policies and PCC policies associated with the multiple user types.

[0050] Step 17: If the user is classified into multiple user types, the authorized session policy and PCC policy are found to be in conflict, and the authorized session policy and PCC policy are issued according to the priority of the user type classified by the user.

[0051] Step 18: SMF sends a policy request for the user 2 session creation process to PCF;

[0052] Step 19: The PCF device queries the user type-related policies of user 2 managed by the policy center;

[0053] Step 20: PCF queries the user type to which user 2 belongs in the policy center;

[0054] Step 21: The user type of user 2 is successfully queried, and the authorized session policy and PCC policy associated with the user type are further queried;

[0055] Step 22: The authorized policy query based on the user type is successful, and the PCF authorizes and sends the control and charging policy required by user 2.

[0056] Step 23: If the DNN of user 2 is the same as that of user 1, but the user types are different, then the policies for obtaining authorization for user 2 and user 1 are different.

[0057] Example 2

[0058] The method for authorizing PCF policy based on user type described in the present invention is as follows: Figure 2 As shown, in a normal scenario, the user session update request message is sent to SMF, and SMF further requests PCF authorization control and charging strategy. The steps are as follows:

[0059] Step 21: SMF sends a policy request for the user 1 session update process to PCF;

[0060] Step 22: The PCF device queries the user type-related policies of user 1 managed by the policy center;

[0061] Step 23: PCF queries the user type to which the user belongs in the policy center;

[0062] Step 24: The user type into which the user is classified is successfully queried, and the authorized session policy and PCC policy associated with the user type are further queried;

[0063] Step 25: The authorized policy query based on the user type is successful, and the PCF authorizes and delivers the control and charging policy required by the user.

[0064] Step 26: If the user is classified into multiple user types, the authorized session policies and PCC policies associated with the multiple user types are executed.

[0065] Step 27: If the user is classified into multiple user types, the authorized session policy and PCC policy are found to be in conflict, and the authorized session policy and PCC policy are issued according to the priority of the user type classified by the user.

[0066] Step 28: SMF sends a policy request for user 2's session update process to PCF;

[0067] Step 29: The PCF device queries the user type-related policies of user 2 managed by the policy center;

[0068] Step 30: PCF queries the user type to which user 2 belongs in the policy center;

[0069] Step 31: The user type of user 2 is successfully queried, and the authorized session policy and PCC policy associated with the user type are further queried;

[0070] Step 32: The query of the authorized policies based on the user type is successful, and the PCF authorizes and sends the control and charging policies required by user 2.

[0071] Step 33: If the DNN of user 2 is the same as that of user 1, but the user types are different, then the policies for obtaining authorization for user 2 and user 1 are different.

[0072] The above description is only a specific implementation mode of the present invention, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily thought of by any technician familiar with the technical field within the scope disclosed in the present invention should be covered by the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for authorizing a PCF policy based on user type, comprising the following steps: Step 1: Set the binding relationship between the policy center and PCF on the network management platform and configure the database address where the policy center data is stored; Step 2: When the user goes online for the first time, a message requesting a session creation policy is sent to the PCF network element, triggering the PCF network element to make a policy match and authorization process based on the user type.

2. According to the method for authorizing PCF policy based on user type as claimed in claim 1, in step 1, the binding relationship between the policy center and PCF is set on the network management platform, and the database address of the policy center data storage is configured, which specifically includes the following steps: Step 1.1, enter the policy center configuration page, configure the attribute user type of the operator user type planning, and the differentiated user type of the attribute user type refinement; Step 1.1.1, configure the effective time range of user type planning to facilitate the iteration cycle length of user type planning; Step 1.1.2, configure whether user types are allowed to cross, and family user type members are also group users; Step 1.2, configure session rules. Each user uses a terminal device to start a communication service and completes the process of the terminal device accessing the mobile communication network through a base station. During the successful access process, the policy of any user type that the PCF needs to authorize contains a session rule, and the session rule configuration is completed through steps 1.2.1 and 1.2.2; Step 1.2.1, configure the session rule set. This configuration can flexibly match new session rules in the session policy set when the user goes online for the first time, or in response to the location migration or service migration of the user's terminal device. The PCF network element authorizes the user terminal, configures the session rule set index, the name of the session rule set, and configures 1 to 16 associated session rules. Step 1.2.2, configure a single session rule. This configuration complies with the 3GPP standard protocol constraints and has the session rule requirements under the standard framework. Configure the session rule index, configure the session rule name, configure the maximum uplink bandwidth of the session-level data service, configure the maximum downlink bandwidth of the session-level data service, and configure the data network name as the matching condition of the session rule. Step 1.2.3, configure 5G service quality parameters, configure priority level, preemption capability, preemption vulnerability or preemption capability; Step 1.3 configures the charging and control policy rules. This configuration is used when a user goes online for the first time, or when the user's terminal successfully obtains the assigned address, or when the user's terminal's access data network changes. The specific configuration is as follows: Step 1.3.1, configure the PCC service, configure the service index, specific service identifier, associated service description index, and associated service policy index; Step 1.3.2, configure the service description index, the flow description index associated with the service description, and configure the specific content of the flow description, including: source IP address, destination IP address, source port, destination port, and protocol type; Step 1.3.3, configure the service policy content, including: the association between the customized event index and the policy set index in the policy derivation, the setting of the customized event, the PCC rules specifically associated in the policy set, the specific rule names in the PCC rules, the conditions required by the PCC, the configured matching conditions are successful, and the configuration of the authorized rule content, including: the billing policies for online billing and offline billing, and the service quality including the maximum uplink bandwidth, the maximum downlink bandwidth, the uplink guaranteed bandwidth, and the downlink guaranteed bandwidth constrained by the rules; Step 1.3.4: Based on the configurations in steps 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3, continue to configure the content of policies for different user types, the indexes of 1 to 8 session rules associated with the user type, and the indexes of 1 to 8 PCC rules; Step 1.3.5 opens an account for the user, fills in the international mobile user identity code of the terminal, and configures the user type according to the international mobile user identity code of the terminal. The selected user type is not exclusive, and multiple user types can be selected. Each user type has a priority and a validity period.

3. According to the method for authorizing PCF policy based on user type as claimed in claim 1, step 2, when the user goes online for the first time, a message of session creation request policy is sent to the PCF network element, which triggers the policy matching and authorization process made by the PCF network element according to the user type, specifically comprising the following steps: Step 2.1: PCF checks whether the user is a legitimate subscriber. If the user is legitimate, it proceeds to step 2.

2. If the user is not legitimate, it directly rejects policy authorization. Step 2.1.1, the PCF queries the user type stored in the database cluster system according to the international mobile subscriber identity code of the terminal carried by the legal subscriber; Step 2.1.2: If there is only one type of user, further query the control and charging policies associated with this user type based on the queried user type; Step 2.1.3, query the content of the session rule set, first perform DNN condition matching according to the session rules associated with the session rule set, and if DNN is matched, record the session rule; Step 2.1.4, query the content of the PCC rule set, first perform condition group matching according to the PCC rules associated with the PCC rule set, and if the condition group condition is matched, record the PCC rule; Step 2.1.5: The session rules and PCC rules are successfully obtained, and the user type policy is authorized to the user's terminal; Step 2.1.6: If the user has two or more user types, query the control and charging policies associated with each user type based on the queried user type, and repeat steps 2.1.2 to 2.1.

5. If the queried policies conflict, filter the policy with a higher priority and issue authorization based on the priority. Step 2.1.7: If no user type is found, repeat steps 2.1.2 to 2.1.5 according to the default user type to grant the user type policy authorization; Step 2.2: Various user types are stored in the policy center and its associated database cluster system to cope with various failure scenarios, including the following steps: Step 2.2.1: During the stable operation of PCF, user account opening, user package contract signing, and user policy set by user type in the policy center will be directly written into the database linked to the policy center. The databases that are mutually primary and standby will establish a synchronization chain of cluster relationships during the deployment process. The data stored in one of the databases will be quickly synchronized to another database system in the database cluster system. The databases in the database cluster are all separately deployed systems. Step 2.2.2, PCF equipment is normal, the policy center stores the database failure scenario of PCC policies for multiple user types, and a database in the database cluster system crashes. The database system that operates normally in the cluster will take over the floating address of the database cluster to ensure that the PCF equipment can normally link to the database that backs up the PCC policies for different user types, ensure the user terminal online process, update the multiple levels of policy authorization of the process, and keep the user terminal long session from being disconnected.

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