Application Charging Session Management Across Multiple Bearers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing charging mechanisms in 3G networks face difficulties in ensuring application-based charging for OTT applications, particularly when application flows span multiple bearers and when application features cannot be described using IP quintuples or when these attributes change frequently, leading to low system availability.
Innovation Solution
A charging system and method where a CTF device detects application flows across multiple bearers using an application identifier and collects charging information, establishing a dedicated charging session independent of bearers, allowing for application-based charging without the restrictions of traditional bearer-based granularity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If charging is based on bearer granularity, then charging session management is simplified, but application-based charging cannot be implemented when flows span multiple bearers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the charging session management into two independent dimensions: bearer-level sessions for resource management and application-level sessions for charging. This allows application-based charging to be implemented without affecting bearer management, resolving the contradiction between charging versatility and management complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an application-level charging session as an intermediary layer between the bearer and the charging system. This intermediary enables application-specific charging policies to be applied independently of bearer management, allowing multi-bearer application flows to be charged accurately without complicating the underlying bearer session management.
2Reliability
If charging sessions are established for each bearer, then resource control is efficient, but system availability decreases when application attributes change frequently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates bearer session management from application session management, allowing application-level charging sessions to be independently controlled. When application attributes change, only the application-level session needs adjustment rather than re-establishing bearer sessions, thereby improving system availability and reducing unnecessary session establishment operations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If application flows are bound to single bearer, then charging information collection is simplified, but OTT application charging cannot be implemented when flows use multiple bearers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an application-level charging session as an intermediary that aggregates charging information from multiple bearers. This intermediary collects and consolidates charging data for application flows spanning multiple bearers, enabling OTT application charging without requiring complex per-bearer flow detection and binding management.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention discloses an application charging method. The method includes: receiving, by a CTF device, a charging rule of an application from a PCRF device; executing, by the CTF device, the charging rule of the application, and detecting, according to an application identifier, a flow of the application transmitted on one or more bearers; sending, by the CTF device according to charging rule parameters of the application, a charging session establishment request to a charging system; collecting, by the CTF device, charging information about the flow of the detected application; and sending, by the CTF device, the collected charging information about the flow of the application to the charging system by using the charging session of the application. In embodiments of the present invention, the CTF device detects, according to the application identifier carried in the charging rule, the flow of the application transmitted on one or more bearers, and collects the charging information about the flow of the detected application, and the charging session of the application is established after the flow of the application is detected. Therefore, the solutions provided in the embodiments of the present invention can implement charging for an OTT application.