Credit Pool Management via Segmented URRs

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The separation of control plane and user plane in telecommunication networks complicates the management of credit pools, making it unclear how to use existing parameters like Pool Time Threshold and Pool Volume Threshold, and how multipliers work when counting packets, especially when Credit Pool Information Elements are included in Usage Reporting Rules (URRs).

Innovation Solution

A method is introduced where the control plane (CP) creates individual Usage Reporting Rules (URRs) for each Rating Group (RG) with a credit pool threshold, which are then provided to the user plane (UP) to aggregate service unit usage across all RGs, using a Usage Reporting Rule for Credit Pool (URR CRPL) to instruct the UP to count and report service units efficiently, avoiding unnecessary complexity in the UP function.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the control plane and user plane are separated in telecommunication networks, then the network architecture becomes more flexible and modular, but the management of credit pools becomes complicated and unclear

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork architecture flexibilityVSAvoidcredit pool management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the credit pool management by creating separate Usage Reporting Rules (URRs) for each Rating Group (RG) while maintaining a shared credit pool threshold. The control plane creates individual URRs with credit pool thresholds for different RGs, and the user plane aggregates usage across these segmented rules, resolving the complexity introduced by plane separation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (the aggregated URR or URR CRPL) that mediates between the control plane's credit pool management and the user plane's packet counting. This intermediary aggregates service unit usage from multiple individual URRs and reports against the shared credit pool threshold, simplifying the interaction between separated planes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If individual URRs are created for each Rating Group with credit pool thresholds, then credit pooling across multiple services is enabled, but the user plane function becomes more complex in processing and aggregating usage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecredit pooling supportVSAvoiduser plane processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the user plane's Usage Reporting Rule processing universal by designing the aggregation mechanism to handle multiple RGs through a standardized process. The URR CRPL (Usage Reporting Rule for Credit Pool) serves as a multi-functional rule that aggregates usage from multiple individual URRs across different RGs using a unified credit pool threshold, reducing the need for separate processing logic for each RG.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Measurement precision

If the user plane is given detailed credit pool information and multipliers, then packet counting accuracy improves, but the user plane function loses simplicity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepacket counting accuracyVSAvoiduser plane function simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts complex credit pool management information (multipliers, rating parameters, individual RG thresholds) from the user plane and relocates it to the control plane. The user plane only receives simplified individual URRs with their own thresholds and the aggregated URR CRPL with the total credit pool threshold, maintaining measurement precision while preserving user plane simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Ease of manufacture

If existing parameters like Pool Time Threshold and Pool Volume Threshold are used without modification, then implementation is straightforward, but they do not work correctly with credit pool information elements in URRs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimplementation easeVSAvoidcredit pool parameter functionality

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter structure by introducing credit pool-specific thresholds (credit pool volume threshold, credit pool time threshold) that differ from traditional Pool Time Threshold and Pool Volume Threshold. These modified parameters are embedded in the URR CRPL to work correctly with credit pool information elements, ensuring both reliability and ease of implementation through standardized parameter definitions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11671803B2Functions and method for handling a credit pool of service units

Publication Date: 2023.06.06 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

The embodiments herein relate to a method performed by a Control Plane (CP) function for handling a credit pool comprising granted service units to be used by multiple services. The multiple services are grouped in at least one first Rating Group (RG). The CP function creates an individual Usage Reporting Rule (URR) for each of the at least one first RG. Each individual URR comprises a first credit pool threshold. The CP function provides the individual URRs to a User Plane (UP) function. The CP function creates a Usage Reporting Rule for the Credit Pool (URR CRPL). The URR CRPL comprises instructions to the UP function to aggregate service unit usage for all individual URRs for all first RGs. The URR CRPL further comprises the first credit pool threshold. The CP function provides the URR CRPL to the UP function.