Data Connection Deactivation for Network Traffic Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication systems, when a user's data allowance is depleted, user terminals continuously attempt to re-establish data connections, leading to excessive network traffic and resource consumption, as the Policy and Charging Control (PCC) system redirects or rejects these attempts without effectively managing the data connection deactivation and reactivation processes.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves the Online Charging System (OCS) and Policy Charging Function (PCF) deactivating and re-activating the data connection of user terminals by updating the subscriber profiles and barring network traffic when the data allowance is exhausted, redirecting traffic to a self-care web portal, and re-enabling connections upon recharge, thereby preventing unnecessary data connection establishment requests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the PCC system redirects or rejects data connection attempts when data allowance is depleted, then user data allowance control is improved, but network resource consumption increases due to continuous re-connection retries
Solution Approach 1:
The OCS deactivates the data connection proactively when data allowance is depleted, before the user terminal can initiate re-connection attempts. This preliminary action prevents the harmful cycle of continuous re-connection retries by establishing the disconnected state in advance, thereby controlling data allowance while avoiding unnecessary network resource consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the OCS monitors data usage in real-time and automatically deactivates the data connection when the allowance threshold is reached. This closed-loop control ensures that data allowance is enforced while the deactivated connection state provides feedback to prevent further re-connection attempts, thus reducing network resource waste.
2Loss of energy
If the OCS deactivates data connection when data allowance is depleted, then network resource consumption is reduced, but user service continuity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides self-service functionality by automatically deactivating and re-activating data connections based on data allowance status without requiring manual intervention. When data allowance is depleted, the OCS autonomously deactivates the connection; when allowance is replenished, the connection is automatically re-activated, ensuring service continuity while managing network resources efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The data connection state is made dynamic, transitioning between active and deactivated states based on real-time data allowance conditions. This dynamic behavior allows the system to adapt to changing data usage patterns and recharge events, maintaining service continuity while preventing network resource consumption during depleted periods.
3Loss of information
If traffic is redirected to a self-care web portal when data allowance is depleted, then user notification is improved, but additional network traffic is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and isolates the notification function by redirecting only the minimal necessary traffic to a self-care web portal when data allowance is depleted. This selective extraction ensures that users receive essential notifications about their data status without allowing full data connection access, thereby providing user notification while limiting additional network traffic generation.
Data Source
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AI summary
Apparatuses and methods for controlling communication of a user terminal in a communication system are provided. The solution comprises determining (300) that a data connection of an access point name or data network name of the user terminal does not fulfil a predetermined condition, and transmitting (302) to a network unit maintaining information on subscriber information of users of the network a message on the basis of determination, the message indicating the access point name or data network name of the user terminal is to be deactivated or the data connection of the access point name or data network name is to be directed to a predetermined server.