Diameter Online Charging Continuity During Prepayment Terminal Relocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Diameter Credit Control Application (DCCA) protocols are unable to maintain continuous online charging during the relocation of a prepayment client terminal in wireless networks, particularly in WiMAX networks where users may move between different access points, leading to disruptions in user sessions.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced to maintain continuity of Diameter online charging by initializing the relocation of a prepayment client terminal, re-authenticating the mobile station, transmitting context information, and requesting a new quota from the prepayment server, while disconnecting the old connection, and managing old and new quotas separately to ensure seamless session continuation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the prepayment client terminal is relocated from one ASN GW/PPC to another ASN GW/PPC during user movement, then the network can support user mobility in a flatter architecture, but the charging continuity is disrupted and the user session cannot be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by establishing a correspondence relationship between the mobile station's permanent identifier (IMSI) and the prepayment client terminal identifier before relocation occurs. This pre-established mapping allows the system to quickly identify and transfer charging context when relocation happens, preventing charging interruptions without requiring complex real-time negotiations during the move
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism in the form of a context transfer process between the old and new prepayment client terminals. The charging context information acts as an intermediary data structure that bridges the gap during relocation, allowing the new PPC to assume the charging session seamlessly without direct mobile station involvement in the handover
2Reliability
If the anchor point is fixed at the GPRS gateway-supported node, then the prepayment client terminal remains stable and charging continuity is maintained, but the network architecture becomes less flexible and cannot support movement to different access points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the prepayment client terminal role dynamic rather than static. Instead of being fixed at the GPRS gateway-supported node, the PPC function can dynamically relocate to different ASN GWs as the user moves. The system maintains stability through the context transfer mechanism while adapting to different network positions, allowing the PPC to be wherever the user currently is
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the charging architecture by separating the mobile station's permanent identity (IMSI) from the temporary prepayment client terminal identifier. This segmentation allows the PPC function to be divided and relocated independently while maintaining the core charging relationship through the preserved IMSI-PPC correspondence
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for maintaining continuity of Diameter online charging. The method comprises the following steps: a) initializing, when a user is moving, the relocation of a prepayment client terminal from an old prepayment client terminal to a new prepayment client terminal, and implementing the re-authentication of a mobile station at the new prepayment client terminal; b) transmitting the context information of an old Diameter online charging session from the old prepayment client terminal to the new prepayment client terminal after the re-authentication has been successfully completed; c) transmitting an initial credit control request (CCR) message comprising the identification of the old Diameter online charging session from the new prepayment client terminal to a prepayment server for continuing the old Diameter online charging session, and request for a quota by a prepayment proxy to the prepayment server via the new prepayment client terminal; and d) disconnecting the old connection between the old prepayment client terminal and the prepayment server.