IMS Charging Policy Segmentation via P-Charging-Function-Addresses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) charging systems cannot provide individual charging policies to each network element, leading to inflexible charging configurations that apply the same policy to all users, limiting the ability to define specific charging methods for different network elements.
Innovation Solution
Extending subscriber profiles to include specific charging function information for each IMS network element type, indicating whether to send charging information to offline or online charging functions, allowing each element to apply customized charging policies based on subscriber profiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single charging policy is applied to all IMS network elements, then the charging system is simple to implement, but the flexibility to provide individual charging policies to different network elements is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The charging policy is segmented and associated with individual IMS network elements through the P-Charging-Function-Addresses header field. Each network element can have its own charging function addresses configured separately, allowing individual charging policies to be applied to different elements without requiring system-wide complexity changes.
Solution Approach 2:
Different charging policies are applied locally to different IMS network elements based on their specific configurations. The P-Charging-Function-Addresses header enables each network element to have customized charging function addresses, allowing local quality variations in charging behavior across the network.
2Adaptability or versatility
If charging function information is not extended in subscriber profiles, then the profile structure remains simple, but the ability to specify charging methods for different network elements is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The subscriber profile structure is extended to include multi-functional charging information. The P-Charging-Function-Addresses header field serves multiple purposes: it provides charging function addresses for different network elements, enables both offline and online charging modes, and maintains backward compatibility with existing profiles while adding new capabilities.
3Adaptability or versatility
If all network elements use the same charging function addresses, then the configuration is uniform and simple, but individual network elements cannot apply customized charging policies
Solution Approach 1:
The charging function addresses are made dynamic and configurable per network element rather than static and uniform. The P-Charging-Function-Addresses header allows dynamic configuration of different charging function addresses for different network elements, enabling customized charging policies while maintaining ease of operation through standardized header fields.
Data Source
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AI summary
Apparatus configured to operate as a network element within an IMS to provide services to a subscriber. The apparatus comprises a receiver for receiving charging function information for the subscriber provided by a subscriber profile server, the charging function information including an indication of a plurality of IMS network element types that may be used to provide services to the subscriber and, for each of the plurality of IMS network element types, specifying whether an IMS network element of that type should send charging information for the subscriber to an offline charging function and whether an IMS network of that type should send charging information for the subscriber to an online charging function. The apparatus further comprises a processor for determining whether the IMS network element should send charging information for the subscriber to an offline charging function and whether the IMS network should send charging information for the subscriber to an online charging function and a transmitter for sending charging information to any of an offline charging function accordingly.