Network Convergence Gateway AAA Mediator QoS Charging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network convergence technologies fail to support the Quality of Service (QoS) management and charging manner of the network to which an access user belongs, especially when accessing different networks like WiFi and LTE, leading to inefficient QoS and charging practices.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for network convergence that establishes a public service packet data network connection for authentication and then initiates a private service-based PDN connection, allowing the second gateway to identify and manage access users according to their native network's QoS and charging policies, using access user identifiers to trigger charging procedures aligned with the user's home network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a CPE converts WiFi signal to LTE signal for network convergence, then network interoperability is improved, but the second network cannot identify individual WiFi users and can only perform QoS management and charging at the CPE terminal level
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an AAA server as an intermediary between the WiFi network and LTE network. The AAA server maintains a mapping relationship between WiFi user identifiers (MAC addresses) and LTE user identifiers (IMSI), enabling the LTE network to identify and manage individual WiFi users through this intermediary component without requiring direct user identification capability in the original network
2Device complexity
If the EPC network performs QoS management and charging by taking the CPE terminal as the smallest unit, then network management is simplified, but the charging precision and QoS management granularity are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the charging and QoS management process into two levels: the AAA server handles individual user-level charging and QoS management by maintaining user identifier mappings, while the EPC network continues to manage CPE terminals. This segmentation enables precise per-user charging without requiring the entire EPC management structure to operate at fine granularity
3Ease of operation
If the second network adopts the QoS management and charging manner of its own network, then network operation is simplified, but the access user's native network QoS and charging policies cannot be supported
Solution Approach 1:
The AAA server acts as a mediator that translates between different network domains. It receives authentication requests from the LTE network, maps them to corresponding WiFi users using stored identifier mappings, and applies the appropriate charging policies from the user's native WiFi network while maintaining simplified operation in the LTE network
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of communications and provide a method, a device and a communications system for network convergence, which can support a charging manner of a network to which an access user belongs. The method for network convergence includes: after authentication of an access user is successful, receiving, by a second gateway, a PDN connection establishment message corresponding to the access user, where the message carries an access user identifier and is sent by a first gateway, the first gateway is a gateway of a first network in which the access user is currently located, and a service borne by the PDN connection corresponding to the access user includes a network side service of the access user in the first network; and initiating, by the second gateway, according to the access user identifier, a charging procedure corresponding to the access user. The method, the device and the communications system for network convergence provided in the embodiments of the present invention are used for network convergence.