Online Charging for Pre-fetched Content via Credit Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current online charging systems in communication networks face challenges in efficiently managing and authorizing the consumption of pre-fetched content, particularly in ensuring that users are charged only for content they actually consume, and in preventing over-consumption or resource wastage due to pre-fetched data.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a network node with a pre-fetching element that initiates a credit control procedure upon receiving a consumption request, conditionally allowing content pre-fetching based on credit balance and historical consumption patterns, and ensuring that charging is only applied when the content is actually consumed, with the network node interacting with an online charging system to manage and authorize the consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If pre-fetching of content is performed in advance, then user experience is improved by having content ready for consumption, but users may consume more content than they are charged for, leading to resource wastage and loss of revenue
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary credit verification and content availability checking before the actual content consumption. The network node receives a consumption request, checks credit balance and content availability in advance, and only then allows the pre-fetched content to be consumed, preventing unauthorized or uncharged consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback between the network node and the online charging system. The network node monitors content consumption in real-time, sends usage information to the charging system, and receives credit balance updates, enabling dynamic control of pre-fetched content consumption based on actual usage patterns
2Reliability
If continuous credit control is implemented for pre-fetched content, then over-consumption is prevented, but system complexity increases due to continuous interaction requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The credit control process is segmented into distinct phases: initial credit verification when the consumption request is received, periodic credit balance checking during content consumption, and final settlement after consumption completes. This segmentation allows complex credit control to be managed through simpler, discrete steps
Solution Approach 2:
The network node acts as an intermediary between the user equipment and the online charging system. It receives consumption requests from users, manages the credit control logic locally, and only communicates with the charging system when necessary (at key milestones), reducing the burden of continuous interaction while maintaining charging accuracy
3Speed
If pre-fetched content is made available for consumption, then user access speed is improved, but unauthorized or uncharged consumption may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by verifying credit balance and content licensing status before allowing pre-fetched content to be consumed. The network node checks whether the user has sufficient credit and whether the content is authorized for consumption, preventing unauthorized access before it can occur
Solution Approach 2:
The user equipment autonomously manages pre-fetched content consumption by locally verifying consumption requests against stored credit information and content metadata. The device can determine whether consumption is authorized based on local data, reducing the need for constant network verification while maintaining security
Data Source
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AI summary
In oneaspect of the teachings herein, an Application Function, AF, in a wireless communication network is configured to support online charging for the consumption of content that has been pre-fetched to a wireless device via the network. The AF functionality thus provides a mechanism by which content may be pre-fetched to a wireless device in advance of charging for that content, while reliably conditioning the later consumption of that content at the wireless device on the online charging decisions made by an online charging system. In another aspect, a wireless device is configured to send a consumption request for pre-fetched content towards such an AF and condition its consumption of the pre-fetched content on the consumption response returned to it.