PCC Rule Update Method for Policy Control Function State Consistency

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The prior art lacks a solution for processing old PCC rules after updating PCC rules, leading to inconsistencies between the PCRF and PCEF, resulting in interrupted user services due to retention of active old PCC rules without proper deactivation and state management.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for updating PCC rules that involves receiving a CCR message, generating and sending new PCC rules, storing both new and old rules, obtaining a response from the PCEF, and retaining the new rules while deleting the old ones to ensure consistency and proper state management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the PCRF stores both old and new PCC rules during update, then the reliability of rule consistency is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional state management requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovePCC rule consistencyVSAvoidstate management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The PCRF stores both old and new PCC rules before the PCEF completes the update, preparing the system in advance for potential rollback scenarios. This preliminary action ensures that if the new rules fail, the system can immediately revert to old rules without reconstruction, maintaining service continuity while managing complexity through structured state retention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system maintains old PCC rules as a protective buffer during the update process. This cushioning mechanism allows the PCRF to compensate for potential update failures by having the old rules readily available, thus cushioning against service interruption while the complexity is managed through defined retention and deletion protocols.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Productivity

If the PCEF executes new PCC rules without confirming success to the PCRF, then the productivity of rule updates is improved, but the reliability of state consistency deteriorates due to lack of synchronization

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovePCC rule update speedVSAvoidstate synchronization

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The PCEF sends a response message to the PCRF after executing new PCC rules, providing feedback on execution status. This feedback mechanism allows the PCRF to synchronize its state with the actual PCEF state, determining whether to retain or delete old rules based on confirmed execution results, thus maintaining reliability without significantly impacting productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The PCEF autonomously executes the new PCC rules upon receiving them from the PCRF, performing the update action without requiring continuous PCRF intervention. This self-service approach improves productivity by enabling immediate rule execution while the subsequent feedback message ensures state synchronization is eventually achieved.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Loss of information

If the PCRF deletes old PCC rules immediately after sending new rules, then the loss of information is reduced, but the reliability of service continuity deteriorates due to potential update failures

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovePCC rule information retentionVSAvoidservice continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The PCRF retains old PCC rules in advance before determining whether deletion is appropriate. This preliminary retention ensures that if the new rules fail to execute properly, the old rules are still available for immediate use, maintaining service continuity. The deletion action is postponed until execution success is confirmed, preventing information loss at the critical moment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system cushions against potential update failures by maintaining old PCC rules as a backup during the execution period. This cushioning prevents service interruption by ensuring fallback options are available, while the information loss is minimized by deleting old rules only after successful execution is confirmed through feedback.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

4Productivity

If the PCEF does not send response messages for successful updates, then the productivity of the update process is improved, but the measurement precision of update status deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupdate process efficiencyVSAvoidupdate status accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses a selective feedback approach where response messages are sent based on execution outcomes. This partial action principle allows the system to maintain productivity by not requiring responses for all cases while still achieving sufficient measurement precision through targeted feedback that provides necessary status information for state synchronization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP2239884B1PCC rules updating method, device and system

Publication Date: 2011.12.28 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD

Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5(a)

AI summary

A method, an apparatus, and a system for updating PCC rules are disclosed herein to ensure normal process of the user service in the process of updating the PCC rules. A method for updating PCC rules includes: obtaining a response made by a PCEF after the PCEF updates the PCC rules; and keeping consistency between created PCC rules and the PCC rules currently executed in the PCEF according to the obtained response.