PCEF Offline Timer for OCS Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
In mobile communications networks, the lack of an online charging auto-recovery mechanism leads to delayed recovery of online charging, increasing the risk of user account overdrafts and service interruptions when the online charging system (OCS) becomes unavailable, affecting user experience and operator revenue.
Innovation Solution
A method where the Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) switches user equipment (UE) from online charging to offline charging and starts an offline timer, and if the OCS becomes available before the timer expires, it restores online charging, ensuring timely recovery of the online charging function and preventing account overdrafts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the user is switched to offline charging when OCS is unavailable, then service continuity is maintained, but the risk of account overdraft increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by switching to offline charging before OCS unavailability causes service interruption, and simultaneously sets a holding timer to proactively manage the transition duration. This preliminary switch maintains service continuity while the timer prepares for potential online charging recovery, preventing indefinite offline charging that could lead to account overdraft.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback through the holding timer mechanism that continuously monitors the duration of offline charging. When the timer expires or online charging becomes available, the system receives feedback to switch back to online charging, creating a closed-loop control that prevents prolonged offline charging and associated overdraft risks while maintaining service continuity during brief outages.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the holding timer is set to deactivate user after timeout, then account overdraft is prevented, but user experience deteriorates due to service interruption
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies dynamics by making the charging mode flexible rather than static. The holding timer creates a dynamic window during which the system can adaptively switch between offline and online charging based on OCS availability. This dynamic approach allows the system to prevent account overdraft through timeout deactivation while improving user experience by maintaining service continuity during brief outages and enabling smooth transitions when online charging recovers.
3Stability of the object's composition
If online charging recovery is delayed without auto-recovery mechanism, then system stability is maintained, but productivity decreases due to prolonged offline charging
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic action through the holding timer that periodically checks for online charging recovery opportunities. The timer creates structured intervals for attempting to switch from offline to online charging, maintaining system stability through controlled periodic transitions rather than chaotic frequent switching, while simultaneously improving productivity by systematically recovering online charging when available rather than remaining in offline mode indefinitely.
Data Source
AI summary
A charging method, a network device, and a system, where the method includes performing, by a policy and charging enforcement function (PCEF), online charging for user equipment (UE), switching, by the PCEF, the UE from online charging to offline charging, and starting an offline timer when an online charging system (OCS) is unavailable, and restoring, by the PCEF, the UE from offline charging to online charging when the PCEF learns, before the offline timer expires, that the OCS becomes available. Hence, after a user is switched to offline charging, an online charging function can be recovered in a timely manner when the OCS becomes available. In this way, a user account overdraft risk possibly existing in an offline charging process is mitigated, and deactivation of the user can be avoided in the solutions, thereby improving user experience.