PCF Alternative Charging Profiles for QoS Degradation Handling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing 3GPP Policy and Charging Control (PCC) architectures face delays in enforcing alternative QoS and charging policies due to tight coupling, leading to unnecessary delays in policy decisions when QoS degradation occurs.

Innovation Solution

Implementing alternative QoS and charging profiles within the PCC rules, allowing nodes like PCF and SMF to independently adjust charging and QoS policies without requiring modified rules, enabling immediate enforcement of alternative profiles when QoS degradation is detected.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the network enforces alternative charging profiles immediately upon QoS degradation, then charging fairness and service quality are maintained, but system complexity and policy management overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecharging fairnessVSAvoidpolicy management overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The network pre-configures alternative charging profiles and QoS thresholds before degradation occurs. When QoS degradation is detected, the system immediately applies the pre-determined alternative profile without requiring complex real-time policy negotiations or modifications, thus maintaining charging fairness while reducing operational overhead

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes charging parameters dynamically by switching between different predefined charging profiles based on QoS conditions. Instead of creating new policies, the network selects from existing profiles with different parameter sets (e.g., reduced data caps, modified pricing tiers), simplifying policy management while ensuring fair charging during degradation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the network continuously monitors QoS parameters to enforce policy decisions, then service quality is maintained, but processing overhead and response time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice qualityVSAvoidpolicy enforcement delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

QoS thresholds and alternative charging profiles are predetermined and stored in the system before degradation occurs. This allows the network to quickly compare current QoS metrics against pre-set thresholds and immediately enforce appropriate policies without time-consuming real-time analysis or policy generation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system monitors specific QoS parameters (bandwidth, latency, jitter) and triggers policy changes when predefined thresholds are breached. This parameter-based approach enables rapid detection and response to degradation events, reducing enforcement delay while maintaining service quality through targeted monitoring

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If modified PCC rules are created dynamically to handle QoS degradation, then charging accuracy is improved, but system complexity and enforcement delays increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecharging accuracyVSAvoidPCC rule management

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple charging profiles with different accuracy levels are pre-configured in the system, each optimized for specific QoS conditions. When degradation occurs, the network selects the appropriate pre-configured profile that matches the current service level, ensuring charging accuracy without requiring dynamic rule creation or modification

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses parameter-based profile selection where each charging profile contains pre-defined parameters (data caps, pricing rates, priority levels) tailored to specific QoS scenarios. This allows the network to maintain charging accuracy by selecting the profile with parameters best suited to current conditions, avoiding the complexity of dynamic rule generation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS12621391B2Alternative charging handling based on QoS utilizing a policy control function to enforce policy and charging control rules

Publication Date: 2026.05.05 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

A method is performed by a first node, such as a PCF node, of a telecommunication network is provided. The method includes providing an alternative charging profile and an alternative QoS profile to a second node, such as a SMF node, as part of a policy and charging, PCC, rule. The method also includes requesting the second node to apply charging from the PCC rule according to the alternative charging profile based on a QoS degradation. A method performed by a second node also is provided.