PGW PCC Profile Caching for PCRF Failure Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the SAE mobile communication system, failures in the PCRF lead to issues with transmission and reception of communications related to PCC control, as the system lacks a corresponding PCC profile, resulting in unsynchronized states between S/P-GW and PCRF, and inability to perform dynamic charging control.
Innovation Solution
A communication method and apparatus that re-establishes Packet Data Network connections upon PCRF restart, using procedures with a cause set to Reactivation Requested, ensuring seamless communication by re-establishing associations between PDN, PCC connections #1 and #2, and enabling PCC control even after PCRF failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the PCRF is restarted after a failure, then the PCRF can resume operation, but the PCC profile information is lost causing inability to process PCC control signals
Solution Approach 1:
The P-GW stores PCC profile information locally before PCRF failure occurs. When the PCRF restarts, the P-GW already has the necessary profile data cached, allowing it to immediately resume PCC control signal processing without requiring re-synchronization or losing any profile information.
Solution Approach 2:
The P-GW creates and maintains a local copy of the PCC profile information from the PCRF. This copy serves as a backup that remains intact during PCRF failures and restarts, enabling the P-GW to continue operating with PCC control even when the original PCRF is unavailable or recovering.
2Reliability
If the PCRF fails, then the system experiences interruption in PCC control communications, but restarting the PCRF creates unsynchronized state between S/P-GW and PCRF
Solution Approach 1:
The P-GW autonomously maintains its own local copy of PCC profile information independent of the PCRF's operational state. This self-maintained information allows the P-GW to continue processing PCC control signals without requiring real-time synchronization with the PCRF during or after failures, eliminating the unsynchronized state problem.
3Productivity
If the PCRF restarts without maintaining PCC profiles, then the PCRF can resume quickly, but dynamic charging control cannot be performed
Solution Approach 1:
The P-GW pre-stores PCC profile information locally before the PCRF restarts. This preliminary storage ensures that when the PCRF quickly resumes operation, the P-GW already has all necessary profile data available to immediately restore dynamic charging control functionality without waiting for profile re-synchronization.
Data Source
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AI summary
A mobile communication method according to the present invention includes a step A of re-establishing, by IMS (P-CSCF), association among a PDN connection, a PCC connection #1 and a PCC connection #2 in case of detecting a specified event after detecting a failure in PCRF.