Policy Control Function Account Limit Storage for Non-Session Services
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current techniques fail to utilize account limits for non-session management services, leading to inefficient use of computing and networking resources, poor subscriber experiences, and lost service opportunities due to the inability to provide non-session management services based on subscriber account limits.
Innovation Solution
A network device, such as a Policy Control Function (PCF), utilizes account limits to determine policy decisions not related to session management by interacting with a Charging Function (CHF) to retrieve and store account limits, enabling the provisioning of non-session management policy control services for users, thereby conserving resources and improving service delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If account limits are only used for session management policy decisions, then session management control is achieved, but non-session management services cannot be provided based on account limits and computing resources are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the use of account limits from solely session management policy decisions to also include non-session management policy decisions. The PCF retrieves and stores account limits from the CHF, then utilizes these stored limits for both session management (SMF) and non-session management (AMF, UE policy) decisions, making the account limits mechanism universal across multiple service types and eliminating redundant computing resource consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The PCF proactively retrieves account limits from the CHF and stores them in advance before they are needed for non-session management policy decisions. This preliminary action allows the PCF to immediately make informed policy decisions for AMF and UE policy requests without needing to query the CHF each time, thereby conserving computing and networking resources while enabling versatile service coverage.
2Reliability
If account limits are retrieved for every non-session management policy request, then accurate policy decisions can be made, but networking resources are wasted due to repeated interactions with CHF
Solution Approach 1:
The PCF performs a preliminary retrieval of account limits from the CHF and stores them locally in advance. This upfront action ensures that accurate account limit data is available for making reliable non-session management policy decisions, while eliminating the need for repeated networking interactions with the CHF for each subsequent policy request, thereby significantly reducing networking resource consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The PCF creates a local copy of the account limits data retrieved from the CHF and stores it in its own memory. This copy allows the PCF to make accurate policy decisions based on the stored account limits without needing to repeatedly access the original source in the CHF, thus maintaining policy decision accuracy while minimizing networking resource usage.
3Adaptability or versatility
If account limits are not stored for non-session management services, then system complexity remains low, but service opportunities are lost and subscriber experiences deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The PCF proactively retrieves and stores account limits from the CHF in advance, enabling it to provide diverse non-session management services (AMF policy control, UE policy control) based on account limits. This preliminary storage action increases service capability and versatility without requiring complex real-time interactions, thereby enhancing subscriber experiences while maintaining manageable system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The PCF acts as an intermediary between the CHF and various network functions (SMF, AMF, UE policy). By storing account limits locally, the PCF mediates policy decisions for multiple services without requiring each function to directly interact with the CHF, thus expanding service capabilities while keeping the overall system architecture relatively simple and manageable.
Data Source
AI summary
A network device may receive a request for determination of a first non-session management policy control decision for a UE, and may provide an account limits request to another network device based on the request. The network device may receive, from the other network device, account limits for the UE, and may determine a first non-session management policy control service for the UE based on the account limits. The network device may cause the UE to be provisioned with a service based on the first non-session management policy control service, and may receive a request for determination of a second non-session management policy control decision for the UE. The network device may determine a second non-session management policy control service for the UE based on the account limits, and may cause the UE to be provisioned with a service based on the second non-session management policy control service.