Pre-allocated Usage Units Reduce Signaling Overhead in Communication Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current communication networks face inefficiencies in managing user access to communication services due to the need for real-time credit authorization and frequent signaling for usage beyond initial allocated credits, leading to increased signaling overhead and potential user experience delays.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a pre-allocation method that uses predicted usage information, derived from historical data, to pre-allocate usage units for future communication service usage, allowing for initial authorization without immediate credit checks and reducing the need for frequent signaling between charging trigger and online charging functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If real-time credit authorization is used for each communication service usage, then user access control and charging accuracy are improved, but signaling overhead increases and user experience delays occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and pre-allocating usage units for communication services before actual usage occurs. The system determines future usage requirements in advance and secures corresponding usage units ahead of time, eliminating the need for real-time credit authorization checks during actual service usage. This pre-allocation mechanism reduces signaling overhead while maintaining accurate user access control.
2Reliability
If frequent signaling is required for usage beyond initial allocated credits, then charging accuracy is maintained, but network processing load increases and user experience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary determination of future usage requirements and pre-allocates usage units before actual consumption occurs. By calculating and securing usage units in advance based on predicted usage patterns, the system eliminates the need for frequent subsequent signaling requests when users exceed initial allocations, thereby reducing network processing load while maintaining charging accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where usage information is collected and analyzed to refine future pre-allocation calculations. The system continuously learns from actual usage patterns and adjusts subsequent pre-allocations accordingly, creating a feedback loop that improves charging accuracy over time while reducing the frequency of signaling interactions needed for usage management.
3Speed
If pre-allocation of usage units is implemented, then user access speed and network processing efficiency are improved, but credit management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculations of usage requirements and pre-allocates usage units before actual service usage occurs. This advance determination and allocation mechanism enables immediate service access without real-time credit checks, significantly improving access speed. The pre-allocation approach manages complexity by establishing clear advance agreements on usage and credit requirements rather than handling complex real-time calculations during service delivery.
Data Source
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AI summary
A charging trigger function (CTF 40) in a communication network (30) advantageously uses pre-allocated usage units to authorize the use of a communication service by a user, when a pre-allocated usage unit is available with respect to the involved communication service and user. A pre-allocation function (PAF 42) provides the one or more pre-allocated usage units directly to the CTF (40) or indirectly via an online charging function (OCF 44). The pre-allocated usage units are determined, for example, according to predicted usage information, user account information, and configured rules. A usage prediction function (UPF 52) in the network (30) uses user-related information, such as historical usage data or other activity by the user, to generate the predicted usage information. Among its other advantages, authorizing the use of the communication service based on pre-allocated usage units obviates or reduces the need for usage authorization signaling going between the CTF and OCF.