Service Broker Centralized QoS Control for IMS
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Solution Overview
Problem
In IP multimedia subsystems, managing quality of service (QoS) across different application function apparatuses (AFs) is challenging due to varying QoS requirements, which can lead to service conflicts and inefficient charging mechanisms, necessitating a centralized control solution.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a service broker (SB) that determines and manages QoS requirements of associated AFs, sending unified QoS authorization requests to a policy and charging rules function apparatus (PCRF) to ensure effective QoS control, reducing signaling transmission and improving system performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If each application function apparatus (AF) independently manages its own QoS requirements, then each AF can control its specific service quality, but service conflicts arise and system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a service broker as an intermediary component that mediates between multiple application function apparatuses and the policy and charging rules function apparatus. The service broker collects QoS requirements from multiple AFs, performs centralized coordination and conflict resolution, and submits unified QoS authorization requests to the PCRF. This intermediary approach maintains reliable QoS control for each service while avoiding the complexity of direct peer-to-peer coordination between AFs.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple AFs submit separate QoS authorization requests to the PCRF, then each AF's specific requirements can be addressed, but signaling transmission increases and system performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate QoS authorization requests from different application function apparatuses into a single unified request. The service broker aggregates the QoS requirements from multiple AFs, performs centralized processing and coordination, and submits one consolidated authorization request to the PCRF. This merging approach maintains the adaptability to handle diverse QoS requirements from different services while significantly reducing signaling transmission overhead and improving overall system performance.
3Manufacturing precision
If centralized QoS control is implemented through a service broker, then service conflicts are resolved and charging accuracy improves, but the control architecture becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The service broker acts as a specialized intermediary that implements centralized QoS control logic. It collects QoS requirements from multiple AFs, performs coordinated management to resolve conflicts between different service requirements, and submits unified authorization requests to the PCRF. This centralized approach through the intermediary enables accurate charging based on coordinated QoS policies while containing architectural complexity within the broker component rather than distributing it across the entire system.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method for providing a service, a service broker, and a policy and charging rules function apparatus. The method includes: receiving a service request; determining, according to the service request, at least one AF associated with the service; determining QoS requirement information of each AF; sending a QoS authorization request to a PCRF, where the QoS authorization request carries the QoS requirement information of each AF; receiving an authorization success answer sent by the PCRF so as to provide the service through the at least one AF, where the authorization success answer carries authorization to the QoS requirement information of each AF. According to the method and the apparatus in the embodiments of the present invention, QoS requests are controlled by using an SB in centralized mode so that the development and operation costs can be reduced.