Session Management Signaling for Paused Charging Reports
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Solution Overview
Problem
In existing session management systems, unnecessary usage reports are sent after charging has been paused, leading to increased load and inefficiency in both control and user plane functions.
Innovation Solution
Implement a mechanism where the control plane function indicates to the user plane function to inactivate measurement and reporting for usage rules when charging is paused, and reactivate when necessary, using information elements and flags in session management requests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the user plane function continuously sends usage reports when measurement thresholds are reached, then complete charging information is provided to the control plane function, but unnecessary reports increase the load on both control and user plane functions after charging has been paused
Solution Approach 1:
The control plane function sends a preliminary indication to the user plane function to inactivate measurement and reporting before charging is actually paused. This preliminary action prevents the user plane function from generating unnecessary usage reports after charging pause, thereby maintaining complete charging information while avoiding increased system load from redundant reports
Solution Approach 2:
The measurement and reporting functionality is made dynamic by allowing the control plane function to activate or inactivate it based on charging state. When charging is paused, the user plane function inactivates measurement and reporting; when charging resumes, it reactivates them. This dynamic adjustment ensures complete charging information is captured only when necessary, improving system efficiency by eliminating redundant reporting operations
2Measurement precision
If the user plane function resets measurement counts after sending usage reports, then accurate ongoing measurements are maintained, but repeated reports of the same threshold conditions generate invalid data when charging is paused
Solution Approach 1:
The control plane function preliminarily inactivates measurement functionality in the user plane function before charging is paused. This prevents the user plane function from resetting measurement counts and generating invalid usage reports during the paused period, thereby maintaining measurement precision for active charging while avoiding loss of information through invalid reports
Solution Approach 2:
The measurement and reporting functionality is extracted as a separately controllable feature from the core charging process. The control plane function can independently activate or inactivate measurement and reporting based on charging state, allowing the system to maintain accurate measurements when needed while eliminating invalid report generation during charging pauses
3Reliability
If usage reporting is continuously active to monitor network resource usage, then complete charging data is collected, but system load increases unnecessarily when charging is paused
Solution Approach 1:
The usage reporting system is made dynamic by enabling the control plane function to activate or inactivate measurement and reporting based on charging state. When charging is paused, the user plane function inactivates the reporting mechanism, reducing system resource consumption. When charging resumes, reporting is reactivated to ensure complete charging data collection, thus resolving the contradiction between data completeness and energy efficiency
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide method and apparatus for session management. A method at a control plane function comprises generating an information element to indicate a number of reports that the user plane function can send a usage report to the control plane function. The method further comprises sending the information element to the user plane function.