Session Usage Reporting Control During Charging Pause

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Solution Overview

Problem

In existing communication systems, the continuous reporting of usage metrics by user plane functions to control plane functions, even after charging has been paused, leads to unnecessary load and inefficiency, as the control plane function no longer requires these reports.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a mechanism where the control plane function sends an indication to the user plane function to inactivate measurement and reporting when charging is paused, and to reactivate it when necessary, using information elements to manage the number of reports sent.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the user plane function continuously reports usage metrics to the control plane function after charging has been paused, then the reporting mechanism remains simple and continuous, but the load on both control and user plane functions increases unnecessarily

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereporting mechanism simplicityVSAvoidsystem efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the reporting mechanism adaptable to charging state changes. The control plane function dynamically adjusts the reporting behavior based on whether charging is active or paused, transitioning from continuous reporting to suspended reporting when charging is paused, and back to continuous reporting when charging resumes. This resolves the contradiction by making the system efficient (reducing unnecessary reports) while maintaining operational simplicity through automated state-based control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback by having the control plane function monitor the charging state and provide instructions to the user plane function accordingly. When the control plane function detects that charging has been paused, it sends a instruction to suspend reporting; when charging resumes, it sends an instruction to resume reporting. This feedback loop ensures the system maintains simplicity through automated control while improving efficiency by eliminating unnecessary reports.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the user plane function sends usage reports after charging has been paused, then complete usage data is recorded, but unnecessary messages increase the load on control and user plane functions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveusage data completenessVSAvoidmessage processing load

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having the control plane function proactively send an instruction to suspend reporting before any unnecessary reports are generated. When charging is paused, the control plane function immediately notifies the user plane function to stop reporting, preventing the generation of redundant usage reports. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining data reliability for active charging periods while reducing message processing load during paused periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the reporting control logic from the continuous operation mode. By separating the reporting behavior into distinct states (active reporting when charging is active, suspended reporting when charging is paused), the system removes unnecessary reporting messages during paused periods. This extraction reduces message processing load while preserving complete usage data for periods when charging is actually occurring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Loss of information

If the control plane function processes all usage reports including those sent after charging pause, then all reported data is accounted for, but resource usage increases due to processing unnecessary reports

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata accounting completenessVSAvoidprocessing resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses feedback to control the reporting flow. The control plane function monitors charging state and provides real-time instructions to the user plane function to suspend or resume reporting. This ensures that only relevant usage data is transmitted and processed, maintaining data accounting completeness for active charging periods while minimizing energy consumption by avoiding processing of reports generated during paused periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts reporting and processing behavior based on charging state. When charging is paused, the control plane function instructs the user plane function to suspend reporting, thereby dynamically reducing the volume of data that needs to be processed. This dynamic adaptation ensures complete accounting of relevant usage data while reducing energy consumption associated with processing unnecessary reports.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4648472A1Method and apparatus for session management

Publication Date: 2025.11.12 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

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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 sending (304), to a user plane function, a usage reporting rule including an information element to indicate a number of usage reports to be generated at the user plane function. The usage reporting rule may become inactive at the user plane function after the number of usage reports indicated by the information element have been reported.