FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970 (39 of 1970) THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10; rule 13)
TITLE OF THE INVENTION
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STORING SUBSCRIBER PROFILE DATA
APPLICANT
JIO PLATFORMS LIMITED
of Office-101, Saffron, Nr. Centre Point, Panchwati 5 Rasta, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad -
380006, Gujarat, India; Nationality : India
The following specification particularly describes
the invention and the manner in which
it is to be performed

RESERVATION OF RIGHTS
[0001] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material,
which is subject to intellectual property rights such as, but are not limited to, copyright, design, trademark, Integrated Circuit (IC) layout design, and/or trade dress protection, belonging to Jio Platforms Limited (JPL) or its affiliates (hereinafter referred as owner). The owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all rights whatsoever. All rights to such intellectual property are fully reserved by the owner.
FIELD OF DISCLOSURE
[0002] The embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to
communication networks. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a system and a method for storing subscriber profile data.
DEFINITION
[0003] As used in the present disclosure, the following terms are generally
intended to have the meaning as set forth below, except to the extent that the context in which they are used to indicate otherwise.
[0004] The network functions (NFs) are the logical entities or software-
based functionalities that define how the network operates and processes data.
[0005] A policy control function (PCF) determines the mobile network
resources and services needed to support connected devices. The PCF is vital for ensuring the customer experience of modern voice and data services.
[0006] A subscriber profile repository (SPR) is a database that contains
subscriber or subscription information.
[0007] A service management portal (SMP) may offer an end-to-end service
delivery platform, enabling users to request, manage, and track their service requests from anywhere on any device.

[0008] A command line interface (CLI) may offer a unified control interface
to the router and can be used to get/set configuration parameters, apply updates,
restart services or perform other system tasks.
[0009] A network services platform (NSP) is a carrier-class platform that
enables you to deliver performance that meets requirements. It provides the tools
you need to troubleshoot the network, fix issues quickly, move traffic and
reconfigure the network before an incident occurs.
[0010] A session management function (SMF) is the control function that
manages the user sessions including establishment, modification and release of
sessions.
[0011] An access and mobility management function (AMF) is responsible
for managing access and mobility for the devices, and it interacts with other
network functions such as the UPF (User Plane Function), SMF (Session
Management Function), and AUSF (Authentication Server Function).
[0012] A data network name (DNN) is the counterpart of access point name
(APN). It is used to identify and route traffic to a specific network slice, which can
be customized with specific QoS requirements for different services and
applications.
BACKGROUND OF DISCLOSURE
[0013] The following description of related art is intended to provide
background information pertaining to the field of the disclosure. This section may include certain aspects of the art that may be related to various features of the present disclosure. However, it should be appreciated that this section be used only to enhance the understanding of the reader with respect to the present disclosure, and not as admissions of prior art.
[0014] Unified data repository (UDR) enables storage and retrieval of
subscription data, policy data, structured data for exposure, and application data. UDR is also used to store subscriber profile data, that may be used by a plurality of network elements for authentication, session creation and management, and the like. Subscriber profile data is used by many network elements, the format in which

it is stored generally also include attributes that are not required by Policy Charging
Function (PCF). Since PCF handles subscriber data profile more frequently
compared to other network elements, storing, retrieving and transmitting the
unrequired parameters adds to computational burden and transmittal loads.
Subscriber profile data in UDR form may also be complex and difficult to parse by
most systems, thereby causing accessibility issues for custom entities.
[0015] There is, therefore, a need in the art to provide a method and a system
that can overcome the shortcomings of the existing prior arts.
SUMMARY
[0016] In an exemplary embodiment, a method for managing a subscriber
profile repository (SPR) is described. The method comprises receiving, by a policy control function (PCF), a set of rules and policies from at least one of plurality of network nodes. The PCF is configured to store the received set of rules and policies in the SPR. The method further comprises receiving, by the PCF, a request for a plurality of services, along with user details, from at least one of plurality of network functions. The method comprises retrieving, by the PCF, a subscriber profile data associated with a subscriber from the SPR. The SPR is configured to store data related to the PCF. The method further comprises validating, by the PCF, the request by matching the received user details with the retrieved subscriber profile data. Based on the validation, implementing, by the PCF, the set of rules and policies associated with the subscriber to provide the requested service. The SPR is a centralized database or repository that stores and manages subscriber-related information and profiles.
[0017] In some embodiments, the data related to the PCF comprises the
subscriber profile data, subscriber authentication data, service authorization data, a plurality of policies, provisioning data, and session binding data.
[0018] In some embodiments, the subscriber profile data includes a set of
identifier attributes, associated with the plurality of subscribers, along with a custom field. The custom field is indicative of a string, or a comma separated string including a plurality of custom attributes. The set of identifier attributes include a

subscription permanent identifier (SUPI), a data network name (DNN), an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), a generic public subscription identifier (GPSI). The plurality of custom attributes is indicative of the plurality of custom policies applicable to a corresponding subscriber.
[0019] In some embodiments, the user details comprise an IMSI, a SUPI, a
GPSI, and location data.
[0020] In some embodiments, a cluster of the network includes a first SPR
and a second SPR. The first SPR is provided for local site and the second SPR is provided for redundant site.
[0021] In some embodiments, the plurality of network nodes comprises the
plurality of network functions, a service management portal (SMP), a command line interface (CLI), and a network services platform (NSP). The plurality of network functions comprises a session management function (SMF) and an access and mobility management function (AMF). The SMP may be a web-based interface or application that provides users with a centralized platform to manage, monitor, and configure network services and resources. It is commonly used by service providers and enterprises to streamline the administration and operation of network services. The NSP is a comprehensive solution designed to manage, automate, and orchestrate network services across various environments, including physical, virtual, and cloud-based networks. It enables service providers and enterprises to efficiently deploy and manage network services to meet dynamic business and user needs. The SMF is a key component in the 5G core network architecture. The SMF is responsible for managing sessions and providing control over the establishment, modification, and termination of user data sessions. The AMF is a critical component in the 5G core network architecture. It plays a pivotal role in handling access and mobility-related functions for user equipment (UE).
[0022] In some embodiments, a provisioning gateway (PGW) is configured
to provision the subscriber profile data into the SPR and perform create, read, update, or delete (CRUD) operations of the subscriber profile data in the SPR. The PGW, is also known as the Packet Data Network Gateway (P-GW), is a crucial component in mobile networks, particularly in 4G LTE and 5G architectures. The

PGW acts as the gateway between the mobile network and external packet data networks, such as the internet or private corporate networks.
[0023] In some embodiments, the SPR is configured to maintain a count for
the provisioned data based on the DNN associated with the subscriber.
[0024] In another exemplary embodiment, system for managing a
subscriber profile repository (SPR). The system comprises a policy control function (PCF), a plurality of network nodes, a plurality of network functions and the SPR. The PCF comprises a receiving unit configured to receive a set of rules and policies from at least one of plurality of network nodes. The PCF is configured to store the received set of rules and policies in the SPR. The receiving unit is configured to receive a request for a plurality of services, along with user details, from at least one of plurality of network functions. A retrieving unit is configured to retrieve a subscriber profile data associated with a subscriber from the SPR. The SPR is configured to store data related to the PCF. A processing unit is configured to validate the request by matching the received user details with the retrieved subscriber profile data. Based on the validation, the processing unit is configured to implement the set of rules and policies associated with the subscriber to provide the requested service.
[0025] In some embodiments, the data related to the PCF comprises the
subscriber profile data, subscriber authentication data, service authorization data, a plurality of policies, provisioning data, and session binding data.
[0026] In some embodiments, the subscriber profile data includes a set of
identifier attributes, associated with the plurality of subscribers, along with a custom field indicative of a string or a comma separated string including the plurality of custom attributes. The set of identifier attributes include a subscription permanent identifier (SUPI), a data network name (DNN), an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), a generic public subscription identifier (GPSI), and a plurality of custom attributes indicative of the plurality of custom policies applicable to a corresponding subscriber. The SUPI is a unique identifier assigned to a subscriber in mobile networks, particularly in the context of 5G. The SUPI is used to identify a subscriber across different network functions and ensures the

security and privacy of the subscriber's identity. The DNN identifies a data network
that the user equipment (UE) can connect to. In aspects, the DNN may represent
the network service that the UE is trying to access. The IMSI is a unique identifier
used to identify a mobile subscriber on a cellular network. It is stored in the
5 subscriber's SIM card and is used for various network operations, including
authentication and billing. The GPSI is used in mobile networks to represent a
publicly reachable identifier for a subscriber. The GPSI identifier is typically used
for services that require public reachability, such as messaging and voice calls.
[0027] In some embodiments, the user details comprise an IMSI, a SUPI, a
10 GPSI, and location data.
[0028] In some embodiments, a cluster of the network includes a first SPR
and a second SPR. The first SPR is provided for local site and the second SPR is
provided for redundant site.
[0029] In some embodiment, the plurality of network nodes comprises the
15 plurality of network functions, a service management portal (SMP), a command
line interface (CLI), and a network services platform (NSP). The plurality of
network functions comprises a session management function (SMF) and an access
and mobility management function (AMF).
[0030] In some embodiment, a provisioning gateway (PGW) is configured
20 to provision of the subscriber profile data into the SPR and perform create, read,
update, or delete (CRUD) the subscriber profile data into the SPR.
[0031] In some embodiment, the SPR is configured to maintain a count for
the provisioned data based on the DNN associated with the subscriber.
25 OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE
[0032] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one
embodiment herein satisfies are as listed herein below.
[0033] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a
method for storing subscriber profile data.
30 [0034] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a
method that reduces time and cost of associated with storing subscriber profile data.
7

[0035] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a
method that allows for horizontal and vertical scaling of subscriber profile repository.
[0036] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a
5 method that is light weight and has lower spatial requirements.
[0037] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a unified
database for storing subscriber profile, authentication, service authorization, policy data and session binding.
[0038] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a
10 method where a plurality of Policy Charging Function (PCFs) access subscriber
profile data that is compliant with specifications for PCF and Unified Data Management (UDM) interface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
15 [0039] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and
constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the disclosed methods and systems in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different drawings. Components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the
20 principles of the present disclosure. Some drawings may indicate the components
using block diagrams and may not represent the internal circuitry of each component. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that disclosure of such drawings includes the disclosure of electrical components, electronic components or circuitry commonly used to implement such components.
25 [0040] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary network architecture for managing a
subscriber profile repository (SPR), in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0041] FIG. 2A illustrates a block diagram of a proposed system, in
accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
30 [0042] FIG. 2B illustrates a block diagram of a policy control function
(PCF), in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
8

[0043] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary implementation of the proposed
system, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0044] FIG. 4A illustrates a flow diagram (400A) for managing a subscriber
profile repository (SPR), in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
5 [0045] FIG. 4B illustrates a flow diagram (400B) for managing a subscriber
profile repository (SPR), in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0046] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary computer system in which or with
which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.
[0047] The foregoing shall be more apparent from the following more
10 detailed description of the disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DISCLOSURE
[0048] In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, various
specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of
15 embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent, however, that
embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. Several features described hereafter can each be used independently of one another or with any combination of other features. An individual feature may not address all of the problems discussed above or might address only some of the
20 problems discussed above. Some of the problems discussed above might not be
fully addressed by any of the features described herein.
[0049] The ensuing description provides exemplary embodiments only, and
is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure. Rather, the ensuing description of the exemplary embodiments will provide those
25 skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing an exemplary
embodiment. It should be understood that various changes may be made in the
function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope
of the disclosure as set forth.
[0050] Specific details are given in the following description to provide a
30 thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one
of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these
9

specific details. For example, circuits, systems, networks, processes, and other
components may be shown as components in block diagram form in order not to
obscure the embodiments in unnecessary detail. In other instances, well-known
circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques may be shown without
5 unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments.
[0051] Also, it is noted that individual embodiments may be described as a
process which is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a data flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in
10 parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged.
A process is terminated when its operations are completed but could have additional steps not included in a figure. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination can correspond to a return of the function to the calling
15 function or the main function.
[0052] The word “exemplary” and/or “demonstrative” is used herein to
mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. For the avoidance of doubt, the subject matter disclosed herein is not limited by such examples. In addition, any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” and/or “demonstrative” is not
20 necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or
designs, nor is it meant to preclude equivalent exemplary structures and techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes,” “has,” “contains,” and other similar words are used in either the detailed description or the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar
25 to the term “comprising” as an open transition word without precluding any
additional or other elements.
[0053] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an
embodiment” or “an instance” or “one instance” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included
30 in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, the appearances of the
phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout
10

this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
[0054] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing
5 particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As
used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations,
10 elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one
or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or
groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations
of one or more of the associated listed items.
[0055] In an aspect, the present disclosure relates to a system and a method
15 for managing a subscriber profile repository (SPR). The system receives a request
for services from a network function (NF). The system provisions a subscriber profile data associated with a subscriber in the SPR. The SPR stores data related to a policy control function (PCF). The subscriber profile data having a set of identifier attributes associated with one or more subscribers, and one or more custom
20 attributes that allow for provisioning of policy rules. The system, for fulfilling
requests, may retrieve the policy and charging rules applicable thereto from the SPR. The system may implement the policy and charging rules associated with the subscriber to provide the requested service. The system may modify the policy and charging rules based on the one or more custom attributes.
25 [0056] The various embodiments throughout the disclosure will be
explained in more detail with reference to FIGs. 1-5.
[0057] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary network architecture (100) for
managing a subscriber profile repository (SPR), in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
30 [0058] Referring to FIG. 1, the network architecture (100) may include one
or more computing devices or user equipments (104-1, 104-2…104-N) associated
11

with one or more users (102-1, 102-2…102-N) in an environment. A person of
ordinary skill in the art will understand that one or more users (102-1, 102-2…102-
N) may be individually referred to as the user (102) and collectively referred to as
the users (102). A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the terms
5 “users” and “subscribers” may be used interchangeably throughout the disclosure.
Similarly, a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that one or more user
equipments (104-1, 104-2…104-N) may be individually referred to as the user
equipment (104) and collectively referred to as the user equipment (104). A person
of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the terms “computing device(s)” and
10 “user equipment” may be used interchangeably throughout the disclosure. Although
three user equipments (104) are depicted in FIG. 1, however any number of the user equipments (104) may be included without departing from the scope of the ongoing description.
[0059] In an embodiment, the user equipment (104) may include smart
15 devices operating in a smart environment, for example, an Internet of Things (IoT)
system. In such an embodiment, the user equipment (104) may include, but is not
limited to, smart phones, smart watches, smart sensors (e.g., mechanical, thermal,
electrical, magnetic, etc.), networked appliances, networked peripheral devices,
networked lighting system, communication devices, networked vehicle accessories,
20 networked vehicular devices, smart accessories, tablets, smart television (TV),
computers, smart security system, smart home system, other devices for monitoring
or interacting with or for the users (102) and/or entities, or any combination thereof.
A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the user equipment (104)
may include, but is not limited to, intelligent, multi-sensing, network-connected
25 devices, that can integrate seamlessly with each other and/or with a central server
or a cloud-computing system or any other device that is network-connected.
[0060] In an embodiment, the user equipment (104) may include, but is not
limited to, a handheld wireless communication device (e.g., a mobile phone, a smart
phone, a phablet device, and so on), a wearable computer device(e.g., a head-
30 mounted display computer device, a head-mounted camera device, a wristwatch
computer device, and so on), a Global Positioning System (GPS) device, a laptop
12

computer, a tablet computer, or another type of portable computer, a media playing
device, a portable gaming system, and/or any other type of computer device with
wireless communication capabilities, and the like. In an embodiment, the user
equipment (104) may include, but is not limited to, any electrical, electronic,
5 electro-mechanical, or an equipment, or a combination of one or more of the above
devices such as virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, laptop, a general-purpose computer, desktop, personal digital assistant, tablet computer, mainframe computer, or any other computing device, wherein the user equipment (104) may include one or more in-built or externally coupled accessories
10 including, but not limited to, a visual aid device such as a camera, an audio aid, a
microphone, a keyboard, and input devices for receiving input from the user (102) or the entity such as touch pad, touch enabled screen, electronic pen, and the like. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the user equipment (104) may not be restricted to the mentioned devices and various other devices may be
15 used.
[0061] Referring to FIG. 1, the user equipment (104) may communicate
with a system (108) via a network (106). In an embodiment, the network (106) may include at least one of a Fifth Generation (5G) network, Sixth Generation (6G) network, or the like. The network (106) may enable the user equipment (104) to
20 communicate with other devices in the network architecture (100) and/or with the
system (108). The network (106) may include a wireless card or some other transceiver connection to facilitate this communication. In another embodiment, the network (106) may be implemented as, or include any of a variety of different communication technologies such as a wide area network (WAN), a local area
25 network (LAN), a wireless network, a mobile network, a Virtual Private Network
(VPN), the Internet, the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), or the like. In an embodiment, the network (106) may include one or more base stations (112) for facilitating communication between the one or more UEs (104). The network (106) may be formed by a set of base stations (112-1, 112-2) communicatively
30 coupled to enable telecommunication exchanges between one or more UEs (104).
13

[0062] The base station (112) may be a network infrastructure that provides
wireless access to one or more terminals associated therewith. The base station may
have coverage defined to be a predetermined geographic area based on the distance
over which a signal may be transmitted. The base station (112) may be, but not be
5 limited to, wireless access point, evolved NodeB (eNodeB), 5G node or next
generation NodeB (gNB), wireless point, transmission/reception point (TRP), and the like. In an embodiment, the base station (112) may include one or more operational units that enable telecommunication between two or more UEs (104). In an embodiment, the one or more operational units may include, but not be limited
10 to, transceivers, baseband unit (BBU), (remote radio unit - RRU), antennae, mobile
switching centres, radio network control units, one or more processors associated thereto, and a plurality of network entities such as Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), Network Exposure Function (NEF), or any custom built functions executing one or more
15 processor-executable instructions, but not limited thereto. Each base station (112)
in the set of base station (112) includes a load capacity value associated therewith and the set of base stations (112) may be associated with a geographical area. In an embodiment, the geographical region may indicate the signal coverage of the set of base stations (112).
20 [0063] In an embodiment, the user equipment (UE) (104) is
communicatively coupled with the system (108). The system (108) may receive a connection request from the UE (104). The system (108) may send an acknowledgment of the connection request to the UE (104). The UE (104) may transmit a plurality of signals in response to the connection request. The system
25 (108) configured for managing the SPR.
[0064] In an embodiment, the system (108) may comprise a network
functions (NF) indicative of Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) or Policy Charging Function (PCF), or a combination thereof. In an embodiment, the PCF may be configured to determine policy and charging rules associated with the UEs
30 (104) attempting to connect to the network (106). In an embodiment, the system
(108) may be configured to retrieve the charging rules from an Online Charging
14

System (OCS). In an embedment, the OCS have a Policy Counter ID (PCID)
associated with the unique identifier of the UE (104) requesting the service.
[0065] In an embodiment, the network (106) may include a subscriber
profile repository (SPR) that stores and makes accessible the subscriber profile data
5 of the subscribers to the one or more network nodes (110- 1, 110-2). In an example,
the SPR may store the unique identifier attributes associated with UE (104) requesting for service. In an embodiment, the SPR may include one or more policy and charging rules applicable to each of the subscribers of the network (106). In an embodiment, the SPR may be a subset of home subscriber server (HSS), and may
10 include subscriber allowed services, permitted quality of service (QoS), and the
like. In an embodiment, the SPR may be implemented on a database.
[0066] In an embodiment, one or more network nodes (110- 1, 110-2) may
comprise a plurality of network functions (NFs), a service management portal (SMP), a command line interface (CLI), and a network services platform (NSP).
15 The plurality of network functions comprises a session management function
(SMF) and an access and mobility management function (AMF).
[0067] In an embodiment, the SPR may be implement within the system
(108). In other embodiments, the SPR may be an external database in communication with any of the one or more network nodes (110). In an
20 embodiment, the SPR maintains and manage a cache of the subscriber profile data,
the cache being used to make subscriber profile data of subscribers of an AMF/SMF session accessible to the network nodes (110), thereby improving accessibility and reducing complexity. In an embodiment, the SPR may provide a tiered architecture for providing separation between the connectivity, business logic and data layers
25 along with vertical and horizontal scaling. The data format and structure in which
the subscriber profile data is stored may be optimized for lightweight and fast retrieval for the data by the system (108). In such embodiments, the SPR may only store data that may be required by the PCF or PCRF. In this way, functionality such as security, atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability are implemented by the
30 system (108).
15

[0068] In an embodiment, the system (108) may include a provisioning
gateway (PGW) configured to provision the subscriber profile data into the SPR. In
an embodiment, the PGW may be configured to create, read, update or delete
(CRUD) the subscriber profile data into the SPR. In an embodiment, the PGW may
5 perform the CRUD operations by interacting with an interface associated with the
SPR. In some embodiments, the SPR may be provisioned with the subscriber profile data by the PCF or the system (108).
[0069] In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, the
system (108) may be designed and configured for storing profile data. In an
10 embodiment, the system (108) may be configured to store the subscriber profile
data in the SPR. In an embodiment, the system (108) may be configured to store data related to the PCF in the SPR.
[0070] In an embodiment, status of each of the plurality of SPRs may be
viewed via a user interface (UI) or a command line interface (CLI). For example,
15 there are plurality of SPRs (e.g., plurality of SPRs corresponding to the primary site
and plurality of SPRs corresponding to the secondary site) in the system. The status (e.g., connected, disconnected, reachable, unreachable) of plurality of SPRs is viewed. For example, the SPR corresponding to the primary site is connected or not, the SPR corresponding to the secondary site is reachable or not.
20 [0071] In an embodiment, the system (108) may provide information (e.g.,
statistics) of operations that are performed on the SPR. The plurality of operations such as create, update, read, delete is performed on the subscriber profile data in the SPR. The statistics corresponding to the operations (e.g., number of create operations, number of update operations, number of delete operations or number of
25 read operations) are provided.
[0072] FIG. 2A illustrates a block diagram (200A) of a system (108), in
accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0073] In an aspect, the system (108) may include one or more processor(s)
(202). The one or more processor(s) (202) may be implemented as one or more
30 microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, edge or fog microcontrollers,
digital signal processors, central processing units, logic circuitries, and/or any
16

devices that process data based on operational instructions. Among other
capabilities, the one or more processor(s) (202) may be configured to fetch and
execute computer-readable instructions stored in a memory (204) of the system
(108). The memory (204) may be configured to store one or more computer-
5 readable instructions or routines in a non-transitory computer readable storage
medium, which may be fetched and executed to create or share data packets over a
network service. The memory (204) may comprise any non-transitory storage
device including, for example, volatile memory such as Random Access Memory
(RAM), or non-volatile memory such as Erasable Programmable Read-Only
10 Memory (EPROM), flash memory, and the like.
[0074] Referring to FIG. 2A, the system (108) may include an interface(s)
(206). The interface(s) (206) may include a variety of interfaces, for example,
interfaces for data input and output devices, referred to as I/O devices, storage
devices, and the like. The interface(s) (206) may facilitate communication to/from
15 the system (108). The interface(s) (206) may also provide a communication
pathway for one or more components of the system (108). Examples of such components include, but are not limited to, processing unit/engine(s) (208) and a database (210).
[0075] In an embodiment, the processing unit/engine(s) (208) may be
20 implemented as a combination of hardware and programming (for example,
programmable instructions) to implement one or more functionalities of the
processing engine(s) (208). In examples described herein, such combinations of
hardware and programming may be implemented in several different ways. For
example, the programming for the processing engine(s) (208) may be processor-
25 executable instructions stored on a non-transitory machine-readable storage
medium and the hardware for the processing engine(s) (208) may comprise a
processing resource (for example, one or more processors), to execute such
instructions. In the present examples, the machine-readable storage medium may
store instructions that, when executed by the processing resource, implement the
30 processing engine(s) (208). In such examples, the system (108) may include the
machine-readable storage medium storing the instructions and the processing
17

resource to execute the instructions, or the machine-readable storage medium may
be separate but accessible to the system (108) and the processing resource. In other
examples, the processing engine(s) (208) may be implemented by electronic
circuitry.
5 [0076] In an embodiment, the database (210) includes data that may be
either stored or generated as a result of functionalities implemented by any of the components of the processor (202) or the processing engines (208). In an embodiment, the database (210) may be separate from the system (108). In an embodiment, the database (210) may be indicative of including, but not limited to,
10 a relational database, a distributed database, a cloud-based database, or the like.
[0077] In an exemplary embodiment, the system (108) may include one or
more units such as an SPR unit (212), a receiving unit (214), a policy unit (216) and other units (218) having functions that may include, but are not limited to, testing, storage, and peripheral functions, such as wireless communication unit for remote
15 operation, and the like.
[0078] In an embodiment, the SPR unit (212) may function as a subscriber
profile repository (SPR). The SPR unit (212) may provision a subscriber profile data associated with a subscriber (e.g., the UE (104)). In an embodiment, the SPR unit (212) may be coupled to a provisioning gateway such as a PGW to get the
20 subscriber data.
[0079] In an embodiment, the PGW may allow for vertical and horizontal
scaling of specifications and configuration of the SPR. In an embodiment, the data structures used for creating the subscriber profile data may be optimized for accessibility and complexity.
25 [0080] In an embodiment, the SPR unit (212) may store the subscriber
profile data. The subscriber profile data so stored may have a set of identifier attributes associated with the one or more subscribers. The set of identifier attribute may include any one or combination of unique identifier attributes of the UE (104) or the subscriber such as SUPI, DNN, IMSI, GPSI, and one or more custom
30 attributes that allow for provisioning of policy rules. In an embodiment, the custom
field may be indicative of a string, or a comma separated string having the one or
18

more custom attributes. In an embodiment, the one or more custom attributes may
be indicative of custom policies applicable to the corresponding subscriber.
[0081] In an embodiment, the SPRs may have a plurality of database nodes
operating in a cluster. In an example, the cluster may include 6 nodes. However, it
5 may be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the cluster may have any number
of nodes that are optimized for accessibility, consistency, maintenance costs, and the like. In an embodiment, each SPR in the cluster may be geographically separated to provide redundant storage of data. In such embodiments, the maintenance of redundant copies of the subscriber profile data may ensure
10 accessibility and maintenance of back-up copies in case of failures.
[0082] In an embodiment, the receiving unit (214) may receive a request to
connect the network (106) from the UE (104). In an embodiment, the request may be received by the one or more network nodes (110), such as network functions (e.g., SMF/AMF) in an example, which may create a session after retrieving and
15 validating the subscriber profile of the UE (104) requesting for service. In an
example, SMF/AMF may initiate a request (e.g., SM/AM PolicyControlCreate or update Request) along with the subscriber profile data that system (108) validates by dipping in the SPR and correspondingly take actions. The actions may comprise accepting the request or rejecting the request.
20 [0083] In an embodiment, the policy unit (216) may function as a policy
control function (PCF). The policy unit (216) may retrieve and implement the policy and charging rules associated with the subscriber from the SPR. In an embodiment, the policy unit (216) may be configured to modify the policy and charging rules retrieved from the SPR. The system (108), by storing and retrieving
25 the subscriber profile data in the SPR of the present disclosure, the system (108)
may be able to reduce the retrieval, storage and transmittal loads, costs and speeds for maintaining subscriber profile data.
[0084] FIG. 2B illustrates a block diagram (200B) of a policy control
function (PCF) (216), in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
30 [0085] The PCF (216) may comprise a receiving unit (222), a retrieving unit
(224), a processing unit (226), a memory (228) and an interface (230).
19

[0086] The receiving unit (222) may receive a set of rules and policies from
at least one of plurality of network nodes. The PCF is configured to store the received set of rules and policies in the SPR.
[0087] The receiving unit (222) may receive a request for a plurality of
5 services, along with user details, from at least one of plurality of network functions.
[0088] The receiving unit (222) may retrieve a subscriber profile data
associated with a subscriber from the SPR. The SPR is configured to store data related to the PCF. The processing unit (226) may validate the request by matching the received user details with the retrieved subscriber profile data.
10 [0089] Based on the validation, the processing unit (226) may implement
the set of rules and policies associated with the subscriber to provide the requested service.
[0090] The memory (228) may store data corresponding to operations
performed by the receiving unit (222), retrieving unit (224) and processing unit
15 (226).
[0091] The interface (230) may be used to communicate with other network
functions or the network nodes (e.g., a session management function (SMF), an access mobility and management function (AMF), a command line interface (CLI), a service management portal (SMP), a network services platform (NSP), a
20 subscriber profile repository (SPR), etc.). For example, a PCF-SMP interface is
used to provide communication between the PCF and the SMP. A PCF-CLI
interface is used to provide communication between the PCF and the CLI.
[0092] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary implementation (300) of the system
(108), in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
25 [0093] The implementation (300) of the system (108) may include a first
PCF (304-1) at the primary site and a second PCF (304-2) at a redundant site. The first PCF (304-1) and the second PCF (304-2) may have a first SPR (306-1) and a second SPR (306-2) associated respectively thereto. In an embodiment, the first PCF (304-1) and the first SPR (306-1) at the primary site may be in communication
30 with the second PCF (304-2) and the second SPR (306-2) to maintain redundant
records for the subscriber profile data.
20

[0094] In an embodiment, the PGW (310) may provision the subscriber
profile data in the first SPR (306-1) and the second SPR (306-2), when the first PCF
(304-1) receives a request for services provided by the network (106) from a
network function (302). In an embodiment, the first and second SPR (306-1, 306-
5 2) may maintain a count for the provisioned data based on the domain network
name (DNN) associated with the user (102). In this way, functionality (e.g.,
atomicity) may be implemented.
[0095] In an embodiment, the SPR may, via a command line interface
(CLI), provide one or more performance metric values to operators of the system
10 (108).
[0096] In an embodiment, the subscriber profile data provisioned into the
SPR by the system (108). The subscriber profile data may include the set of identifier attributes associated with one or more subscribers, and one or more custom attributes that allow for provisioning of policy rules. In an embodiment, the
15 one or more custom attributes may be provided as a comma separate string. In an
example, the number of customer attributes may be about 5.
[0097] In an embodiment, for fulfilling requests from the network functions
(302), may retrieve the policy and charging rules applicable thereto from the SPR. The PCF may implement the policy and charging rules associated with the
20 subscriber to provide the requested service.
[0098] In an embodiment, the first PCF (304-1) of the primary site may go
down (e.g., due to some network issues), then the second PCF (304-2) of the secondary site may perform operations corresponding to the management of the SPRs till the first PCF (304-1) of the primary site starts working again.
25 [0099] FIG. 4A illustrates a flowchart (400A) for managing a subscriber
profile repository (SPR), in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
[00100] The method (400) may include receiving, by a PCF (408), a request
for services provided by the network (106) from a network function (NF) (412).
[00101] The method (400) may include provisioning, by a provisioning
30 gateway such as the PGW (414), the subscriber profile data associated with the
subscriber in a SPR, such as the SPR (410). The PGW (414) may perform
21

PUT/POST/DELETE (e.g., create, read, update, or delete (CRUD)) operations on the subscriber profile data in the SPR.
[00102] In an embodiment, the data structures used for creating the
subscriber profile data may be optimized for accessibility and complexity. In an
5 embodiment, the PGW (414) may store the subscriber profile data in the SPR (410).
In an embodiment, the subscriber profile data having a set of identifier attributes associated with one or more subscribers. The set of identifier attribute may include any one or combination of SUPI, DNN, IMSI, GPSI, and one or more custom attributes that allow for provisioning of policy rules. In an embodiment, the custom
10 field may be indicative of a string, or a comma separated string having the one or
more custom attributes. In an embodiment, the one or more custom attributes may
be indicative of custom policies applicable to the corresponding subscriber.
[00103] The method (400A) includes receiving, by the PCF (408), policy and
charging rules from a plurality of network nodes (e.g., a SMP (402), a CLI (404)
15 and a NSP (406)). The network nodes may comprise network functions. The PCF
(408) may store the received policy and charging rules in the SPR (410).
[00104] The method (400A) includes retrieving and implementing, by the
PCF (408), the policy and charging rules associated with the subscriber from the SPR (410) for fulfilling requests received from the network function (e.g., SMF or
20 AMF) (412). The method may include modifying, by the PCF (408), policy and
charging rules based on the one or more custom attributes.
[00105] FIG. 4B illustrates a flow diagram (400B) for managing a subscriber
profile repository (SPR), in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
[00106] As illustrated in FIG. 4B, at step 422, receiving, by a policy control
25 function (PCF), a set of rules and policies from at least one of plurality of network
nodes. The PCF is configured to store the received set of rules and policies in the SPR. The plurality of network nodes comprises the plurality of network functions, a service management portal (SMP), a command line interface (CLI), and a network services platform (NSP). The plurality of network functions comprises a session
30 management function (SMF) and an access and mobility management function
(AMF).
22

[00107] At step 424, receiving, by the PCF, a request for a plurality of
services, along with user details, from at least one of plurality of network functions.
the user details comprise an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), a
subscription permanent identifier (SUPI), a generic public subscription identifier
5 (GPSI), and location data.
[00108] At step 426, retrieving, by the PCF, a subscriber profile data
associated with a subscriber from the SPR. The SPR is configured to store data related to the PCF. The data related to the PCF comprises the subscriber profile data, subscriber authentication data, service authorization data, a plurality of
10 policies, provisioning data, and session binding data. The subscriber profile data
includes a set of identifier attributes, associated with the plurality of subscribers, along with a custom field. The custom field is indicative of a string or a comma-separated string, including a plurality of custom attributes. The set of identifier attributes includes a SUPI, a data network name (DNN), an IMSI, and a GPSI. The
15 plurality of custom attributes is indicative of the plurality of custom policies
applicable to a corresponding subscriber. In examples, the plurality of custom attributes may include, but are not limited to, service parameters, quality of service (QoS) parameters, security session parameters, billing and accounting attributes, location-specific attributes, etc. The service parameters attribute may include
20 service plan, service type, etc. The QoS parameter may include traffic priority and
maximum bit rate. For example, the subscriber may be provided with high priority for real-time applications like voice/video, with a maximum bit rate allowed by the service. The location-specific attributes or location data include network location services that provide information about aa geographical location of the user within
25 the network. Another location-specific attribute associated with the location-
specific attribute is roaming status that provides whether the user is roaming on a different network.
[00109] At step 428, validating, by the PCF, the request by matching the
received user details with the retrieved subscriber profile data.
23

[00110] At step 430, based on the validation, implementing, by the PCF, the
set of rules and policies associated with the subscriber to provide the requested service.
[00111] In an aspect, the provisioning gateway (PGW) is configured to
5 provision the subscriber profile data into the SPR and perform create, read, update,
or delete (CRUD) operations of the subscriber profile data in the SPR.
[00112] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary computer system (500) in which or
with which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. As shown in FIG. 5, the computer system (500) may include an external storage device (510),
10 a bus (520), a main memory (530), a read only memory (540), a mass storage device
(550), a communication port (560), and a processor (570). A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the computer system (500) may include more than one processor (570) and communication ports (560). Processor (570) may include various modules associated with embodiments of the present disclosure.
15 [00113] In an embodiment, the communication port (560) may be any of an
RS-232 port for use with a modem-based dialup connection, a 10/100 Ethernet port, a Gigabit or 10 Gigabit port using copper or fiber, a serial port, a parallel port, or other existing or future ports. The communication port (560) may be chosen depending on a network, such a Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network
20 (WAN), or any network to which the computer system (500) connects.
[00114] In an embodiment, the memory (530) may be Random Access
Memory (RAM), or any other dynamic storage device commonly known in the art. Read-only memory (540) may be any static storage device(s) e.g., but not limited to, a Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM) chips for storing static
25 information e.g., start-up or Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) instructions for the
processor (570).
[00115] In an embodiment, the mass storage (550) may be any current or
future mass storage solution, which may be used to store information and/or instructions. Exemplary mass storage solutions include, but are not limited to,
30 Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment (PATA) or Serial Advanced
Technology Attachment (SATA) hard disk drives or solid-state drives (internal or
24

external, e.g., having Universal Serial Bus (USB) and/or Firewire interfaces), one or more optical discs, Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) storage, e.g., an array of disks (e.g., SATA arrays).
[00116] In an embodiment, the bus (520) communicatively couples the
processor(s) (570) with the other memory, storage and communication blocks. The bus (520) may be, e.g., a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)/PCI Extended (PCI-X) bus, Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), Universal Serial Bus (USB) or the like, for connecting expansion cards, drives and other subsystems as well as other buses, such a front side bus (FSB), which connects the processor (570) to the computer system (500).
[00117] Optionally, operator and administrative interfaces, e.g., a display,
keyboard, joystick, and a cursor control device, may also be coupled to the bus (520) to support direct operator interaction with the computer system (500). Other operator and administrative interfaces may be provided through network connections connected through the communication port (560). Components described above are meant only to exemplify various possibilities. In no way should the aforementioned exemplary computer system (500) limit the scope of the present disclosure.
[00118] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the preferred
embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter to be implemented merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as limitation.
[00119] The present disclosure provides technical advancement related to
management of subscriber profile data. This advancement addresses the limitations of existing solutions by provisioning the subscriber profile data associated with subscribers in the subscriber profile repository (SPR). The disclosure involves storing data related to the policy control function (PCF), which offer significant

improvements in retrieving the policy and charging rules from the SPR applicable to requests for services received from the subscriber. Further, the PCF validates the requests for services by matching the received user details with the retrieved subscriber profile data. Then, implementing the policy and charging rules associated with the subscriber to provide the requested service. The disclosed invention enhances accessibility to the subscriber profile data and reducing complexity.
ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE
[00120] The present disclosure provides a system and a method for storing
subscriber profile data.
[00121] The present disclosure provides a system and a method that reduces
time and cost of associated with storing subscriber profile data.
[00122] The present disclosure provides a system and a method that allows
for horizontal and vertical scaling of subscriber profile repository.
[00123] The present disclosure provides a system and a method that is light
weight and has lower spatial requirements.
[00124] The present disclosure provides a unified database for storing
subscriber profile, authentication, service authorization, policy data and session
binding.
[00125] The present disclosure provides a system and a method where a
plurality of Policy Charging Function (PCFs) access subscriber profile data that is
compliant with specifications for PCF and Unified Data Management (UDM)
interface.

WE CLAIM:
1. A method for managing a subscriber profile repository (SPR) (410), the
method comprising:
receiving, by a policy control function (PCF) (216, 408), a set of rules and policies from at least one of a plurality of network nodes (402, 404, 406), wherein the PCF (216, 408) is configured to store the received set of rules and policies in the SPR (410);
receiving, by the PCF (216, 408), a request for a plurality of services, along with user details, from at least one of a plurality of network functions (412);
retrieving, by the PCF (216, 408), a subscriber profile data associated with a subscriber from the SPR (410), wherein the SPR (410) is configured to store data related to the PCF (216, 408);
validating, by the PCF (216, 408), the request by matching the received user details with the retrieved subscriber profile data; and
based on the validation, implementing, by the PCF (216, 408), the set of rules and policies associated with the subscriber to provide the requested service.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data related to the PCF (216, 408) comprises the subscriber profile data, subscriber authentication data, service authorization data, a plurality of policies, provisioning data, and session binding data.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
the subscriber profile data includes a set of identifier attributes, associated with a plurality of subscribers, along with a custom field, wherein the custom field is indicative of a string, or a comma separated string including a plurality of custom attributes, and

the set of identifier attributes include a subscription permanent identifier (SUPI), a data network name (DNN), an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), a generic public subscription identifier (GPSI), and the plurality of custom attributes is indicative of a plurality of custom policies applicable to a corresponding subscriber.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user details comprise an IMSI, a SUPI, a GPSI, and location data.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of network nodes comprises the plurality of network functions (412), a service management portal (SMP) (402), a command line interface (CLI) (404), and a network services platform (NSP) (406), wherein the plurality of network functions (412) comprises a session management function (SMF) and an access and mobility management function (AMF).
6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a provisioning gateway (PGW) (414) is configured to:
provision the subscriber profile data into the SPR (410); and perform create, read, update, or delete (CRUD) operations of the subscriber profile data in the SPR (410).
7. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein
the SPR (410) is configured to maintain a count for the provisioned data based on the DNN associated with the subscriber.
8. A system for managing a subscriber profile repository (SPR) (410), the
system comprises a policy control function (PCF) (216, 408), a plurality of
network nodes, a plurality of network functions (412) and the SPR (410),
the PCF (216, 408) comprising:

a receiving unit (222) configured to receive a set of rules and policies from at least one of plurality of network nodes (402, 404, 406), the PCF (216, 408) is configured to store the received set of rules and policies in the SPR (410);
the receiving unit (222) configured to receive a request for a plurality of services, along with user details, from at least one of plurality of network functions (412);
a retrieving unit (224) configured to retrieve a subscriber profile data associated with a subscriber from the SPR (410), wherein the SPR (410) is configured to store data related to the PCF (216, 408);
a processing unit (226) configured to validate the request by matching the received user details with the retrieved subscriber profile data; and
based on the validation, the processing unit (226) configured to implement the set of rules and policies associated with the subscriber to provide the requested service.
9. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the data related to the PCF (216, 408) comprises the subscriber profile data, subscriber authentication data, service authorization data, a plurality of policies, provisioning data, and session binding data.
10. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein
the subscriber profile data includes a set of identifier attributes, associated with a plurality of subscribers, along with a custom field indicative of a string or a comma separated string including the plurality of custom attributes, and
the set of identifier attributes include a subscription permanent identifier (SUPI), a data network name (DNN), an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), a generic public subscription identifier (GPSI),

and a plurality of custom attributes indicative of a plurality of custom policies applicable to a corresponding subscriber.
11. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the user details comprise an IMSI, a SUPI, a GPSI, and location data.
12. The system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:
a cluster of a network (106) includes a first SPR (306-1) and a second SPR (306-2), wherein the first SPR (306-1) is provided for local site and the second SPR (306-2) is provided for redundant site.
13. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein
the plurality of network nodes comprises the plurality of network functions (412), a service management portal (SMP) (402), a command line interface (CLI) (404), and a network services platform (NSP) (406), wherein the plurality of network functions (412) comprises a session management function (SMF) and an access and mobility management function (AMF).
14. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein a provisioning gateway (PGW)
(414) is configured to:
provision of the subscriber profile data into the SPR (410); and perform create, read, update, or delete (CRUD) the subscriber profile data into the SPR (410).
15. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein
the SPR (410) is configured to maintain a count for the provisioned data based on the DNN associated with the subscriber.
16. A user equipment (UE) (104) communicatively coupled with a system
(108), the coupling comprises steps of:
receiving, by the system (108), a connection request;

sending an acknowledgment of the connection request to the UE (104); and
transmitting a plurality of signals in response to the connection request, wherein the system (108) configured for managing a subscriber profile repository (SPR) (410) as claimed in claim 8.