FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 OF 1970)
&
THE PATENT RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10 and rule 13)
“METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR HANDLING A RACE
CONDITION IN A COMMUNICATION NETWORK”
We, Jio Platforms Limited, an Indian National, of Office - 101, Saffron, Nr.
Centre Point, Panchwati 5 Rasta, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad - 380006, Gujarat,
India.
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in
which it is to be performed.
2
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR HANDLING A RACE CONDITION IN A
COMMUNICATION NETWORK
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
5
[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of
wireless communication. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure
relate to handling a race condition in a communication network.
10 BACKGROUND
[0002] 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
15 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.
[0003] Wireless communication technology has rapidly evolved over the past few
20 decades, with each generation bringing significant improvements and
advancements. The first generation of wireless communication technology was
based on antilog technology and offered only voice services. However, with the
advent of the second-generation (2G) technology, digital communication and data
services became possible, and text messaging was introduced. The third-generation
25 (3G) technology marked the introduction of high-speed internet access, mobile
video calling, and location-based services. The fourth-generation (4G) technology
revolutionized wireless communication with faster data speeds, better network
coverage, and improved security. Currently, the fifth-generation (5G) technology is
being deployed, promising even faster data speeds, low latency, and the ability to
30 connect multiple devices simultaneously. With each generation, wireless
3
communication technology has become more advanced, sophisticated, and capable
of delivering more services to its users.
[0004] As the wireless communication technology has evolved to a great extent,
the number of users/subscribers 5 of the wireless networks has also increased to a
great extent and it is important for the wireless networks to provide better and
smooth services to its subscribers. In the context of network management, a
Converged Charging Function (CHF) is entrusted with the responsibility of
establishing connections and conducting protocol conversions for subscribers in
10 accordance with their data and resource utilization patterns. It actively engages with
a database to ensure the precise execution of the aforementioned service. The Gy
and Sy interfaces are accountable for the establishment and ongoing management
of peer connections while offering services to said connections in the
communication network. The Gy interface is responsible for exchanging charging
15 information, while the Sy interface enables the session management processes by
interacting with the Policy Control Function (PCF) and other systems. The Sy
interface is located between the PCF and the Online Charging System (OCS). The
Sy reference point enables transfer of policy counter status information relating to
subscriber spending from OCS to PCF. These interfaces facilitate Sy session
20 initiation through application programming interfaces (API) functionalities
encompassing session subscription, intermediation, and unsubscription tailored for
Policy Control Function (PCF) interfaces. An initial Spending Limit Request (SLR)
shall be used by the PCF to request the status of policy counters available at the
OCS, and to subscribe to updates of policy counters by the OCS. An intermediate
25 SLR shall be used by the PCF to resubscribe to the policy counters provided by the
OCS. The SNR procedure shall be used by the OCS to notify the PCF of changes
in the status of subscribed policy counter(s).
[0005] Currently, instances arise where Spending Limit Answer Request (SLA)
30 and Spending Status Notification Request (SNR) for a session became entangled in
race conditions, which results in the CHF prematurely releasing the session, leading
4
to exceptions. Thus, a race condition is caused. To tackle this challenge, a refined
approach is needed that efficiently handles the race condition between the SLA and
SNA requests received on the CHF from PCF side in the communication network.
[0006] Hence, in view of these 5 and other existing limitations, there arises an
imperative need to handle the race condition in the communication network to
overcome the above-mentioned limitations by providing a method and system for
handling the race condition, which the present disclosure aims to address.
10 OBJECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0007] This section is provided to introduce certain objects and aspects of the
present invention in a simplified form that are further described below in the
description. In order to overcome at least a few problems associated with the known
15 solutions as provided in the previous section, an object of the present invention is
to substantially reduce the limitations and drawbacks of the prior arts as described
hereinabove.
[0008] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one
20 embodiment disclosed herein satisfies are listed herein below.
[0009] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system and a method for
handling a race condition in a communication network.
25 [0010] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide policy rules to
customers without any service interruption.
[0011] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution for
reducing an error probability to a great extent as the error causing scenarios are
30 handled by CHF by not releasing the session prematurely.
5
[0012] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution to
effectively monitor and detect stale sessions, ensuring efficient session
management in the network.
5
SUMMARY
[0013] This section is provided to introduce certain aspects of the present disclosure
in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description.
10 This summary is not intended to identify the key features or the scope of the claimed
subject matter.
[0014] An aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a method for handling a
race condition in a communication network. The method comprises receiving, by a
15 transceiver unit at a Converged Charging Function (CHF) from a Policy Control
Function (PCF), a Spending Limit Request (SLR request). The method further
comprises transmitting, by the transceiver unit from the CHF to an Online Charging
System (OCS), the SLR request. The method further comprises receiving, by the
transceiver unit at the CHF from the OCS, a successful Spending Limit Response
20 (SLR response) based on the SLR request. The method further comprises initiating,
by a processing unit at the CHF, a network session based on the successful SLR
response. The method further comprises maintaining, by the processing unit, the
network session at the CHF. The method further comprises receiving, by the
transceiver unit, at the CHF, a session termination request (STR request) from the
25 PCF. The method further comprises releasing, by the processing unit, at the CHF,
the network session based on the STR request from the PCF.
[0015] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the successful SLR
response is received at the CHF from the OCS based on a set of predefined SLR
30 request conditions.
6
[0016] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the network session is
associated with a session identifier (Session ID).
[0017] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, prior to releasing the
network session based on the STR 5 request from the PCF comprises initiating, by
the processing unit, from the CHF, a termination request towards the OCS. The
method further comprises receiving, by the transceiver unit, at the CHF, a
successful response to the termination request from the OCS. The method further
comprises transmitting, by the transceiver unit, from the CHF, the successful
10 response to the PCF.
[0018] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the network session is
maintained at the CHF to handle a Spending Status Notification request (SNR
request) from the OCS.
15
[0019] Another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a system for handling
a race condition in a communication work. The system comprises a transceiver unit
configured to receive, at a Converged Charging Function (CHF) from a Policy
Control Function (PCF), a Spending Limit Request (SLR request). The transceiver
20 unit [302] is further configured to transmit, from the CHF to an Online Charging
System (OCS), the SLR request. The transceiver unit is further configured to
receive, at the CHF from the OCS, a successful Spending Limit Response (SLR
response) based on the SLR request. The system further comprises a processing unit
configured to initiate, by the CHF, a network session based on the successful SLR
25 response. The processing unit is further configured to maintain, the network
session, at the CHF. The transceiver unit is further configured to receive, at the
CHF, a session termination request (STR request) from the PCF. The processing
unit is further configured to release, at the CHF, the network session based on the
STR request from the PCF.
30
7
[0020] Another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a non-transitory
computer-readable storage medium storing instruction for handling a race condition
in a communication network, the storage medium comprising executable code
which, when executed by one or more units of a system, causes a transceiver unit
to receive, at a Converged Charging 5 Function (CHF) from a Policy Control
Function (PCF), a Spending Limit Request (SLR request). Further, the executable
code which, when executed causes the transceiver unit to transmit, from the CHF
to an Online Charging System (OCS), the SLR request. Further, the executable code
which, when executed causes the transceiver unit to receive, at the CHF from the
10 OCS, a successful Spending Limit Response (SLR response) based on the SLR
request. Further, the executable code which, when executed causes a processing
unit to initiate, by the CHF, a network session based on the successful SLR
response. Further, the executable code which, when executed causes the processing
unit to maintain, the network session, at the CHF. Further, the executable code
15 which, when executed causes the transceiver unit to receive, at the CHF, a session
termination request (STR request) from the PCF. Further, the executable code
which, when executed causes the processing unit to release, at the CHF, the network
session based on the STR request from the PCF.
20 DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0021] 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
25 different drawings. Components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale,
emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the 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 disclosure of
8
electrical components, electronic components or circuitry commonly used to
implement such components.
[0022] FIG.1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram representation of a 5th
generation c 5 ore (5GC) [100] network architecture.
[0023] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a computing device [200]
upon which the features of the present disclosure may be implemented in
accordance with exemplary implementation of the present disclosure.
10
[0024] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a system [300] for handling
a race condition in a communication network, in accordance with exemplary
implementations of the present disclosure.
15 [0025] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary method [400] flow diagram for handling the
race condition in the communication network, in accordance with the exemplary
embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0026] FIG. 5 illustrates another exemplary flow chart depicting the process [500]
20 of handling of the race condition in the communication network, in accordance with
the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0027] The foregoing shall be more apparent from the following more detailed
description of the disclosure.
25
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0028] In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, various
specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of
30 embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent, however, that
9
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 any of the problems discussed above or might address only some of the
problems discussed above. 5 Some of the problems discussed above might not be
fully addressed by any of the features described herein. Example embodiments of
the present disclosure are described below, as illustrated in various drawings in
which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different
drawings.
10
[0029] 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 skilled in
the art with an enabling description for implementing an exemplary embodiment.
15 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.
[0030] It should be noted that the terms "mobile device", "user equipment", "user
20 device", “communication device”, “device” and similar terms are used
interchangeably for the purpose of describing the disclosure. These terms are not
intended to limit the scope of the disclosure or imply any specific functionality or
limitations on the described embodiments. The use of these terms is solely for
convenience and clarity of description. The disclosure is not limited to any
25 particular type of device or equipment, and it should be understood that other
equivalent terms or variations thereof may be used interchangeably without
departing from the scope of the disclosure as defined herein.
[0031] Specific details are given in the following description to provide a thorough
30 understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of
10
ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these
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, 5 algorithms, structures, and techniques may be shown without
unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments.
[0032] 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
10 diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as
a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in 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 FIG.
15
[0033] 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.
[0034] As used herein, an “electronic device”, or “portable electronic device”, or
“user device” or “communication device” or “user equipment” or “device” refers
30 to any electrical, electronic, electromechanical and computing device. The user
11
device is capable of receiving and/or transmitting one or parameters, performing
function/s, communicating with other user devices and transmitting data to the
other user devices. The user equipment may have a processor, a display, a memory,
a battery and an input-means such as a hard keypad and/or a soft keypad. The user
equipment may be capable 5 of operating on any radio access technology including
but not limited to IP-enabled communication, Zig Bee, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low
Energy, Near Field Communication, Z-Wave, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi direct, etc. For
instance, the user equipment may include, but not limited to, a mobile phone,
smartphone, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, laptop,
10 a general-purpose computer, desktop, personal digital assistant, tablet computer,
mainframe computer, or any other device as may be obvious to a person skilled in
the art for implementation of the features of the present disclosure.
[0035] Further, the user device and/or a system as described herein to implement
15 technical features as disclosed in the present disclosure may also comprise
a “processor” or “processing unit”, wherein processor refers to any logic circuitry
for processing instructions. The processor may be a general-purpose processor, a
special purpose processor, a conventional processor, a digital signal processor, a
plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in association with a
20 Digital Signal Processor (DSP) core, a controller, a microcontroller, Application
Specific Integrated Circuits, Field Programmable Gate Array circuits, any other
type of integrated circuits, etc. The processor may perform signal coding data
processing, input/output processing, and/or any other functionality that enables the
working of the system according to the present disclosure. More specifically, the
25 processor is a hardware processor.
[0036] As used herein, “a user equipment”, “a user device”, “a smart-user-device”,
“a smart-device”, “an electronic device”, “a mobile device”, “a handheld device”,
“a wireless communication device”, “a mobile communication device”, “a
30 communication device” may be any electrical, electronic and/or computing device
12
or equipment, capable of implementing the features of the present disclosure. The
user equipment/device may include, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, smart
phone, laptop, a general-purpose computer, desktop, personal digital assistant,
tablet computer, wearable device or any other computing device which is capable
of implementing the features 5 of the present disclosure. Also, the user device may
contain at least one input means configured to receive an input from at least one of
a transceiver unit, a processing unit, a storage unit, a detection unit and any other
such unit(s) which are required to implement the features of the present disclosure.
10 [0037] As used herein, “storage unit” or “memory unit” refers to a machine or
computer-readable medium including any mechanism for storing information in a
form readable by a computer or similar machine. For example, a computer-readable
medium includes read-only memory (“ROM”), random access memory (“RAM”),
magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices or other
15 types of machine-accessible storage media. The storage unit stores at least the data
that may be required by one or more units of the system to perform their respective
functions.
[0038] As used herein “interface” or “user interface” refers to a shared boundary
20 across which two or more separate components of a system exchange information
or data. The interface may also be referred to a set of rules or protocols that define
communication or interaction of one or more modules or one or more units with
each other, which also includes the methods, functions, or procedures that may be
called.
25
[0039] All modules, units, components used herein, unless explicitly excluded
herein, may be software modules or hardware processors, the processors being a
general-purpose processor, a special purpose processor, a conventional processor,
a digital signal processor (DSP), a plurality of microprocessors, one or more
30 microprocessors in association with a DSP core, a controller, a microcontroller,
13
Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC), Field Programmable Gate Array
circuits (FPGA), any other type of integrated circuits, etc.
[0040] As used herein the transceiver unit includes at least one receiver and at least
one transmitter configured respectively 5 for receiving and transmitting data, signals,
information or a combination thereof between units/components within the system
and/or connected with the system.
[0041] As discussed in the background section, the current known solutions have
10 several shortcomings. The present disclosure aims to overcome the abovementioned
and other existing problems in this field of technology by providing a
method and a system of handling a race condition in a communication network.
[0042] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram representation of 5th
15 generation core (5GC) network architecture, in accordance with exemplary
implementation of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, the 5GC network
architecture [100] includes a user equipment (UE) [102], a radio access network
(RAN) [104], an access and mobility management function (AMF) [106], a Session
Management Function (SMF) [108], a Service Communication Proxy (SCP) [110],
20 an Authentication Server Function (AUSF) [112], a Network Slice Specific
Authentication and Authorization Function (NSSAAF) [114], a Network Slice
Selection Function (NSSF) [116], a Network Exposure Function (NEF) [118], a
Network Repository Function (NRF) [120], a Policy Control Function (PCF) [122],
a Unified Data Management (UDM) [124], an application function (AF) [126], a
25 User Plane Function (UPF) [128], a data network (DN) [130], and a Converged
Charging Function (CHF) [132], wherein all the components are assumed to be
connected to each other in a manner as obvious to the person skilled in the art for
implementing features of the present disclosure.
14
[0043] The Radio Access Network (RAN) [104] is the part of a mobile
telecommunications system that connects the user equipment (UE) [102] to the core
network (CN) and provides access to different types of networks (e.g., 5G network).
It consists of radio base stations and the radio access technologies that enable
5 wireless communication.
[0044] The Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) [106] is the 5G core
network function responsible for managing access and mobility aspects, such as UE
registration, connection, and reachability. It also handles mobility management
10 procedures like handovers and paging.
[0045] The Session Management Function (SMF) [108] is the 5G core network
function responsible for managing session-related aspects, such as establishing,
modifying, and releasing sessions. It coordinates with the User Plane Function
15 (UPF) [128] for data forwarding and handles IP address allocation and Quality of
Service (QoS) enforcement. Further, the SMF [108] facilitates enforcement of
session management related policy decisions from the PCF [122].
[0046] The Service Communication Proxy (SCP) [110] is a network function in the
20 5G core network that facilitates communication between other network functions
by providing a secure and efficient messaging service. It acts as a mediator for
service-based interfaces.
[0047] The Authentication Server Function (AUSF) [112] is the network function
25 in the 5G core responsible for authenticating UEs during registration and providing
security services. It generates and verifies authentication vectors and tokens.
[0048] The Network Slice Specific Authentication and Authorization Function
(NSSAAF) [114] is the network function that provides authentication and
15
authorization services specific to network slices. It ensures that UEs can access only
the slices for which they are authorized.
[0049] The Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF) [116] is the network function
responsible for selecting the appropriate network 5 slice for the UE based on factors
such as subscription, requested services, and network policies.
[0050] The Network Exposure Function (NEF) [118] is the network function that
exposes capabilities and services of the 5G network to external applications,
10 enabling integration with third-party services and applications.
[0051] The Network Repository Function (NRF) [120] is the network function that
acts as a central repository for information about available network functions and
services. It facilitates the discovery and dynamic registration of network functions.
15
[0052] The Policy Control Function (PCF) [122] enables efficient policy control
and management, facilitating network behaviour control, network slicing, user
equipment (UE) activities, and communication with other 5G core
network functions. PCF is responsible for policy control decisions, such as QoS,
20 charging, and access control, based on subscriber information and network policies.
The PCF is responsible for policy control decisions and flow-based charging control
functionalities.
[0053] The Unified Data Management (UDM) [124] is the network function that
25 centralizes the management of subscriber data, including authentication,
authorization, and subscription information.
[0054] The Application Function (AF) [126] is the network function that represents
external applications interfacing with the 5G core network to access network
30 capabilities and services. In an exemplary implementation, the application function
16
(AF) [126] as shown in FIG. 1, resembles an application server that can interact
with the other control-plane NFs. AF(s) [126] can exist for different application
services and can be owned by the network operator or by trusted third parties. For
instance, the AF [126] of an over-the-top application provider can influence routing,
steering its traffic towards its external edge 5 servers. For services considered to be
trusted by the operator, the AF [126] can access Network Function(s) (NF) directly
whereas untrusted or third-party AF(s) [126] would access the Network Functions
through the NEF [118].
10 [0055] The User Plane Function (UPF) [128] is the network function responsible
for handling user data traffic, including packet routing, forwarding, and QoS
enforcement.
[0056] The Data Network (DN) [130] refers to a network that provides data
15 services to user equipment (UE) [102] in a telecommunications system. The data
services may include but are not limited to Internet services, private data network
related services.
[0057] The Converged Charging Function (CHF) [132] is a network function
20 connected in the 5G network for managing online and offline charging for a
plurality of services used by subscribers during the sessions. CHF stores the policy
counter information against the subscriber pricing plan and notifies PCF whenever
the subscriber breaches the policy thresholds based on usage consumption. On
receiving policy trigger information, PCF then applies the policy decision by
25 interacting with SMF.
[0058] The 5GC network architecture also comprises a plurality of interfaces for
connecting the network functions with a network entity for performing the network
functions. The network is designed as an interconnected system of Network
30 Functions (NFs) [also known as fifth generation communication network (5GCN)
network function NF)] that communicate through the one or more interfaces (i.e.,
17
service-based interfaces or reference point interfaces). The Network Functions
(NF(s)) within the 5G control plane will use service-based interfaces for their
interactions. The user plane function (UPF) [128], and radio interactions shall use
the reference point interfaces. Each NF exposes specific functionality and provides
services to other NFs. Therefore, 5 any communication or routing between NFs or
between the network nodes and NFs takes place through these interfaces. Interfaces
are self-contained software modules that are reusable independently of each other
and can be thought of as micro services. Further, as shown in the FIG. 1, the
following service-based interfaces are defined:
10 Namf: Service-based interface exhibited by AMF [106].
Nsmf: Service-based interface exhibited by SMF [108].
Nnef: Service-based interface exhibited by NEF [118].
Npcf: Service-based interface exhibited by PCF [122].
Nudm: Service-based interface exhibited by UDM [124].
15 Naf: Service-based interface exhibited by AF [126].
Nchf: Service-based interface exhibited by CHF [132].
Nnrf: Service-based interface exhibited by NRF [120].
Nnssf: Service-based interface exhibited by NSSF [116].
Nausf: Service-based interface exhibited by AUSF [112].
20 Nnssaaf: Service-based interface exhibited by NSSAAF [114].
Nlmf: Service-based interface exhibited by LMF [144]
Nscp: Service-based interface exhibited by SCP [110].
[0059] Further, the 5G System Architecture as shown in FIG. 1, contains the
25 following reference points:
N1: Reference point between the UE [102] and the AMF [106].
N2: Reference point between the RAN [104] and the AMF [106].
N3: Reference point between the RAN [104] and the UPF [128].
N4: Reference point between the SMF [108] and the UPF [128].
30 N6: Reference point between the UPF [128] and a Data Network.
18
[0060] The present disclosure can be implemented on a computing device [200] as
shown in FIG. 2. The computing device [200] implements the present disclosure in
accordance with the 5G communication network architecture [100] (as shown in
FIG. 1). FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary 5 block diagram of the computing device
[200] upon which the features of the present disclosure may be implemented in
accordance with exemplary implementation of the present disclosure. In an
implementation, the computing device [200] may also implement a method [400]
for handling a race condition in a communication network utilising the system
10 [300]. In another implementation, the computing device [200] itself implements the
method for handling the race condition in the communication network using one or
more units configured within the computing device [200], wherein said one or more
units can implement the features as disclosed in the present disclosure.
15 [0061] The computing device [200] may include a bus [202] or other
communication mechanism for communicating information, and a hardware
processor [204] coupled with bus [202] for processing information. The hardware
processor [204] may be, for example, a general-purpose microprocessor. The
computing device [200] may also include a main memory [206], such as a random20
access memory (RAM), or other dynamic storage device, coupled to the bus [202]
for storing information and instructions to be executed by the processor [204]. The
main memory [206] also may be used for storing temporary variables or other
intermediate information during execution of the instructions to be executed by the
processor [204]. Such instructions, when stored in non-transitory storage media
25 accessible to the processor [204], render the computing device [200] into a specialpurpose
machine that is customized to perform the operations specified in the
instructions. The computing device [200] further includes a read only memory
(ROM) [208] or other static storage device coupled to the bus [202] for storing static
information and instructions for the processor [204].
30
19
[0062] A storage device [210], such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, or solid-state
drive is provided and coupled to the bus [202] for storing information and
instructions. The computing device [200] may be coupled via the bus [202] to a
display [212], such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), Liquid crystal Display (LCD),
Light Emitting Diode (LED) display, 5 Organic LED (OLED) display, etc. for
displaying information to a computer user. An input device [214], including
alphanumeric and other keys, touch screen input means, etc. may be coupled to the
bus [202] for communicating information and command selections to the processor
[204]. Another type of user input device may be a cursor controller [216], such as
10 a mouse, a trackball, or cursor direction keys, for communicating direction
information and command selections to the processor [204], and for controlling
cursor movement on the display [212]. The input device typically has two degrees
of freedom in two axes, a first axis (e.g., x) and a second axis (e.g., y), that allow
the device to specify positions in a plane.
15
[0063] The computing device [200] may implement the techniques described
herein using customized hard-wired logic, one or more ASICs or FPGAs, firmware
and/or program logic which in combination with the computing device [200] causes
or programs the computing device [200] to be a special-purpose machine.
20 According to one implementation, the techniques herein are performed by the
computing device [200] in response to the processor [204] executing one or more
sequences of one or more instructions contained in the main memory [206]. Such
instructions may be read into the main memory [206] from another storage medium,
such as the storage device [210]. Execution of the sequences of instructions
25 contained in the main memory [206] causes the processor [204] to perform the
process steps described herein. In alternative implementations of the present
disclosure, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with
software instructions.
20
[0064] The computing device [200] also may include a communication interface
[218] coupled to the bus [202]. The communication interface [218] provides a twoway
data communication coupling to a network link [220] that is connected to a
local network [222]. For example, the communication interface [218] may be an
integrated services di 5 gital network (ISDN) card, cable modem, satellite modem, or
a modem to provide a data communication connection to a corresponding type of
telephone line. As another example, the communication interface [218] may be a
local area network (LAN) card to provide a data communication connection to a
compatible LAN. Wireless links may also be implemented. In any such
10 implementation, the communication interface [218] sends and receives electrical,
electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams representing
various types of information.
[0065] The computing device [200] can send messages and receive data, including
15 program code, through the network(s), the network link [220] and the
communication interface [218]. In the Internet example, a server [230] might
transmit a requested code for an application program through the Internet [228], the
ISP [226], the local network [222], the host [224] and the communication interface
[218]. The received code may be executed by the processor [204] as it is received,
20 and/or stored in the storage device [210], or other non-volatile storage for later
execution.
[0066] The present disclosure is implemented by the system [300] (as shown in
FIG. 3). The system [300] may be implemented using the computing device [200]
25 (as shown in FIG. 2). In an implementation, the computing device [200] may be
connected to the system [300] to perform the present disclosure. Referring to FIG.
3, an exemplary block diagram of the system [300] handling a race condition in a
communication network, is shown, in accordance with the exemplary
implementations of the present disclosure. The system [300] comprises at least one
30 converged charging function (CHF) [132], at least one policy control function
21
(PCF) [122], and at least one online charging system (OCS) [308]. The CHF [132]
further comprises at least one transceiver unit [302] and at least one processing unit
[310]. Also, all of the components/ units of the system [300] are assumed to be
connected to each other unless otherwise indicated below. As shown in the FIG.3,
all units shown within the system [300] should 5 also be assumed to be connected to
each other. Also, in FIG. 3 only a few units are shown, however, the system [300]
may comprise multiple such units or the system [300] may comprise any such
number of said units, as required to implement the features of the present disclosure.
In an implementation, the system [300] may reside in a server or a network entity.
10 In yet another implementation, the system [300] may reside partly in the server/
network entity. In an implementation a process [500] (as shown in FIG. 5) is
performed by the system [300].
[0067] The system [300] is configured for handling the race condition in the
15 communication network, with the help of the interconnection between the
components/units of the system [300].
[0068] The Online Charging System (OCS) [308] is a system connected in the 5G
network system that manages the real-time charging and billing of services for
20 subscribers and manages all the transactions within the system, including the
subscriber's account balance and charges. The OCS [308] enables operators to
ensure accurate billing for services by implementing advanced policy rules,
enforcing credit limits, accessing advanced analytics, and more. OCS [308] is a
cloud-native platform that supports charging across multiple generations of telecom
25 networks. This is achieved by providing multi-protocol support for integration. It
supports charging customers for their usage based on the device they use. A single
plan or bucket may have tariffs for multiple devices as well as the option to have
tariffs for device/s or default tariffs. It enables duration-based charging for LTE,
Wi-Fi, and FTTH services to support non-monetary entitlements in the form of
30 seconds, minutes, or hours.
22
[0069] The CHF [132] (as explained in FIG. 1) is a network function (NF) in a 5G
network for managing online charging for a plurality of services (such as voice call
service, video streaming service, etc.) used by subscribers. Further, the PCF [122]
(as explained in FIG. 1) is a NF responsible for policy enforcement and quality of
service (QoS) control in order to effectively allocate/ 5 manage one or more resources
of the network during the session. A policy counter is a mechanism within the CHF
[132] to track spending applicable to a subscriber. These policy counters must be
available in the CHF [132] prior to their use by other network functions, such as
PCF [122]. The CHF [132] stores the policy counter information against the
10 subscriber pricing plan and notifies PCF [122] whenever the subscriber breaches
the policy thresholds based on usage consumption. Therefore, to enforce policies
based on subscriber’s spending limits, the CHF [132] maintains the policy counters
to track spending for a subscription. Further, a spending limit is the usage limit of
a policy counter (e.g. monetary, volume, duration) that a subscriber is allowed to
15 consume. The PCF [122] shall request information regarding a subscriber's
spending from the CHF [132], to be used as input for dynamic policy decisions for
the subscriber, using spending limit reports. The CHF [132] shall make information
regarding the subscriber's spending available to the PCF [122] using spending limit
reports. A spending limit report is a notification, containing the current policy
20 counter status generated from the OCS [308] which is then made available to the
PCF [122] by the CHF [132]. Policy decisions based on spending limits is a function
that allows the PCF to make policy decisions based on the status of policy counters
that are maintained in the OCS [308]. The PCF [122] uses the policy counter
statuses received from the OCS [308] as input to its policy decisions, e.g.
25 downgrade the QoS or modify the QoS/Policy rules for the subscriber. The
Nchf_spending limit support service enables the PCF [122] to access policy counter
status information relating to subscriber spending from CHF [132].
23
[0070] The transceiver unit [302] is configured to receive, at a Converged Charging
Function (CHF) [132] from a Policy Control Function (PCF) [122], a Spending
Limit Request (SLR request).
[0071] The SLR request mentioned herein 5 may refer to a request sent from the PCF
[122] to CHF [132] to fetch spending limit details for the subscriber. In general, the
SLR request here refers to a request responsible for monitoring and managing data
usage of user(s)/subscriber(s) to prevent exceeding the predefined limits on the data
usage (set by the telecom operator). In another embodiment, the SLR (i.e., control
10 of the data can be set manually on the user devices (or equipment). The data
consumption is thus monitored in real time. Upon reaching the spending limit, it is
controlled by restricting the data services given to the user(s) to avoid overcharges.
The SLR therefore enables the network function(s) of the network to retrieve policy
control status information which is responsible for governing the subscribed user’s
15 data usage. The PCF [122] may inquire about the charging rates applied by the CHF
[132] during the session, or a balance limit left with the subscriber for initiating the
session.
[0072] The SLR request is sent by the PCF [122] to the CHF [132], which further
20 forwards the same to the OCS [308] as part of an Initial or Intermediate Spending
Limit Report Request procedure. In an example, the SLR request may include one
or more information associated with the session. Herein, the one or more
information may include a user identifier (ID), a session ID, a request type, list of
policy counter identifiers, a type of services or session to be engaged by the
25 subscriber. The request type indicates whether the request is an initial request or a
subsequent request for the subscriber. The list of policy counter identifiers indicates
the policy counters to be subscribed to. Upon receipt of the SLR request, the
transceiver unit [302] transmits, from the CHF [132] to an Online Charging System
(OCS) [308], the SLR request. Thereafter, the transceiver unit [302] receives, at the
30 CHF [132] from the OCS [308], a successful Spending Limit Response (SLR
24
response) based on the SLR request. The successful SLR response is indication
from the OCS [308] that the OCS [308] has received the SLR request successfully.
[0073] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the successful SLR
response is received at the CHF [132] from 5 the OCS [308] based on a set of
predefined SLR request conditions. The set of predefined SLR request conditions
here refers to a set of predefined rules and governing rules that are responsible for
managing sessions (primarily data sessions) in the communication network (or
simply the network). These rules help in determining how the sessions are
10 established, modified or terminated keeping in mind the quality of services (QoS),
resource allocation, traffic management and users etc., in the network. Herein, the
set of predefined SLR request conditions, is specific to an operator of the subscriber
and may include one or more subscription and network polices associated with said
operator. The SLR response may include a policy counter status report and a result
15 code. The policy counter status report contains a policy counter identifier and the
current status value. The result code contains the result of the operation. The OCS
[308] may further ensure that the spending limit of subscriber is under control and
lies within said subscription and network polices.
20 [0074] If all the policy counter identifiers included in the SLR request are known
to the OCS [308], the OCS [308] shall be able to subsequently notify the PCF [122]
of any policy counter state changes. This results in a successful SLR response and
a successful creation of the network session. The OCS [308] shall include the
current status of all subscribed policy counters (if any) in the response. In an
25 example, in such a case, the result code may be set to SUCCESS. This refers to the
successful SLR response.
[0075] After getting the SLR response, the processing unit [310] of the system
[300] is configured to initiate, by the CHF [132], a network session based on the
30 successful SLR response. The processing unit [310] of the system [300] is also
responsible for maintaining the network session, at the CHF [132]. The maintaining
25
of the network session, at the CHF [132], refers to holding on the session, until the
transceiver unit [302], receives, at the CHF [132], a session termination request
(STR request) from the PCF [122]. The STR request terminates the network session
thereby signalling the end of the data connection of the user in the communication
network. The STR request assures that the network 5 resources are released, and the
policies related to the session are updated. Upon receipt of the STR request, the
processing unit [310] releases, at the CHF [132], the network session based on the
STR request from the PCF [122].
10 [0076] The maintaining of the network session until the STR request is received at
the CHF [132], is done to avoid premature releasing of the session. If the PCF [122]
has not initiated the STR request and the session is released by the CHF [132], then
it might result in a stale session as the session is still maintained by the PCF [122].
Therefore, maintaining the session or holding the session till the PCF [122] sends
15 an STR request avoids creating stale sessions. Further, in an exemplary aspect of
the present disclosure, the network session is maintained at the CHF [132] to handle
a Spending Status Notification request (SNR request) from the OCS [308]. The
SNR request is sent by the OCS [308] to the PCF [122] as part of the Spending
Limit Report procedure. This request notifies the user(s) about their data or network
20 resource usage status. The maintaining of the session or holding the session till the
STR request is received from the PCF [122], also ensures that the PCF [122] has
received the SNR report from OCS [308], and based on the report, the PCF [122]
sends the STR request to CHF [132]. This procedure avoids the race condition
scenario.
25
[0077] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the network session is
associated with a session identifier (Session ID).
[0078] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, prior to releasing the
30 network session based on the STR request from the PCF [122], the processing unit
[310] is configured to initiate, from the CHF [132], a termination request towards
26
the OCS [308]. Further, the transceiver unit [302] is configured to receive at the
CHF [132], a successful response to the termination request from the OCS [308].
Furthermore, the transceiver unit [302] is configured to transmit, from the CHF
[132], the successful response to the PCF [122].
5
[0079] Referring to FIG. 4, an exemplary method flow diagram [400] for handling
a race condition in a communication network, in accordance with exemplary
implementations of the present disclosure is shown. In an implementation the
method [400] is performed by the system [300]. Further, in an implementation, the
10 system [300] may be present in a server device to implement the features of the
present disclosure. Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the method [400] starts at step [402].
[0080] At step [404], the method [400] comprises receiving, by a transceiver unit
[302] at a Converged Charging Function (CHF) [132] from a Policy Control
15 Function (PCF) [122], a Spending Limit Request (SLR request). The SLR request
is sent by the PCF [122] to the CHF [132], which further forwards the same to the
OCS [308] as part of the Initial or Intermediate Spending Limit Report Request
procedure. In general, the SLR request here refers to a request responsible for
monitoring and managing data usage of user(s)/subscriber(s) to prevent exceeding
20 the predefined limits on the data usage (set by the telecom operator). In another
embodiment, the SLR (i.e., control of the data can be set manually on the user
devices (or equipment). The data consumption is thus monitored in real time. Upon
reaching the spending limit, it is controlled by restricting the data services given to
the user(s) to avoid overcharges. The SLR therefore enables the network function(s)
25 of the network to retrieve policy control status information which is responsible for
governing the subscribed user’s data usage.
[0081] At step [406], the method [400] comprises transmitting, by the transceiver
unit [302] from the CHF [132] to an Online Charging System (OCS) [308], the SLR
30 request.
27
[0082] At step [408], the method [400] comprises receiving, by the transceiver unit
[302] at the CHF [132] from the OCS [308], a successful Spending Limit Response
(SLR response) based on the SLR request. The successful SLR response is
indication from the OCS [308] that 5 the OCS [308] has received the SLR request
successfully.
[0083] At step [410], the method [400] comprises initiating, by a processing unit
[310] at the CHF [132], a network session based on the successful SLR response.
10
[0084] At step [412], the method [400] comprises maintaining, by the processing
unit [310], the network session at the CHF [132]. The maintaining of the network
session, at the CHF [132], refers to holding on the session, until, step [414], the
transceiver unit [302], receives, at the CHF [132], a session termination request
15 (STR request) from the PCF [122]. The STR request terminates the network session
thereby signalling the end of the data connection of the user in the communication
network. The STR request assures that the network resources are released, and the
policies related to the session are updated. Upon receipt of the STR request, the
processing unit [310] releases, at the CHF [132], the network session based on the
20 STR request from the PCF [122].
[0085] The maintaining of the network session until the STR request is received at
the CHF [132], is done to avoid premature releasing of the session. If the PCF [122]
has not initiated the STR request and the session is released by the CHF [132], then
25 it might result in a stale session as the session is still maintained by PCF [122].
Therefore, maintaining the session or holding the session till PCF [122] send an
STR request avoids creating stale sessions. Further, in an exemplary aspect of the
present disclosure, the network session is maintained at the CHF [132] to handle a
Spending Status Notification request (SNR request) from the OCS [308]. The SNR
30 request is sent by the OCS [308] to the PCF [122] as part of the Spending Limit
28
Report procedure. This request notifies the user(s) about their data or network
resource usage status. The maintaining of the session or holding the session till the
STR request is received from the PCF [122], also ensures that the PCF [122] has
received the SNR report from OCS [308], and based on the report the PCF [122]
send the STR request to CHF 5 [132]. This procedure avoids the race condition
scenario.
[0086] The STR request terminates a user session thereby signalling the end of the
data connection of the user in the communication network. The STR request assures
10 that the network resources are released, and the policies related to the session are
updated.
[0087] At step [416], the method [400] comprises releasing, by the processing unit
[310], at the CHF [132], the network session based on the STR request from the
15 PCF [122].
[0088] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the successful SLR
response is received at the CHF [132] from the OCS [308] based on a set of
predefined SLR request conditions. The set of predefined SLR request conditions
20 here refers to a set of predefined rules and governing rules that are responsible for
managing sessions (primarily data sessions) in the communication network (or
simply the network). These rules help in determining how the sessions are
established, modified or terminated keeping in mind the quality of services (QoS),
resource allocation, traffic management and users etc. in the network.
25
[0089] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the network session is
associated with a session identifier (Session ID).
[0090] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, prior to releasing the
30 network session based on the STR request from the PCF [122], the method [400]
comprises initiating, by the processing unit [310], from the CHF [132], a
29
termination request towards the OCS [308]. The method [400] further comprises
receiving, by the transceiver unit [302], at the CHF [132], a successful response to
the termination request from the OCS [308]. The method [400] further comprises
transmitting, by the transceiver unit [302], from the CHF [132], the successful
5 response to the PCF [122].
[0091] Thereafter, the method [400] terminates at step [418].
[0092] Referring to FIG. 5, an exemplary flow chart depicting the process [500] of
10 handling of a race condition in a communication network is shown, in accordance
with the present disclosure.
[0093] The handling of the race condition is performed in the following manner:
Step 1 (S1): Policy Control Function (PCF) [122] initiates a spending limit
15 request (SLR) requests and sends the SLR request to a Converged Charging
Function (CHF) [132]. Upon receipt of the SLR request, the CHF [132]
proceeds to forward the SLR request to an Online Charging System (OCS)
[308].
20 Step 2 (S2): Upon receiving successful Spending Limit Response (SLR
response) based on the SLR request, from the OCS [308] at the CHF [132], the
CHF [132] initiates creation of a network session for the specific request and
assigns a unique session identifier (ID).
25 Step 3 (S3): Thereafter, the CHF [132] checks if there is any Session
Termination Request (STR) which is received from the PCF [122]. If the STR
is not received, step 4 (S4) is executed otherwise step 5 (S5) is executed.
Step 4 (S4): Since the STR is not received, the CHF [132] will hold the network
30 session till the STR is received from the PCF [122]. This is done to avoid
30
premature releasing of the session. If the PCF [122] has not initiated the STR
request and the session is released by the CHF [132], then it might result in a
stale session as the session is still maintained by PCF [122]. Therefore,
maintaining the session or holding the session till the PCF [122] sends an STR
5 request avoids creating stale sessions.
Step 5 (S5): However, if the STR is received, the CHF [132] will relay the STR
sent by the PCF [122] to the OCS [308].
10 Step 6 (S6): At this step, the CHF [132] will check if a session termination
answer request (STA) is received from the OCS [308] with a successful
response i.e. SLR response. If the SLR is received with a successful response,
the process proceeds to step 7 (S7). If the STR is not received with successful
response, the process reiterates to step 5. This way CHF [132] will again check
15 with OCS [308] for a successful SLR.
Step 7 (S7ss): Upon receiving a successful response from the OCS [308], the
CHF [132] will execute the deletion/ release of the network session associated
with the session ID and the process of handling the race condition is thereby
20 concluded.
[0094] The present disclosure further discloses a non-transitory computer-readable
storage medium storing instruction for handling a race condition in a
communication network, the storage medium comprising executable code which,
25 when executed by one or more units of a system [300], causes a transceiver unit
[302] to receive, at a Converged Charging Function (CHF) [132] from a Policy
Control Function (PCF) [122], a Spending Limit Request (SLR request). Further,
the executable code which, when executed causes the transceiver unit [302] to
transmit, from the CHF [132] to an Online Charging System (OCS) [308], the SLR
30 request. Further, the executable code which, when executed causes the transceiver
31
unit [302] to receive, at the CHF [132] from the OCS [308], a successful Spending
Limit Response (SLR response) based on the SLR request. Further, the executable
code which, when executed causes a processing unit [310] to initiate, by the CHF
[132], a network session based on the successful SLR response. Further, the
executable code which, when executed causes 5 the processing unit [310] to maintain,
the network session, at the CHF [132]. Further, the executable code which, when
executed causes the transceiver unit [302] to receive, at the CHF [132], a session
termination request (STR request) from the PCF [122]. Further, the executable code
which, when executed causes the processing unit [310] to release, at the CHF [132],
10 the network session based on the STR request from the PCF [122].
[0095] Further, in accordance with the present disclosure, it is to be acknowledged
that the functionality described for the various the components/units can be
implemented interchangeably. While specific embodiments may disclose a
15 particular functionality of these units for clarity, it is recognized that various
configurations and combinations thereof are within the scope of the disclosure. The
functionality of specific units as disclosed in the disclosure should not be construed
as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. Consequently, alternative
arrangements and substitutions of units, provided they achieve the intended
20 functionality described herein, are considered to be encompassed within the scope
of the present disclosure.
[0096] As is evident from the above, the present disclosure provides a technically
advanced solution for handling a race condition in a communication network. Thus,
25 the present disclosure ensures data consistency by adhering to the expected
sequence of incoming/ outgoing requests. The present disclosure establishes a
reliable framework where the CHF [132] refrains from releasing a session prior to
the arrival of STR-STA requests. This precautionary measure prevents the potential
update of a non-existent session, effectively averting inconsistencies and request
30 loss. Furthermore, the present disclosure leads to a marked reduction in error
32
probability by pre-emptively addressing error-prone scenarios as the CHF [132]
effectively curtails the chances of encountering glitches. Also, a Spending Limit
Answer Request (SLA) and Spending Status Notification Request (SNR) related
threads are executed before the crucial STR request, thereby adding a layer of
precision and reliability to t 5 he process of handling the race condition.
[0097] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the disclosed
implementations, it will be appreciated that many implementations can be made and
that many changes can be made to the implementations without departing from the
10 principles of the present disclosure. These and other changes in the implementations
of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, whereby it is to
be understood that the foregoing descriptive matter to be implemented is illustrative
and non-limiting.
33
We Claim:
1. A method [400] for handling a race condition in a communication network, the
method [400] comprising:
- receiving, by a transceiver unit [302] at a Converged Charging Function
(CHF) [132] from a Policy Control 5 Function (PCF) [122], a Spending Limit
Request (SLR request);
- transmitting, by the transceiver unit [302] from the CHF [132] to an Online
Charging System (OCS) [308], the SLR request;
- receiving, by the transceiver unit [302] at the CHF [132] from the OCS
10 [308], a successful Spending Limit Response (SLR response) based on the
SLR request;
- initiating, by a processing unit [310] at the CHF [132], a network session
based on the successful SLR response;
- maintaining, by the processing unit [310], the network session at the CHF
15 [132];
- receiving, by the transceiver unit [302], at the CHF [132], a session
termination request (STR request) from the PCF [122]; and
- releasing, by the processing unit [310], at the CHF [132], the network
session based on the STR request from the PCF [122].
20
2. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein the successful SLR response
is received at the CHF [132] from the OCS [308] based on a set of predefined
SLR request conditions.
25 3. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein the network session is
associated with a session identifier (Session ID).
4. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein prior to releasing the network
session based on the STR request from the PCF [122], the method [400]
30 comprises:
34
- initiating, by the processing unit [310], from the CHF [132], a termination
request towards the OCS [308];
- receiving, by the transceiver unit [302], at the CHF [132], a successful
response to the termination request from the OCS [308]; and
- transmitting, by the transceiver 5 unit [302], from the CHF [132], the
successful response to the PCF [122].
5. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the network session is
maintained at the CHF [132] to handle a Spending Status Notification request
10 (SNR request) from the OCS [308].
6. A system [300] for handling a race condition in a communication work, the
system [300] comprises:
- a transceiver unit [302], wherein the transceiver unit [302] is configured to:
15 • receive, at a Converged Charging Function (CHF) [132] from a Policy
Control Function (PCF) [122], a Spending Limit Request (SLR request),
• transmit, from the CHF [132] to an Online Charging System (OCS)
[308], the SLR request; and
• receive, at the CHF [132] from the OCS [308], a successful Spending
20 Limit Response (SLR response) based on the SLR request; and
- a processing unit [310] connected to at least the transceiver unit [302],
wherein the processing unit [310] is configured to:
• initiate, by the CHF [132], a network session based on the successful
SLR response, and
25 • maintain, the network session, at the CHF [132];
- the transceiver unit [302], further configured to:
• receive, at the CHF [132], a session termination request (STR request)
from the PCF [122]; and
- the processing unit [310], further configured to:
35
• release, at the CHF [132], the network session based on the STR request
from the PCF [122].
7. The system [300] as claimed in claim 6, wherein the successful SLR response
is received at the CHF [132] from the OCS 5 [308] based on a set of predefined
SLR request conditions.
8. The system [300] as claimed in claim 6, wherein the network session is
associated with a session identifier (Session ID).
10
9. The system [300] as claimed in claim 6, wherein prior to releasing the network
session based on the STR request from the PCF [122], the system [300]
comprises:
- the processing unit [310] configured to initiate, from the CHF [132], a
15 termination request towards the OCS [308];
- the transceiver unit [302], configured to receive at the CHF [132], a
successful response to the termination request from the OCS [308]; and
- the transceiver unit [302], configured to transmit, from the CHF [132], the
successful response to the PCF [122].
20
10. The system [300] as claimed in claim 6, wherein, the network session is
maintained at the CHF [132] to handle a Spending Status Notification request
(SNR request) from the OCS [308].