DESC:TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of wireless communication networks and systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system and a method for managing a User Equipment (UE) Policy session and UE Radio Session Policy (URSP) rules in a communication network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The subject matter disclosed in the background section should not be assumed or construed to be prior art merely because of its mention in the background section. Similarly, any problem statement mentioned in the background section or its association with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed or construed to have been previously recognized in the prior art.
[0003] In recent years, telecommunications industry has seen exponential growth driven by increasing demand for high-speed data services and a rapid increase in number of smart and connected devices. 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standards play a pivotal role in defining architectures and protocols for wireless communication networks. However, with increase in complexity and diversity of the wireless communication networks, certain challenges arose in efficiently managing subscriber access and network resources, particularly related to policy session management and User-Plane Function (UPF) rules for User Equipment(s) (UEs).
[0004] Conventional architectures and protocols for management of the policy session and the UPF rules within existing 3GPP standards has no defined methods for provisioning UE-Route Selection Policy (URSP) rules on a subscription plan basis. Nowadays, service providers offer multiple subscription plans which are not aligned to the URSP rules. This limitation not only hampers an ability to enforce policy controls effectively for the UEs but also leads to inefficiencies in resource allocation and utilization, ultimately causing customer dissatisfaction and increase in operational costs.
[0005] Therefore, to overcome aforementioned challenges and limitations associated with the conventional architecture and protocols for managing the policy session and the UPF rules, there lies a need for a system and a method that can enforce the policy controls effectively.
SUMMARY
[0006] The following embodiments present a simplified summary to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed invention. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
[0007] In an embodiment, disclosed herein is a method for managing a User Equipment (UE) policy session and UE Radio Session Policy (URSP) rules in a communication network. The method comprises receiving, by a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCF) node, a request to create a UE policy session from an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) node, and fetching, by the PCF node from a Subscriber Profile Repository (SPR), a subscriber profile associated with at least one UE in response to the received request. Further, the method comprises verifying, by the PCF node, a validity of a purchased plan for a subscriber based on the subscriber profile. The subscriber profile includes one or more custom fields and UE policy related data. Furthermore, the method comprises creating, by the PCF node, the UE policy session for the subscriber based on a result of the verification indicating that the purchased plan for the subscriber is valid. Thereafter, the method comprises installing, by the PCF node using the AMF node, the URSP rules on the at least one UE based on the created UE policy session.
[0008] In one or more aspects, for verifying the validity of the purchased plan for the subscriber, the method comprises determining, by the PCF node, whether a specified value in the one or more custom fields is valid, and whether a UE policy invocation flag in the UE policy related data is disabled or enabled. Further, the method comprises verifying, by the PCF node, that the purchased plan for the subscriber is valid based on a determination that the specified value in the one or more custom fields is valid and the UE policy invocation flag in the UE policy related data is disabled.
[0009] In an aspect, the method further comprises sending, by the PCF node, a spending limit subscriber request trigger to one of an Online Charging System (OCS) or a Charging Function (CHF) node based on the determination that specified value in the one or more custom fields is valid and the UE policy invocation flag in the UE policy is enabled. Thereafter, the method comprises receiving, by the PCF node from one of the OCS or the CHF node, plan information including policy counter identifiers corresponding to each plan in response to the spending limit subscriber request trigger sent to the OCS or the CHF.
[0010] In an aspect, the method further comprises sending, by the PCF node based on the plan information, the URSP rules to the at least one UE in a communication message transfer request via the AMF node. The fetching of the subscriber profile further comprises sending, by the PCF node, a trigger to the SPR in response to the reception of the request to create the UE policy session, and obtaining, by the PCF node from the SPR, the subscriber profile in response to the trigger sent to the SPR.
[0011] In an aspect, the method further comprises rejecting, by the PCF node, the request to create the UE policy session if the result of the verification indicates that the one or more custom fields are blank.
[0012] In an aspect, the method further comprises restricting, by the PCF node, an initiation of a trigger from the PCF node towards the AMF node if the result of the verification indicates that the one or more custom fields are blank.
[0013] In an aspect, the method further comprises sending, by the PCF node, the URSP rules to the at least one UE via the AMF node upon creation of the UE policy session.
[0014] In another embodiment, disclosed herein is a system for managing a User Equipment (UE) Policy session and UE Radio Session Policy (URSP) rules in a communication network. The system comprises an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) node and a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCF) node. The Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCF) node is configured to receive a request from the AMF node to create a UE policy session and fetch, from a Subscriber Profile Repository (SPR), a subscriber profile associated with at least one UE in response to the received request. The Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCF) node is further configured to verify a validity of a purchased plan for a subscriber based on the fetched subscriber profile. The fetched subscriber profile includes one or more custom fields and UE policy related data. Furthermore, the Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCF) node is configured to create the UE Policy session for the subscriber based on a result of the verification indicating that the purchased plan for the subscriber is valid. Thereafter, the Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCF) node is configured to install, using the AMF node, the URSP rules on the at least one UE based on the created UE policy session.
[0015] In one or more aspects, to verify the validity of the purchased plan for the subscriber, the PCF node is configured to determine whether a specified value in the one or more custom fields is valid, and whether a UE policy invocation flag in the UE policy related data is disabled or enabled. Thereafter, the PCF node is configured to verify that the purchased plan for the subscriber is valid based on a determination that the specified value in the one or more custom fields is valid and the UE policy invocation flag in the UE policy related data is disabled.
[0016] In an aspect, the PCF node is configured to send a spending limit subscriber request trigger to one of an Online Charging System (OCS) or a Charging Function (CHF) node based on the determination that the specified value in the one or more custom fields is valid and the UE policy invocation flag in the UE policy related data is enabled. Thereafter, the PCF node is configured to receive, from one of the OCS or the CHF node, plan information including policy counter identifiers corresponding to each business plan in response to the spending limit subscriber request trigger sent to the OCS or the CHF.
[0017] In an aspect, the PCF node is configured to send, based on the plan information, the URSP rules to the at least one UE in a communication message transfer request via the AMF node.
[0018] In an aspect, the PCF node is configured to send a trigger to the SPR in response to the reception of the request to create the UE policy session, and obtain, from the SPR, the subscriber profile in response to the trigger sent to the SPR.
[0019] In an aspect, the PCF node is configured to reject the request to create the UE policy session if the result of the verification indicates that the one or more custom fields are blank.
[0020] In an aspect, the PCF node is configured to restrict an initiation of a trigger from the PCF node towards the AMF node if the result of the verification indicates that the one or more custom fields are blank.
[0021] In an aspect, the PCF node is configured to send the URSP rules to the at least one UE via the AMF node upon creation of the UE policy session.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0022] Various embodiments disclosed herein will become better understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings constitute a part of the present disclosure and illustrate certain non-limiting embodiments of inventive concepts. Further, components and elements shown in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. For consistency and ease of understanding, similar components and elements are annotated by reference numerals in the exemplary drawings.
[0023] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary wireless communication network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0024] FIG. 2 illustrates a system architecture of a core network depicting Network Functions (NFs), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0025] FIG. 3 illustrates an example system architecture of a policy control function (PCF) for managing a User Equipment (UE) policy session and UE Radio Session Policy (URSP) rules for a UE, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0026] FIG. 4 illustrates a line diagram depicting a method for managing the UE policy session and URSP rules for UEs without a valid plan, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0027] FIG. 5 illustrates a line diagram depicting a method for managing the UE policy session and URSP rules for UEs having the valid plan, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0028] FIG. 6 illustrates a line diagram depicting a method for managing the UE policy session and URSP rules for UEs having a valid custom field and business plan, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0029] Inventive concepts of the present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which examples of one or more embodiments of inventive concepts are shown. Inventive concepts may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Further, the one or more embodiments disclosed herein are provided to describe the inventive concept thoroughly and completely, and to fully convey the scope of each of the present inventive concepts to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, it should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are not mutually exclusive concepts. Accordingly, one or more components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present or used in any other embodiment.
[0030] The following description presents various embodiments of the present disclosure. The embodiments disclosed herein are presented as teaching examples and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure should in no way be limited to the illustrative implementations, drawings, and techniques illustrated below, including the exemplary design and implementation illustrated and described herein, but may be modified, omitted, or expanded upon without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0031] The following description contains specific information pertaining to embodiments in the present disclosure. The detailed description uses the phrases “in some embodiments” which may each refer to one or more or all of the same or different embodiments. The term “some” as used herein is defined as “one, or more than one, or all.” Accordingly, the terms “one,” “more than one,” “more than one, but not all” or “all” would all fall under the definition of “some.” In view of the same, the terms, for example, “in an embodiment” refers to one embodiment and the term, for example, “in one or more embodiments” refers to “at least one embodiment, or more than one embodiment, or all embodiments.”
[0032] The term “comprising,” when utilized, means “including, but not necessarily limited to;” it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion in the so-described one or more listed features, elements in a combination, unless otherwise stated with limiting language. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes,” “has,” “have,” “contains,” and other similar words are used in either the detailed description, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.”
[0033] In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, various specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of 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.
[0034] The description provided herein discloses exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the present disclosure. Rather, the foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing any of the exemplary embodiments. Specific details are given in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it may be understood by one of the ordinary skilled in the art that the embodiments disclosed herein may be practiced without these specific details.
[0035] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein the description, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural forms unless the context of the invention indicates otherwise.
[0036] The terminology and structure employed herein are for describing, teaching, and illuminating some embodiments and their specific features and elements and do not limit, restrict, or reduce the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, unless otherwise defined, all terms, and especially any technical and/or scientific terms, used herein may be taken to have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art.
[0037] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method for managing a User Equipment (UE) policy session and UE Radio Session Policy (URSP) rules in a wireless communication network. The management of the UE policy session and UE URSP rules involves providing URSP rules only to those consumers or users who have purchased a valid plan.
[0038] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method that facilitates creation of the UE policy session for a subscriber by verifying a validity of a plan purchased by the subscriber.
[0039] In the disclosure, various embodiments are described using terms used in some communication standards (e.g., 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), Extensible Radio Access Network (xRAN), and Open-Radio Access Network (O-RAN)), but these are merely examples for description. Various embodiments of the disclosure may also be easily modified and applied to other communication systems.
[0040] In order to facilitate an understanding of the disclosed invention, a number of terms are defined below.
[0041] A UE policy session refers to an interaction between a User Equipment (UE) and a Policy Control Function (PCF) node to manage network policies related to Quality of Service (QoS), charging, and access control. The PCF node determines and enforces the network policies based on network conditions, user subscription, and rules defined by network operator.
[0042] A UE Radio Policy Session (USRP) rules refers to policy rules provided by the PCF node to the UE via Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) node. These policy rules influence the UE’s radio behavior by controlling aspects such as preferred Radio Access Technologies (RAT) and mobility.
[0043] A subscriber profile refers to a set of subscription related information and policies associated with a user of the UE. The subscriber profile is primarily stored in a Unified Data Management (UDM) function and a Subscriber Profile Repository (SPR).
[0044] A “business plan” refers to a subscription package or service plan that a subscriber purchases from the network operator. The business plan defines the services, data allowances, and other entitlements available to the subscriber.
[0045] The following description provides specific details of certain aspects of the disclosure illustrated in the drawings to provide a thorough understanding of those aspects. It should be recognized, however, that the present disclosure can be reflected in additional aspects and the disclosure may be practiced without some of the details in the following description.
[0046] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 through FIG. 6, discussed below, and the one or more embodiments used to describe the principles of the present disclosure are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented in any suitably arranged system or device.
[0047] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary communication network 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the communication network 100 includes a core network 102 coupled with a plurality of nodes including Node 104-1 through Node 104-N and configured to facilitate a secured communication among the plurality of nodes (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “nodes 104”, and individually referred to as the “node 104”).
[0048] The term “nodes” may refer to any component (or collection of components) configured to provide wireless access to a network, such as Transmit Point (TP), Transmit-Receive Point (TRP), an Evolved Base Station (eNodeB or eNB), a 5G/NR base station (gNB), a macrocell, a femtocell, a Wi-Fi Access Point (AP), or other wirelessly enabled devices. The nodes may provide wireless access in accordance with wireless communication protocols, e.g., 5G/NR 3GPP New Radio interface/access (NR), LTE, LTE-A, High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, etc.
[0049] In an embodiment, each of the nodes is configured to be coupled with one or more user devices 106-1, 106-2, 106-3, 106-4, through 106-(N-l), 106-N (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “user devices 106”, or “UEs 106”, and individually referred to as the “user device 106”, or “UE 106”). Further, depending on the network type, the term “user device” or “UE” may refer to any component such as “mobile station,” “subscriber station,” “remote terminal,” “wireless terminal,” “receive point,”. For the sake of convenience, the terms “user equipment” and “UE” are used in this disclosure to refer to remote wireless equipment that wirelessly accesses the nodes. In one aspect, the core network 102 may establish a secured communication between the user devices 106 associated with the nodes 104. In another aspect, the core network 102 may establish a secured communication between the user devices 106 associated with the same node 104.
[0050] In an exemplary embodiment, the core network 102 may effectively establish a secured communication between the user device 106-1 and the user device 106-2, where the user device 106-1 and the user device 106-2 both are coupled with the Node 104-1. In another embodiment, the core network 102 may establish a secured communication between the user device 106-2 and the user device 106-N with equal effectiveness, where the user device 106-2 is coupled with the Node 104-1 and the user device 106-N is coupled with the Node 104-N.
[0051] In an example embodiment, the core network 102 (also, referred to as network 102, herein) may be configured as an application server and may be communicably operational or may be integrated with a user device 106 via a network coupled with a server. In another exemplary embodiment, the user device 106 may be a wireless device. The wireless device may be a mobile device that may include, for example, cellular telephone, such as a feature phone or smartphone and other devices. Example of the user device 106 may not be limited to the above-mentioned devices, but may include any type of device capable of providing wireless communication, such as a cellular phone, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer (PC), a laptop computer, a media center, a workstation, and other such devices.
[0052] The core network 102 may pertain to 5G service-based architecture and may be configured to interconnect distinct networks associated with the architecture. Therefore, the core network 102 may provide a path for the exchange of information between one or more of the networks, and corresponding subnetworks. Further, as the backbone, the core network may tie together diverse networks, say Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), etc. which may be there within the same building, in different buildings, in a campus environment, or remotely located over wide areas. The core network 102 may also boost the network performance by continuously coordinating with other network functions. According to an embodiment, the 5G system architecture may leverage service-based interactions directly between NF Service consumers and NF Service producers.
[0053] In an example embodiment, the network may pertain to at least one of a wireless network, a wired network, or a combination thereof. The network may be implemented as one of the different types of networks, such as Intranet, LAN, WAN, Internet, and the like. Further, the network may either be a dedicated network or a shared network. The shared network may represent an association of the different types of networks that may use variety of protocols, for example, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ), and the like. In an embodiment, the network may pertain to, for example a 5G network that may be facilitated through, for example, Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) network; a Universal Terrestrial Radio Network (UTRAN), an Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) Radio Access Network (GERAN), an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN), a Wireless Fidelity (WI-FI) or other LAN access network, or a satellite or terrestrial wide-area access network such as a Wireless Microwave Access (WIMAX) network. Various other types of communication network or service may be possible.
[0054] In a non-limiting example, the core network 102 may utilize different sort of air interface, such as a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), or Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) air interface and other implementation. In an example embodiment, the wire-line user device may use wired access networks, exclusively or in combination with wireless access networks, for example, including Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS), Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), and other network technologies configured to transport Internet Protocol (IP) packets.
[0055] Although FIG. 1 illustrates one example of the communication network, various changes may be made to FIG. 1. For example, the communication network 100 may include any number of nodes and user devices in any suitable arrangement, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure. Further, various components in FIG. 1 may be combined, further subdivided, or omitted and additional components may be added according to particular needs.
[0056] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating exemplary components of the core network 102 depicting Network Functions (NFs) including the AMF and the PCF, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 2, the communication system may include a User Equipment (UE) 106 (hereinafter also referred to as “user device 106”), a Radio Access Network (RAN) 236 i.e., Node 104 configured to communicate with an AMF 202 (hereinafter interchangeably referred to as “AMF node 202”) using N2 interface, a PCF 204 (hereinafter interchangeably referred to as “PCF node 204”) configured to communicate with the AMF 202 using an N15 interface, a SPR 212 communicatively coupled with the AMF 202.
[0057] Further, the core network 102 includes an Equipment Identity Register (EIR) 206, an Authentication Server Function (AUSF) 208, a Unified Data Management (UDM) function 210, a Short Message Service Function (SMSF) 214, a Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF) 216, a Session Management Function (SMF) 220, a Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) 222, Charging Function-Proxy Control (CHF-PC) 224, a Network Exposure Function (NEF) 226, Service Transition Platform (STP) 228, a Diameter Routing Agent (DRA) 230, Binding Support Function (BSF) 232, a User Plane Function (UPF) 238, a Data Network (DN) 240, Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC) 242, Location Management Function (LMF) 244, and Location Services (LCS) client 246.
[0058] The components depicted in FIG. 2 may be implemented as dedicated hardware components or as virtualized functions implemented on top of a common shared physical infrastructure using Software-Defined Networking (SDN). For example, an SDN controller may implement one or more of the components of FIG. 2 using an adapter implementing a Virtual Network Function (VNF) virtual machine, an event driven serverless architecture interface, and/or another type of SDN architecture.
[0059] The AMF 202 may be a network element that is capable of performing registration management, connection management, reachability management, mobility management, lawful intercepts, SMS transport between the one or more user device 106 and SMSF 214, session management messages transport between the one or more user device 106 and the SMF 220, access authentication and authorization, location services management, functionality to support 3GPP access networks including 5G NR and LTE-based networks, non-3GPP access networks, and/or other types of management processes.
[0060] The PCF 204 is a network node capable of supporting policies to control network behavior, provide policy rules to control plane functions (e.g., to the SMF 220), access subscription information relevant to policy decisions, perform policy decisions, and/or perform other types of processes associated with policy enforcement. In one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the PCF 204 is configured to receive, a UE policy control create request from the AMF 202, and fetch a subscriber profile from the SPR 212 in response to the reception of the UE policy control create request. The subscriber profile includes custom field data and UE policy data. The custom field data may include subscription related parameters, such as but not limited to, network slicing identifiers, access category information (i.e., information related to subscriber access, service access, Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (NSSAI) based specific access, and corporate access. Additionally, the UE policy data may include, but not limited to, configuration rules defining how the UE 106 can be connected to the PCF 204, the AMF 202, and data networks under a subscribed plan.
[0061] Further, the PCF 204 is configured to verify a validity of a purchased plan for a subscriber based on the subscriber profile, and create the UE policy session for the subscriber if a result of the verification indicates that a custom field value in the custom field data is aligned with a valid policy rule and a UE policy invoke flag value in the UE policy data is false. Furthermore, the PCF 204 is configured to install the URSP rules on the user devices 106 via the AMF 202 upon creation of the UE policy session.
[0062] The EIR 206 may correspond to an independent network component that may help telecom operators in protecting the telecom networks. The EIR 206 can aid in protecting a network by providing a mechanism to restrict malicious user terminals or devices in the network.
[0063] The AUSF 208 may be a network element that is capable of performing authentication. For example, the AUSF 208 may implement an Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) authentication server and may store authentication keys for UE devices 106. The AUSF 208 may be accessible via an Nausf interface.
[0064] The UDM 210 may be a network element that is capable of maintaining subscription information for UE devices 106, manage subscriptions, generate authentication credentials, handle user identification, perform access authorization based on subscription data, perform network function registration management, maintain service and/or session continuity by maintaining assignment of the SMF 220 for ongoing sessions, support SMS delivery, support lawful intercept functionality, and/or perform other processes associated with managing user data. The UDM 210 may be accessible to the AMF 202 and the AUSF 208 using interfaces N8 and N13, respectively.
[0065] The SPR 212 corresponds to a centralized repository for storing subscriber profile information, service entitlements, and policy rules within the network.
[0066] The SMSF 214 may be a network element that is capable of performing SMS services for the UE devices 106. The SMSF 214 may be accessible via an Nsmsf interface N20.
[0067] The NSSF 216 includes one or more devices that select network slice instances for the UE devices 106. By providing network slicing, the NSSF 216 allows an operator to deploy multiple substantially independent end-to-end networks potentially with the same infrastructure. In some implementations, each slice can be customized for different services. The NSSF 216 may be accessible by the AMF 202 via an Nnssf interface N22.
[0068] The SMF 220 may be a network element that is capable of performing session establishment, session modification, and/or session release, perform IP address allocation and management, perform Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) functions, perform selection and control of the UPF 238, configure traffic steering at the UPF 238 to guide the traffic to the correct destinations, terminate interfaces toward the PCF 204, perform lawful intercepts, charge data collection, support charging interfaces, control and coordinate of charging data collection, terminate session management parts of NAS messages, perform downlink data notification, manage roaming functionality, and/or perform other types of control plane processes for managing user plane data.
[0069] The NWDAF 222 may be a network element that is capable of collecting analytics information associated with RAN and/or the core network 102. For example, the NWDAF 222 may collect accessibility KPIs (e.g., an RRC setup success rate, a RAB success rate, etc.), retainability KPIs (e.g., a call drop rate, etc.), mobility KPIs (e.g., a handover success rate, etc.), service integrity KPIs (e.g., downlink average throughput, downlink maximum throughput, uplink average throughput, uplink maximum throughput, etc.), utilization KPIs (e.g., resource block utilization rate, average processor load, etc.), availability KPIs (e.g., radio network unavailability rate, etc.), traffic KPIs (e.g., downlink traffic volume, uplink traffic volume, average number of users, maximum number of users, a number of voice bearers, a number of video bearers, etc.), response time KPIs (e.g., latency, packet arrival time, etc.), and/or other types of wireless network KPIs.
[0070] The CHF-PC 224 may be a network element that is capable of controlling and managing charging-related operations within the network. The CHF-PC 224 coordinates communication between a CHF, the PCF 204, and session management entities to ensure accurate and timely charging of subscriber services. Further, the CHF-PC 224 may support features such as charging policy enforcement, charging data collection, and charging session management, enabling flexible and granular control over charging mechanisms and billing processes.
[0071] The NEF 226 may be a network element that is capable of exposing capabilities and events to other NFs, including third party NFs, AFs, edge computing NFs, and/or other types of NFs. Furthermore, the NEF 258 may secure provisioning of information from external applications to the core network 102, translate information between the core network 102 and devices/networks external to the core network 102, support a Packet Flow Description (PFD) function, and/or perform other types of network exposure functions.
[0072] The STP 228 corresponds to a centralized system responsible for managing the transition of network services between multi-RATs. The STP 228 may also be capable of managing seamless migration of services, configurations, and subscriber data while ensuring backward compatibility and interoperability between legacy and next-generation networks.
[0073] The DRA 230 may be a network element that is capable of routing, relaying, and load balancing diameter signaling messages between the network elements within the core network 102.
[0074] The BSF 232 may be a network element that is capable of managing session bindings and subscriber contexts within the core network 102. The BSF 232 may also manage session continuity, session anchoring, and session binding updates. The BSF 232 may also interface with mobility management entities, session management platforms, and policy enforcement functions for maintaining seamless session continuity and quality of service for subscribers.
[0075] The UPF 238 may be a network element that is capable of maintaining an anchor point for intra/inter-RAT mobility, maintain an external Packet Data Unit (PDU) point of interconnect to the DN 240, perform packet routing and forwarding, perform the user plane part of policy rule enforcement, perform packet inspection, perform lawful intercept, perform traffic usage reporting, perform QoS handling in the user plane, perform uplink traffic verification, perform transport level packet marking, perform downlink packet buffering, forward an “end marker” to the RAN 236 (e.g., gNB), and/or perform other types of user plane processes. The UPF 238 may communicate with the SMF 220 using an N4 interface and connect to the DN 240 using an N6 interface.
[0076] The GMLC 242 location-based services within the 5G core network. It facilitates the retrieval of mobile device location information, enabling services such as emergency call routing, location-based advertising, and asset tracking. The GMLC 242 may interface with location-based service applications and network elements to provide accurate location data while ensuring user privacy and compliance with regulatory requirements.
[0077] The LMF 244 may be a network element that is capable of managing subscriber location information within the core network 102. The LMF 244 may track the current location of mobile devices, handles location updates, and supports mobility management functions such as handover and roaming. The LMF 244 may interface with network elements such as the RAN 236, the AMF 202, and location-based service platforms to ensure seamless mobility management and location-based service provisioning for the subscribers.
[0078] The LCS client 246 may be a network element that is capable of enabling provisions of location-based functionalities and applications within the core network 102. These services leverage location information obtained from the GMLC 242 and the LMF 244 provides a wide range of location-based services to the subscribers, including location tracking, geofencing, and location-based notifications. The LCS client 246 may interface with application servers, service platforms, and subscriber devices to deliver personalized and context-aware location-based experiences.
[0079] Although FIG. 2 shows exemplary components of the core network 102, in other implementations, the core network 102 may include fewer components, different components, differently arranged components, or additional components than depicted in FIG. 2. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of the core network 102 may perform functions described as being performed by one or more other components of the core network 102. For example, the core network 102 may include additional function nodes not shown in FIG. 2, such as a Security Edge Protection Proxy (SEPP), an Unstructured Data Storage Network Function (UDSF), a Lawful Intercept Function (LIF), and/or other types of functions. Furthermore, while particular interfaces have been described with respect to particular function nodes in FIG. 2, additionally, or alternatively, the core network 102 may include a reference point architecture that includes point-to-point interfaces between particular function nodes.
[0080] FIG. 3 illustrates an example system architecture of the PCF 204 for managing the UE policy session and the URSP rules for the user devices 106, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The embodiment of the system architecture of the PCF 204 as shown in FIG. 3 is for illustration only. However, the PCF 204 may come in a wide variety of configurations, and FIG. 3 does not limit the scope of the present disclosure to any particular system architecture of the PCF 204.
[0081] As shown in FIG. 3, the PCF 204 includes one or more processors 310 (hereinafter also referred to as “processor 310”), a memory 315, a communication unit 320, an interface(s) 325, and a processing unit(s)/module(s) 330. These components may be in electronic communication via one or more buses (e.g., communication bus 350).
[0082] The one or more components of the PCF 204 are communicatively coupled with the processor 310 (described below) to perform operations for managing the UE policy session and the URSP rules for the UEs 106 in the communication network 100. The processor 310 may include various processing circuitry and configured to execute programs or computer readable instructions stored in the memory 315. The processor 310 may also include an intelligent hardware device including a general-purpose processor, such as, for example, and without limitation, a Central Processing Unit (CPU), an Application Processor (AP), a dedicated processor, or the like, a microcontroller, a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a programmable logic device, a discrete hardware component, or any combination thereof. In some cases, the processor 310 may be configured to operate a memory array using a memory controller. In some cases, a memory controller may be integrated into the processor 310. The processor 310 may be configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in a memory (e.g., the memory 315) to cause the PCF 204 to perform various functions (e.g., verifying a validity of a purchased plan for a subscriber, create the UE Policy session for the subscriber, and install the URSP rules on the UE 106).
[0083] The memory 315 is communicatively coupled to the processor 310. A part of the memory 315 may include a RAM, and another part of the memory 315 may include a flash memory or other ROM. The memory 315 is configured to store a set of instructions required by the processor 310 for controlling overall operations of the PCF 204. The memory 315 may include non-volatile storage elements. Examples of such non-volatile storage elements may include magnetic hard discs, optical discs, floppy discs, flash memories, or forms of electrically programmable memories (EPROM) or electrically erasable and programmable (EEPROM) memories. In addition, the memory 315 may, in some examples, be considered a non-transitory storage medium. The "non-transitory" storage medium is not embodied in a carrier wave or a propagated signal. However, the term "non-transitory" should not be interpreted that the memory 315 is non-movable. In some examples, the memory 315 can be configured to store larger amounts of information. In certain examples, a non-transitory storage medium may store data that can, over time, change (e.g., in Random Access Memory (RAM) or cache). The memory 315 can be an internal storage unit or it can be an external storage unit of the PCF 204, cloud storage, or any other type of external storage.
[0084] More specifically, the memory 315 may store computer-readable instructions including instructions that, when executed by a processor (e.g., the processor 310) cause the PCF 204 to perform various functions described herein. In some cases, the memory 315 may contain, among other things, a BIOS which may control basic hardware or software operation such as the interaction with peripheral components or devices.
[0085] The communication unit 320 includes an electronic circuit specific to a standard that enables wired or wireless communication. The communication unit 320 is configured to communicate internally between internal hardware components and with external devices via one or more networks. The communication unit 320 may be configured to enable the PCF 204 to communicate with various entities of the communication network 100 (such as UEs, nodes, and databases and in some scenarios external user device) through backhaul connection (e.g. wired backhaul or wireless backhaul) or a network. Examples of the communication unit 320 may include, but are not limited to, a modem, a network interface such as an Ethernet card, a communication port, and/or a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) slot and card, an antenna, a radio frequency (RF) transceiver, one or more amplifiers, a tuner, one or more oscillators, a digital signal processor, a coder-decoder (CODEC) chipset, a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, and a local buffer circuit. It will be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art that the communication unit 320 may include any device and/or apparatus capable of providing wireless or wired communications between the PCF 204 and various other entities of the communication network 100.
[0086] The interface 325 may include suitable logic, circuitry, a variety of interfaces, and/or codes that may be configured to receive input(s) and present output(s) to the UEs 106. The variety of interfaces may include interfaces for data input and output devices, referred to as I/O devices, storage devices, and the like. For example, the I/O interface may have an input interface and an output interface. The interface 325 may facilitate communication of the PCF 204 with various devices and systems connected to it. The interface 325 may also provide a communication pathway for one or more components of the PCF 204. Examples of such components include, but are not limited to, the processing module(s) 330.
[0087] In one or more embodiments, the processing module(s) 330 may be implemented as a combination of hardware and programming (for example, programmable instructions) to implement one or more functionalities of the PCF 204. In non-limiting examples, described herein, such combinations of hardware and programming may be implemented in several different ways. For example, the programming for the processing modules(s) 330 may be processor-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium and the hardware for the processor 310 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 processing module(s) 330. In such examples, the PCF 204 may also comprise the machine-readable storage medium storing the instructions and the processing resource to execute the instructions, or the machine-readable storage medium may be separate but accessible to the PCF 204 and the processing resource. In other examples, the processing module(s) 330 may be implemented using an electronic circuitry.
[0088] In one or more embodiments, the processing module(s) 330 may include one or more units/modules selected from any of a receiving module 332, a transmitting module 334, a data extraction module 336, a session management module 338, an authentication module 340, an installation module 342, and other units/modules 344 (not shown). The other units/modules 344 may include, but are not limited to, a triggering module that can trigger the data extraction module 336 to fetch the subscriber profile associated with the UE 106 from the SPR 212.
[0089] In an embodiment, the processor 310, via the receiving module 332, is configured to receive a request from the AMF 202 to create a UE policy session for a subscriber or a user of the UE 106. Further, the processor 310, using the data extraction module 336, is configured to fetch, from the SPR 212, the subscriber profile associated with the UE 106 in response to the request received from the AMF 202 to create the UE policy session. In a non-limiting example, the subscriber profile fetched from the SPR may, include but not limited to, one or more custom fields (hereinafter referred to as “custom fields”) and UE policy related data.
[0090] In an embodiment, the processor 310, using the transmitting module 334, may be configured to send a trigger to the SPR 212 in response to the reception of the request to create the UE policy session. Further, the processor 310, using the receiving module 332, may obtain the subscriber profile from the SPR 212 in response to the trigger sent by transmitting module 334 to the SPR 212.
[0091] Furthermore, the processor 310, using the authentication module 340, is configured to verify the validity of the purchased plan for the subscriber based on the custom fields and the UE policy related data of the subscriber profile. More specifically, for verifying the validity of the purchased plan for the subscriber, the authentication module 340 is configured to determine whether a specified value in the custom fields is valid, and whether a UE policy invocation flag in the UE policy related data is disabled or enabled. If it is determined that the specified value in the custom fields is valid and the UE policy invocation flag in the UE policy related data is disabled, the authentication module 340 verifies that the purchased plan for the subscriber is valid.
[0092] However, in a case where it is determined the specified value in the custom fields is valid and the UE policy invocation flag in the UE policy related data is enabled, the processor 310 using the transmitting module 334 is configured to send a spending limit subscriber request trigger to an Online Charging System (OCS) or the CHF-PC 224. The OCS may refer to a system capable of performing real-time credit control, data usage monitoring, and enforcing spending limits for subscribers. Further, the processor 310, using the receiving module 332 is configured to receive, from the OCS or the CHF-PC 224, the plan information including policy counter identifiers corresponding to each business plan in response to the spending limit subscriber request trigger sent by the transmitting module 334 to the OCS or the CHF-PC 224. The plan information may comprise, but not limited to, specific details of the business plan or plan purchased by the subscriber, which may further include policy counter identifiers. The policy counters refers to metrics used to monitor and control subscriber usage, such as data volume, duration, or monetary spending limits. Each policy counter may be associated with a unique identifier and may track the subscriber’s consumption against predefined thresholds. For example, a policy counter may track an amount of high-speed data the subscriber has used within a billing cycle.
[0093] In an embodiment, based on the plan information, the transmitting module 334 of the PCF 204 is configured to send the URSP rules to the UE 106 in a communication message transfer request (described below) via the AMF 202 after creation of the UE policy session.
[0094] Further, the processor 310, using the session management module 338, is configured to create the UE policy session for the subscriber in a case if a result of the verification performed by the authentication module 340 indicates that the purchased plan for the subscriber is valid.
[0095] Upon creation of the UE policy session, the processor 310, using the installation module 342, is configured to install the URSP rules on the UE 106 based on the created UE policy session. The USRP rules may be installed on the UE 106 by the installation module 342 using the AMF 202.
[0096] In an embodiment, the processor 310, using the transmitting module 344, may also control the communication unit 320 to transmit a message including the UE policy and URSP rules to the UE 106 through the AMF 202.
[0097] In an embodiment, the processor 310, using the authentication module 340, is configured to reject the request to create the UE policy session if the result of the verification performed by the authentication module 340 indicates that the custom fields of the subscriber profile are blank. In particular, the custom fields are blank or indicate an invalid plan, the authentication module 340 rejects the request for creating the UE policy session and the transmitting module 334 refrains from initiating any triggers towards the AMF 202. As a result, unnecessary signaling and session establishment is reduced.
[0098] Although FIG. 3 illustrates one example of the PCF 204, various changes may be made to FIG. 3. Further, the PCF 204 may include any number of components in addition to those shown in FIG. 3, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the PCF 204 may include a console host to control devices that communicates with the PCF 204 via a wired or a wireless medium or the PCF 204 may be coupled to an external database that provides data storage space to the PCF 204. Further, various components in FIG. 3 may be combined, further subdivided, or omitted, and additional components may be added according to particular needs.
[0099] FIG. 4 illustrates a line diagram depicting a method 400 for managing the UE policy session and URSP rules for the UEs without a valid plan, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, FIG. 4 illustrates a first call flow for managing the UE policy session and URSP rules for the UEs 106.
[0100] As shown in FIG. 4, at step 402, the AMF 202 initiates a request (i.e., Npcf_UEPolicyControl_Create request) to create the UE policy session and sends the request to the PCF 204 to create the UE policy session for the user device 106.
[0101] Further, at step 404, the transmitting module 334 of the PCF 204 sends a trigger to the SPR 212 to fetch the subscriber profile associated with the user device 106 from the SPR 212, in response to the Npcf_UEPolicyControl_Create request received by the PCF 204 from the AMF 202. In a non-limiting example, the fetched subscriber profile includes the custom fields and the UE policy related data.
[0102] Further, at step 406, the authentication module 340 of the PCF 204 verifies the validity of the purchased plan for the subscriber based on the fetched subscriber profile. To verify validity of the purchased plan for the subscriber, at first the authentication module 340 determines whether the custom fields (for example, Custom-Field5) are blank. Secondly, if it is determined that the custom fields are blank, then the flow of the method 400 proceeds to steps 408 and 410.
[0103] At step 408, the authentication module 340 of the PCF 204 rejects the request for creating the UE policy session and does not initiate any trigger from the PCF 204 towards the AMF 202. This reduces transactions between the PCF 204 and the AMF 202 and unnecessary session creation at the PCF 204.
[0104] Further, at step 410, the transmitting module 334 of the PCF 204 sends a rejection response mentioning that the Npcf_UEPolicyControl_Create request is rejected due to an absence of a valid policy mapping in the custom field (i.e., no valid plan detail is available in the Custom-Field5) . The Custom-Field5 represents a predefined policy parameter retrieved by the PCF 204 from the SPR 212, which is utilized by the PCF 204 in determining an eligibility for creating the UE policy session. Further, the plan detail may refer to a subscription based policy parameters associated with a user’s plan, such as but not limited to, available data allowance, priority access, and network service conditions defined using a policy control framework (for example, Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF)).
[0105] FIG. 5 illustrates a line diagram depicting a method 500 for managing the UE policy session and URSP rules for the UEs having the valid plan, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, FIG. 5 illustrates a second call flow for managing the UE policy session and URSP rules for the UEs 106.
[0106] As shown in FIG. 5, at step 502, the AMF 202 initiates the Npcf_UEPolicyControl_Create request to create the UE policy session and sends the Npcf_UEPolicyControl_Create request to the PCF 204 to create the UE policy session for the user device 106.
[0107] At step 504, the transmitting module 334 of the PCF 204 triggers the SPR 212 to send the subscriber profile, in response to the reception of the request for creating the UE policy session. The SPR 212 may send the subscriber profile to the PCF 204 in response to the received trigger from the transmitting module 334.
[0108] Further, at step 506, the authentication module 340 of the PCF 204 verifies the validity of the purchased plan for the subscriber based on the custom field values of the subscriber profile. In particular, when the transmitting module 334 of the PCF 204 triggers the SPR 212 to send the subscriber profile, the SPR 212 may respond to the PCF 204 with the subscriber profile including the cutom-field5, which may contain a policy identifier (e.g., “USRP1”). Here, the cutom-field5 may serve as a policy parameter using which the PCF 204 can determine how to handle the Npcf_UEPolicyControl_Create request received from the AMF 202.
[0109] Further, at step 508, if the result of the verification indicates that the custom field values of the subscriber profile is valid and the UE policy invoke flag value in the UE policy related data is disabled (i.e., flag to invoke Sy trigger on UE policy related data is disabled), then the authentication module 340 allows the Npcf_UEPolicyControl_Create request for creating the UE policy session and the session management module 338 of the PCF 204 creates the UE policy session for the subscriber. Here, the flag to invoke Sy trigger may be a binary indicator (enabled/disabled) included in the UE policy data using which the PCF 204 may determine whether to send the Sy trigger to the OCS to check policy rules and plan details prior to the creation of the UE policy session. Further, the Sy trigger may refer to a signaling mechanism utilized by the PCF 204 to communicate with the OCS and the CHF-PC 224 to retrieve subscriber related charging information. Furthermore, In a non-limiting example, the custom field values may be considered as valid when the subscriber profile including the Custom-Field5 with value “URSP1” is received in response to the trigger sent to the SPR 212.
[0110] Further, as indicated by steps 510 and 512, the PCF 204 creates the USRP rules based on the values of the custom fields upon creation of the UE policy session. Further, at step 514, the transmitting module of the PCF 204 sends, in a “Namf_ Communication_N1N2MessageTransfer” request, the URSP rules to the user devices 106 via the AMF 202. Furthermore, at step 516, the receiving module 332 of the PCF 204 may receive a “Namf_Communication_N1N2MessageTransfer” response from the AMF 202 in response to the sent “Namf_Communication_N1N2MessageTransfer” request.
[0111] The “Namf_ Communication_N1N2MessageTransfer” request refers to a request message transmitted by the PCF 204 to the AMF 202 for facilitating the delivery of the UE policy related data, including but not limited to, USRP rules to the UE 106. The request message may include N1 signaling messages for Non-Access Stratum (NAS) communication and/or N2 signaling messages for the core network interactions. The “Namf_Communication_N1N2MessageTransfer” response refers to a response message generated by the AMF 202 in reply to the “Namf_ Communication_N1N2MessageTransfer” request received from the PCF 204. The response message indicates an outcome of the message transfer operation, including but not limited to, a successful delivery, a transmission failure, or an error value. The response message may also include delivery status indicators and error handling information that can help the PCF 204 taking appropriate action.
[0112] FIG. 6 illustrates a line diagram depicting a method 600 for managing the UE policy session and URSP rules for the UEs having a valid custom field and business plan, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, FIG. 6 illustrates a third call flow for managing the UE policy session and URSP rules for the UEs 106.
[0113] As shown in FIG. 6, at step 602, the AMF 202 initiates the Npcf_UEPolicyControl_Create request to create the UE policy session and sends the Npcf_UEPolicyControl_Create request to the PCF 204 to create the UE policy session for the user device 106.
[0114] At step 604, the transmitting module 334 of the PCF 204 triggers the SPR 212 to send the subscriber profile, in response to the reception of the request for creating the UE policy session. The SPR 212 may send the subscriber profile to the PCF 204 in response to the received trigger from the transmitting module 334.
[0115] Further, at step 606, the authentication module 340 of the PCF 204 verifies the validity of the purchased plan for the subscriber based on the custom field values of the subscriber profile.
[0116] Furthermore, at step 608, if the result of the verification indicates that the custom field values of the subscriber profile is valid and the UE policy invoke flag value in the UE policy related data is enabled, then the authentication module 340 of the PCF 204 allows the Npcf_UEPolicyControl_Create request for creation of the UE policy session. In a non-limiting example, the custom field values may be considered as valid when the subscriber profile including Custom-Field5 with value “URSP1” is received in response to the trigger sent to the SPR 212.
[0117] Further, at step 610, the transmitting module 334 of the PCF 204 sends the spending limit subscriber request trigger to the OCS or the CHF-PC 224 via the AMF 202. The spending limit subscriber request refers to a mechanism used by the PCRF to manage subscriber spending limits in coordination with the OCS. The PCRF may send Initial, Intermediate, or final spending limit report requests to the OCS to subscribe to or cancel reporting for policy counter statuses. Further as discussed above herein, the policy counter indicates a usage limit (e.g., monetary, volume, duration) that the subscriber is allowed to consume. For instance, in a non-limiting example, the subscriber might have a daily data usage limit (i.e., policy counter) of 2 GB. The PCRF can request the OCS to monitor this counter and report when the subscriber approaches or reaches the daily data usage limit. Further, the PCF 204 may receive, from the OCS, the plan information including Policy-Counter-Ids corresponding to each business plan in response to the sent spending limit subscriber request trigger.
[0118] Thereafter, at step 612, the PCF 204 creates the USRP rules based on the plan information and the values of the custom fields, and sends (at step 614) the created URSP rules to the user device 106 in the communication message transfer request i.e., in the Namf_Communication_N1N2MessageTransfer request via the AMF 202. In particular, the PCF 204 creates the URSP rules based on a success response as proper value included in Custom-Field5 and the plan information. Furthermore, at step 616, the PCF 204 receives the Namf_Communication_N1N2MessageTransfer response from the AMF 202 in response to the sent Namf_Communication_N1N2MessageTransfer request.
[0119] Now, referring to the technical abilities and advantageous effect of the present disclosure, the one or more embodiments disclosed herein helps in aligning the URSP rules with the business plans subscribed by the subscribers. The alignment of the URSP rules with the business plans facilitates the service providers to enforce policy controls effectively as a result of which a risk of unauthorized usage and plan violations is reduced.
[0120] The one or more embodiments disclosed herein further provides a streamlined communication between the PCF 204 and the AMF 202 facilitated by the rejection of UE policy triggers in the absence of valid business plan details, thereby contributes to resource optimization and improvement in the network efficiency.
[0121] Further, as mentioned above, the PCF 204 invokes the CHF trigger on the basis of the subscriber profile and sends the URSP rules to the user device 106 as per business plan information. This methodology helps in reducing unnecessary transactions between the PCF 204 and the CHF as the PCF 204 initiates trigger only for those user devices or subscribers who have valid plan in the SPR 212.
[0122] Embodiments of the present technology may be described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations of methods and systems according to embodiments of the technology, and/or procedures, algorithms, steps, operations, formulae, or other computational depictions, which may also be implemented as computer program products. In this regard, each block or step of the flowchart, and combinations of blocks (and/or steps) in the flowchart, as well as any procedure, algorithm, step, operation, formula, or computational depiction can be implemented by various means, such as hardware, firmware, and/or software including one or more computer program instructions embodied in computer-readable program code. As will be appreciated, any such computer program instructions may be executed by one or more computer processors, including without limitation a general-purpose computer or special purpose computer, or other programmable processing apparatus to perform a group of operations comprising the operations or blocks described in connection with the disclosed methods.
[0123] Further, these computer program instructions, such as embodied in computer-readable program code, may also be stored in one or more computer-readable memory or memory devices (for example, the memory 315) that can direct a computer processor or other programmable processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory or memory devices produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function specified in the block(s) of the flowchart(s).
[0124] It will further be appreciated that the term “computer program instructions” as used herein refer to one or more instructions that can be executed by the one or more processors (for example, the processor 310) to perform one or more functions as described herein. The instructions may also be stored remotely such as on a server, or all or a portion of the instructions can be stored locally and remotely.
[0125] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the methodology described herein in the present disclosure may be carried out in other specific ways than those set forth herein in the above disclosed embodiments without departing from essential characteristics and features of the present invention. The above-described embodiments are therefore to be construed in all aspects as illustrative and not restrictive.
[0126] The drawings and the forgoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment. For example, orders of processes described herein may be changed and are not limited to the manner described herein. Any combination of the above features and functionalities may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments.
[0127] In the present disclosure, each of the embodiments has been described with reference to numerous specific details which may vary from embodiment to embodiment. The foregoing description of the specific embodiments disclosed herein may reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications are intended to be comprehended within the meaning of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and is not limited in scope.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0128] The following list is provided for convenience and in support of the drawing figures and as part of the text of the specification, which describe innovations by reference to multiple items. Items not listed here may nonetheless be part of a given embodiment. For better legibility of the text, a given reference number is recited near some, but not all, recitations of the referenced item in the text. The same reference number may be used with reference to different examples or different instances of a given item. The list of reference numerals is:
100 - Communication network
102 - Core network
104-1 through 104-N - Nodes/Node
106-1 through 106-(N-l), 106-N – User devices/UEs
202 - Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF)
204 - Policy Control Function (PCF)
206 - Equipment Identity Register (EIR)
208 - Authentication Server Function (AUSF)
210 - Unified Data Management (UDM) function
212 - Subscriber Profile Repository (SPR)
214 - Short Message Service Function (SMSF)
216 - Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF)
220 - Session Management Function (SMF)
222 - Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF)
224 - Charging Function-Proxy Control (CHF-PC)
226 - Network Exposure Function (NEF)
228 - Service Transition Platform (STP)
230 - Diameter Routing Agent (DRA)
232 - Binding Support Function (BSF)
236 - Radio Access Network (RAN)
238 - User Plane Function (UPF)
240 - Data Network (DN)
242 - Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC)
244 - Location Management Function (LMF)
246 - Location Services (LCS) client
310 - Processor
315 - Memory
320 - Communication Unit
325 - Interface(s)
330 - Processing unit(s)/modules(s)
332 - Receiving module
334 - Transmitting module
336 - Data extraction module
338 - Session management module
340 - Authentication module
342 - Installation module
344 - Other units/modules
350 - Communication bus
400 - Method for managing UE policy session and URSP rules for UEs without a valid plan
500 - Method for managing the UE policy session and the URSP rules for the UEs having the valid plan
600 - Method for managing the UE policy session and the URSP rules for the UEs having a valid custom field and business plan
,CLAIMS:We Claim:
1. A method (500, 600) for managing a User Equipment (UE) policy session and UE Radio Session Policy (URSP) rules in a communication network (100), the method comprising:
receiving, by a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCF) node (204), a request to create a UE policy session from an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) node (202);
fetching, by the PCF node (204) from a Subscriber Profile Repository (SPR) (212), a subscriber profile associated with at least one UE (106) in response to the received request;
verifying, by the PCF node (204), a validity of a purchased plan for a subscriber based on the subscriber profile, wherein the subscriber profile includes one or more custom fields and UE policy related data;
creating, by the PCF node (204), the UE policy session for the subscriber based on a result of the verification indicating that the purchased plan for the subscriber is valid; and
installing, by the PCF node (204) using the AMF node (202), the URSP rules on the at least one UE based on the created UE policy session.
2. The method (500, 600) as claimed in claim 1, wherein, for verifying the validity of the purchased plan for the subscriber, the method (500, 600) comprises:
determining, by the PCF node (204), whether a specified value in the one or more custom fields is valid;
determining, by the PCF node (204), whether a UE policy invocation flag in the UE policy related data is disabled or enabled; and
verifying, by the PCF node (204), that the purchased plan for the subscriber is valid based on a determination that the specified value in the one or more custom fields is valid and the UE policy invocation flag in the UE policy related data is disabled.

3. The method (500, 600) as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:
sending, by the PCF node (204), a spending limit subscriber request trigger to one of an Online Charging System (OCS) or a Charging Function (CHF) node (224) based on the determination that specified value in the one or more custom fields is valid and the UE policy invocation flag in the UE policy is enabled; and
receiving, by the PCF node (204) from one of the OCS or the CHF node (224), plan information including policy counter identifiers corresponding to each plan in response to the spending limit subscriber request trigger sent to the OCS or the CHF node (224).

4. The method (500, 600) as claimed in claim 3, further comprising sending, by the PCF node (204) based on the plan information, the URSP rules to the at least one UE (106) in a communication message transfer request via the AMF node (202).

5. The method (500, 600) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the fetching of the subscriber profile comprises:
sending, by the PCF node (204), a trigger to the SPR in response to the reception of the request to create the UE policy session; and
obtaining, by the PCF node (204) from the SPR (212), the subscriber profile in response to the trigger sent to the SPR (212).

6. The method (500, 600) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising rejecting, by the PCF node, the request to create the UE policy session if the result of the verification indicates that the one or more custom fields are blank.

7. The method (500, 600) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising restricting, by the PCF node, an initiation of a trigger from the PCF node towards the AMF node if the result of the verification indicates that the one or more custom fields are blank.

8. The method (500, 600) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising sending, by the PCF node, the URSP rules to the at least one UE via the AMF node upon creation of the UE policy session.

9. A system (102) for managing a User Equipment (UE) policy session and UE Radio Session Policy (URSP) rules in a communication network (100), the system comprising:
an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) node (202); and
a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCF) node (204) configured to:
receive a request from the AMF node (202) to create a UE policy session;
fetch, from a Subscriber Profile Repository (SPR) (212), a subscriber profile associated with at least one UE (106) in response to the received request;
verify a validity of a purchased plan for a subscriber based on the fetched subscriber profile, wherein the fetched subscriber profile includes one or more custom fields and UE policy related data;
create the UE policy session for the subscriber based on a result of the verification indicating that the purchased plan for the subscriber is valid; and
install, using the AMF node (202), the URSP rules on the at least one UE (106) based on the created UE policy session.

10. The system (102) as claimed in claim 9, wherein, to verify the validity of the purchased plan for the subscriber, the PCF node (204) is configured to:
determine whether a specified value in the one or more custom fields is valid;
determine whether a UE policy invocation flag in the UE policy related data is disabled or enabled; and
verify that the purchased plan for the subscriber is valid based on a determination that the specified value in the one or more custom fields is valid and the UE policy invocation flag in the UE policy related data is disabled.

11. The system (102) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the PCF node (204) is further configured to:
send a spending limit subscriber request trigger to one of an Online Charging System (OCS) or a Charging Function (CHF) node (224) based on the determination that the specified value in the one or more custom fields is valid and the UE policy invocation flag in the UE policy related data is enabled; and
receive, from one of the OCS or the CHF node (224), plan information including policy counter identifiers corresponding to each business plan in response to the spending limit subscriber request trigger sent to the OCS or the CHF node (224).

12. The system (102) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the PCF node (204) is further configured to send, based on the plan information, the URSP rules to the at least one UE (106) in a communication message transfer request via the AMF node (202).

13. The system (102) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the PCF node (204) is further configured to:
send a trigger to the SPR (212) in response to the reception of the request to create the UE policy session; and
obtain, from the SPR (212), the subscriber profile in response to the trigger sent to the SPR (212).

14. The system (102) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the PCF node (204) is further configured to reject the request to create the UE policy session if the result of the verification indicates that the one or more custom fields are blank.

15. The system (102) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the PCF node (204) is further configured to restrict an initiation of a trigger from the PCF node (204) towards the AMF node (202) if the result of the verification indicates that the one or more custom fields are blank.

16. The system (102) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the PCF node (204) is further configured to send the URSP rules to the at least one UE (106) via the AMF node (202) upon creation of the UE policy session.