Time of day-triggered usage monitoring

• US 10,123,225 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2015
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Jain, Ashish, Rao, Anand Narayanan, Chigurupati, Prasad, Subramanian, Jegan Kumar Somi Ramasamy
• Primary Examiner(s): Acolatse, Kodzovi
• Application Number:
  US14/869,273
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1407 Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/067 using time frame reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/66 Policy and charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic

Abstract

In general, this disclosure describes usage monitoring techniques. In one example, a method comprises storing, by a monitoring device that performs usage monitoring for at least one packet flow that traverses an access network by which subscriber devices access a packet data network, data indicating an amount of unused granted service units for the at least one packet flow that is unused as of a policy rule deactivation time for one or more policy rules matched by the at least one packet flow. The monitoring device further reactivates the usage monitoring for the at least one packet flow at a policy rule reactivation time for the one or more policy rules matched by the at least one packet flow based on an updated amount of granted service units, wherein the updated amount of granted service units are based on the data indicating the amount of unused granted service units.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

deactivating, by a monitoring device that performs usage monitoring for at least one packet flow that traverses an access network by which subscriber devices access a packet data network, one or more policy rules matched by the at least one packet flow at a policy rule deactivation time;

storing, by the monitoring device, data indicating an amount of unused granted service units for the at least one packet flow that is unused as of the policy rule deactivation time;

determining, by the monitoring device, an updated amount of granted service units using the stored data indicating the amount of unused granted service units as of the policy rule deactivation time;

in response to determining the updated amount of unused granted service units is less than or equal to zero, deleting, by the monitoring device, a usage monitor instance that performs the usage monitoring by monitoring the at least one packet flow against a monitoring key;

in response to determining that the updated amount of granted service units is greater than zero, reactivating, by the monitoring device, the usage monitoring for the at least one packet flow at a policy rule reactivation time for the one or more policy rules matched by the at least one packet flow based on the updated amount of granted service units, wherein the policy rule reactivation time is later than the policy rule deactivation time; and

receiving, by the monitoring device from a policy control rules function (PCRF) server device, a policy rule of the one or more policy rules, wherein the at least one packet flow comprises at least one service data flow for the policy rule.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, by the monitoring device to a policy server, data indicating a rule is deactivated, the data specifying an amount of used granted service units for the at least one packet flow that have been used at the policy rule deactivation time and the data further specifying a reporting reason for the rule being deactivated is a time of day rule deactivation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy rule deactivation time is based on a policy rule time of day deactivation syntax, and wherein the monitoring device reactivates the one or more policy rules based on a policy rule time of day activation syntax.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the monitoring device from a policy server, the policy rule deactivation time due to the policy rule deactivation and the policy rule activation time for an active policy rule, wherein the policy rule deactivation time is earlier than policy rule activation time; and

determining, by the monitoring device, the amount of unused granted service units for the at least one packet flow that is unused at the usage monitoring deactivation time due to the policy rule deactivation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy rule comprises one of an application detection and control (ADC) rule and a policy and charging control (PCC) rule.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device comprises at least one of a Traffic Detection Function (TDF) device and a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein reactivating the usage monitoring comprises reactivating, by the monitoring device, the usage monitoring only if an amount of unused granted service units is positive.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

installing, by a policy server to the monitoring device, a policy rule of the one or more policy rules for monitoring the usage of the granted service units by the at least one packet flow that traverses the access network within a policy domain of the policy server and by which the subscriber devices access the packet data network;

receiving, by the policy server from the monitoring device, a first usage reporting message;

waiting, by the policy server in response to determining the first usage reporting message indicates a reason for the first usage reporting message as time of day deactivation of the policy rule, for a second, subsequent usage reporting message from the monitoring device;

sending, by the policy server to the monitoring device in response to receiving the second usage reporting message, additional granted service units for the monitoring usage of granted service units usage by the at least one packet flow.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

sending, by the policy server to the monitoring device, an update message to reactivate the policy rule, wherein the update message specifies the additional granted service units.

10. A monitoring device comprising:

a control unit comprising a processor;

one or more policy rules matched by at least one packet flow that traverses an access network by which subscriber devices access a packet data network; and

a usage monitoring module executed by the control unit and configured to;

perform usage monitoring for the at least one packet flow;

deactivate one or more policy rules matched by the at least one packet flow at a policy rule deactivation time;

store data indicating an amount of unused granted service units for the at least one packet flow that is unused as of the policy rule deactivation time;

determine an updated amount of granted service units using the stored data indicating the amount of unused granted service units as of the policy rule deactivation time;

in response to determining the updated amount of unused granted service units is less than or equal to zero, delete a usage monitor instance that performs the usage monitoring by monitoring the at least one packet flow against a monitoring key;

in response to determining that the updated amount of granted service units is greater than zero, reactivate the usage monitoring for the at least one packet flow at a policy rule reactivation time for the one or more policy rules matched by the at least one packet flow based on the updated amount of granted service units, wherein the policy rule reactivation time is later than the policy rule deactivation time; and

receive, from a policy control rules function (PCRF) server device, a policy rule of the one ore more policy rules, wherein the at least one packet flow comprises at least one service data flow for the policy rule.

11. The monitoring device of claim 10,

wherein the usage monitoring module is further configured to:

send, to a policy server, data indicating a rule is deactivated, the data specifying an amount of used granted service units for the at least one packet flow that have been used at the policy rule deactivation time and the data further specifying a reporting reason for the rule being deactivated is a time of day rule deactivation.

12. The monitoring device of claim 10, wherein the policy rule deactivation time is based on a policy rule time of day deactivation syntax, and wherein the monitoring module is further configured to reactivate the one or more policy rules based on a policy rule time of day activation syntax.

13. The monitoring device of claim 10, wherein the usage monitoring module is further configured to:

receive, from a policy server, the policy rule deactivation time due to the policy rule deactivation and the policy rule activation time for an active policy rule, wherein the policy rule deactivation time is earner than policy rule activation time; and

determine the amount of unused granted service units for the at least one packet flow that is unused at the usage monitoring deactivation time due to the policy rule deactivation.

14. The monitoring device of claim 10, wherein the policy rule comprises one of an application detection and control (ADC) rule and a policy and charging control (PCC) rule.

15. The monitoring device of claim 10, wherein the monitoring device comprises at least one of a Traffic Detection Function (TDF) device and a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) device.

16. The monitoring device of claim 10, wherein to reactivate the usage monitoring the usage monitoring module is configured to reactivate the usage monitoring only if an amount of unused granted service units is positive.

17. A system comprising:

a monitoring device comprising;

a first control unit comprising a first processor;

one or more policy rules matched by at least one packet flow that traverses an access network by which subscriber devices access a packet data network; and

a usage monitoring module executed by the control unit and configured to;

perform usage monitoring for the at least one packet flow;

deactivate one or more policy rules matched by the at least one packet flow at a policy rule deactivation time;

store data indicating an amount of unused granted service units for the at least one packet flow that is unused as of the policy rule deactivation time;

determine an updated amount of granted service units using the stored data indicating the amount of unused granted service units as of the policy rule deactivation time;

in response to determining the updated amount of unused granted service units is less than or equal to zero, delete a usage monitor instance that performs the usage monitoring by monitoring the at least one packet flow against a monitoring key;

in response to determining that the updated amount of granted service units is greater than zero, reactivate the usage monitoring for the at least one packet flow at a policy rule reactivation time for the one or more policy rules matched by the at least one packet flow based on the updated amount of granted service units, wherein the policy rule reactivation time is later than the policy rule deactivation time; and

receive, from a policy control rules function (PCRF) server device, a policy rule of the one or more policy rules, wherein the at least one packet flow comprises at least one service data flow for the policy rule;

a policy server comprising;

a second control unit comprising a second processor;

a rule module executed by the control unit and configured to;

install, to the monitoring device, a policy rule of the one or more policy rules for monitoring the usage of the granted service units by the at least one packet flow that traverses the access network within a policy domain of the policy server and by which the subscriber devices access the packet data network;

receive, from the monitoring device, a first usage reporting message;

wait;

in response to determining the first usage reporting message indicates a reason for the first usage reporting message as time of day deactivation of the policy rule, for a second, subsequent usage reporting message from the monitoring device; and

send, to the monitoring device in response to receiving the second usage reporting message, additional granted service units for the monitoring usage of granted service units usage by the at least one packet flow.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that cause one or more processors of a monitoring device to:

perform usage monitoring for the at least one packet flow;

deactivate one or more policy rules matched by the at least one packet flow at a policy rule deactivation time;

store data indicating an amount of unused granted service units for the at least one packet flow that is unused as of the policy rule deactivation time;

determine an updated amount of granted service units using the stored data indicating the amount of unused granted service units as of the policy rule deactivation time;

in response to determining the updated amount of unused granted service units is less than or equal to zero, delete a usage monitor instance that performs the usage monitoring by monitoring the at least one packet flow against a monitoring key; and

in response to determining that the updated amount of granted service units is greater than zero, reactivate the usage monitoring for the at least one packet flow at a policy rule reactivation time for the one or more policy rules matched by the at least one packet flow based on the updated amount of granted service units, wherein the policy rule reactivation time is later than the policy rule deactivation time; and

receive, from a policy control rules function (PCRF) server device, a policy rule of the one or more policy rules, wherein the at least one packet flow comprises at least one service data flow for the policy rule.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the policy rule deactivation time is based on a policy rule time of day deactivation syntax, and wherein the monitoring module is further configured to reactivate the one or more policy rules based on a policy rule time of day activation syntax.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18,

receive, from a policy server, the policy rule deactivation time due to the policy rule deactivation and the policy rule activation time for an active policy rule, wherein the policy rule deactivation time is earlier than policy rule activation time;

and

determine the amount of unused granted service units for the at least one packet flow that is unused at the usage monitoring deactivation time due to the policy rule deactivation.