Method and apparatus for dynamically controlling customer traffic in a network under demand-based charging

• US 10,349,240 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2016
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Senarath, Nimal Gamini, Zhang, Hang, Vrzic, Sophie
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Nam T
• Application Number:
  US15/169,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20160353268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5003 Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5006 Creating or negotiating SLA contracts, guarantees or penalties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5029 Service quality level-based billing, e.g. dependent on measured service level customer is charged more or less
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5051 Service on demand, e.g. definition and deployment of services in real time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/59 based on real time
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/81 Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method and system for responding to demand-based charging in a communication network, such as a 5G wireless communication network. Service providers and/or infrastructure providers adjust network usage pricing dynamically based on demand. Customers such as Virtual Network operators respond to pricing adjustments by adjusting their network usage, service requirements, and/or by re-negotiating the pricing structure. Network usage can be adjusted by controlling network traffic generated in response to activity of end-user devices of the Virtual Network.

Claims

1. A method for providing dynamic charging in a network slice, the method comprising, by a dynamic charging handler function:

receiving an indication, from a provider of underlying network services, of a dynamic change to a pre-existing charging rate for the network slice; and

in response to receipt of the indication, transmitting an instruction to adjust traffic patterns on network resources allocated for the network slice, and associated with the received indication in accordance with the received dynamic change, the instruction transmitted towards a destination, the instruction determined based on a configuration option defined by a customer, the traffic patterns being specific to generation and handling of network traffic flowing to, from, or both to and from a plurality of end-devices owned or served by the customer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer-defined configuration option includes parameters based upon a Service Level Agreement.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the destination of the instruction is determined to be at least one end-device, and the instruction instructs the at least one end-device to adjust traffic generating behaviour or to stop data transmissions on the network slice.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein before the dynamic charging handler function transmits the instruction, the method further comprises, by the dynamic charging handler function:

contacting a customer associated with the customer-defined configuration option and requesting that the customer re-negotiate a contract between the customer and an operator of the network.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the destination of the instruction is determined to be a device traffic controller, the instruction causing the device traffic controller to cause at least one end-device to adjust traffic generating behavior or to stop data transmissions on the network slice.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the destination of the instruction is determined to be a network traffic controller, and the instruction instructs the network traffic controller to reject or de-prioritize identified traffic types on the network slice.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the receipt of the indication of the dynamic change to the pre-existing charging rate comprises receipt of a dynamic charging function trigger, the dynamic charging function trigger comprises one of:

a specified time period;

a specified geographic region including the at least one end-device;

a current network usage charging policy;

a current network usage; and

/or

an amount of data consumed by the at least one end-device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the dynamic charging function trigger is sent to the dynamic charging handler function based upon data indicative of:

competitor pricing;

predicted network traffic levels;

current network traffic levels; and

/or,

end-device historical usage patterns.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a charging rate for the network slice following the dynamic change to the pre-existing charging rate is different from dynamic charging rates for other network slices allocated by the provider of underlying network services.

10. A networked apparatus comprising a processor operatively coupled to memory and configured to implement a dynamic charging handler function operative to:

receive an indication, from a provider of underlying network services, of a dynamic change to a pre-existing charging rate for the network slice; and

in response to receipt of the indication, transmit an instruction to adjust traffic patterns on network resources allocated for the network slice, and associated with the received indication in accordance with the received dynamic change, the instruction transmitted towards a destination, the instruction determined based on a configuration option defined by a customer, the traffic patterns being specific to generation and handling of network traffic flowing to, from, or both to and from a plurality of end-devices owned or served by the customer.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the customer-defined configuration option includes parameters based upon a Service Level Agreement.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the destination of the instruction is determined to be at least one end-device, and the instruction instructs the at least one end-device to adjust traffic generating behaviour or to stop data transmissions on the network slice.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the destination of the instruction is determined to be a device traffic controller, the instruction causing the device traffic controller to cause at least one end-device to adjust traffic generating behavior or to stop data transmissions on the network slice.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein before the dynamic charging handler function transmits the instruction, the dynamic charging handler function is further operative to:

contact a customer associated with the customer-defined configuration option and requesting that the customer re-negotiate a contract between the customer and an operator of the network.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the destination of the instruction is determined to be a network traffic controller, and the instruction instructs the network traffic controller to reject or de-prioritize identified traffic types on the network slice.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the receipt of the indication of the dynamic change to the pre-existing charging rate comprises receipt of a dynamic charging function trigger, the dynamic charging function trigger comprises one of:

a specified time period;

a specified geographic region including the at least one end-device;

a current network usage charging policy;

a current network usage; and

/or

an amount of data consumed by the at least one end-device.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the dynamic charging function trigger is sent to the dynamic charging handler function based upon data indicative of:

competitor pricing;

predicted network traffic levels;

current network traffic levels; and

/or,

end-device historical usage patterns.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein a charging rate for the network slice following the dynamic change to the pre-existing charging rate is different from dynamic charging rates for other network slices allocated by the provider of underlying network services.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions for causing a networked computing apparatus to perform, by a dynamic charging handler function:

receiving an indication, from a provider of underlying network services, of a dynamic change to a pre-existing charging rate for the network slice; and

in response to receipt of the indication, transmitting an instruction to adjust traffic patterns on network resources allocated for the network slice, and associated with the received indication in accordance with the received dynamic change, the instruction transmitted towards a destination, the instruction determined based on a configuration option defined by a customer, the traffic patterns being specific to generation and handling of network traffic flowing to, from, or both to and from a plurality of end-devices owned or served by the customer.