METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIA FOR POLICY CHARGING AND RULES FUNCTION (PCRF) NODE SELECTION

• US 20110165901A1
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tekelec, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Tekelec, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Mercurio, Michael, Abou-Assali, Tarek, Jackson, Kenneth Charles, Sprague, David Michael, Baniel, Uri
• Granted Patent: US 8,615,237 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/500
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1004 Server selection for load balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1036 Load balancing of requests to servers for services different from user content provisioning, e.g. load balancing across domain name servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/66 Policy and charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer readable media for PCRF node selection. According to one aspect, a system for PCRF node selection is provided. The system includes a first PCRF selection node for receiving a first request message for which PCRF node selection is required. The first PCRF selection node determines whether to select the PCRF or to delegate selection of the PCRF. In response to a determination to delegate the selection of the PCRF, the first PCRF selection node generates and sends a second request message related to the first request message. The system further includes a second PCRF node for, in response to receiving the second request message from the first PCRF selection node, determining whether to select the PCRF or to delegate selection of the PCRF. In response to determining to select the PCRF, the second PCRF selection node selects the PCRF.

Claims

1. A system for a policy charging and rules function (PCRF) node selection, the system comprising:

a first PCRF selection node for receiving a first request message for which PCRF node selection is required, for determining whether to select a PCRF node or to delegate selection of the PCRF node, and, in response to determining to delegate selection of the PCRF node, for generating and sending a second request message based on the first request message; and

a second PCRF selection node for, in response to receiving the second request message from the first PCRF selection node, for determining whether to select the PCRF node, and, in response to determining to select the PCRF node, for selecting the PCRF node.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first PCRF selection node determines whether to select the PCRF node based on a subscriber identifier in the first request message.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the first PCRF selection node performs a hash function of the subscriber identifier to determine whether to select the PCRF node.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the first PCRF selection node determines whether to select the PCRF node based on dynamic criteria.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the dynamic criteria include at least one of load balancing criteria and node availability criteria.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the second PCRF selection node selects the PCRF node using at least one of:

load balancing criteria and node availability criteria.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the second PCRF selection node, in response to selecting the PCRF node, writes information indicating at least one of:

an identity of the selected PORE and an identity of the second PCRF selection node to a database node.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the database node comprises a home subscriber server (HSS).

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the database node comprises a subscription binding repository (SBR).

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the SBR is configured as part of an SBR hierarchy for providing PCRF selection information in response to queries for PCRFs within a domain of responsibility of the SBR and for forwarding SBR queries to other SBRs in the SBR hierarchy when the queries request information outside of the domain of responsibility of the SBR.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the second PCRF selection node determines to select the PCRF node based on a token present in the second request message.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the first and second PCRF selection nodes are dedicated to performing PCRF node selection.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the first and second PCRF selection nodes each include diameter relay agent (DRA) functionality.

14. A method for policy charging and rules function (PCRF) node selection, the system comprising:

at a first PCRF selection node;

receiving a first request message for which PCRF node selection is required;

determining whether to select a PCRF node or to delegate selection of the PCRF node; and

in response to determining to delegate selection of the PCRF node, generating and sending a second request message based on the first request message; and

at a second PCRF selection node;

in response to receiving the second request message from the first PORE selection node;

determining whether to select the PCRF node; and

in response to determining to select the PCRF node, for selecting the PCRF node.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the first PCRF selection node determines whether to select the PCRF node based on a subscriber identifier in the first request message.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first PCRF selection node performs a hash function of the subscriber identifier to determine whether to select the PCRF node.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the first PCRF selection node determines whether to select the PCRF node based on dynamic criteria.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the dynamic criteria include at least one of load balancing criteria and node availability criteria.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the second PCRF selection node selects the PCRF node using at least one of:

load balancing criteria and node availability criteria.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the second PCRF selection node, in response to selecting the PCRF, writes information indicating at least one of:

an identity of the selected PCRF and an identity of the second PCRF selection node to a database node.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the database node comprises a home subscriber server (HSS).

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the database node comprises a subscription binding repository (SBR).

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the SBR is configured as part of an SBR hierarchy for providing PCRF selection information in response to queries for PCRFs within a domain of responsibility of the SBR and for forwarding SBR queries to other SBRs in the SBR hierarchy when the queries request information outside of the domain of responsibility of the SBR.

24. The method of claim 14 wherein the second PCRF selection node determines to select the PCRF node based on a token present in the second request message.

25. The method of claim 14 wherein the first and second PCRF selection nodes are dedicated to performing PCRF node selection.

26. The method of claim 14 wherein the first and second PCRF selection nodes each include diameter relay agent (DRA) functionality.

27. A computer readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the processor of a computer control the computer to perform steps comprising:

at a first PCRF selection node;

receiving a first request message for which PCRF node selection is required;

determining whether to select a PCRF node or to delegate selection of the PCRF node; and

in response to determining to delegate selection of the PCRF node, generating and sending a second request message based on the first request message; and

at a second PCRF selection node;

in response to receiving the second request message from the first PCRF selection node;

determining whether to select the PCRF node; and

in response to determining to select the PCRF node, for selecting the PCRF node.