METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTHORIZING A TRANSACTIONAL SERVICE BY A POLICY AND CHARGING CONTROL ARCHITECTURE

• US 20120290452A1
• Filed: 12/01/2011
• Published: 11/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Pancorbo Marcos, Maria Belen, Mattsson, Hans, Segura, Louis, Gustafsson, Benny
• Granted Patent: US 9,118,492 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1407 Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture
• 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

Abstract

The present invention faces the issue of authorizing transactional services by a Policy and Charging Control system. To this end, the present invention provides for an apparatus carrying out a method of authorizing transactional services and comprising: an authorization requester for submitting a transactional service authorization request with a user identifier and a transactional service identifier, and an authorizer for receiving the transactional service authorization request. This authorizer comprises: a PCRF server for authorizing the transactional service based on subscription and service data, an OCS for authorizing the transactional service based on credit authorization, and a decider for deciding service authorization for the transactional service based on the authorizations respectively made by the PCRF server and OCS. The authorizer of this apparatus is also arranged for submitting a transactional service authorization response to the authorization requester with a decision on service authorization for the transactional service.

Claims

1. A method of authorizing transactional services by a Policy and Charging Control “

PCC”

system, the method comprising the steps of;

an authorization requester submitting a transactional service authorization request with a user identifier and a transactional service identifier towards an authorizer of the PCC system;

the authorizer taking a decision on service authorization for the transactional service based on subscription and service data and on credit authorization related to the user identifier and transactional service identifier; and

the authorizer submitting a transactional service authorization response to the authorization requester with the decision on service authorization for the transactional service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of taking a decision on service authorization includes the steps of:

a Policy and Charging Rules Function “

PCRF”

server of the PCC system authorizing or refusing the transactional service based on subscription and service data related to the user identifier and transactional service identifier; and

an Online Charging System “

OCS”

of the PCC system authorizing or refusing the transactional service based on credit authorization related to the user identifier and transactional service identifier.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, upon authorizing the transactional service based on the subscription and service data and based on the credit authorization, the method further comprises a step of the PCRF server submitting PCC rules for IP Connectivity Access Network “

IP-CAN”

bearer establishment towards a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function “

PCEF”

device, and a step of receiving at the PCRF server a confirmation of IP-CAN bearer establishment from the PCEF device.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising a step of the PCRF server obtaining the subscription and service data related to the user identifier and transactional service identifier from a Subscription Profile Repository “

SPR”

of the PCC system.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the steps of submitting the transactional service authorization request and receiving the transactional service authorization response are carried out by a Charging Trigger Function “

CTF”

device.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the steps of submitting the transactional service authorization request and receiving the transactional service authorization response are carried out by an Application Function “

AF”

device.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the steps of receiving the transactional service authorization request and submitting the transactional service authorization response are carried out by the OCS of the PCC system.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the steps of receiving the transactional service authorization request and submitting the transactional service authorization response are carried out by the PCRF server of the PCC system.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising a step of the OCS obtaining from the PCRF server authorization or refusal of the transactional service based on subscription and service data, and wherein the step of taking the decision on service authorization based on subscription and service data and on credit authorization is carried out by the OCS.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising a step of the PCRF server obtaining from the OCS authorization or refusal of the transactional service based on credit authorization, and wherein the step of taking the decision on service authorization based on subscription and service data and on credit authorization is carried out by the PCRF server.

25. A computer program, loadable into an internal memory of a computer with input and output units as well as with a processing unit, the computer program adapted to carry out the method steps according to claim 1 when running in the computer.

26. The computer program of claim 25, recorded in a carrier readable in a computer.

11. An apparatus for authorizing transactional services by a Policy and Charging Control “

PCC”

system, the apparatus comprising;

an authorization requester arranged for submitting a transactional service authorization request with a user identifier and a transactional service identifier; and

an authorizer of the PCC system, arranged for receiving the transactional service authorization request, arranged for taking a decision on service authorization for the transactional service based on subscription and service data and on credit authorization related to the user identifier and transactional service identifier, and arranged for submitting a transactional service authorization response to the authorization requester with the decision on service authorization for the transactional service.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the authorizer comprises:

a Policy and Charging Rules Function “

PCRF”

server of the PCC system, arranged for authorizing or refusing the transactional service based on subscription and service data related to the user identifier and transactional service identifier;

an Online Charging System “

OCS”

of the PCC system, arranged for authorizing or refusing the transactional service based on credit authorization related to the user identifier and transactional service identifier; and

a decider arranged for taking a decision on service authorization for the transactional service based on the authorizations or refusals made by the PCRF server and OCS, respectively based on the subscription and service data and on the credit authorization.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein, upon authorizing the transactional service based on the subscription and service data and based on the credit authorization, the PCRF server is arranged for submitting PCC rules for IP Connectivity Access Network “

IP-CAN”

bearer establishment towards a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function “

PCEF”

device, and is arranged for receiving a confirmation of IP-CAN bearer establishment from the PCEF device.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the PCRF server is further arranged for obtaining the subscription and service data related to the user identifier and transactional service identifier from a Subscription Profile Repository “

SPR”

of the PCC system.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the authorization requester comprises a Charging Trigger Function “

CTF”

device arranged for submitting the transactional service authorization request and for receiving the transactional service authorization response.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the authorization requester comprises an Application Function “

AF”

device arranged for submitting the transactional service authorization request and for receiving the transactional service authorization response.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the OCS of the PCC system is arranged for receiving the transactional service authorization request and for submitting the transactional service authorization response.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the PCRF server of the PCC system is arranged for receiving the transactional service authorization request and for submitting the transactional service authorization response.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the OCS is arranged for obtaining from the PCRF server authorization or refusal of the transactional service based on subscription and service data, and wherein the OCS includes the decider and is thus arranged for taking the decision on service authorization based on the subscription and service data and on the credit authorization.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the PCRF server is arranged for obtaining from the OCS authorization or refusal of the transactional service based on credit authorization, and wherein the PCRF server includes the decider and is thus arranged for taking the decision on service authorization based on the subscription and service data and on the credit authorization.

21. An apparatus for authorizing transactional services by a Policy and Charging Control “

PCC”

system, the apparatus comprising;

an authorization requester arranged for submitting a transactional service authorization request with a user identifier and a transactional service identifier towards an authorizer of the PCC system;

the authorizer arranged for receiving the transactional service authorization request and comprising;

a Policy and Charging Rules Function “

PCRF”

server of the PCC system, and arranged for authorizing the transactional service taking into account subscription and service data related to the user identifier and transactional service identifier,

an Online Charging System “

OCS”

of the PCC system, and arranged for authorizing the transactional service taking into account credit authorization related to the user identifier and transactional service identifier, and

a decider for deciding service authorization for the transactional service based on the authorizations respectively made by the PCRF server and OCS taking into account the subscription and service data and the credit authorization; and

the authorizer arranged for submitting a transactional service authorization response to the authorization requester with a decision on service authorization for the transactional service.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the PCRF server is further arranged for obtaining the subscription and service data related to the user identifier and transactional service identifier from a Subscription Profile Repository “

SPR”

of the PCC system.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the authorization requester includes a Charging Trigger Function “

CTF”

device for submitting the transactional service authorization request with the user identifier and the transactional service identifier, wherein the OCS of the authorizer includes the decider, and is arranged for;

receiving the transactional service authorization request from the CTF device, obtaining the authorization based on the subscription and service data from the PCRF server, deciding service authorization for the transactional service based on the subscription and service data and on the credit authorization, and submitting the transactional service authorization response to the CTF device with the decision on service authorization for the transactional service.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the authorization requester includes an Application Function “

AF”

device for submitting the transactional service authorization request with the user identifier and the transactional service identifier, wherein the PCRF server of the authorizer includes the decider, and is arranged for;

receiving the transactional service authorization request from the AF device, obtaining the credit authorization from the OCS, deciding service authorization for the transactional service based on the subscription and service data and on the credit authorization, and submitting the transactional service authorization response to the AF device with the decision on service authorization for the transactional service.