MTC-IWF ENTITY, PCRF ENTITY, AND COMMUNICATION METHOD

• US 20160330647A1
• Filed: 12/04/2014
• Published: 11/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: IWAI, Takanori
• Granted Patent: US 11,729,661 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1407 Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1063 Application servers providing network services systems providing special services to telephonic subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/64 On-line charging system [OCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/66 Policy and charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A Machine Type Communication Inter Working Function (MTC-IWF) entity (1) is configured to, in response to receiving from a Service Capability Server (SCS) a first request for quality of service to be applied to a specific communication of an MTC device, send to a Policy and Charging Rule Function (PCRF) entity a second request for applying the quality of service to the specific communication. It is thus possible, for example, to facilitate controlling quality of service of a specific communication in a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) in response to a request by the SCS for the quality of service.

Claims

1. A Machine Type Communication Inter Working Function (MTC-IWF) entity comprising:

a memory that stores instructions; and

at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to execute modules comprising a controller configured to, in response to receiving from a Service Capability Server (SCS) a first request for quality of service to be applied to a specific communication of a Machine Type Communication (MTC) device, send to a Policy and Charging Rule Function (PCRF) entity a second request for applying the quality of service to the specific communication.

2. The MTC-IWF entity according to claim 1, wherein the first request specifies the quality of service by indicating at least one of a QoS Class Identifier (QCI), an Allocation and Retention Priority (ARP), a Maximum Bit Rate (MBR), a Guaranteed Bit Rate (GBR), and a priority level.

3. The MTC-IWF entity according to claim 1, wherein the first request specifies the specific communication by indicating:

(a) an application name;

or (b) at least one of a source address, a destination address, a port number, and a protocol identifier for identifying a packet flow of the specific communication.

4. The MTC-IWF entity according to claim 1, wherein

the first request contains an external identifier associated with the MTC device, the controller control means exchanges a control message with a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) and thereby obtaining, based on the external identifier, an internal identifier that is associated with the MTC device and is used in a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), and the second request contains the internal identifier for identifying the MTC device.

5. The MTC-IWF entity according to claim 1, wherein the controller control means exchanges a control message with a Diameter Routing Agent (DRA) and thereby deciding a PCRF entity to which the second request is to be sent.

6. The MTC-IWF entity according to claim 1, wherein the controller control means decides a charging polity to be applied to the specific communication in response to receiving the first request.

7. A control method performed by a MTC Inter Working Function (MTC-IWF) entity, the control method comprising:

in response to receiving from a Service Capability Server (SCS) a first request for quality of service to be applied to a specific communication of a Machine Type Communication (MTC) device, sending to a Policy and Charging Rule Function (PCRF) entity a second request for applying the quality of service to the specific communication.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform a control method related to a Machine Type Communication Inter Working Function (MTC-IWF), wherein the control method comprises:

in response to receiving from a Service Capability Server (SCS) a first request for quality of service to be applied to a specific communication of a Machine Type Communication (MTC) device, sending to a Policy and Charging Rule Function (PCRF) entity a second request for applying the quality of service requested by the first request to the specific communication.

9. A Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) entity comprising:

a memory that stores instructions; and

at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to execute modules comprising a controller configured to, in response to receiving from a Machine Type Communication Inter Working Function (MTC-IWF) entity a request for quality of service to be applied to a specific communication of a Machine Type Communication (MTC) device, perform control for applying the quality of service to the specific communication.

10. The PCRF entity according to claim 9, wherein the controller controls at least one of a PCEF node having a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) and a TDF node having a Traffic Detection Function (TDF) in order to apply the quality of service to the specific communication.

11. The PCRF entity according to claim 10, wherein

in response to receiving the request, the controller provides, to the TDF node, an Application Detection and Control (ADC) rule for detecting a specific packet flow related to the specific communication from user traffic sent or received by the MTC device through a bearer already set up, and

in response to detection of the specific packet flow by the TDF node, the controller provides, to the PCEF node, a Policy and Charging Control (PCC) rule to be applied to the specific communication.

12. The PCRF entity according to claim 11, wherein

the ADC rule contains an application name specifying the specific communication, and the PCC rule indicates at least one of a source address, a destination address, a port number, and a protocol identifier of the specific packet flow, which have been detected by the TDF node for the specific packet flow based on the application name.

13. The PCRF entity according to claim 11, wherein the controller notifies the TDF node of a period when the ADC rule is to be enforced.

14. The PCRF entity according to claim 13, wherein

the request contains designation of a period when the quality of service is to be applied to the specific communication, and

the controller notifies the TDF node of the period when the ADC rule is to be enforced, which is determined based on the period when the quality of service is to be applied.

15. A control method performed by a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) entity, the control method comprising:

in response to receiving from a Machine Type Communication Inter Working Function (MTC-IWF) entity a request for quality of service to be applied to a specific communication of a Machine Type Communication (MTC) device, performing control for applying the quality of service to the specific communication.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform a control method related to a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF), wherein the control method comprises:

in response to receiving from a Machine Type Communication Inter Working Function (MTC-IWF) entity a request for quality of service to be applied to a specific communication of a Machine Type Communication (MTC) device, performing control for applying the quality of service to the specific communication.