Method and Apparatus for Dynamically Controlling Customer Traffic in a Network Under Demand-Based Charging

• US 20160353268A1
• Filed: 05/31/2016
• Published: 12/01/2016
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 10,349,240 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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, the method comprising a dynamic charging handler function:

receiving an indication of a dynamic change to charging; and

,

instructing an end-device to adjust traffic-generating behaviour in accordance with the received change to dynamic charging, based on a customer-defined configuration option.

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 instructing the at least one end-device to adjust traffic generating behaviour comprises:

dynamically adjusting network resource usage by the end-device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein before the dynamic charging handler function instructs the at least one end-device, the method further comprises:

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 1, wherein the dynamic charging handler function is operative to instruct the at least one end-device by:

providing instructions to a device traffic controller, the device traffic controller informing the at least one end-device of the instructions.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the instructing the at least one end-device comprises providing instructions to a network traffic controller to reject or de-prioritize identified traffic types generated by the at least one end-device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the change to dynamic charging 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.