Method and apparatus for dynamic policy interworking between PCFR and NAT

• US 10,164,781 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2012
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Hong, Jin-Woo
• Primary Examiner(s): Bates, Kevin T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huang, Chen-Liang
• Application Number:
  US14/367,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20140325091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,204 Days
• Field of Search: 709245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1407 Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/25 of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2557 Translation policies or rules
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

Interworking between a policy decision device and an address translation device is provided. An operation method of the policy decision device in a mobile communication system includes, if receiving address translation information about a user equipment, determining translated address information about the user equipment using the address translation information, if receiving a service information request for the user equipment, distinguishing the user equipment using address information included in the service information request and the translated address information, and sending a response to the service information request.

Claims

1. An operation method of a policy decision device in a mobile communication system, the method comprising:

receiving, from a policy enforcement device, a policy and charging control (PCC) rule request for a user equipment that is allocated a private address;

determining a policy to apply to the user equipment transmitting, to the policy enforcement device, a PCC rule response including the determined policy;

transmitting, to an address translation device, a subscription request for a public address of the user equipment corresponding to the allocated private address;

receiving, from the address translation device, a subscription response informing of a success of the subscription request;

receiving, from the address translation device, a message comprising mapping information between the private address and the public address of the user equipment based on the subscription request;

receiving, from an application function, a request regarding a service for the user equipment, the request comprising the public address of the user equipment and quality information of the service;

identifying the user equipment using the public address and the mapping information; and

transmitting, to the application function, another response including an acceptance of non-acceptance of the quality information to the request regarding the service for the user equipment.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from the address translation device, other mapping information between a port number of the private address, and a port number of the public address.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the user equipment using the public address and the mapped address information comprises:

determining the public address, the private address for the user equipment mapped to a port number of the public address, and a port number of the private address; and

identifying the user equipment that uses the private address and the port number of the private address.

4. An operation method of an address translation device in a mobile communication system, the method comprising:

receiving, from a policy decision device, a subscription request for a public address of a user equipment corresponding to an allocated private address;

transmitting, to the policy decision device, a subscription response informing of a success of the subscription request;

receiving a service request from the user equipment that is allocated a private address;

in response to receiving the service request, determining mapping information between the private address and the public address of the user equipment;

transmitting the service request to an application function after changing the private address to a mapped public address; and

transmitting, to the policy decision device, a message comprising the mapping information based on the subscription request.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising transmitting, to the policy decision device, other mapping information between a port number of the private address, and a port number of the public address.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein, determining the mapping information comprises determining the public address, the private address for the user equipment mapped to a port number of the public address, and a port number of the private address.

7. A policy decision device in a mobile communication system, the device comprising:

a modulator/demodulator (modem) configured to;

receive, from a policy enforcement device, a policy and charging control (PCC) rule request for a user equipment which is allocated a private address;

determine a policy to apply to the user equipment;

transmit, to the policy enforcement device, a PCC rule response including the determined policy;

transmit, to an address translation device, a subscription request for a public address of the user equipment corresponding to the allocated private address;

receive, from the address translation device, a subscription response informing of a success of the subscription request;

receive, from the address translation device, a message comprising mapping information between the private address and a public address of the user equipment based on the subscription request; and

receive, from an application function, a request regarding a service for the user equipment, the request comprising the public address of the user equipment and quality information of the service; and

a controller configured to identify the user equipment using the public address and the mapping information, and

wherein the modem is further configured to transmit, to the application function, a response including an acceptance of non-acceptance of quality information to the request regarding the service for the user equipment.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the modem is further configured to receive, from the address translation device, other mapping information between a port number of the private address, and a port number of the public address.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein, when identifying the user equipment using the public address and the mapped address information, the controller is configured to;

determine the public address, the private address for the user equipment mapped to a port number of the public address, and a port number of the private address; and

identify the user equipment that uses the private address and the port number of the private address.

10. An address translation device in a mobile communication system, the device comprising:

a modulator/demodulator (modems configured to;

receive, from a policy decision device, a subscription request for a public address of a user equipment corresponding to a private address;

transmit, to the policy decision device, a subscription response informing of a success of the subscription request;

receive a service request from the user equipment that is allocated a private address; and

a processor configured to;

in response to receiving the service request, determine mapping information between the private address and a public address of the user equipment,

wherein the modem is further configured to;

transmit the service request to an application function after changing the private address to a mapped public address; and

transmit, to the policy decision device, a message comprising the mapping information based on the subscription request.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to determine the public address, the private address for the user equipment to be mapped to a port number of the public address, and a port number of the private address.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the modem is configured to transmit, to policy decision device, other mapping information between a port number of the private address, and a port number of the public address.