Determining policy rules in a mobile network using subscription data in an application server
Techniques are disclosed for creating service rules based on user information retrieved from an application server. One apparatus in a network that supports said techniques includes a memory storing instructions executable by a processor to cause the apparatus to receive, from a PCF, a request to provide service rules for a user and to identify one or more service contexts associated with the user, each service context holding information for accessing user information in an external application server. The instructions further cause the apparatus to retrieve user information from the external application server using each of the identified one or more service contexts, and to create one or more service rules by using the retrieved user information, where the network applies the one or more service rules to configure the data connection requested by the user.
1 . A policy control function (PCF) comprising:
at least one memory; and
at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the PCF to:
transmit, to a network node, a request for service rules associated with a subscriber in a mobile communication network, wherein the request for service rules comprises a subscriber identity of a user equipment (UE) of the mobile communication network;
receive, from the network node, one or more service rules associated with the subscriber based on the request, wherein each of the one or more service rules is associated with an external service with which the subscriber has subscription and indicates how traffic for the external service is to be handled in the mobile communication network, wherein the external service is provided by a service provider that is external to the mobile communication network;
translate a service level indicated by the one or more service rules into at least one quality of service flow identifier (QFI); and
generate a set of policy control and charging (PCC) rules based on the QFI.
2 . The PCF of claim 1 , wherein the request comprises a data network name (DNN), and wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the PCF to transmit the generated set of PCC rules to a session management function (SMF), each PCC rule of the set of PCC rules being applicable to a data connection of the subscriber.
3 . The PCF of claim 1 , wherein a respective service rule of the received one or more service rules identifies a domain corresponding to a service provider, wherein to generate the set of PCC rules, the at least one processor is configured to cause the PCF to translate the domain into at least one network address corresponding to a service provider.
4 . The PCF of claim 1 , wherein the received one or more service rules are associated with at least one application server providing one or more services, and wherein a respective service rule associated with a respective application server indicates a service level to be applied to traffic associated with the one or more services of the respective application server.
5 . The PCF of claim 1 , wherein the received one or more service rules are associated with at least one application server providing one or more services, wherein a respective service rule associated with a respective application server indicates a charging rate to be applied to traffic associated with the one or more services of the respective application server.
6 . The PCF of claim 1 , wherein the request is part of a protocol data unit (PDU) session establishment procedure, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the PCF to:
transmit the generated set of PCC rules to a session management function (SMF), each PCC rule of the set of PCC rules being applicable to a data connection of the subscriber; and
complete the PDU session establishment procedure after transmitting the generated set of PCC rules.
7 . The PCF of claim 1 , wherein the request is part of a protocol data unit (PDU) session establishment procedure, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the PCF to:
complete the PDU session establishment procedure; and
transmit the set of PCC rules to a session management function (SMF) after completing the PDU session establishment procedure.
8 . The PCF of claim 1 , the request further indicates a subscriber identity and an internet protocol (IP) address corresponding to a data connection.
9 . The PCF of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the PCF to receive a second request from a session management function (SMF) prior to transmitting the request, wherein the second request indicates the subscriber identity, a PDU session identifier corresponding to the data connection, and the IP address corresponding to the data connection, and wherein the second request comprises a subscription element that requests a policy update notification from the PCF.
10 . A processor for wireless communication, comprising:
at least one controller coupled with at least one memory and configured to cause the processor to:
transmit, to a network node, a request for service rules associated with a subscriber in a mobile communication network, wherein the request for service rules comprises a subscriber identity of a user equipment (UE) of the mobile communication network;
receive, from the network node, one or more service rules associated with the subscriber based on the request, wherein each of the one or more service rules is associated with an external service with which the subscriber has subscription and indicates how traffic for the external service is to be handled in the mobile communication network, wherein the external service is provided by a service provider that is external to the mobile communication network;
translate a service level indicated by the one or more service rules into at least one quality of service flow identifier (QFI); and
generate a set of policy control and charging (PCC) rules based on the QFI.
11 . The processor of claim 10 , wherein the request comprises a data network name (DNN), and wherein the at least one controller is configured to cause the processor to transmit the generated set of PCC rules to a session management function (SMF), each PCC rule of the set of PCC rules being applicable to a data connection of the subscriber.
12 . The processor of claim 10 , wherein a respective service rule of the received one or more service rules identifies a domain corresponding to a service provider, wherein to generate the set of PCC rules, the at least one controller is configured to cause the processor to translate the domain into at least one network address corresponding to a service provider.
13 . The processor of claim 10 , wherein the received one or more service rules are associated with at least one application server providing one or more services, wherein a respective service rule associated with a respective application server indicates a service level to be applied to traffic associated with the one or more services of the respective application server.
14 . The processor of claim 10 , wherein the received one or more service rules are associated with at least one application server providing one or more services, wherein a respective service rule associated with a respective application server indicates a charging rate to be applied to traffic associated with the one or more services of the respective application server.
15 . The processor of claim 10 , wherein the request is part of a protocol data unit (“PDU”) session establishment procedure, and wherein the at least one controller is configured to cause the processor to:
transmit the generated set of PCC rules to a session management function (SMF), each PCC rule of the set of PCC rules being applicable to a data connection of the subscriber; and
complete the PDU session establishment procedure after transmitting the generated set of PCC rules.
16 . The processor of claim 10 , wherein the request is part of a protocol data unit (PDU) session establishment procedure, and wherein the at least one controller is configured to cause the processor to:
complete the PDU session establishment procedure; and
transmit the set of PCC rules to a session management function (SMF) after completing the PDU session establishment procedure.
17 . The processor of claim 10 , wherein the request further indicates a subscriber identity and an internet protocol (IP) address corresponding to a data connection.
18 . The processor of claim 17 , wherein the at least one controller is configured to cause the processor to receive a second request from a session management function (SMF) prior to transmitting the request, wherein the second request indicates the subscriber identity, a PDU session identifier corresponding to the data connection, and the IP address corresponding to the data connection, and wherein the second request comprises a subscription element that requests a policy update notification from the processor.
19 . A method performed by a policy control function (PCF), the method comprising:
transmitting, to a network node, a request for service rules associated with a subscriber in a mobile communication network, wherein the request for service rules comprises a subscriber identity of a user equipment (UE) of the mobile communication network;
receiving, from the network node, one or more service rules associated with the subscriber based on the request, wherein each of the one or more service rules is associated with an external service with which the subscriber has subscription and indicates how traffic for the external service is to be handled in the mobile communication network, wherein the external service is provided by a service provider that is external to the mobile communication network;
translating a service level indicated by the one or more service rules into at least one quality of service flow identifier (QFI); and
generating a set of policy control and charging (PCC) rules based on the QFI.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the request comprises a data network name (DNN), the method further comprising transmitting the generated set of PCC rules to a session management function (SMF), each PCC rule of the set of PCC rules being applicable to a data connection of the subscriber.