Policy control function (PCF) registration based on equipment identity register (EIR) check in wireless communication networks

1 . A method of operating a wireless communication network to qualify user devices for network policy association, the method comprising:

receiving an equipment identity check request transferred by a control plane that comprises an International Mobile Equipment Identifier (IMEI) for a User Equipment (UE);

reading the IMEI to determine a Type Allocation Code (TAC) for the UE;

comparing the TAC for the UE to an IMEI TAC database that indicates whether Policy Control Function (PCF) registration is available for the UE, wherein the PCF registration is available for the UE when the UE comprises a capability to enforce a network policy obtained from a PCF;

determining when the PCF registration is available for the UE; and

transferring an equipment identity check response that indicates when the PCF registration is available for the UE to the control plane.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein:

the equipment identity check request comprises an N15 registration parameter; and

reading the IMEI to determine the TAC, comparing the TAC for the UE to the IMEI TAC database, and determining when the PCF registration is available comprises reading the IMEI to determine the TAC, comparing the TAC for the UE to the IMEI TAC database, and determining when the PCF registration is available in response to the N15 registration parameter.

3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

when the PCF registration is available for the UE, determining when the PCF registration is available for access and mobility policies and when the PCF registration is available for the UE policies; and wherein:

transferring the equipment identity check response comprises transferring the equipment identity check response that indicates when the PCF registration is available for the access and mobility policies and when the PCF registration is available for the UE policies for the UE to the control plane.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein when the PCF registration is not available for the UE, transferring the equipment identity check response comprises transferring the equipment identity check response that indicates the PCF registration is not available for the UE to the control plane.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising hosting the IMEI TAC database.

6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the IMEI TAC database comprises a range of TACs eligible for the PCF registration.

7 . The method of claim 5 wherein the IMEI TAC database comprises a range of TACs prohibited from the PCF registration.

8 . A wireless communication network to qualify user devices for network policy association, the wireless communication network comprising:

a network data system configured to:

receive an equipment identity check request transferred by a control plane that comprises an International Mobile Equipment Identifier (IMEI) for a User Equipment (UE);

read the IMEI to determine a Type Allocation Code (TAC) for the UE;

compare the TAC for the UE to an IMEI TAC database that indicates whether Policy Control Function (PCF) registration is available for the UE, wherein the PCF registration is available for the UE when the UE comprises a capability to enforce a network policy obtained from a PCF;

determine when the PCF registration is available for the UE; and

transfer an equipment identity check response that indicates when the PCF registration is available for the UE to the control plane.

9 . The wireless communication network of claim 8 wherein:

the equipment identity check request comprises an N15 registration parameter; and

the network data system is further configured to read the IMEI to determine the TAC, compare the TAC for the UE to the IMEI TAC database, and determine when the PCF registration is available in response to the N15 registration parameter.

10 . The wireless communication network of claim 8 wherein:

when the PCF registration is available for the UE, the network data system is further configured to:

determine when the PCF registration is available for access and mobility policies and when the PCF registration is available for the UE policies; and

transfer the equipment identity check response that indicates when the PCF registration is available for the access and mobility policies and when the PCF registration is available for the UE policies for the UE to the control plane.

11 . The wireless communication network of claim 8 wherein:

when the PCF registration is not available for the UE, the network data system is further configured to:

transfer the equipment identity check response that indicates the PCF registration is not available for the UE to the control plane.

12 . The wireless communication network of claim 8 wherein the network data system is configured to host the IMEI TAC database.

13 . The wireless communication network of claim 12 wherein the IMEI TAC database comprises a range of TACs eligible for the PCF registration.

14 . The wireless communication network of claim 12 wherein the IMEI TAC database comprises a range of TACs prohibited from the PCF registration.

15 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having program instructions stored thereon to qualify user devices for network policy association, wherein the program instructions, when executed by a computing system, direct the computing system to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving an equipment identity check request transferred by a control plane that comprises an International Mobile Equipment Identifier (IMEI) for a User Equipment (UE);

reading the IMEI to determine a Type Allocation Code (TAC) for the UE;

comparing the TAC for the UE to an IMEI TAC database that indicates whether Policy Control Function (PCF) registration is available for the UE, wherein the PCF registration is available for the UE when the UE comprises a capability to enforce a network policy obtained from a PCF;

determining when the PCF registration is available for the UE; and

transferring an equipment identity check response that indicates when the PCF registration is available for the UE to the control plane.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 15 wherein:

the equipment identity check request comprises an N15 registration parameter; and

reading the IMEI to determine the TAC, comparing the TAC for the UE to the IMEI TAC database, and determining when the PCF registration is available comprises reading the IMEI to determine the TAC, comparing the TAC for the UE to the IMEI TAC database, and determining when the PCF registration is available in response to the N15 registration parameter.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 15 wherein the operations further comprise:

when the PCF registration is available for the UE, determining when the PCF registration is available for access and mobility policies and when the PCF registration is available for the UE policies; and wherein:

transferring the equipment identity check response comprises transferring the equipment identity check response that indicates when the PCF registration is available for the access and mobility policies and when the PCF registration is available for the UE policies for the UE to the control plane.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 15 wherein when the PCF registration is not available for the UE, transferring the equipment identity check response comprises transferring the equipment identity check response that indicates the PCF registration is not available for the UE to the control plane.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 15 wherein the operations further comprise hosting the IMEI TAC database.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 19 wherein the IMEI TAC database comprises one of a range of TACs eligible for the PCF registration or a range of TACs prohibited from the PCF registration.