Sy session creation and recovering from inconsistent session state between PCRF and OCS

1. A method performed by a policy and charging rules node (PCRN), the method comprising:

sending a first Sy spending limit request (SLR) to an online charging system (OCS) without specifying any policy counters;

receiving from the OCS a first spending limit answer (SLA) including policy counters and associated status reports for a subscriber;

creating an Sy session;

determining required policy counters based upon the policy counter statuses;

sending a second Sy SLR to the OCS for the required policy counters; and

receiving a second SLA including status reports for the required policy counters.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

making a policy decision based upon status reports for the required policy counters;

receiving a message to terminate the Sy session;

terminating the Sy session;

receiving an Sy message from an OCS relating to the terminated Sy session; and

sending an Sy message to the OCS including a result code indicating an unknown session ID.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising updating the Sy session based upon the status reports in the second SLA.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a third SLA message including status reports for the required policy counters.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising making a first policy decision based upon the status reports in the first SLA.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising sending quality of service (PCC) rules to a PCEN based upon the first policy decision.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising making a second policy decision based upon the status reports in the second SLA.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising sending quality of service (PCC) rules to a PCEN based upon the second policy decision.

9. A non-transitory program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps of claim 1 .

10. A method performed by a policy and charging rules node (PCRN), the method comprising:

creating an Sy session;

making a policy decision based upon policy counter statuses associated with the Sy session;

receiving a message to terminate the Sy session;

terminating the Sy session;

receiving a first Sy message from an OCS relating to the terminated Sy session; and

sending a second Sy message to the OCS including a result code indicating an unknown session ID.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising sending quality of service (PCC) rules to a PCEN based upon the policy decision.

12. The PCRN of claim 10 , wherein the OCS terminates an OCS Sy session based upon the second Sy message.

13. The PCRN of claim 10 , wherein the first Sy message is not delivered to the OCS.

14. A non-transitory program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps of claim 10 .

15. The method performed by a policy and charging rules node (PCRN), the method comprising:

receiving a Gx CCR terminate message related to an Sy session;

terminating the Sy session based upon the Gx CCR terminate message;

receiving a status notification report (SNR) relating to the terminated Sy session;

sending a status notification answer (SNA) indicating an unknown Sy session ID to the OCS.

16. The PCRN of claim 15 , wherein the OCS terminates an OCS session based upon the SNA.

17. The PCRN of claim 15 , wherein an STR is not delivered to the OCS.

18. The PCRN of claim 15 , further comprising making a policy decision based upon policy counter statuses associated with the Sy session.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising sending quality of service (QPCC) rules to a PCEN based upon the policy decision.

20. A non-transitory program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps of claim 15 .