PCC QoS authorization based on rule split and flow direction

1. A method of updating a policy and charging control (PCC) rule, the method comprising:

receiving a filter update request comprising a new filter and a reference filter;

matching the reference filter with a previously requested PCC rule;

determining a set of filters associated with a service data flow;

determining whether any filter of the set of filters was previously removed by determining whether a flow-status for the filter indicates the filter has been removed;

excluding any removed filter from the set of filters leaving remaining filters; and

authorizing quality of service (QoS) information based on the remaining filters of the set of filters.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining whether a filter has been removed comprises determining whether the filter is associated with the Real Time Control Protocol (RTCP) and determining that the filter has been removed based on the filter being associated with RTCP.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the filter update request further comprises a flow direction, wherein the step of authorizing QoS information comprises adding the bandwidth for each filter having a direction consistent with the flow direction.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of matching the reference flow with a previously requested PCC rule comprises searching a record of IP-CAN sessions for a session including the reference filter.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the record of IP-CAN sessions comprises a filter-ID assigned by the PCRN.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a filter ID for the new filter.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining whether a filter has been removed comprises searching a record of application function (AF) sessions.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of authorizing QoS information comprises:

determining an uplink bandwidth as the sum of filters compatible with the uplink direction; and

determining a downlink bandwidth as the sum of filters compatible with the downlink direction.

9. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by a processor for updating a policy and charging control (PCC) rule, the non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising:

instructions for receiving a filter update request comprising a new filter and a reference filter;

instructions for matching the reference filter with a previously requested PCC rule;

instructions for determining a set of filters associated with a service data flow;

instructions for determining whether any filter of the set of filters was previously removed by determining whether a flow-status for the filter indicates the filter has been removed;

instructions for authorizing quality of service (QoS) information based on the remaining filters of the set of filters.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions for determining whether a filter has been removed comprise instructions for determining whether the filter is associated with the Real Time Control Protocol (RTCP) and determining that the filter has been removed based on the filter being associated with RTCP.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the filter update request further comprises a flow direction, wherein the instructions for authorizing QoS information comprise instructions for adding the bandwidth for each filter having a direction consistent with the flow direction.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions for matching the reference flow with a previously requested PCC rule comprise instructions for searching a record of IP-CAN sessions for a session including the reference filter.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the record of IP-CAN sessions comprises a filter-ID assigned by the PCRN.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , further comprising instructions for generating a filter ID for the new filter.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions for determining whether a filter has been removed comprise instructions for searching a record of application function (AF) sessions.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions for authorizing QoS information comprise:

instructions for determining an uplink bandwidth as the sum of filters compatible with the uplink direction; and

instructions for determining a downlink bandwidth as the sum of filters compatible with the downlink direction.