Capillary device charging
When a capillary network device connects to user equipment and the user equipment establishes or modifies a bearer to support traffic from the capillary device, the user equipment may request that the network provide some indication that the user equipment will not be charged for the traffic. The network may indicate to the user equipment that the flow is sponsored or that the user equipment will otherwise not be charged for the flow. Existing messages between a UE/GW, P-GW, PCRF, and an application server (AS) may be modified and new messages may be used so that the user equipment can request a guarantee of sponsorship or of non-charging and so that the AS may indicate to the user equipment that the flow is sponsored. The messaging can also be used by user equipment on its own behalf.
1. In a system with a core network connected to user equipment at one end and connected to a service from among plural services on another end, a method performed by the user equipment comprising:
sending a Request Bearer Resource Modification message to the core network to establish one or more flows, the Request Bearer Resource Modification message including a traffic flow aggregate description (TAD) information element including an indication the one or more flows should only be established on a first condition the user equipment will not be charged for the one or more flows, or a second condition the user equipment will be compensated for the one or more flows, where a Packet Data Network (P-GW) of the core network receives the indication and sends a Credit Control Request (CCR) command message including the first or second conditions of the indication to a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) of the core network;
receiving a Bearer Resource Modification Reject message from the P-GW of the core network based on the first or second conditions of the indication being unmet, where the PCRF sends a Credit Control Answer (CCA) command message to the P-GW indicating the first or second conditions of the indication being unmet, and where the P-GW forwards the Bearer Resource Modification Reject message in response thereto; and
using the indication and the Bearer Resource Modification Reject message to determine whether to make the proposed flow.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user equipment acts as a gateway for a third party device.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the proposed flow is for the third party device.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user equipment sends the message on its own behalf.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a field is part of a packet filter for the flow.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication from the user equipment includes whether the proposed flow is paid for by the service of the proposed flow.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the service has a business relationship with the core network.
8. In a system with a core network connected to user equipment at one end and connected to a service from among plural services on another end, a method performed by the user equipment comprising:
receiving a request from a third party device for a proposed flow to the service from the plural services through the user equipment;
sending a Request Bearer Resource Modification message to the core network to establish one or more flows, the Request Bearer Resource Modification message including a traffic flow aggregate description (TAD) information element including an indication the one or more flows should only be established on a first condition the user equipment will not be charged for the one or more flows, or a second condition the user equipment will be compensated for the one or more flows, where a Packet Data Network (P-GW) of the core network receives the indication and sends a Credit Control Request (CCR) command message including the first or second conditions of the indication to a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) of the core network;
receiving a Bearer Resource Modification Reject message from the P-GW of the core network based on the first or second conditions of the indication being unmet, where the PCRF sends a Credit Control Answer (CCA) command message to the P-GW indicating the first or second conditions of the indication being unmet, and where the P-GW forwards the Bearer Resource Modification Reject message in response thereto; and
using the indication and the Bearer Resource Modification Reject message to determine whether to allow the proposed flow from the third party device to the service from the plural services through the user equipment.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein a field is part of a packet filter for the flow.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the service has a business relationship with the core network.
11. A user equipment comprising;
a non-transitory memory including instructions for a proposed flow from one or more flows established between a service, from among plural services, connected to one end of a core network and the user equipment connected to another end of the core network; and
a processor, operably coupled to the non-transitory memory, and configured to execute the instructions of:
sending a Request Bearer Resource Modification message to the core network to establish the one or more flows, the Request Bearer Resource Modification message including a traffic flow aggregate description (TAD) information element including an indication the one or more flows should only be established on a first condition the user equipment will not be charged for the one or more flows, or a second condition the user equipment will be compensated for the one or more flows, where a Packet Data Network (P-GW) of the core network receives the indication and sends a Credit Control Request (CCR) command message including the first or second conditions of the indication to a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) of the core network;
receiving a Bearer Resource Modification Reject message from the P-GW of the core network based on the first or second conditions of the indication being unmet, where the PCRF sends a Credit Control Answer (CCA) command message to the P-GW indicating the first or second conditions of the indication being unmet, and where the P-GW forwards the Bearer Resource Modification Reject message in response thereto; and
using the indication and the Bearer Resource Modification Reject message to determine whether to make the proposed flow.
12. The user equipment of claim 11 , wherein the user equipment acts as a gateway for a third party device.
13. The user equipment of claim 11 , wherein the proposed flow is for a third party device.
14. The user equipment of claim 11 , wherein the user equipment sends the message on its own behalf.
15. The user equipment of claim 11 , wherein the user equipment is adapted to provide an interface to select whether certain flows are required to be compensated for or not charged.
16. The user equipment of claim 11 , wherein a field is part of a packet filter for the flow.
17. The user equipment of claim 11 , wherein the service has a business relationship with the core network.
18. A server comprising;
a non-transitory memory including instructions for a proposed flow from one or more flows established between a service, from among plural services, connected to one end of a core network and user equipment connected to another end of the core network; and
a processor, operably coupled to the non-transitory memory, and configured to execute the instructions of:
receiving, via a Packet Data Network (P-GW) of the core network, a Request Bearer Resource Modification message from the user equipment to establish the one or more flows, the Request Bearer Resource Modification message including a traffic flow aggregate description (TAD) information element including an indication the one or more flows should only be established on a first condition the user equipment will not be charged for the one or more flows, or a second condition the user equipment will be compensated for the one or more flows, where the P-GW sends a Credit Control Request (CCR) command message including the first or second conditions of the indication to a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) of the core network;
checking the first condition where the user equipment will not be charged for the proposed flow or the second condition where the user equipment will be compensated for the proposed flow;
determining the indication of the user equipment being unmet; and
sending, via the P-GW of the core network, a Bearer Resource Modification Reject message to the user equipment based on the checking and determining instructions, where the P-GW receives a Credit Control Answer (CCA) command message from the PCRF indicating the first or second conditions of the indication being unmet.
19. The server of claim 18 , wherein a field is part of a packet filter for the flow.
20. The server of claim 18 , wherein the service has a business relationship with the core network.