Charging control with SMF and PCF

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a policy control function (PCF) from a session management function (SMF), a policy establishment request message requesting a charging control rule for a packet data unit (PDU) session of a wireless device;

sending, by the PCF to a charging function (CHF) and in response to the policy establishment request message, a charging policy request message requesting charging policy information for the PDU session;

receiving, by the PCF from the CHF, a charging policy response message comprising the charging policy information, wherein the charging policy information indicates a charging method comprising one or more of:

online charging;

offline charging; and

converged charging;

determining, by the PCF, based on the charging method indicated by the charging policy response message, a charging control rule for the PDU session; and

sending, by the PCF to the SMF, a policy establishment response message comprising the charging control rule.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the charging policy request message comprises at least one of:

an identifier of the wireless device;

a UE IP address; or

an identifier of the PDU session.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending, by the PCF to the CHF, the charging policy request message via a network function.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the CHF, the charging policy information for the PDU session.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the determining is based on at least one of:

an identifier of the wireless device;

a type of PDU session;

an access type;

a radio access technology (RAT) type;

a public land mobile network (PLMN) identifier;

an application identifier;

a data network name (DNN);

a single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI);

the identifier of the PDU session; or

user location information.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the charging policy information further comprises an information element indicating a first charging rate is applicable for the PDU session.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the charging policy information further comprises an address of a first CHF.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the PCF based on the charging policy information, a policy and charging control (PCC) rule for the PDU session, wherein the PCC rule comprises at least one of:

a charging control rule;

a policy control rule comprising a QoS control rule;

a policy control rule comprising a gating control rule;

a usage monitoring control rule;

an application detection and control rule;

a traffic steering control rule; or

a service data flow detection information.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the charging control rule further comprises at least one of:

an information element indicating a second charging method;

an information element indicating a second charging rate; or

an information element indicating an identifier or address of a second CHF.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second charging method further comprises at least one of:

an information element indicating that an online charging is applicable for the PDU session;

an information element indicating that an offline charging is applicable for the PDU session; or

an information element indicating that a converged charging is applicable for the PDU session.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising enforcing charging control rule by the session management function further comprising:

sending, by the SMF to the CHF, a charging data request message requesting to establish a charging session, the charging data request message comprising a requested charging method indication; and

receiving, by the SMF from the CHF, a charging data response message comprising an accepted charging method indication.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the requested charging method indication comprises at least one of:

an information element indicating the online charging;

an information element indicating the offline charging; or

an information element indicating the converged charging.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the accepted charging method indication comprises at least one of:

an information element indicating the online charging;

an information element indicating the offline charging; or

an information element indicating the converged charging.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, by the SMF a user plane rule for the PDU session, wherein the determining is based on at least one of:

the charging control rule; or

charging policy information received from the CHF;

sending, by the SMF to a user plane function (UPF), a N4 request message requesting to establish or modify a session, the N4 request message comprising the user plane rule for the PDU session and the wireless device; and

enforcing, by the UPF, the user plane rule.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the N4 request message further comprises an N4 session identifier for the PDU session.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the session is an N4 session.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the user plane rule comprises at least one of:

packet detection rule;

forwarding action rule;

QoS enforcement rule; or

usage reporting rule.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the enforcing user plane rule by the UPF further comprising:

sending, by the UPF to the SMF, a resource usage report for the PDU session; and

receiving, by the UPF from the SMF, a response message.

19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by an NRF from the PCF, a CHF selection request message comprising PDU session information;

determining, by the NRF, an address of a CHF based on the PDU session information; and

sending, by the NRF to the PCF, the address of the CHF.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the PDU session information comprises at least one of:

a UE IP address;

a type of PDU Session;

an access type;

a radio access technology (RAT) type;

User location information; or

information of the SMF for the PDU session.