Determining policy rules in a mobile network using subscription data in an application server
Apparatuses, methods, and systems are disclosed for creating service rules based on user information retrieved from an application server. One apparatus includes a processor and a transceiver that communicates with one or more network functions in a mobile communication network. The transceiver receives a request to provide service rules for a user in response to a request received by the mobile communication network from the user to establish a data connection. The processor identifies one or more service contexts associated with the user and retrieves user information by using each of the identified one or more service contexts. A service context holds information for accessing user information in an application server. The processor creates one or more service rules by using the user information, wherein the mobile communication network applies the one or more service rules to configure the data connection.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a transceiver configured to communicate with one or more network functions in a mobile communication network and with one or more application servers external to the mobile communication network; and
a processor coupled to the transceiver, wherein the processor is configured to:
receive, from a policy control function, a request to provide service rules for a user requesting to establish a data connection to a data network via the mobile communication network;
identify one or more service contexts associated with the user, each service context holding information for accessing user information in a respective application server external to the mobile communication network;
retrieve user information from the respective application server external to the mobile communication network using each of the identified one or more service contexts; and
create one or more service rules by using the retrieved user information, wherein the mobile communication network applies the one or more service rules to configure the data connection requested by the user.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein receiving the request to provide service rules for the user comprises receiving a service rule request, the service rule request including at least one of a subscriber permanent identity (“SUPI”) of the user and a data network name (“DNN”).
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each service context includes a network address of the respective application server, a user identifier in the respective application server associated with the user, and an access token corresponding to the user identifier for accessing user information stored in the respective application server.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor further creates a respective service context by requesting the user to authorize the access to information associated with the user that is stored in the respective application server.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein requesting the user to authorize the access to information associated with the user comprises intercepting data traffic of the user and responding to the intercepted traffic with a request to authorize the access to information associated with the user that is stored in the respective application server.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the respective application server external to the mobile communication network is operated by a third-party service provider and wherein the retrieved user information indicates a subscription type that the user has with the third-party service provider.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more service rules is associated with an application server providing one or more services, wherein the service rule associated with a particular application server indicates a quality of service level to be applied to traffic associated with the one or more services of the particular application server.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the service rule associated with the particular application server indicates an improved quality of service level in response to a subscription type that the user has with a service provider associated with the particular application server meeting a predetermined requirement.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more service rules is associated with an application server providing one or more services, wherein the service rule associated with a particular application server indicates a charging rate to be applied to traffic associated with the one or more services of the respective application server.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the service rule associated with the particular application server indicates a reduced charging rate in response to a subscription type that the user has with a service provider associated with the particular application server meeting a predetermined requirement.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the retrieved user information indicates one or more of: user preferences, usage activity for a service provided by the respective application server, and social network activity of the user.
12. A method comprising:
receiving, from a policy control function in a mobile communication network, a request to provide service rules for a user requesting to establish a data connection to a data network via the mobile communication network;
identifying one or more service contexts associated with the user, each service context holding information for accessing user information in a respective application server external to the mobile communication network;
retrieving user information from the respective application server external to the mobile communication network using each of the identified service contexts;
creating one or more service rules by using the retrieved user information; and
applying the one or more service rules to configure the data connection requested by the user.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein receiving the request to provide service rules for a user comprises receiving a service rule request, the service rule request including at least one of a subscriber permanent identity (“SUPI”) of the user and a data network name (“DNN”).
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein each service context includes a network address of the respective application server, a user identifier in the respective application server associated with the user, and an access token corresponding to the user identifier for accessing user information stored in the application server.
15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising creating a respective service context by requesting the user to authorize the access to information associated with the user that is stored in the respective application server.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein requesting the user to authorize access to information associated with the user comprises intercepting user traffic data traffic of the user and responding to the intercepted traffic with the request to access the information associated with the user that is stored in the respective application server.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the respective application server external to the mobile communication network is operated by a third-party service provider and wherein the retrieved user information indicates a subscription type that the user has with the third-party service provider.
18. The method of claim 12 , wherein each of the one or more service rules is associated with an application server providing one or more services, wherein the service rule associated with a particular application server indicates a quality of service level to be applied to traffic associated with the one or more services of the particular application server.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the service rule associated with the particular application server indicates an improved quality of service level in response to a subscription type that the user has with a service provider associated with the particular application server meeting a predetermined requirement.
20. The method of claim 12 , wherein each of the one or more service rules is associated with an application server providing one or more services, wherein the service rule associated with a particular application server indicates a charging rate to be applied to traffic associated with the one or more services of the respective application server.