Diameter Charging-Rule Inheritance Support
Systems, methods and computer software are disclosed for providing Diameter charging-rule inheritance support. In one embodiment a method is disclosed, comprising: provisioning, using an inherit-Charging Rules attribute value pair (AVP), dynamic rules at a Policy Charging and Enforcement Function (PCEF), wherein the inherit-Charging Rules AVP includes an AVP header, an associated session and at least one of a charging rule name, an exclude charging rule name, an exclude charging rule base name, and an AVP; and wherein the AVP inherits policy and charging control (PCC) rule definitions referenced in an Association-Session AVP.
1 . A method for providing Diameter charging-rule inheritance support, comprising:
provisioning, using an inherit-Charging Rules attribute value pair (AVP), dynamic rules at a Policy Charging and Enforcement Function (PCEF), wherein the inherit-Charging Rules AVP includes an AVP header, an associated session and at least one of a charging rule name, an exclude charging rule name, an exclude charging rule base name, and an AVP; and
wherein the AVP inherits policy and charging control (PCC) rule definitions referenced in an Association-Session AVP.
2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising using the inherit-Charging-Rules AVP for provisioning the PCC rules from a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) to the PCEF using the reference from the rules already installed for another subscriber.
3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising using the Associated-Session as a reference for a subscriber from which rule needs to be installed for this session.
4 . The method of claim 1 further comprising using the Charging-Rule-Name to reference to a PCC rule already installed at PCEF for Associated-Session by the PCRF.
5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising using the Exclude-Charging-Rule-Name to reference to a PCC rule which need not be installed while installing all other rules/rulebases referenced from Associated-Session.
6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising using the Exclude-Charging-Rule-Base-Name to reference to a Rule-Base defined at the PCEF which need not be installed while installing all other rules/rulebases referenced from Associated-Session.
7 . A non-transitory computer-readable media containing instructions for providing Diameter charging-rule inheritance support which, when executed, cause a system to perform steps comprising:
provisioning, using an inherit-Charging Rules attribute value pair (AVP), dynamic rules at a Policy Charging and Enforcement Function (PCEF), wherein the inherit-Charging Rules AVP includes an AVP header, an associated session and at least one of a charging rule name, an exclude charging rule name, an exclude charging rule base name, and an AVP; and
wherein the AVP inherits policy and charging control (PCC) rule definitions referenced in an Association-Session AVP.
8 . The computer-readable media of claim 7 further comprising instructions for using the inherit-Charging-Rules AVP for provisioning the PCC rules from a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) to the PCEF using the reference from the rules already installed for another subscriber.
9 . The computer-readable media of claim 7 further comprising instructions for using the Associated-Session as a reference for a subscriber from which rule needs to be installed for this session.
10 . The computer-readable media of claim 7 further comprising instructions for using the Charging-Rule-Name to reference to a PCC rule already installed at PCEF for Associated-Session by the PCRF.
11 . The computer-readable media of claim 7 further comprising instructions for using the Exclude-Charging-Rule-Name to reference to a PCC rule which need not be installed while installing all other rules/rulebases referenced from Associated-Session.
12 . The computer-readable media of claim 7 further comprising instructions for using the Exclude-Charging-Rule-Base-Name to reference to a Rule-Base defined at the PCEF which need not be installed while installing all other rules/rulebases referenced from Associated-Session.
13 . A system for providing Diameter charging-rule inheritance support, comprising:
a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF);
a Policy Charging and Enforcement Function (PCEF) in communication with the PCRF; and
provisioning, using an inherit-Charging Rules attribute value pair (AVP), dynamic rules at a Policy Charging and Enforcement Function (PCEF), wherein the inherit-Charging Rules AVP includes an AVP header, an associated session and at least one of a charging rule name, an exclude charging rule name, an exclude charging rule base name, and an AVP; and
wherein the AVP inherits policy and charging control (PCC) rule definitions referenced in an Association-Session AVP.
14 . The system of claim 13 further comprising using the inherit-Charging-Rules AVP for provisioning the PCC rules from a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) to the PCEF using the reference from the rules already installed for another subscriber.
15 . The system of claim 13 further comprising using the Associated-Session as a reference for a subscriber from which rule needs to be installed for this session.
16 . The system of claim 13 further comprising using the Charging-Rule-Name to reference to a PCC rule already installed at PCEF for Associated-Session by the PCRF.
17 . The system of claim 13 further comprising using the Exclude-Charging-Rule-Name to reference to a PCC rule which need not be installed while installing all other rules/rulebases referenced from Associated-Session.
18 . The system of claim 13 further comprising using the Exclude-Charging-Rule-Base-Name to reference to a Rule-Base defined at the PCEF which need not be installed while installing all other rules/rulebases referenced from Associated-Session.