Seamless session handling with redundant deployment of policy control nodes
Systems, methods, and devices that relate to reducing or minimizing session establishment delay with redundant deployment of policy control nodes are disclosed. In one example aspect, a method for wireless communication includes receiving, by a first communication node configured to provide policy control in a communication network, a request for establishing a communication session with a mobile device. The method also includes determining, by the first communication node, that a failure has occurred between the first communication node and a second communication node for establishing the communication session, and transmitting, by the first communication node, a notification to a third communication node indicating information about the failure.
1. A method for wireless communication, comprising:
receiving, by a first Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) or a first Policy Control Function (PCF) communication node configured to provide policy control in a communication network, a request from a Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW) or a Session Management Function (SMF) node for establishing a communication session with a mobile device, determining, by the first PCRF or the first PCF communication node, that a failure to establish the communication session has occurred between the first PCRF or the first PCF communication node and the PGW or the SMF, wherein the communication network further includes one or more peer PCRF or one or more peer PCF communication nodes of the first PCRF or the first PCF communication node redundantly deployed in the communication network, wherein each of the one or more peer PCRF or the one or more peer PCF communication nodes is in communication with the PGW or the SMF node; and upon determining that the failure to establish the communication session has occurred, transmitting, by the first PCRF or the first PCF communication node, a notification to a peer PCRF or a peer PCF communication node that is separated from the first PCRF or the first PCF communication node, wherein the notification comprises a customized message indicating information about the failure to enable the peer PCRF or the peer PCF communication node to continue the establishing of the communication session with the mobile device, wherein the customized message is included in an Error-Message attribute-value pair (AVP).
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request for establishing the communication session with the mobile device comprises an Authorization/Authentication Request (AAR) or a request message transmitted via an N5 interface.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the customized message comprises information about a cause for the failure to establish the communication session.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the notification comprises a Gx Re-Auth-Request (RAR) command.
5. The method of claim 1 , comprising: receiving, by the first PCRF or the first PCF communication node, a response from the peer PCRF or the peer PCF communication node acknowledging to continue the establishing of the communication session with the mobile device by the peer PCRF or the peer PCF communication node.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication network comprises at least one of a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network or a New Radio (NR) network.
7. A device for wireless communication implemented as a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) or a Policy Control Function (PCF) communication node configured to provide policy control in a communication network, comprising at least one processor that is configured to: receive a request from a Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW) or a Session Management Function (SMF) node for establishing a communication session with a user equipment; determine that a failure to establish the communication session has occurred between the device and the PGW or the SMF node, wherein the communication network further includes one or more peer PCRF or one or more peer PCF communication nodes of the device redundantly deployed in the communication network, wherein each of the one or more peer PCRF or the one or more PCF communication nodes is in communication with the PGW or the SMF node, and wherein the device and the one or more peer PCRF or the one or more PCF communication nodes are connected to a shared database; and
upon determining that the failure to establish the communication session has occurred, transmit a notification to a peer PCRF or a peer PCF communication node that is separated from the PCRF or the PCF communication node, wherein the notification comprises a customized message indicating information about the failure to enable the peer PCRF or the peer PCF communication node to continue the establishing of the communication session with the user equipment,
wherein the customized message is included in an Error-Message attribute-value pair (AVP).
8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive an Authorization/Authentication Request (AAR) or a request message transmitted via an N5 interface as the request for establishing the communication session with the user equipment.
9. The device of claim 7 , wherein the customized message comprises information about a cause for the failure to establish the communication session.
10. The device of claim 7 , wherein the notification comprises a Gx Re-Auth-Request (RAR) command.
11. The device of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to: receive a response from the peer PCRF or the peer PCF communication node acknowledging to continue the establishing of the communication session with the user equipment by the peer PCRF or the peer PCF communication node.
12. The device of claim 7 , wherein the communication network comprises at least one of a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network or a New Radio (NR) network.
13. A method for wireless communication, comprising:
receiving, by a first Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) or a first Policy Control Function (PCF) communication node configured to provide policy control in a communication network, a first message from a peer PCRF or a peer PCF communication node that is separated from the first PCRF or the first PCF communication node, wherein the peer PCRF or the peer PCF communication node is configured to provide policy control in the communication network and is geo-redundantly deployed with the first PCRF or the first PCF communication node, wherein the first PCRF or the first PCF communication node is in communication with a Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW) or a Session Management Function (SMF) node, wherein the peer PCRF or the peer PCF communication node is in communication with the PGW or the SMF node, wherein the first message comprises a customized message indicating information about a failure has occurred between the peer PCRF or the peer PCF communication node and the PGW or the SMF node in the communication network for establishing a communication session with a mobile device; and transmitting, based on the information about the failure, a notification to the PGW or the SMF node to continue the establishing of the communication session with the mobile device, wherein the notification comprises a customized message that is included in an Error-Message attribute-value pair (AVP).
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
retrieving, by the first PCRF or the first PCF communication node, information about the communication session by querying a database that is shared by the first PCRF or the first PCF communication node and the peer PCRF or the peer PCF communication node.
15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
transmitting, by the first PCRF or the first PCF communication node, a second message to the peer PCRF or the peer PCF communication node acknowledging reception of the first message.
16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
receiving, by the first PCRF or the first PCF communication node, an acknowledgment from the PGW or the SMF node to continue the establishing of the communication session with the mobile device.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first message comprises a Gx Re-Auth-Request (RAR) command.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the communication network comprises at least one of a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network or a New Radio (NR) network.