Authorizing QoS per QCI
The invention is directed to 3GPP-compliant networks wherein a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) node provides a subscriber's maximum allowed Authorized Quality-of-Service (QoS) per QoS Class Identifier (QCI) to a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) as the authorized QoS per QCI, such that the PCEF node can then allocate resources and bandwidth over one or more Internet Protocol Connectivity Access Network (IP-CAN) bearers with the same QCI.
1. A method of providing an Authorized Quality-of-Service (QoS) per QoS Class Identifier (QCI), the method comprising steps of:
receiving a service request for a subscriber, said service request comprising a requested bandwidth and a requested QCI;
retrieving from a Subscription Profile Repository (SPR), a subscriber profile for said subscriber;
extracting a QCI limit for the requested QCI from said subscriber profile, wherein said QCI limit is applicable to a plurality of Internet Protocol Connectivity Access Network (IP-CAN) bearers with the QCI within an IP-CAN session of said subscriber;
determining if currently-used bandwidth for the IP-CAN bearers with the QCI within the IP-CAN session of said subscriber plus said requested bandwidth is less than or equal to said QCI limit; and
responsive to said determining step, provisioning said QCI limit as the authorized QoS per QCI.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said authorized QoS per QCI is communicated to a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF).
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the PCEF may allocate required resources among the Internet Protocol Connectivity Access Network (IP-CAN) bearers within an IP-CAN session of the subscriber to provide the authorized QoS.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising a step of installing one or more charging rules within said IP-CAN session.
5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising a step of sending a Credit Control Answer (CCA) message in response to said service request.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein said service request for a subscriber is received in the form of a Credit Control Request (CCR) message.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said method is performed at a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) node.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said PCRF node is a node or nodes providing PCRF functionality.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein said PCRF node comprises an element in a 3GPP-compliant packet data network.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said 3GPP-compliant packet data network comprises a Long Term Evolution (LTE) or General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network.
11. The method of claim 2 , further comprising a step of sending a Re-Authorization Request (RAR) message due to a PCRF internal trigger or service request from an Application Function (AF).
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of provisioning authorized QoS per QCI as the QCI limit comprises including the QoS per QCI within a QoS-Information AVP.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the QoS-Information AVP is outside of any Charging-Rule-Install AVP.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising rejecting the service request if the currently-used bandwidth for active IP-Can bearers within the IP-CAN session of said subscriber plus said requested bandwidth is more than said QCI limit.
15. A Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) Node for generating Policy and Control Charging PCC rules, the PCRF node configured to:
receive a service request for a subscriber, said service request comprising a requested bandwidth and a requested Quality of Service (QoS) class identifier (QCI);
retrieve from a Subscription Profile Repository (SPR), a subscriber profile for said subscriber;
extract a QCI limit for the requested QCI from said subscriber profile, wherein said QCI limit is applicable to a plurality of Internet Protocol Connectivity Access Network (IP-CAN) bearers with the QCI within an IP-CAN session of said subscriber;
determine if currently-used bandwidth for the IP-CAN bearers with the QCI within the IP-CAN session of said subscriber plus said requested bandwidth is less than said QCI limit; and
responsive to said determining step, provision said QCI limit as an authorized QoS per QCI.
16. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions for a policy and rules charging function (PCRN) node, the non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising:
instructions for receiving a service request for a subscriber, said service request comprising a requested bandwidth and a requested Quality of Service (QoS) class identifier (QCI);
instructions for retrieving from a Subscription Profile Repository (SPR), a subscriber profile for said subscriber;
instructions for extracting a QCI limit for the requested QCI from said subscriber profile, wherein said QCI limit is applicable to a plurality of Internet Protocol Connectivity Access Network (IP-CAN) bearers with the QCI within an IP-CAN session of said subscriber;
instructions for determining if currently-used bandwidth for the IP-CAN bearers with the QCI within the IP-CAN session of said subscriber plus said requested bandwidth is less than said QCI limit; and
instructions for, responsive to said determining step, provisioning said QCI limit as an authorized QoS per QCI.