CN102026137B - Addressing method and system for on-line charging system - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides an addressing method for an on-line charging system, which is applied to a network comprising at least one on-line charging system manager and more than one on-line charging system. The on-line charging system manager executes redirection function or agent function when receiving a charging request message from a network element, wherein in the process of executing the redirection function, the on-line charging system manager returns identification information of the selected on-line charging system to the network element; and in the process of executing the agent function, the on-line charging system manager forwards the charging request message to the on-line charging system selected by the on-line charging system manager. The invention also provides an addressing system for the on-line charging system. The invention realizes the addressing in the presence of a plurality of OCSs (on-line charging systems).

Description

An online billing system addressing method and system

technical field

The present invention relates to the communication field, in particular to an online charging system (OCS) addressing method and system.

Background technique

Online charging defined in the current 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) wireless communication standard organization is subject to credit control by the online charging system. Usually, the core network of a communication network is composed of a visited network and a home network. When the visited network and the home network are not the same network, and the user equipment accesses from the visited network, it is a user roaming scenario. According to the scale of the operator's network layout, each divided network, such as: PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network), may distribute multiple OCSs for load balancing of OCS information. At this time, how to manage the exchange of credit control information between network elements and multiple OCSs becomes a problem to be studied for online charging.

Many current norms and standards only involve the interaction process of credit control messages between network elements and a single OCS, but do not involve the interaction management between such network elements and multiple OCSs in the same network.

Contents of the invention

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an online charging system management method and system to solve the interaction between network elements and multiple OCSs.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an online charging system addressing method applied in a network comprising at least one online charging system manager and more than one online charging system, said online charging system manager When receiving an accounting request message from a network element, perform a redirection function or a proxy function, wherein:

The execution of the redirection function means that the online charging system manager returns the identification information of the selected online charging system to the network element;

The performing the proxy function means that the online charging system manager forwards the charging request message to the online charging system selected by the online charging system manager.

Further, the above method may also have the following features, the online charging system manager selects the online charging system in the following manner: it is judged whether the online charging system manager locally saves information related to the user equipment or the user equipment current The online charging system corresponding to the session, if there is, select an online charging system that has a corresponding relationship locally for the user equipment or the current session of the user equipment; if not, select the online charging system for the user equipment or the current session of the user equipment The session selects an online charging system, and saves the corresponding relationship between the online charging system and the user equipment or the current session of the user equipment.

Further, the above method may also have the following feature, when the online charging system manager selects the online charging system, the same online charging system is selected for the session of the same user equipment.

Furthermore, the above method may also have the following feature: after learning the online charging system identification information, the network element sends a charging request message to the online charging system indicated by the online charging system identification information.

Further, the above method may also have the following features: when the user equipment is in a roaming scene, after the online charging system receives the charging request message, it determines that the user equipment is a roaming user, and forwards the charging request message to the An online charging system manager of the network to which the user equipment belongs;

After receiving the charging request message, the online charging system manager of the home network performs a redirection function or a proxy function.

The present invention also provides an online charging system addressing system, including an online charging system manager, the online charging system manager is used to receive a charging request message from a network element, and perform a redirection function or a proxy function ,in:

The execution of the redirection function means that the online charging system manager returns the identification information of the selected online charging system to the network element;

The performing the proxy function means that the online charging system manager forwards the charging request message to the online charging system selected by the online charging system manager.

Further, the above system may also have the following features, the online charging system manager is used to select the online charging system in the following manner: find out whether there is an online charging system corresponding to the user equipment or the current session of the user equipment stored locally : If yes, select an online charging system that has a corresponding relationship locally for the user equipment or the current session of the user equipment; if not, select a line charging system for the user equipment or the current session of the user equipment, And save the corresponding relationship between the online charging system and the user equipment and the current session of the user equipment.

Further, the above system may also have the following feature, the online charging system manager is configured to select the same online charging system for the session of the same user equipment when selecting the online charging system.

Further, the above system may also have the following feature, the network element is configured to send a charging request message to the online charging system indicated by the online charging system identification information after learning the online charging system identification information.

Further, the above system may also have the following features, the online charging system is configured to, after receiving the charging request message, forward the charging request message to the home of the user equipment when judging that the user equipment is a roaming user Online billing system manager for the web.

In the method and system of the present invention, when there are multiple OCSs, an OCS manager is introduced to address the multiple OCSs.

Description of drawings

The accompanying drawings described here are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention, and constitute a part of the application. The schematic embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are used to explain the present invention, and do not constitute improper limitations to the present invention. In the attached picture:

Figure 1 is the OCS management model;

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of the redirection function of the OCS Manager of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of OCS Manager of the present invention acting as an agent;

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of OCS Manager acting as a redirection function in the case of roaming;

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of OCS Manager acting as a proxy in the roaming situation.

Detailed ways

The core idea of the present invention is that there may be multiple OCS areas in a network. When there are multiple OCSs in one OCS area, an online charging system manager (OCS Manager, or OCS routing agent, OCS routing agent) is introduced to monitor them. For management, each OCS Manager manages an OCS area, and the OCS Manager addresses the OCS in the jurisdiction.

The addressing method of the online billing system of the present invention includes: the billing credit control request (DiameterRequest) of the network element is first sent to the OCS Manager, and the OCS Manager performs a redirection function or a proxy (Proxy) function, specifically referring to:

When the OCS Manager executes the redirection function, after receiving the Diameter request message sent by the network element, it returns a redirection message containing the OCS identification information selected by the OCS Manager (it can be information such as the OCS host name or address, which is not limited here) to A network element; after learning the OCS identification information, the network element sends a Diameter request message to the OCS. Among them, the OCS Manager selects the OCS as follows: OCS Manager checks the locally saved information, if there is an OCS corresponding to the UE or the current session of the UE, then selects the OCS corresponding to the UE or the current session of the UE; The OCS Manager selects an OCS for the UE or the current session of the UE, and saves the correspondence between the OCS and the UE or the current session of the UE.

When the OCS Manager performs the proxy function, after receiving the charging credit control request message (Diameter Request) sent by the network element, it sends the charging request message to the OCS selected by the OCS Manager; wherein, the OCS Manager selects the OCS as follows : OCS Manager checks the locally stored information, if there is an OCS corresponding to the UE or the current session of the UE, select the OCS corresponding to the UE or the current session of the UE; An OCS is selected, and the corresponding relationship between the OCS and the UE or the current session of the UE is saved.

Among them, it is determined by the operator's policy that the OCS Manager uses the function of redirection (Redirection) or proxy (Proxy) to address the OCS.

In the present invention, the Diameter sessions of the same user equipment are processed by the same OCS, that is, the OCS Manager selects the same OCS for the Diameter sessions of the same user equipment when selecting an OCS.

In the UE roaming scenario, the OCS Manager performs the redirection function or proxy function. When the OCS Manager performs the redirection function, it specifically includes:

The network element sends a billing credit control request message (Diameter Request) to the OCSManager of the access network, and the OCS Manager of the access network executes the redirection function, and returns the selected OCS identification information in the access network (it can be information such as host name or address, here Not limited) to the network element; the selected OCS refers to the OCS stored locally in the OCS Manager in the access network and corresponding to the UE or the current session of the UE, or when the locally stored information is not queried, the OCS Manager of the access network is The UE or the OCS selected by the current session of the UE, the network element sends a charging request message to the selected OCS in the access network;

When the selected OCS in the visited network determines that the UE is a roaming user, it sends a Diameter request message to the OCS Manager of the home network, and the OCS Manager of the home network performs the redirection function, and returns the selected OCS identification information of the home network in the redirection response message For the selected OCS in the visited network; the selected OCS in the home network refers to the OCS stored locally by the OCS Manager in the home network and corresponding to the UE or the current session of the UE, or when no locally stored information is queried, The OCS Manager of the home network is the OCS selected for the UE or the current session of the UE; the selected OCS of the visited network sends a charging request message to the selected OCS of the home network, thereby realizing charging.

When OCS Manager performs proxy functions, it specifically includes:

The network element sends the charging request message to the OCS Manager of the access network, and the OCS Manager of the access network performs the proxy function, and sends the charging request message to a selected OCS in the access network; the method of selecting an OCS is the same as above, and is omitted here.

When the selected OCS in the visited network judges that the UE is a roaming user, it sends a charging request message to the OCS Manager of the home network, and the OCS Manager of the home network performs the proxy function and sends a charging request message to the selected OCS in the home network, thereby realizing Billing. The method of selecting OCS is the same as above, which is omitted here.

It is also possible that the access network OCS Manager performs the redirection function, and the home network OCS Manager performs the proxy function, or on the contrary, its specific implementation can be obtained according to the above process, and will not be repeated here.

The OCS management model is shown in Figure 1: the network element and the OCS manager are connected through the Ro reference point. There can be multiple OCS areas in one PLMN, and each OCS area can have multiple OCSs. OCS for addressing.

Figure 2 shows the flowchart of OCS Manager's function of redirection, including:

Step 201: the network element sends a Diameter request message to the OCS Manager;

Step 202: The OCS Manager replies to the Diameter redirection response to the network element, which includes the OCS identification information redirected to, which is the identification information of OCS3 in this embodiment;

Step 203: The network element sends a Diameter request message to the redirected OCS, which is OCS3 in this embodiment;

Step 204: OCS3 returns a Diameter response message to the network element.

Figure 3 shows the flow chart of OCS Manager function as Proxy, including:

Step 301: the network element sends a Diameter request message to the OCS Manager;

Step 302: The OCS Manager transparently transmits the Diameter request message to the OCS corresponding to the user equipment or the current session of the user equipment, which is OCS3 in this embodiment;

Step 303: After receiving the Diameter request message, OCS3 returns a Diameter response message to the OCS Manager;

Step 304: The OCS Manager agent transparently transmits the Diameter response message to the network element.

In the UE roaming scenario, the OCS Manager of the visited network: V-OCS Manager and the OCS Manager of the home network: H-OCS Manager both play the redirection function to illustrate the method of using the OCS Manager to perform OCS addressing. As shown in Figure 4, including:

Step 401: the network element of the access network sends a Diameter request to the OCS Manager (V-OCS Manager) of the access network;

Step 402: The V-OCS Manager returns a Diameter redirection response, carrying the selected redirection OCS identification information (the OCS of the access network: the identification information of V-OCS1) to the network element of the access network;

Step 403: The network element NE accessing the network sends a Diameter request to the redirected OCS: V-OCS1;

Step 404: V-OCS1 receives the Diameter request message, finds that the UE does not belong to the visited network, and needs to forward the Diameter request message to the home network of the UE, so V-OCS1 sends a Diameter request message to the OCS Manager (H-OCS Manager) of the home network ;

Step 405: H-OCS Manager returns a redirected Diameter response message to V-OCS1, which carries the selected redirected OCS identification information (in this embodiment, the identification information of OCS3 (H-OCS3) of the home network) to V-OCS1 OCS1;

Step 406: V-OCS1 sends a Diameter request to the redirected OCS, which is H-OCS3 in this embodiment;

Step 407: H-OCS3 of the home network returns a Diameter response to V-OCS1 of the visited network;

Step 408: V-OCS1 of the access network returns a Diameter response to the network element NE of the access network.

In the UE roaming scenario, the OCS Manager of the visiting network: V-OCS Manager and the OCS Manager of the home network: H-OCS Manager both play the role of proxy transparent transmission to illustrate the method of using OCS Manager to manage OCS routing. As shown in Figure 5:

Step 501: the network element (NE) of the access network sends a Diameter request message to the OCS Manager (V-OCS Manager) of the access network;

Step 502: OCS Manager transparently transmits the Diameter request message to an OCS in the access network, such as: V-OCS1;

Step 503: V-OCS1 receives the Diameter request message, finds that the UE does not belong to the visited network, and needs to forward the Diameter request message to the home network of the UE, so V-OCS1 sends a Diameter request message to the OCS Manager (H-OCS Manager) of the home network ;

Step 504: The H-OCS Manager of the home network receives the Diameter request message, and transparently transmits it to an OCS in the home network, such as: H-OCS3;

Step 505: H-OCS3 returns a Diameter response message to H-OCS Manager;

Step 506: H-OCS Manager returns a Diameter response message to V-OCS1 of the access network;

Step 507: V-OCS1 returns a Diameter response message to the V-OCSManager of the access network;

Step 508: The V-OCS Manager of the access network returns a Diameter response message to the network element (NE) of the access network.

After the above process, through the method of addressing the OCS by the OCS Manager, the network element of the access network completes the credit control information interaction with the OCS of the home network.

The present invention also provides an online charging system addressing system, including an online charging system manager, the online charging system manager is used to receive a charging request message from a network element, and perform a redirection function or a proxy function ,in:

The execution of the redirection function means that the online charging system manager returns the identification information of the selected online charging system to the network element;

The performing the proxy function means that the online charging system manager forwards the charging request message to the online charging system selected by the online charging system manager.

Wherein, the online charging system manager is configured to select an online charging system as follows: find out whether there is an online charging system corresponding to the user equipment or the current session of the user equipment locally; Or the current session of the user equipment selects an online charging system that has a corresponding relationship locally; if not, selects the online charging system for the user equipment or the current session of the user equipment, and saves the online charging system and the online charging system The corresponding relationship between the user equipment and the current session of the user equipment.

Wherein, the online charging system manager is configured to select the same online charging system for the session of the same user equipment when selecting the online charging system.

Wherein, the network element is configured to, after learning the online charging system identification information, send a charging request message to the online charging system indicated by the online charging system identification information.

Wherein, the online charging system is configured to forward the charging request message to the online charging system manager of the home network of the user equipment when judging that the user equipment is a roaming user after receiving the charging request message.

The above descriptions are only preferred embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention may have various modifications and changes. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention shall be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims (9)

1. an Online Charging System OCS addressing method, be applied in the network comprising at least one Online Charging System manager and more than one Online Charging System, it is characterized in that, when described Online Charging System manager receives the charging request message from network element, perform redirection function or agent functionality, wherein:

Described execution redirection function refers to, the identification information of the Online Charging System of selection is returned to described network element by described Online Charging System manager;

Described agents function refers to, described charging request message is transmitted to the Online Charging System that described Online Charging System manager is selected by described Online Charging System manager;

When subscriber equipment is in roaming scence, that is, when an OCS region exists multiple OCS, each described Online Charging System manager administration OCS region, described Online Charging System manager carries out addressing to the OCS in area under one's jurisdiction;

When subscriber equipment is in roaming scence, after described Online Charging System receives charging request message, judge that described subscriber equipment is as roamer, forward the Online Charging System manager of described charging request message to described subscriber equipment home network; Wherein, when subscriber equipment is in roaming scence, described Online Charging System is positioned at accesses network.

2. the method for claim 1, it is characterized in that, described Online Charging System manager selects Online Charging System as follows: judge that whether Online Charging System manager is local and preserve the Online Charging System corresponding with described subscriber equipment or described subscriber equipment current sessions, if had, for the current sessions of described subscriber equipment or described subscriber equipment selects the local Online Charging System that there is corresponding relation; If no, for described subscriber equipment or described subscriber equipment current sessions select Online Charging System, and preserve the corresponding relation of this Online Charging System and described subscriber equipment or described subscriber equipment current sessions.

3. method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, is characterized in that, during described Online Charging System manager selection Online Charging System, same Online Charging System is selected in the session for same subscriber equipment.

4. the method for claim 1, is characterized in that, after described network element knows described Online Charging System identification information, sends the Online Charging System that charging request message indicates to described Online Charging System identification information.

5. the method as described in claim 1 or 4, is characterized in that,

After the Online Charging System manager reception charging request message of described home network, perform redirection function or agent functionality.

6. an Online Charging System OCS addressing system, is characterized in that, comprises Online Charging System manager, described Online Charging System manager, for receiving the charging request message from network element, performs redirection function or agent functionality, wherein:

Described execution redirection function refers to, the identification information of the Online Charging System of selection is returned to described network element by described Online Charging System manager;

Described agents function refers to, described charging request message is transmitted to the Online Charging System that described Online Charging System manager is selected by described Online Charging System manager;

When subscriber equipment is in roaming scence, that is, when an OCS region exists multiple OCS, each described Online Charging System manager administration OCS region, described Online Charging System manager carries out addressing to the OCS in area under one's jurisdiction;

Described Online Charging System, after receiving charging request message, when judging subscriber equipment as roamer, forwards the Online Charging System manager of described charging request message to the home network of described subscriber equipment; Wherein, when subscriber equipment is in roaming scence, described Online Charging System is positioned at accesses network.

7. system as claimed in claim 6, it is characterized in that, described Online Charging System manager, for selecting Online Charging System as follows: search this locality and whether preserve the Online Charging System corresponding with subscriber equipment or subscriber equipment current sessions: if had, for the current sessions of described subscriber equipment or described subscriber equipment selects the local Online Charging System that there is corresponding relation; If no, for described subscriber equipment or described subscriber equipment current sessions select line charge system, and preserve the corresponding relation of this Online Charging System and described subscriber equipment and described subscriber equipment current sessions.

8. system as claimed in claims 6 or 7, is characterized in that, described Online Charging System manager, and for when selecting Online Charging System, same Online Charging System is selected in the session for same subscriber equipment.

9. system as claimed in claim 6, is characterized in that, described network element, after knowing described Online Charging System identification information, sends the Online Charging System that charging request message indicates to described Online Charging System identification information.