Cisco Systems, Inc.
Split control and data plane architecture to enable rating group-level thresholds and triggers from charging function for offline charging

Abstract:

A network element configured to support charging for a service in a network accesses policy rules defining a rating group to be used for offline charging. While a protocol data unit (PDU) session for user equipment is being established in the network, the network element sends, to a charging function configured to send charging data records related to service usage to a billing domain, a charging data request that establishes offline charging for the PDU session and indicates the rating group. The network element also receives, from the charging function, a charging data response including one or more triggers and thresholds for the rating group for the offline charging.