DEVICES AND METHOD FOR GUARANTEEING QUALITY OF SERVICE PER SERVICE DATA FLOW THROUGH THE BEARER LAYER

摘要

In scenarios where the quality of service is negotiated through a signalling layer whereas the services are actually carried through a bearer layer, application functions at the signalling layer are not always aware of how quality of service is individually accomplished at the bearer layer on a service basis. The invention provides a method and devices whereby events are detected on a service data flow basis at a detection device in the bearer layer and notified towards an application device in the signalling layer via a control device between the signalling and the bearer layer. The list of events to be notified is obtainable at the control device from the application device and is included in Quality of Service related rules, along with service data flow filters. This Quality of Service related rules are provided to the detection device for inspecting individual service data flows in order to detect and notify the indicated events.

主权项

1. A network gateway with a Policing and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) in charge of service data flow (SDF) detection, policing enforcement, charging functionality and detection of events in a bearer layer, the bearer layer bearing several SDFs, each SDF including at least one Internet Protocol (IP) flow, the network gateway with the PCEF comprising:
an input unit configured to receive SDF filters, for SDF detection, and events to be notified on an SDF basis, from a Policing and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) device which is in charge of providing network control for SDF detection; an input/output unit configured to transport IP flows in the bearer layer through the network gateway with the PCEF; a filter configured to inspect the IP flows and, by using the SDF filters, configured to inspect an individual SDF; an event detector configured to detect an event occurred in the bearer layer for the individual SDF inspected; and an output unit configured to notify the PCRF device of the event detected for the individual SDF.