Patent ID: 11881957
Assignee: NOKIA OF AMERICA CORPORATION
Field: Telecommunications (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H | IPC H

Claim 0:
1. An extended online charging system (EOCS) for a telecommunication system to facilitate dynamic management of policy rules for an end user of the telecommunication system during a communication session, the EOCS comprising:
at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code;
at least one first communication interface configured for communications between the EOCS and a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) of the telecommunication system; and
at least one second communication interface configured for communications between the EOCS and a policy and charging enforcement function (PCEF) of the telecommunication system;
wherein the at least one processor, the at least one memory, the computer program code, and the at least one second communication interface are configured to receive a credit request from the PCEF for allocation of service units to a subscriber account associated with a communication session during the communication session;
wherein the at least one processor, the at least one memory, the computer program code, and the at least one second communication interface are configured to send a credit answer with an allocation of service units for the subscriber account to the PCEF during the communication session in response to the credit request, wherein the PCEF monitors usage of the allocated service units during the communication session;
wherein the at least one processor, the at least one memory, the computer program code, and the at least one second communication interface are configured to receive a report on usage of the allocated service units from the PCEF during the communication session;
wherein the at least one processor, the at least one memory, and the computer program code are configured to determine a policy/rule change is needed for the subscriber account based at least in part on the report from the PCEF;
wherein the at least one processor, the at least one memory, the computer program code, and the at least one first communication interface are configured to send a notification of policy change for the subscriber account to the PCRF during the communication session after determining the policy/rule change is needed, wherein the notification of policy change for the subscriber account indicates the policy/rule change is needed and triggers a process for determining the policy/rule change for the subscriber account at the PCRF.