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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
LTE;
5G;
Telecommunication management;
Charging management;
Exposure function Northbound Application Program Interfaces
(APIs) charging
(3GPP TS 32.254 version 15.1.0 Release 15)
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3GPP TS 32.254 version 15.1.0 Release 15 1 ETSI TS 132 254 V15.1.0 (2019-04)
Reference
RTS/TSGS-0532254vf10
Keywords
5G,LTE
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3GPP TS 32.254 version 15.1.0 Release 15 2 ETSI TS 132 254 V15.1.0 (2019-04)
Intellectual Property Rights
Essential patents
IPRs essential or potentially essential to normative deliverables may have been declared to ETSI. The information
pertaining to these essential IPRs, if any, is publicly available for ETSI members and non-members, and can be found
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Foreword
This Technical Specification (TS) has been produced by ETSI 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP).
The present document may refer to technical specifications or reports using their 3GPP identities, UMTS identities or
GSM identities. These should be interpreted as being references to the corresponding ETSI deliverables.
The cross reference between GSM, UMTS, 3GPP and ETSI identities can be found under
.
Modal verbs terminology
In the present document "shall", "shall not", "should", "should not", "may", "need not", "will", "will not", "can" and
"cannot" are to be interpreted as described in clause 3.2 of the ETSI Drafting Rules (Verbal forms for the expression of
provisions).
"must" and "must not" are NOT allowed in ETSI deliverables except when used in direct citation.
ETSI
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3GPP TS 32.254 version 15.1.0 Release 15 3 ETSI TS 132 254 V15.1.0 (2019-04)
Contents
Intellectual Property Rights . 2
Foreword . 2
Modal verbs terminology . 2
Foreword . 5
1 Scope . 6
2 References . 6
3 Definitions, symbols and abbreviations . 7
3.1 Definitions . 7
3.2 Symbols . 7
3.3 Abbreviations . 7
4 Architecture considerations . 8
4.1 High-level Service Exposure Function architecture . 8
4.2 Northbound API offline charging architecture . 8
4.3 Northbound API online charging architecture . 9
5 Northbound API charging principles and scenarios . 10
5.1 Northbound API charging principles . 10
5.1.0 General . 10
5.1.1 Northbound API procedures . 10
5.2 Northbound API offline charging scenarios . 10
5.2.1 Basic principles . 10
5.2.2 Rf message flows . 11
5.2.2.1 Triggers for charging events from SCEF . 11
5.2.3 CDR generation . 11
5.2.3.1 Introduction . 11
5.2.3.2 Triggers for EA-SCE-CDR creation and closure . 11
5.2.3.2.1 Triggers for EA-SCE-CDR generation . 11
5.2.4 Ga record transfer flows . 11
5.2.5 Bea CDR file transfer . 11
5.3 Northbound API online charging scenarios . 12
5.3.1 Basic principles . 12
5.3.1.1 General . 12
5.3.2 Ro message flows . 12
5.3.2.1 Event Based Charging . 12
6. Definition of charging information . 15
6.1 Data description for Northbound API offline charging . 15
6.1.1 Rf message contents. 15
6.1.1.1 General . 15
6.1.1.2 Charging data request message . 15
6.1.1.3 Charging data response message . 16
6.1.2 Ga message contents . 16
6.1.3 CDR description on the Bea interface. 16
6.1.3.1 General . 16
6.1.3.2 Exposure Function API charging data (EA-SCE-CDR). 16
6.2 Data description for Northbound API online charging . 17
6.2.1 Ro message contents . 17
6.2.1.0 Introduction . 17
6.2.1.1 Summary of message formats . 17
6.2.1.2 Structure for the Credit-Control message formats . 18
6.2.1.2.1 Debit/Reserve Units Request message . 18
6.2.1.2.2 Debit / Reserve Units Response message . 18
6.3 Northbound API charging specific parameters . 19
6.3.1 Definition of Northbound API charging information . 19
6.3.1.1 Exposure Function API charging information assignment for Service Information . 19
ETSI
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3GPP TS 32.254 version 15.1.0 Release 15 4 ETSI TS 132 254 V15.1.0 (2019-04)
6.3.1.2 Definition of the Exposure Function API Information . 19
6.3.1.3 Supported features . 20
6.3.2 Detailed message format for offline charging . 20
6.3.3 Detailed message format for online charging . 22
6.4 Bindings for Northbound API offline charging . 24
Annex A (normative): Charging characteristics . 25
A.1 General . 25
Annex B (informative): Change history . 26
History . 27
ETSI
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3GPP TS 32.254 version 15.1.0 Release 15 5 ETSI TS 132 254 V15.1.0 (2019-04)
Foreword
rd
This Technical Specification has been produced by the 3 Generation Partnership Project (3GPP).
The contents of the present document are subject to continuing work within the TSG and may change following formal
TSG approval. Should the TSG modify the contents of the present document, it will be re-released by the TSG with an
identifying change of release date and an increase in version number as follows:
Version x.y.z
where:
x the first digit:
1 presented to TSG for information;
2 presented to TSG for approval;
3 or greater indicates TSG approved document under change control.
Y the second digit is incremented for all changes of substance, i.e. technical enhancements, corrections,
updates, etc.
z the third digit is incremented when editorial only changes have been incorporated in the document.
ETSI
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3GPP TS 32.254 version 15.1.0 Release 15 6 ETSI TS 132 254 V15.1.0 (2019-04)
1 Scope
The present document is part of a series of documents that specify charging functionality and charging management in
GSM/UMTS/LTE networks. The GSM/UMTS/LTE core network charging architecture and principles are specified in
TS 32.240 [1], which provides an umbrella for other charging management TSs that specify:
- the content of the CDRs per domain / subsystem / service (offline charging);
- the content of real-time charging messages per domain / subsystem / service (online charging);
- the functionality of online and offline charging for those domains / subsystems / services;
- the interfaces that are used in the charging framework to transfer the charging information (i.e. CDRs or
charging events).
The complete document structure for these TSs is defined in TS 32.240 [1].
The present document specifies the offline and online charging description for Northbound Application Program
Interfaces (API), based on the functional stage 2 description in TS 23.682 [243] for transaction over T8 reference point
between SCEF and SCS/AS. This charging description includes the offline and online charging architecture and
scenarios specific to Northbound Application Program Interfaces (API), as well as the mapping of the common 3GPP
charging architecture specified in TS 32.240 [1] onto the Northbound Application Program Interfaces (API). It further
specifies the structure and content of the CDRs for offline charging. The present document is related to other 3GPP
charging TSs as follows:
- The common 3GPP charging architecture is specified in TS 32.240 [1].
- The parameters, abstract syntax and encoding rules for the CDRs are specified in TS 32.298 [51].
- A transaction based mechanism for the transfer of CDRs within the network is specified in TS 32.295 [54].
- The file based mechanism used to transfer the CDRs from the network to the operator’s billing domain (e.g. the
billing system or a mediation device) is specified in TS 32.297 [52].
- The 3GPP Diameter application that is used for Northbound Application Program Interfaces (API) offline and
online charging is specified in TS 32.299 [50].
2 References
The following documents contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of the present
document.
- References are either specific (identified by date of publication, edition number, version number, etc.) or
non-specific.
- For a specific reference, subsequent revisions do not apply.
- For a non-specific reference, the latest version applies. In the case of a reference to a 3GPP document (including
a GSM document), a non-specific reference implicitly refers to the latest version of that document in the same
Release as the present document.
[1] 3GPP TS 32.240: "Telecommunication management; Charging management; Charging
architecture and principles".
[2] – [49] Void.
[50] 3GPP TS 32.299: "Telecommunication management; Charging management; Diameter charging
application".
[51] 3GPP TS 32.298: "Telecommunication management; Charging management; Charging Data
Record (CDR) parameter description".
[52] 3GPP TS 32.297: "Telecommunication management; Charging management; Charging Data
Record (CDR) file format and transfer".
ETSI
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3GPP TS 32.254 version 15.1.0 Release 15 7 ETSI TS 132 254 V15.1.0 (2019-04)
[53] 3GPP TS 32.296: "Telecommunication management; Charging management; Online Charging
System (OCS): Applications and interfaces".
[54] 3GPP TS 32.295: "Telecommunication management; Charging management; Charging Data
Record (CDR) transfer".
[55] – [99] Void.
[100] 3GPP TR 21.905: "Vocabulary for 3GPP Specifications".
[101] – [199] Void
[200] – [229] Void
[230] 3GPP TS 29.122: "T8 reference point for northbound Application Programming Interfaces
(APIs)".
[231] – [242] Void
[243] 3GPP TS 23.682: "Architecture enhancements to facilitate communications with packet data
networks and applications".
[244] – [299] Void
[300] – [399] Void.
3 Definitions, symbols and abbreviations
3.1 Definitions
For the purposes of the present document, the terms and definitions given in 3GPP TR 21.905 [100], TS 32.240 [1] and
the following apply. A term defined in the present document takes precedence over the definition of the same term, if
any, in either 3GPP TR 21.905 [100] or TS 32.240 [1].
3.2 Symbols
For the purposes of the present document, the following symbols apply:
Bea Reference point for the CDR file transfer from the Exposure function API CGF to the BD.
Ga Reference point for CDR transfer between a CDF and the CGF.
Rf Offline charging reference point between a SCEF and the CDF.
Ro Online charging reference point between a SCEF and the CDF.
T8 Reference point between the SCEF and SCS/AS.
3.3 Abbreviations
For the purposes of the present document, the abbreviations given in 3GPP TR 21.905 [100] and the following apply.
An abbreviation defined in the present document takes precedence over the definition of the same abbreviation, if any,
in 3GPP TR 21.905 [100].
AS Application Server
BD Billing Domain
CDF Charging Data Function
CGF Charging Gateway Function
CTF Charging Trigger Function
IE Information Element
SCEF Service Capability Exposure Function
SCS Services Capability Server
SGSN Serving GPRS Support Node
RCAF RAN Congestion Awareness Function
ETSI
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3GPP TS 32.254 version 15.1.0 Release 15 8 ETSI TS 132 254 V15.1.0 (2019-04)
4 Architecture considerations
4.1 High-level Service Exposure Function architecture
The overall architecture and detailed description for Service Capability Exposure which enables the 3GPP network to
rd
securely expose its services and capabilities provided by 3GPP network interfaces to external 3 party service provider
applications are defined in 3GPP TS 23.682 [243], and figure 4.1.1 is highlighting T8 involved for interworking
between SCEF and SCS/AS.
Figure 4.1.1: Northbound API of 3GPP Architecture Service Capability Exposure
4.2 Northbound API offline charging architecture
As described in TS 32.240 [1], the CTF (an integrated component in each charging relevant NE) generates charging
events and forwards them to the CDF. The CDF, in turn, generates CDRs which are then transferred to the CGF.
Finally, the CGF creates CDR files and forwards them to the BD.
For offline charging, SCEF functioning as the CTF, may generate accounting metrics sets for Northbound Application
Program Interfaces (APIs) CDRs:
- the SCEF, to record Application Program Interfaces transaction.
If the SCEF generating the charging information has an integrated CDF, then the SCEF can produce CDRs. The CGF
may also be integrated in the SCEF, or it may exist as a physically separate entity.
If the CGF is external to the SCEF /CDF, then the SCEF/CDF forwards the CDRs to the CGF across the Ga interface. If
the CDF is external to the SCEF, the charging events are transferred from the SCEF to the CDF via the Rf interface
specified in TS 32.299 [50].
When an external CGF is used, this CGF may also be used by other. It should be noted that the CGF may also be an
integrated component of the BD – in this case, the Bea interface does not exist and is replaced by a proprietary solution
internal to the BD.
Figure 4.2.1 depicts the architectural options described above.
ETSI
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3GPP TS 32.254 version 15.1.0 Release 15 9 ETSI TS 132 254 V15.1.0 (2019-04)
Figure 4.2.1: Northbound API offline charging architecture
It is mandatory to support at least one of the Rf, Ga or Bea interfaces from the SCEF as described in the present
document.
4.3 Northbound API online charging architecture
Northbound API online charging is based on SCEF utilizing Ro interface and application towards the OCS as specified
in TS 32.299 [50]. The Ro reference point covers all online charging functionality required for SCEF.
SCEF R
O
Online Charging System
.
Figure 4.3.1: Northbound API online charging architecture
Details on the interfaces and functions can be found in TS 32.240 [1] for the general architecture components,
TS 32.296 [53] for the OCS, and TS 32.299 [50] for the Ro application.
ETSI
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3GPP TS 32.254 version 15.1.0 Release 15 10 ETSI TS 132 254 V15.1.0 (2019-04)
5 Northbound API charging principles and scenarios
5.1 Northbound API charging principles
5.1.0 General
The following are high level charging requirements for northbound API for Exposure Function which are specified in
TS 23.682 [243]:
For northbound API invocation/notification, the SCEF shall collect the following charging information:
- invocations/notifications count of the northbound APIs.
- identification of the SCS/AS and the associated northbound API invocation/notification.
- timestamp of the northbound API invocation/notification.
- northbound API related information, e.g. location.
5.1.1 Northbound API procedures
All procedures that operate across the T8 reference point, as specified in 3GPP TS 23.682 [243] and TS 29.122 [230],
are proposed as the following:
- Monitoring
- Resource management of Background Data Transfer
- Changing the chargeable party at session set up or during the session
- Non-IP Data Delivery
- Device Triggering
- Group Message Delivery
- Reporting of Network Status
- Communication Pattern Parameters Provisioning
- PFD Management
- Enhanced Coverage Restriction Control
- Network Parameter Configuration
- Setting up an AS session with required QoS
- MSISDN-less Mobile Originated SMS
The following clauses describe the trigger conditions and simplified message flows for Event Based
Charging(IEC/ECUR), as specified in 3GPP TS 32.299 [50].
5.2 Northbound API offline charging scenarios
5.2.1 Basic principles
If charging is supported by an SCEF, it shall be able to collect charging information per T8 transaction.
The SCS/AS is identified by the SCS Identifier, which T8 transaction between SCEF and SCS/AS can be determined by
a T8 Long Term Transaction Reference ID (TLTRI). The Identifiers are stored on both the SCEF and the SCS/AS for
the duration of the transaction.
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3GPP TS 32.254 version 15.1.0 Release 15 11 ETSI TS 132 254 V15.1.0 (2019-04)
The following chargeable events are defined for SCEF charging for all Northbound APIs:
- Northbound API invocation/ notification per T8 transaction.
- Expiry of an operator configured time limit per T8 transaction.
- Expiry of an operator configured Northbound API invocation limit per T8 transaction.
Management intervention may also force trigger a chargeable event.
The subscriber is the API invoker (e.g. SCS, AS) of the Northbound APIs.
5.2.2 Rf message flows
5.2.2.1 Triggers for charging events from SCEF
When a charging event is reported to the CDF, it includes the details such as SCEF address, charging information with
corresponding charging events to the CDF.
The trigger conditions specified in Table 5.2.2.1.1 are applicable for charging information collection.
Table 5.2.2.1.1: Triggers for Charging Data Request from SCEF
Message Triggering conditions
Charging Data T8 transaction creation via HTTP POST
Request[Event]
T8 transaction update via HTTP PATCH message, HTTP PUT message received by
SCEF
T8 transaction termination via HTPP DELETE
5.2.3 CDR generation
5.2.3.1 Introduction
For the exposure functions SCEF, an exposure function API CDR is generated for subsequent transfer to the Charging
Gateway Function (CGF).
The following clauses describe the trigger conditions for these exposure function API CDRs creation, update and
closure.
5.2.3.2 Triggers for EA-SCE-CDR creation and closure
5.2.3.2.1 Triggers for EA-SCE-CDR generation
A EA-SCE-CDR is used to collect charging information related to API invocation/notification offline charging from the
SCEF.
A single EA-SCE-CDR shall be generated for each event when the API invocation or notification is encountered.
5.2.4 Ga record transfer flows
Details of the Ga protocol application are specified in TS 32.295 [54].
5.2.5 Bea CDR file transfer
Details of the Bea protocol application are specified in TS 32.297 [52].
ETSI
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3GPP TS 32.254 version 15.1.0 Release 15 12 ETSI TS 132 254 V15.1.0 (2019-04)
5.3 Northbound API online charging scenarios
5.3.1 Basic principles
5.3.1.1 General
Northbound API online charging is performed by the SCEF using the common Ro based Credit-Control application
specified in TS 32.299 [50]. In order to provide the data required for the management activities outlined in TS 32.240
[1], the SCEF shall be able to perform online charging for the following:
- Charging data related to northbound API invocation;
- Charging data related to northbound API notification.
Event based online charging (IEC/ECUR) and Session based online charging (SCUR) are required in the SCEF.
5.3.2 Ro message flows
5.3.2.1 Event Based Charging
This clause contains message flows for the different operation models IEC and ECUR, when the one-time API
invocation is per T8 interaction is activated. e.g. Enhanced Coverage Restriction Control API, MSISDN-less Mobile
Originated SMS API.
SCEF OCS
1. API Invocation Request
2. Debit Units Request
3. Credit processing
4. Debit Units Response
5. API Invocation Response
Figure 5.3.2.1.1: Online charging in API Invocation for IEC
1) SCEF receives an API invocation Request.
2) The SCEF triggers a Debit Units Request message to the OCS.
3) The OCS performs the appropriate credit processing based on the received request.
4) The OCS responds with a Debit Units Response message to the SCEF.
5) If authorized, the SCEF continues the API invocation processing and send out the API Invocation Response.
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3GPP TS 32.254 version 15.1.0 Release 15 13 ETSI TS 132
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