Create a Time Interval Range Normalizer Template

This normalizer template defines a start time point and an end time point. A normalizer using this template defines ranges of time intervals to associate with different results.

Before you begin

Create parameter definitions if you are going to define your start and end times as parameters. For more information, see the discussion about creating parameter definitions.

Procedure

  1. In Normalizer Templates, click New Normalizer Template.
  2. In Create New Normalizer Template:
    1. In Name, enter a unique name.
    2. In Normalization Algorithm, select Time Interval Range.
    3. Click Create.
  3. In Edit Normalizer Template, to base normalizations on fields retrieved from data for the called party (the B number) instead of the caller (the A number), select Use Called Station Field.
    Note: Rating uses the field values and eligibility features from the caller for normalizations by default. For more information about using the B number for normalizations, see the discussion about normalizing on B number.
  4. In Time Zone Basis, select the time zone to use from the following list:
    • event — Uses the time zone indicated by the incoming network message, which is impacted by the 3GPP-MS-Timezone and Event-Timestamp AVPs. This is the time zone where the event is initiated and is dependent on the initiator's current location, which can vary. It is the default.
    • initiator — Uses the time zone stored with the subscriber's profile information. This time zone is static and is typically the time zone of the subscriber's residence. It is not necessarily the same time zone in which an event is initiated.
    • system — Uses the time zone configured for the MATRIXX Engine. This time zone is also static. It is not necessarily the same time zone in which the system is physically located or indicated by the network message for the event.
    • utc — Based on the time of day of the event, interpreted in the UTC offset contained in the event message.
  5. In Start Time, select the type of start time value to use.
    • field — Sets start time to a message or a subscription data MATRIXX Data Container (MDC) field value.
    • parameter — Sets start time to a catalog item parameter.
    • event time — Sets start time to the time of an event.
    • start of the current bill cycle period — Sets start time to the start of the current period of the bill cycle for a subscription or a group.
    • start of the purchased item cycle period — Sets the start time to the start of the current period of a purchased item cycle.
    • end of the current bill cycle period — Sets start time to the end of the current period of the bill cycle for a subscription or a group.
    • end of the purchased item cycle period — Sets start time to the end of the current period of a purchased item cycle.
      Note: Do not use the start or end of the purchased item cycle period for normalizers that will be applied in a context for which there is not a specific purchased item such as a final unit indicator (FUI) generator.
  6. If you set Start Time to field, select the MDC field that holds the start time value:
    1. In Container Name, select the MDC to use.
    2. In Field Name, select the field to use.
    3. (Optional) In Tier, enter the balance tier value.
  7. If you set Start Time to parameter, select the catalog item parameter that holds the start time value from the drop-down menu.
  8. In End Time, select the type of end time value to use. If needed, the End Time type can be different to the Start Time type.
    • field — Sets end time to a message or a subscription data MDC field value.
    • parameter — Sets end time to a catalog item parameter.
    • event time — Sets end time to the time of an event.
    • start of the current bill cycle period — Sets end time to the start of the current period of the bill cycle for a subscription or a group.
    • start of the purchased item cycle period — Sets end time to the start of the current period of a purchased item cycle.
    • end of the current bill cycle period — Sets end time to the send of the current period of the bill cycle for a subscription or a group.
    • end of the purchased item cycle period — Sets end time to the end of the current period of a purchased item cycle.
      Note: Do not use the start or end of the current purchased item cycle for normalizers that apply in a context for which there is not a specific purchased item such as a final unit indicator (FUI) generator.
  9. If you set End Time to field, select the MDC field that holds the end time value:
    1. In Container Name, select the MDC to use.
    2. In Field Name, select the field to use.
    3. (Optional) In Tier, enter the balance tier value.
  10. If you set End Time to parameter, select the catalog item parameter that holds the end time value from the drop-down menu.
  11. (Optional) Define metadata values that can be associated with a normalizer results row.
    Important: A normalizer template can either have metadata fields (defined in this step) or fields to use in normalizer chaining (defined in the Result Info section). It cannot have both. Using metadata is the recommended approach.
    Under Metadata:
    1. Click Add Metadata. This button is disabled if values are defined in the Result Info section.
    2. Define the following properties:
      • Name — The value of the metadata.
      • Type — The data type of the metadata.
    3. Click Create. The metadata defined here appears in the normalizer instance in the Default Metadata table.
    4. Click Save to save the normalizer template. After the template is saved, the metadata displays as a column in the Values table.
  12. (Optional) Under Result Info, select values for the following properties from the drop-down menus. These fields are disabled if metadata values are defined.
    Note: The Result values are optional and provide a way to copy, to another MDC field, the description and name values associated with the normalized value chosen during rating. This enables you to add the name and description to the MEF file generated during rating, and to perform further normalizations based on these Result Name Field values (normalizer chaining). For normalizer chaining, use any fields from any of the following containers and their descendants:
    • MtxChargingSessionExtension
    • MtxChrgMsgWorkspace
    • MtxMsg
    • MtxMultiServiceData
    • MtxPolicySessionExtension
    For more information, see the discussion about normalizer chaining in MATRIXX Pricing and Rating.
    • Result Description Container — The target MDC to copy the description of the normalized value chosen during rating to. For example, the MDC name to identify the Diameter message is MtxDiamRoMsg. Select the required MDC from the list.
    • Result Description Field — The target field within the target MDC container to copy the description of the normalized value chosen during rating to. The copy operation occurs only if the field value in the message is not set when normalizer is evaluated. Use dot notation to identify fields nested in the MDC structure. For example, to identify the SMS node role for a session within the Diameter message, you might enter ServiceInfo.SmsInfo.SmsNode.
    • Result Name Container — The target MDC to copy the name of the normalized value chosen during rating to. Select the required MDC from the list.
    • Result Name Field — The target MDC field within the target MDC container to copy the name of the normalized value chosen during rating to. Use dot notation to identify nested fields.
  13. (Optional) Under Values, enter values for the following properties for each parameter value to add. If you do not set the values in the normalizer template, pricing administrators can set them in the normalizer instance by using My MATRIXX. If you do set the values in the normalizer template, you cannot change them in the normalizer instance.
    Important: For normalizer templates that have only two values, one for a non-match and one for a match, you must define the non-match value first to assign an ID of 0 to it and the match value second to assign an ID of 1.
    • Name — The name of the parameter value. For example, No Match or Match.
    • Description — A description for the value. The description is visible when mousing over a value in My MATRIXX.
    • Color — Helps to offset each value in a normalizer instance. To assign a color to the parameter, do one of the following:
      • Hover over the Color cell in the row and select a color from the color palette.
      • Click the Color cell in the row and assign a color to the value by setting the color's hue, saturation, and lightness.
    • If metadata is configured for this template, define the metadata values. Either enter a value or one of the following:
      • Enter --none-- if no value is assigned to this field.
      • Enter --default-- to use the default value for this field. Default values are defined in the normalizer instance in the Default Values table.
      These values are applied to all instances of the metadata in the normalizer's Rows table. If no value is defined here, you can define a value in the normalizer instance.
  14. Click Save to save the new normalizer template.
    Attention: Saving the template before entering further data, such as MDC fields, ensures that information you have already entered is not lost.
  15. If you selected Use Called Station Field, under Called Station Search Data, perform the following steps to specify the MDC and MDC field that normalizers using this template will use for retrieving the B number data.
    1. Click New Called Station Field.
    2. In New Called Station Field, in Container Name, select the MDC to use for retrieving the B number data from the list.
    3. In Field Name, select the required MDC field.
    4. Click Create.