Identifying services provided via IP and similar packet networks, and service usage records for such services

• US 20050128967A1
• Filed: 12/16/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Scobbie, Donald MacGregor
• Application Number:
  US11/014,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20050128967A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5058 Service discovery by the service manager
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5077 wherein the managed service relates to simple transport services, i.e. providing only network infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5087 wherein the managed service relates to voice services management of VoIP services H04M7/0081
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5093 wherein the managed service relates to messaging or chat services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation

Abstract

A service key is assembled from information in data packets traversing a communications link, to enable identification of services implemented via the data packets.

Claims

1. A method of identifying a service provided via a packet data system, comprising the steps of:

monitoring data packets traversing a communications link to support a data transport service in a communications network;

deriving in accordance with content of said data packets first information for identifying any access point involved in the data transport service;

deriving in accordance with content of said data packets second information identifying network address and port number associated with an application service provided involved in the data transport service;

deriving in accordance with content of said data packets third information comprising a uniform resource identifier associated with the data transport service; and

concatenating the first, second and third information to provide an identification of the data transport service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data communications service is a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) or Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), and the first information is derived to be an access point name (APN).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data communications service is other than a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) or Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), and the first information is derived to be a null value.

4. Apparatus for identifying a service provided via a packet data system, comprising:

a monitor for monitoring data packets traversing a communications link to support a data transport service in a communications network;

a first deriver for deriving in accordance with content of said data packets first information for identifying any access point involved in the data transport service;

a second deriver for deriving in accordance with content of said data packets second information identifying network address and port number associated with an application service provided involved in the data transport service;

a third deriver for deriving in accordance with content of said data packets third information comprising a uniform resource identifier associated with the data transport service; and

a concatenator for concatenating the first, second and third information to provide an identification of the data transport service.