POLICY SERVICES

• US 20080059635A1
• Filed: 01/23/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Redknee Inc.
• Original Assignee: Redknee Inc.
• Inventors: SEIFERTH, FRANK, Back, Nigel Reginald, Wong, Rebecca Yuen Man, Zabawskyj, Bohdan, Wong, Vincent Chi Chiu
• Granted Patent: US 8,775,621 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2876 Handling of subscriber policies group policies management H04L41/0893
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management

Abstract

A method and system for applying policies to services is provided. An embodiment includes a method for applying services wherein a request from a subscriber for a particular service is received. The request is compared with a policy to ascertain whether or not access to the particular service is permitted, and, if permitted, if there are any restrictions or limitations to that access.

Claims

1. A method for applying a policy to a service, comprising:

maintaining a database representing a policy for accessing a plurality of services for a subscriber;

each said service including at least one of an identity of a provider of said service and a type of said service;

said policy indicating for each said service whether access to said service for said subscriber is permitted;

receiving a request from a client device operated by said subscriber for access to one of said services;

determining whether said request complies with said policy;

permitting said client device to access said service if said request complies with said policy; and

denying said client device access to said service if said request does not comply with said policy.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said policy includes a maximum bit rate at which said one of said services can be accessed and said permitting step includes ensuring that said one of said services does not exceed said maximum bit rate.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said policy includes a predefined maximum volume and said permitting step includes monitoring a volume of data for said one of said services that can be accessed such that once said predefined maximum volume is reached then performing said denying step.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said policy includes a predefined maximum aggregate bit rate at which all services can be accessed and said permitting step includes ensuring that said services to do not exceed said predefined maximum aggregate bit rate.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said policy includes a predefined maximum aggregate volume for all services that can be accessed by said client device and said permitting step includes monitoring a volume of data for said one of said services that can be accessed such that once said predefined maximum aggregate volume is reached then performing said denying step.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said policy includes a permitted usage period for said one of said services and performing said permitting step if said request occurs during said usage period and performing said denying step if said request does not occur during said usage period.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of accessing billing rules associated with said one of said services and performing said permitting step only if access to said one of said services also complies with said billing rules and otherwise performing said denying step.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said billing rules include whether said one of said services is accessible on a post-paid or pre-paid basis.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said billing rules include a basic rate for accessing said one of said services.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said billing rules include an excess rate for accessing said one of said services.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein said billing rules include a roaming rate for accessing said one of said services.

12. A system for applying policies to services, comprising:

a policy enforcement point;

a client device in communication with said policy enforcement point;

a network in communication with said policy enforcement point configured to provide one of a plurality of services to said client device; and

a policy server in communication with said policy enforcement point;

said policy server configured to maintain a database representing a policy for accessing said plurality of services for a subscriber operating said client device;

each said service including at least one of an identity of a provider of said service and a type of said service;

said policy indicating for each said service whether access to said service for said subscriber is permitted;

said policy enforcement point configured to;

receive a request from said client device for access to one of said services;

determine whether said request complies with said policy;

permit said client device to access said service if said request complies with said policy; and

deny said client device access to said service if said request does not comply with said policy.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said policy includes a maximum bit rate at which said one of said services can be accessed and said policy enforcement point is configured to ensure that said one of said services does not exceed said maximum bit rate.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said policy includes a predefined maximum volume and said policy enforcement point is configured to monitor a volume of data for said one of said services that can be accessed such that once said predefined maximum volume is reached then performing said policy enforcement point denies access to said one of said services.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein said policy includes a predefined maximum aggregate bit rate at which all services can be accessed and said policy enforcement point is configured to ensure that said services to do not exceed said predefined maximum aggregate bit rate.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein said policy includes a predefined maximum aggregate volume for all services that can be accessed by said client device and said policy enforcement point is configured to monitor a volume of data for said one of said services that can be accessed such that once said predefined maximum aggregate volume is reached then said policy enforcement point denies access to said one of said services.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein said policy includes a permitted usage period for said one of said services and if said request occurs during said usage period then said policy enforcement point is configured to permit access to said one of said services and if said request occurs outside said usage period then said policy enforcement point is configured to deny access to said one of said services.

18. The system of claim 12, comprising an accounting server in communication with said policy enforcement point and configured to maintain billing rules associated with said one of said services;

said policy enforcement point configured to permit access to said one of said services only if said request also complies with said billing rules.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said billing rules include whether said one of said services is accessible on a post-paid or pre-paid basis.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said billing rules include a basic rate for accessing said one of said services.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein said billing rules include an excess rate for accessing said one of said services.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein said billing rules include a roaming rate for accessing said one of said services.

23. The system of claim 12, wherein said policy enforcement point comprises a general packet radio service (GPRS) support node (“

GGSN”

) and said policy server is configured to appear to said GGSN as a billing server.

24. The system of claim 12, wherein said policy enforcement point is selected from the group consisting of a packet serving data node (PDSN) for a code division multiple access (CDMA) based network;

an Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) edge router for a European Telecommunications Standards Institute (“

ETSI”

) based network;

a cable Modem termination system (“

CMTS”

) for a PacketCable based network;

an access service network (“

ASN”

) gateway for a WiMax based network; and

a deep-packet inspection node for a generic IP-based network.