Dynamically Assigning A Policy For A Communication Session

• US 20090041013A1
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Deitrich, Clarence L., Albert, Mark, Mackie, Robert A., Gray, Richard L., Dixon, Walter G., Mitchell, Nathan A.
• Application Number:
  US11/835,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20090041013A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/026 using flow identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]

Abstract

In one embodiment, assigning a policy to a communication session includes facilitating the communication session for an endpoint. Policy data is determined from one or more messages communicated subsequent to communication of a request message requesting a service for the endpoint. A policy is assigned to the communication session in accordance with the policy data.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

facilitating a communication session for an endpoint;

determining policy data from one or more messages, the one or more messages communicated subsequent to communication of a request message requesting a service for the endpoint; and

assigning a policy to the communication session in accordance with the policy data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the request message further comprises a content request message requesting the service comprising a content service; and

a message of the one or more messages further comprises a content response message responding to the content request message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a message of the one or more messages further comprises a terminating message terminating the service.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the policy data from one or more messages further comprises:

obtaining the policy data from one or more tunnel layers of the one or more messages.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy further comprises a billing policy.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining updated policy data from at least one additional message communicated subsequent to the one or more messages; and

assigning an updated policy in accordance with the updated policy data.

7. A system, comprising:

a memory operable to store policy data; and

one or more processors coupled to the memory and operable to execute one or more applications to;

facilitate a communication session for an endpoint;

determine the policy data from one or more messages, the one or more messages communicated subsequent to communication of a request message requesting a service for the endpoint; and

assign a policy to the communication session in accordance with the policy data.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein:

the request message further comprises a content request message requesting the service comprising a content service; and

a message of the one or more messages further comprises a content response message responding to the content request message.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein:

a message of the one or more messages further comprises a terminating message terminating the service.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors are further operable to determine the policy data from one or more messages by:

obtaining the policy data from one or more tunnel layers of the one or more messages.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the policy further comprises a billing policy.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors are further operable to:

determine updated policy data from at least one additional message communicated subsequent to the one or more messages; and

assign an updated policy in accordance with the updated policy data.

13. A system, comprising:

means for facilitating a communication session for an endpoint;

means for determining policy data from one or more messages, the one or more messages communicated subsequent to communication of a request message requesting a service for the endpoint; and

means for assigning a policy to the communication session in accordance with the policy data.

14. A method, comprising:

facilitating a transaction for an endpoint; and

repeating the following for each packet flow of a plurality of packet flows of the transaction;

receiving the each packet flow;

identifying the each packet flow as a packet flow of the transaction; and

associating the each packet flow with the transaction.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining a charge for the transaction according to the plurality of packet flows associated with the transaction.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein identifying the each packet flow as a packet flow of the transaction further comprises:

establishing from a previous packet flow that the each packet flow is a packet flow of the transaction.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein identifying the each packet flow as a packet flow of the transaction further comprises:

establishing that an outstanding request is associated with the transaction; and

determining that the each packet comprises an outstanding response responding to the outstanding request.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein identifying the each packet flow as a packet flow of the transaction further comprises:

receiving a request that requests data; and

establishing that the each packet flow comprises the data.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein identifying the each packet flow as a packet flow of the transaction further comprises:

receiving a response comprising a manifest of one or more subset objects; and

establishing that the each packet flow comprises the one or more subset objects.

20. A system, comprising:

a memory operable to store information for facilitating a transaction for an endpoint; and

one or more processors operable to execute one or more applications to repeat the following for each packet flow of a plurality of packet flows of the transaction;

receive the each packet flow;

identify the each packet flow as a packet flow of the transaction; and

associate the each packet flow with the transaction.

21. The system of claim 20, the one or more processors further operable to:

determine a charge for the transaction according to the plurality of packet flows associated with the transaction.

22. The system of claim 20, the one or more processors further operable to identify the each packet flow as a packet flow of the transaction by:

establishing from a previous packet flow that the each packet flow is a packet flow of the transaction.

23. The system of claim 20, the one or more processors further operable to identify the each packet flow as a packet flow of the transaction by:

establishing that an outstanding request is associated with the transaction; and

determining that the each packet comprises an outstanding response responding to the outstanding request.

24. The system of claim 20, the one or more processors further operable to identify the each packet flow as a packet flow of the transaction by:

receiving a request that requests data; and

establishing that the each packet flow comprises the data.

25. The system of claim 20, the one or more processors further operable to identify the each packet flow as a packet flow of the transaction by:

receiving a response comprising a manifest of one or more subset objects; and

establishing that the each packet flow comprises the one or more subset objects.

26. A system, comprising:

means for facilitating a transaction for an endpoint; and

means for repeating the following for each packet flow of a plurality of packet flows of the transaction;

receiving the each packet flow;

identifying the each packet flow as a packet flow of the transaction; and

associating the each packet flow with the transaction.