Efficient Network Resource Management in a Wireless Network

• US 20090104892A1
• Filed: 10/20/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amdocs Canadian Managed Services Inc. (Amdocs Ltd.), Amdocs Development Limited (Amdocs Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Bridgewater Systems Corp. (Amdocs Ltd.)
• Inventors: Jones, Mark, Li, Yong
• Granted Patent: US 8,204,482 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/412.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8228 Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7833 Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/142 over the same radio air interface technology
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

Wireless data services such as wireless email are becoming common, and in particular, “always-on” systems, where new email is automatically forwarded by the service provider to the wireless device. The problem is that there is no effective mechanism for implementing “always-on” systems when the user is moving around a network, or from one network to another. The invention addresses this problem by generating a session key at the service provider'"'"'s system for a given data session, and returning this session key to the mobile device. Each time the mobile device communicates with the service provider, it enters this session key into a field that will simply pass through the communication network to the service provider. This allows the service provider to manage the data session, preparing proper accounting records and directing the deletion of stale data sessions on network resources.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by an AAA server, a data session request from a mobile node in a wireless network, wherein the AAA server has access to a session state store, and the mobile node is associated with a mobile node identifier;

determining whether a record associated with a previous data session of the mobile node exists in the session state store, wherein the record includes a session key;

retrieving the session key if the determining finds a record associated with a previous data session of the mobile node exists in the session state store; and

returning the session key to a network element of the wireless network if the determining finds a record associated with a previous data session of the mobile node exists in the session data store.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile node identifier is a calling number of the mobile node.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile node supports multiple user sessions, the mobile node identifier is a user session identifier generated by the AAA server, and the user session identifier is network-wide unique.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the session key is generated by applying a hashing algorithm to one or more attributes in an AAA message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the network element includes the mobile node.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the session state store is local to the AAA server.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the session state store is remote to the AAA server.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

returning a regular response message to a network element of the wireless network if the determining finds a record associated with a previous data session of the mobile node does not exist in the session data store.

9. A method, comprising:

first receiving, by an AAA server, a first accounting start message from a first network element for a first data session associated with a mobile node in a wireless network, wherein the AAA server has access to a session state store, and the mobile node is associated with a mobile node identifier;

first creating a first record in the session state store, wherein the first record includes the mobile node identifier and a first session key that is determined, in part, on a unique characteristic of the first network element, and the first record is modeled as active;

second receiving, by the AAA server, a second accounting start message from a second network element for a second data session associated with the mobile node in the wireless network, wherein the second accounting start message includes the first session key;

second creating a second record in the session state store, wherein the second record includes the mobile node identifier and a second session key that is determined, in part, on a unique characteristic of the second network element, and the second record is modeled as active; and

updating the first record to be modeled as pending deletion.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

third receiving, by the AAA server, an interim update message from the first network element, wherein the interim update message includes the mobile node identifier, the first session key, and usage metrics; and

if the first record is modeled as pending deletion, generating a final accounting record.

11. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling at least one processor by a method, comprising:

receiving, by an AAA server, a data session request from a mobile node in a wireless network, wherein the AAA server has access to a session state store, and the mobile node is associated with a mobile node identifier;

determining whether a record associated with a previous data session of the mobile node exists in the session state store, wherein the record includes a session key;

retrieving the session key if the determining finds a record associated with a previous data session of the mobile node exists in the session state store; and

returning the session key to a network element of the wireless network if the determining finds a record associated with a previous data session of the mobile node exists in the session data store.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 containing instructions for controlling at least one processor by a method, wherein the mobile node identifier is a calling number of the mobile node.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 containing instructions for controlling at least one processor by a method, wherein the mobile node supports multiple user sessions, the mobile node identifier is a user session identifier generated by the AAA server, and the user session identifier is network-wide unique.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 containing instructions for controlling at least one processor by a method, wherein the session key is generated by applying a hashing algorithm to one or more attributes in an AAA message.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 containing instructions for controlling at least one processor by a method, wherein the network element includes the mobile node.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 containing instructions for controlling at least one processor by a method, wherein the session state store is local to the AAA server.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 containing instructions for controlling at least one processor by a method, wherein the session state store is remote to the AAA server.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 containing instructions for controlling at least one processor by a method, further comprising:

returning a regular response message to a network element of the wireless network if the determining finds a record associated with a previous data session of the mobile node does not exist in the session data store.