UNIT AND A METHOD FOR DEFINING A SESSION RULE IN A NETWORK

• US 20090204713A1
• Filed: 06/15/2007
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Original Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Inventors: Smessaert, Matthieu, Beziot, Nathalie, Tsang-Kwong-U, Steve
• Application Number:
  US12/305,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20090204713A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]

Abstract

A unit is provided for defining a rule to be applied to a multimedia session in a network. The unit takes into account, to define the rule, information data about the media, a policy predefined by the carrier and an access type received from a session monitoring unit and used by a terminal participating in the session to access the network.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A rule definition unit for defining a rule to be applied to sessions using media in a telecommunications network, this rule definition unit including:

means for receiving information data on each medium from a control unit of said session;

means for defining said rule using said information data and a predefined policy; and

means for sending said rule to a unit responsible for applying said rule;

wherein, in order to define said rule, the rule definition unit also takes account of an access type received from said session control unit that is used by a terminal participating in said session to access said network.

16. A rule definition unit according to claim 15, wherein said access type is received from the session control unit.

17. A rule definition unit according to claim 15, wherein said access type is received from a GGSN gateway node.

18. A rule definition unit according to claim 15, wherein said means for defining said rule define said rule by combining said access type and a maximum bit rate authorized for said medium, said maximum bit rate being part of said information data received from said control unit.

19. A rule definition unit according to claim 15, wherein the unit comprises a CRF unit of an IMS architecture and said rule comprises a metering rule used for billing said medium.

20. A rule definition unit according to claim 15, the unit comprises a PDF unit of an IMS architecture and said rule comprises a rule for fixing the maximum quality of service allocated to said medium.

21. A rule definition unit according to claim 15 for defining two rules, wherein the unit comprises a PCRF unit of an IMS architecture and said rules comprise:

a metering rule used for billing said medium; and

a rule for fixing the maximum quality of service allocated to said medium.

22. A method of defining a rule to be applied to sessions using media in a telecommunications network, said method including:

a step of receiving information data on each medium from a control unit of said session;

a step of defining said rule using said information data, a predefined policy, and an access type that is used by a terminal participating in said session to access said network; and

a step of sending said rule to a unit responsible for applying said rule.

23. A computer program including instructions, stored on a computer-readable storage medium, for executing steps of a rule definition method defining a rule to be applied to sessions using media in a telecommunications network when said program is executed by a computer, wherein the method comprises:

receiving information data on each medium from a control unit of said session;

defining said rule using said information data, a predefined policy, and an access type that is used by a terminal participating in said session to access said network; and

sending said rule to a unit responsible for applying said rule.

24. A storage medium readable by a computer storing a computer program including instructions for executing a rule definition method defining a rule to be applied to sessions using media in a telecommunications network when said program is executed by a computer, wherein the method comprises:

receiving information data on each medium from a control unit of said session;

defining said rule using said information data, a predefined policy, and an access type that is used by a terminal participating in said session to access said network; and

sending said rule to a unit responsible for applying said rule.