Technique for Packet Flow Analysis
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Accused Products
Abstract
A technique for generating or updating a user profile based on a packet flow in a communications network from a user terminal to a destination address is described. A method implementation of this technique comprises receiving, by a Policy Control and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) from a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF), at least one item of information indicative of at least one of the destination address and a service provided at the destination address to the user terminal. Based on this item of information, a user profile for a user associated with the user terminal is generated or updated.
36 Citations
40 Claims
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1-20. -20. (canceled)
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21. A method, for use in a communications network, of generating or updating a user profile based on a packet flow from a user terminal to a destination address, the method comprising:
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a Policy Control and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) informing a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) about a content of an item of information to be collected and transmitted, such that the PCEF is instructed by the PCRF to collect and transmit the item of information for a particular user session, wherein the item of information to be collected by the PCEF is Internet Protocol (IP) addresses visited by the user terminal and domains most often visited by the user terminal up to a predefined maximum number set as a reporting condition; the PCRF receiving the item of information from the PCEF responsive to the informing and upon the maximum number of at least one of the IP addresses visited by the user terminal and the domains visited by the user terminal having been collected for the particular user session; the PCRF generating or updating, based on the item of information, a user profile for a user associated with the user terminal. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method, for use in a communications network, of reporting a packet flow from a user terminal to a destination address, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) and from a Policy Control and Charging Rules Function (PCRF), information about a content of an item of information to be collected and transmitted, such that the PCEF is instructed by the PCRF to collect and transmit the item of information for a particular user session, wherein the item of information to be collected by the PCEF is the Internet Protocol (IP) addresses visited by the user terminal and domains most often visited by the user terminal up to a maximum number set as a reporting condition; the PCEF analyzing, responsive to the receiving, the packet flow to determine the item of information; and transmitting, to the PCRF, the item of information in response to the maximum number of at least one of the IP addresses visited by the user terminal and the domains visited by the user terminal having been collected for the particular user session. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A computer program product stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium for generating or updating a user profile based on a packet flow from a user terminal to a destination address in a communications network, the computer program product comprising software instructions which, when run on a computing device serving as a Policy Control and Charging Rules Function (PCRF), causes the computing device to:
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inform a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) about a content of an item of information to be collected and transmitted, such that the PCEF is instructed by the PCRF to collect and transmit the item of information for a particular user session, wherein the item of information to be collected by the PCEF is Internet Protocol (IP) addresses visited by the user terminal and domains most often visited by the user terminal up to a predefined maximum number set as a reporting condition; receive the item of information from the PCEF responsive to the informing step and upon the maximum number of at least one of the IP addresses visited by the user terminal and the domains visited by the user terminal having been collected for the particular user session;
generate or update a user profile for a user associated with the user terminal based on the item of information.
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37. A computer program product stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium for generating or updating a user profile based on a packet flow from a user terminal to a destination address in a communications network, the computer program product comprising software instructions which, when run on a computing device serving as a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF), causes the computing device to:
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receive, from a Policy Control and Charging Rules Function (PCRF), information about a content of an item of information to be collected and transmitted, such that the PCEF is instructed by the PCRF to collect and transmit the item of information for a particular user session, wherein the item of information to be collected by the PCEF is the Internet Protocol (IP) addresses visited by the user terminal and domains most often visited by the user terminal up to a maximum number set as a reporting condition; analyze, responsive to the receiving, the packet flow to determine the item of information; and transmit, to the PCRF, the item of information in response to the maximum number of at least one of the IP addresses visited by the user terminal and the domains visited by the user terminal having been collected for the particular user session.
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38. A Policy Control and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) for generating or updating a user profile based on a packet flow from a user terminal to a destination address in a communications network, the PCRF comprising:
a processor configured to; inform a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) about a content of an item of information to be collected and transmitted, such that the PCEF is instructed by the PCRF to collect and transmit the item of information for a particular user session, wherein the item of information to be collected by the PCEF is the Internet Protocol (IP) addresses visited by the user terminal and domains most often visited by the user terminal up to a maximum number set as a reporting condition; receive the item of information from the PCEF responsive to the informing the PCEF about the content of the item of information; generate or update, based on the item of information and at least one of the collected IP addresses and the collected domains, a user profile for a user associated with the user terminal.
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39. A Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) for reporting a packet flow from a user terminal to a destination address in a communications network, the PCEF comprising:
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an interface configured to receive, from a Policy Control and Charging Rules Function (PCRF), information about a content of an item of information to be collected and transmitted, such that that the PCEF is instructed by the PCRF to collect and transmit the item of information for a particular user session, wherein the item of information to be collected by the PCEF is the Internet Protocol (IP) addresses visited by the user terminal and domains most often visited by the user terminal up to a maximum number set as reporting condition; an analyzer configured to analyze, responsive to the receipt of the information from the PCRF, the packet flow to determine the item of information indicative of at least one of the destination address and a service provided at the destination address; and wherein the interface is further configured to transmit, to the PCRF, the item of information responsive to the maximum number of at least one of the IP addresses and the domains having been collected for the particular user session.
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40. A Policy and Charging System for generating or updating a user profile based on a packet flow from a user terminal to a destination address in a communications network, the Policy and Charging System comprising:
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a Policy Control and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) communicatively connected to a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF); wherein the PCRF comprises a processor configured to; inform the PCEF about a content of an item of information to be collected and transmitted, such that the PCEF is instructed by the PCRF to collect and transmit the item of information for a particular user session, wherein the item of information to be collected by the PCEF is the Internet Protocol (IP) addresses visited by the user terminal and domains most often visited by the user terminal up to a maximum number set as a reporting condition; receive the item of information from the PCEF responsive to the informing the PCEF about the content of the item of information; generate or update, based on the item of information and at least one of the collected IP addresses and the collected domains, a user profile for a user associated with the user terminal; wherein the PCEF comprises; an interface configured to receive, from the PCRF, information about a content of an item of information to be collected and transmitted, such that that the PCEF is instructed by the PCRF to collect and transmit the item of information for a particular user session, wherein the item of information to be collected by the PCEF is the IP addresses visited by the user terminal and domains most often visited by the user terminal up to a maximum number set as reporting condition; an analyzer configured to analyze, responsive to the receipt of the information from the PCRF, the packet flow to determine the item of information indicative of at least one of the destination address and a service provided at the destination address; and wherein the interface is further configured to transmit, to the PCRF, the item of information responsive to the maximum number of at least one of the IP addresses and the domains having been collected for the particular user session.
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Specification