METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR NETWORK SERVICES RELATED TO GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION

• US 20130210464A1
• Filed: 02/07/2013
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PNI Canada Acquireco Corp. (Francisco Partners Management LLC)
• Original Assignee: Sandvine Incorporated ULC (Sandvine Corp.)
• Inventors: MITTAL, Ambuj
• Granted Patent: US 10,117,123 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.5
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0226 based on location or mobility handoff or reselection H04W36/00; mobile application services making use of the location of users or terminals H04W4/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/022 with dynamic range variability

Abstract

A method for applying network services related to geographic location including receiving regions within a map and receiving geo-service definitions for the regions. The method includes determining a subscriber'"'"'s region and determining information related to the subscriber'"'"'s traffic flow. The method then applies geo-service definitions based on the subscriber'"'"'s region and the information related to the traffic flow. A system for applying network services related to geographic location having a location detection module for detecting a subscriber'"'"'s location and a region detection module for determining the subscriber'"'"'s region within a map based on the subscriber'"'"'s location. The system further including a geo-service definition and enablement module for defining geo-service definitions and actions; and a subscriber detection and traffic management module adapted to receive the subscriber'"'"'s region and apply geo-service definitions to the subscriber traffic flow based in part on the region of the subscriber.

Claims

1. A method for applying network services related to geographic location comprising:

receiving regions within a map;

receiving geo-service definitions for the regions;

determining a subscriber'"'"'s region;

determining information related to the subscriber'"'"'s traffic flow; and

applying geo-service definitions based on the subscriber'"'"'s region and the information related to the traffic flow.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising defining geo-service definitions per traffic flow.

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising generating reports of the applied geo-service definitions per subscriber to a network operator.

4. A method according to claim 3 further comprising updating the regions within the map based on the generated reports.

5. A method according to claim 3 further comprising modifying the geo-service definitions based on the generated reports.

6. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

determining if a subscriber has changed region; and

re-applying geo-service definitions based on the subscriber'"'"'s changed region and the information related to the traffic flow.

7. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

determining if a subscriber traffic flow has changed; and

re-applying geo-service definitions based on the subscriber'"'"'s region and the information related to the changed traffic flow.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of geo-service definitions may be applied if a subscriber'"'"'s region is determined to be within a plurality of regions within a map.

9. A system for applying network services related to geographic location comprising:

a location detection module for detecting a subscriber'"'"'s location;

a region detection module for determining the subscriber'"'"'s region within a map based on the subscriber'"'"'s location;

a geo-service definition and enablement module for defining geo-service definitions and actions; and

a subscriber detection and traffic management module adapted to receive the subscriber'"'"'s region and identify information relating to the subscriber'"'"'s traffic flow and apply geo-service definitions to the subscriber traffic flow based on the region of the subscriber and the information relating to the subscriber'"'"'s traffic flow.

10. A system according to claim 9 further comprising a user interface configured to allow for updating regions and geo-service definitions for the system

11. A system according to claim 9 further comprising a reporting component configured to generate reports of the applied geo-service definitions per subscriber.

12. A system according to claim 9 wherein the region detection module further defines a map for a network operator.

13. A system according to claim 9 wherein the subscriber detection and traffic management module identifies information relating to the subscriber'"'"'s traffic flow via a traffic identification engine configured to inspect packets in a traffic flow on the network to determine a protocol being carried by the flow.

14. A system according to claim 13 wherein the subscriber detection and traffic management module applies geo-service definition based on information relating to a subscriber'"'"'s traffic flow via a geo-service mapping component configured to correlate the protocol of the traffic flow with the geo-service definitions.

15. A system according to claim 9 wherein the subscriber detection and traffic management module identifies information relating to the subscriber'"'"'s traffic flow via a traffic identification engine configured to inspect packets in a traffic flow on the network to determine an application being carried by the flow.

16. A system according to claim 15 wherein the subscriber detection and traffic management module applies geo-service definition based on information relating to a subscriber'"'"'s traffic flow via a geo-service mapping component configured to correlate the application of the traffic flow with the geo-service definitions.

17. A system according to claim 9 wherein the geo-service definitions define geo-service actions to be applied to the traffic flow.