Access Based Internet Protocol Multimedia Service Authorization

• US 20130269002A1
• Filed: 06/03/2013
• Published: 10/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Cellular Corporation (Telephone & Data Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United States Cellular Corporation (Telephone & Data Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thalanany, Sebastian, Taglienti, Claudio, Saxena, Narothum, Irizarry, Michael Shannon
• Granted Patent: US 10,735,424 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

The described embodiments of the present invention include a method for controlling authorization of a multimedia service requested by a user device. In one embodiment, the method includes examining an identity of an access network associated with the user device and an identity of the service requested to determine whether the service is supported; authorizing resources in the access network required by the service if the service is supported; rejecting the service if the service is not supported and if a policy associated with the access network requires unsupported services to be rejected; and authorizing a default level of resources in the access network if the service is not supported and if the policy associated with the access network does not require unsupported services to be rejected.

Claims

1. A method for controlling authorization of a multimedia service requested by a user device comprising:

examining an identity of an access network associated with the user device and an identity of the service requested to determine whether the service is supported;

authorizing resources in the access network required by the service if the service is supported; and

rejecting the service if the service is not supported.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the user device connects to the access network using mobile IP, the step of examining the identity of an access network associated with the user device comprising extracting the identity from a header associated with a Normal Vendor Specific Extension within the Mobile Internet Protocol.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the user device uses a SIP INVITE message to request the multimedia service, the step of examining the identity of the service requested comprising extracting the identity from a header in the SIP INVITE message.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of authorizing comprises:

obtaining quality of service constraints from the user device; and

providing the quality of service constraints to a Policy Function server for use in allocating bearer level resources.

5. A method for controlling authorization of a multimedia service requested by a user device comprising:

examining an identity of an access network associated with the user device and an identity of the service requested to determine whether the service is supported;

authorizing resources in the access network required by the service if the service is supported; and

authorizing a default level of resources in the access network if the service is not supported.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the user device connects to the access network using mobile IP, the step of examining the identity of an access network associated with the user device comprising extracting the identity from a header associated with a Normal Vendor Specific Extension within the Mobile Internet Protocol.

7. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the user device uses a SIP INVITE message to request the multimedia service, the step of examining the identity of the service requested comprising extracting the identity from a header in the SIP INVITE message.

8. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the step of authorizing comprises:

obtaining quality of service constraints from the user device; and

providing the quality of service constraints to a Policy Function server for use in allocating bearer level resources.

9. A method for controlling authorization of a multimedia service requested by a user device comprising:

examining an identity of an access network associated with the user device and an identity of the service requested to determine whether the service is supported;

authorizing resources in the access network required by the service if the service is supported;

rejecting the service if the service is not supported and if a policy associated with the access network requires unsupported services to be rejected; and

authorizing a default level of resources in the access network if the service is not supported and if the policy associated with the access network does not require unsupported services to be rejected.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the user device connects to the access network using mobile IP, the step of examining the identity of an access network associated with the user device comprising extracting the identity from a header associated with a Normal Vendor Specific Extension within the Mobile Internet Protocol.

11. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the user device uses a SIP INVITE message to request the multimedia service, the step of examining the identity of the service requested comprising extracting the identity from a header in the SIP INVITE message.

12. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the step of authorizing comprises:

obtaining quality of service constraints from the user device; and

providing the quality of service constraints to a Policy Function server for use in allocating bearer level resources.

13-17. -17. (canceled)