TRAFFIC DETECTION FUNCTION WITH AN EXTERNAL ENFORCEMENT DEVICE

• US 20150245241A1
• Filed: 02/26/2014
• Published: 08/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Posz, Thomas G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,282,484 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1407 Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2491 Mapping quality of service [QoS] requirements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0273 adapting protocols for flow control or congestion control to wireless environment, e.g. adapting transmission control protocol [TCP] wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation, e.g. wireless application protocol H04W80/00

Abstract

A policy control component may be installed in a telecommunication network as a “supplemental” or “proxy” policy control component that may be given limited interaction with the telecommunication network. The proxy policy control component may communicate with policy enforcement devices in an external network. In one implementation, a method may include monitoring a first network to obtain information relating to a traffic flow through a gateway associated with the first network, the gateway connecting the first network to a second network. The method may further include establishing a communication session with a policy enforcement device located within the second network; and transmitting over the communication session, and to the policy enforcement device, information relating to enforcement of network policy functions for the traffic flow.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring, by a device, a first network to obtain information relating to a traffic flow through a gateway associated with the first network, the gateway connecting the first network to a second network, the second network being different from the first network;

establishing, by the device, a communication session with a policy enforcement device located within the second network; and

transmitting, by the device, over the communication session, and to the policy enforcement device, information relating to enforcement of network policy functions for the traffic flow.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to enforcement of the network policy functions includes information identifying a user device that obtains network connectivity from the first network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to enforcement of the network policy functions includes network policies relating to quality of service (QoS) or charging policies.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the first network further includes:

passively monitoring;

a Gx interface between a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) device and a Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW) device,

a Gy interface between an Online Charging System (OCS) and the PGW device,

a Gz interface between an Offline Charging System (OFCS) and the PGW device, or

a Rf interface between a Charging Collection Function (CCF) device and the PGW device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the passively monitoring further includes:

receiving copies of messages transmitted over the Gx, Gy, Gz, or Rf interfaces by a fiber optic tap, the fiber optic tap being unable to transmit messages via the interfaces.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the first network includes:

passively monitoring the first network such that other devices, associated with the first network, are not affected by operation of the device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network includes a core network for a wireless cellular network that is operated by a telecommunications provider and the second network includes a network that is an external network relative to the telecommunications provider.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the device implements a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) device and the policy enforcement device implements a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication session established with the policy and enforcement device includes a communication session implemented over a Sd interface.

10. A network device comprising processing circuitry to:

monitor a first network to obtain information relating to a traffic flow through a gateway associated with the first network, the gateway connecting the first network to a second network, the second network being different from the first network;

establish a communication session with a policy enforcement device located within the second network; and

transmit, over the communication session, and to the policy enforcement device, information relating to enforcement of network policy functions for the traffic flow.

11. The network device claim 10, wherein the information relating to enforcement of the network policy functions includes information identifying a user device that obtains network connectivity from the first network.

12. The network device of claim 10, wherein the information relating to enforcement of the network policy functions includes network policies relating to quality of service (QoS) or charging policies.

13. The network device of claim 10, wherein the processing circuitry is further to:

passively monitor;

a Gx interface between a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) device and a Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW) device,

a Gy interface between an Online Charging System (OCS) and the PGW device,

a Gz interface between an Offline Charging System (OFCS) and the PGW device, or

a Rf interface between a Charging Collection Function (CCF) device and the PGW device.

14. The network device of claim 13, wherein the passively monitoring further includes:

receiving copies of messages transmitted over the Gx, Gy, Gz, or Rf interfaces by a fiber optic tap, the fiber optic tap being unable to transmit messages to the interfaces.

15. The network device of claim 10,

wherein the processing circuitry is further to:

passively monitors the first network such that other network devices, associated with the first network, are not affected by the operation of the network device.

16. The network device of claim 10, wherein the processing circuitry is further to:

implement a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) device and the policy enforcement device implements a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF).

17. A system comprising:

a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) component, included within a first network, to provide policy and charging control decisions for traffic flows associated with the first network;

a Policy Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) component, included within the first network and associated with a gateway of the first network, to provide policy and charging enforcement functions for the traffic flows;

a proxy PCRF component, included within the first network, to;

passively monitor communications between the PCRF and PCEF, and

transmit, to an external PCEF component associated with a second network, different than the first network, information relating to enforcement of network policy functions for the traffic flows, the information being obtained based on the monitored communications.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the information relating to enforcement of the network policy functions includes information identifying a user device that obtains network connectivity from the first network.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the information relating to enforcement of the network policy functions includes network policies relating to quality of service (QoS) or charging policies.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a fiber optic tap to transmit messages to the proxy PCRF component as part of the passively monitoring of the communications with the gateway.