Packet flow optimization (PFO) policy management in a communications network by rule name
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving packet flow optimization (PFO) configuration data that associates each rule name of a plurality of PFO rule names with a corresponding method for processing a data packet in a communications network based on data in a payload of a layer 3 protocol of the data packet, wherein at least one PFO rule identifies an Internet protocol (IP) address of a subscriber, a quality of service (QOS) policy associated with the subscriber, and a billing policy associated with the subscriber, and wherein the PFO rule includes a field identifying how packets for the subscriber are to be forwarded in the communications network;
receiving, from a policy management process in the communications network, a first policy message that includes rule data that indicates a signaled rule name of the plurality of PFO rule names associated with a particular network address in the communications network; and
in response to receiving the first policy message, processing a data packet of the particular network address according to a particular method associated with a particular rule name that is selected based on the signaled rule name, wherein the first policy message includes data formatted according to a Ty interface Specification and includes a PFO rule-name attribute-value pair (AVP), which comprises data indicative of the signaled rule name.
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Abstract
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving packet flow optimization (PFO) configuration data that associates each rule name of multiple PFO rule names with a corresponding method for processing a data packet in a communications network based on data in a payload of a layer 3 protocol of the data packet. A first policy message is received from a policy management process in the communications network. The first policy message includes rule data that indicates a signaled rule name associated with a particular network address in the communications network. In response to receiving the first policy message, a data packet of the particular network address is processed according to a particular method associated with a particular rule name selected based on the signaled rule name. As a result, a PFO policy is controlled from the policy management process.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving packet flow optimization (PFO) configuration data that associates each rule name of a plurality of PFO rule names with a corresponding method for processing a data packet in a communications network based on data in a payload of a layer 3 protocol of the data packet, wherein at least one PFO rule identifies an Internet protocol (IP) address of a subscriber, a quality of service (QOS) policy associated with the subscriber, and a billing policy associated with the subscriber, and wherein the PFO rule includes a field identifying how packets for the subscriber are to be forwarded in the communications network; receiving, from a policy management process in the communications network, a first policy message that includes rule data that indicates a signaled rule name of the plurality of PFO rule names associated with a particular network address in the communications network; and in response to receiving the first policy message, processing a data packet of the particular network address according to a particular method associated with a particular rule name that is selected based on the signaled rule name, wherein the first policy message includes data formatted according to a Ty interface Specification and includes a PFO rule-name attribute-value pair (AVP), which comprises data indicative of the signaled rule name. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method comprising:
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receiving packet flow optimization (PFO) configuration data that associates each user identifier of a plurality of user identifiers with a corresponding rule name of a plurality of PFO rule names, wherein at least one PFO rule identifies an Internet protocol (IP) address of a subscriber, a quality of service (QOS) policy associated with the subscriber, and a billing policy associated with the subscriber, and wherein the PFO rule includes a field identifying how packets for the subscriber are to be forwarded in a communications network; associating a particular user identifier of the plurality of user identifiers with a particular network address in the communications network; and sending, to a policy enforcement process in the communications network, a first policy message that includes, in association with the particular network address, rule data that indicates a signaled rule name associated with the particular user identifier, and wherein the first policy message includes data formatted according to a Ty interface Specification and includes a PFO rule-name attribute-value pair (AVP), which comprises data indicative of the signaled rule name, and wherein the policy enforcement process processes a data packet of the particular network address based on data in a payload of a layer 3 protocol of the data packet according to a particular method associated with a particular rule name that is selected based on the signaled rule name, whereby a PFO policy is controlled at the policy enforcement process.
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18. An apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving packet flow optimization (PFO) configuration data that associates each rule name of a plurality of PFO rule names with a corresponding method for processing a data packet in a communications network based on data in a payload of a layer 3 protocol of the data packet, wherein at least one PFO rule identifies an Internet protocol (IP) address of a subscriber, a quality of service (QOS) policy associated with the subscriber, and a billing policy associated with the subscriber, and wherein the PFO rule includes a field identifying how packets for the subscriber are to be forwarded in the communications network; means for receiving, from a policy management process in the communications network, a first policy message that includes rule data that indicates a signaled rule name of the plurality of PFO rule names associated with a particular network address in the communications network, wherein the first policy message includes data formatted according to a Ty interface Specification and includes a PFO rule-name attribute-value pair (AVP), which comprises data indicative of the signaled rule name; and means for processing a data packet of the particular network address according to a particular method associated with a particular rule name that is selected based on the signaled rule name, in response to receiving the first policy message.
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19. An apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving packet flow optimization (PFO) configuration data that associates each user identifier of a plurality of user identifiers with a corresponding rule name of a plurality of PFO rule names, wherein at least one PFO rule identifies an Internet protocol (IP) address of a subscriber, a quality of service (QOS) policy associated with the subscriber, and a billing policy associated with the subscriber, and wherein the PFO rule includes a field identifying how packets for the subscriber are to be forwarded in a communications network; means for associating a particular user identifier of the plurality of user identifiers with a particular network address in the communications network; and means for sending, to a policy enforcement process in the communications network, a first policy message that includes, in association with the particular network address, rule data that indicates a signaled rule name associated with the particular user identifier, and wherein the first policy message includes data formatted according to a Ty interface Specification and includes a PFO rule-name attribute-value pair (AVP), which comprises data indicative of the signaled rule name, and wherein the policy enforcement process processes a data packet of the particular network address based on data in a payload of a layer 3 protocol of the data packet according to a particular method associated with a particular rule name that is selected based on the signaled rule name.
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20. A system comprising:
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a policy manager to; receive first packet flow optimization (PFO) configuration data that associates each user identifier of a plurality of user identifiers with a corresponding rule name of a plurality of PFO rule names, wherein at least one PFO rule identifies an Internet protocol (IP) address of a subscriber, a quality of service (QOS) policy associated with the subscriber, and a billing policy associated with the subscriber, and wherein the PFO rule includes a field identifying how packets for the subscriber are to be forwarded in a communications network; associate a particular user identifier of the plurality of user identifiers with a particular network address in the communications network; and send, to a policy enforcement process in the communications network, a first policy message that includes, in association with the particular network address, rule data that indicates a signaled rule name associated with the particular user identifier; and a policy enforcer to; receive second PFO configuration data that associates each rule name of the plurality of PFO rule names with a corresponding method for processing a data packet in the communications network based on data in a payload of a layer 3 protocol of the data packet, receive, from the policy management process in the communications network, the first policy message, wherein the first policy message includes data formatted according to a Ty interface Specification and includes a PFO rule-name attribute-value pair (AVP), which comprises data indicative of the signaled rule name; and in response to receiving the first policy message, process a data packet for the particular network address according to a particular method associated with a particular rule name that is selected based on the signaled rule name. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification