Deep packet inspection policy enforcement

• US 8,189,465 B1
• Filed: 02/04/2009
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Pawar, Hemanth Balaji, Srinivas, Shilpa Kowdley, Subramanyan, Badri Prasad, Upadhyay, Piyush
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cehic, Kenan
• Application Number:
  US12/365,187
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 370229-240, 370310-350
• US Class Current: 370/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/02 Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

A data packet is selected from a flow of data traffic communicated between a wireless device and a network. An attribute of the data packet is inspected to associate the packet with a profile. Based on the profile, a network policy associated with the wireless device is determined. The network policy may be enforced by causing a message to be sent to the wireless device instructing the wireless device to enter a dormant mode. The network policy may be enforced by causing a message to be sent to the wireless device that causes the wireless device to not request air-interface resources from a sector.

Claims

1. A method of operating a communication system, comprising:

selecting a data packet from a flow of data traffic communicated between a wireless device and a network;

inspecting an attribute of the data packet, wherein the attribute includes an application indicator that is associated with an application on the wireless device;

based on the attribute, associating the data packet with at least one of a plurality of service levels;

based on the at least one service level, determining a network policy associated with the wireless device; and

,

enforcing the network policy by causing a message to be sent to the wireless device instructing the wireless device to enter a dormant mode if the network policy indicates that the application has a low priority relative to other applications.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

starting a timer that determines when the wireless device may exit the dormant mode.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

disallowing the wireless device from exiting the dormant mode based on the timer.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

disallowing the wireless device from exiting the dormant mode based on a second data packet being associated with the at least one service level by inspecting an attribute of the second data packet.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the attribute further includes at least one of:

(1) a user indicator that is associated with the wireless device;

(2) a device indicator that is associated with the wireless device; and

,

(3) a sector indicator that is associated with a wireless network resource.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the network policy comprises limiting a throughput rate associated with at least one of a wireless network resource, the wireless device, and the application on the wireless device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the network policy comprises limiting an amount of data over a time period associated with at least one of a wireless network resource, the wireless device, and the application on the wireless device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the network policy comprises prioritization of at least one of a wireless network resource, the wireless device, and the application on the wireless device.

9. A method of operating a communication system, comprising:

selecting a data packet from a flow of data traffic communicated between a wireless device and a network;

inspecting an attribute of the data packet, wherein the attribute includes an application indicator that is associated with an application on the wireless device;

based on the attribute, associating the data packet with at least one of a plurality of service levels;

based on the at least one service level, determining a network policy associated with the wireless device; and

,

enforcing the network policy by causing a message to be sent to the wireless device that causes the wireless device to not request air-interface resources from a sector if the network policy indicates that the application has a low priority relative to other applications.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

starting a timer that determines when the wireless device may request air-interfaces from the sector.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the message comprises an indicator of a data rate control lock.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

based on the timer, sending a plurality of messages to the wireless device that causes the wireless device to not request air-interfaces from the sector.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the attribute further includes at least one of:

(1) a user indicator that is associated with the wireless device;

(2) a device indicator that is associated with the wireless device; and

,

(3) a sector indicator that is associated with a wireless network resource.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the network policy comprises limiting a throughput rate associated with at least one of a wireless network resource, the wireless device, and the application on the wireless device.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the network policy comprises limiting an amount of data over a time period associated with at least one of a wireless network resource, the wireless device, and the application on the wireless device.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the network policy comprises prioritization of at least one of a wireless network resource, the wireless device, and the application on the wireless device.

17. A method of operating a communication system, comprising:

selecting a data packet from a flow of data traffic communicated between a wireless device and a network;

inspecting an attribute of the data packet, wherein the attribute includes an application indicator that is associated with an application on the wireless device;

based on the attribute, associating the data packet with at least one of a plurality of service levels;

based on the at least one service level, determining a network policy associated with the wireless device;

enforcing the network policy by causing a message to be sent to the wireless device that causes the wireless device to not request air-interfaces from a sector; and

,

enforcing the network policy by causing a message to be sent to the wireless device instructing the wireless device to enter a dormant mode if the network policy indicates that the application has a low priority relative to other applications.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the network policy comprises limiting a throughput rate associated with at least one of a wireless network resource, the wireless device, and the application on the wireless device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the network policy comprises limiting an amount of data over a time period associated with at least one of a wireless network resource, the wireless device, and the application on the wireless device.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the network policy comprises prioritization of at least one of a wireless network resource, the wireless device, and the application on the wireless device.