Verifiable service policy implementation for intermediate networking devices

• US 8,713,630 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2012
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Headwater Research LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Original Assignee: Headwater Partners I LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Inventors: Raleigh, Gregory G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Colin, Carl
• Assistant Examiner(s): Siddiqi, Mohammad A
• Application Number:
  US13/445,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20120197792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 709/225, 709/217, 370/251, 370/252, 370/388, 705/35, 705/40, 455/518, 455/560, 455/11, 455/1, 455/445, 455/552.1, 726/1
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/177 Initialisation or configuration control processor initialisation G06F9/4405
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1407 Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0876 Aspects of the degree of configuration automation
• 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 41/5003 : Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5025 : by proactively reacting to service quality change, e.g. by reconfiguration after service quality degradation or upgrade
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 : Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 : Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2408 : for supporting different services, e.g. a differentiated services [DiffServ] type of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 : Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0236 : Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 : for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 : wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 : using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 : by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 : for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/145 : avoiding end of session, e.g. keep-alive, heartbeats, resumption message or wake-up for inactive or interrupted session
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 : involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 : Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 : Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 : Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 : including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 : involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 : Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 : Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 : based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/61 : based on the service used
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/66 : Policy and charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 : Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8055 : Selecting cheaper transport technology for a given service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 : Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 : Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/00 : Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 : Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/037 : of the control plane, e.g. signalling traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 : Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 : Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/02 : Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0215 : based on user or device properties, e.g. MTC-capable devices services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] H04W4/70; wireless resource selection or allocation plan definition based on terminal or device properties H04W72/51
• 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 28/12 : using signalling between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 : Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 : Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 : Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 : using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 : Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 : Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 : Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 : Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 : Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 : Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 : Management or planning

Abstract

A network system capable of communicating with a first end user device over a wireless access network, and a method performed by the network system. The method comprises receiving an instruction from the first end user device, the instruction being based on a user input obtained through a user interface of the first end user device, the user input requesting a change to a forwarding service, the forwarding service enabling the first end user device to forward traffic between the wireless access network and one or more other end user devices according to a forwarding policy; determining to change a setting associated with the forwarding policy based on the instruction; and initiating provisioning of one or more elements to change the setting associated with the forwarding policy.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a service controller comprising at least one processor, the service controller capable of communicating with a service processor on a first end user device over a wireless access network, the at least one processor capable of at least assisting to provision a forwarding service, the forwarding service enabling the first end user device to forward data traffic between the wireless access network and one or more other end user devices according to a forwarding policy, the first end user device including a user interface capable of receiving a user input regarding a change to the forwarding service and further including a device agent capable of communicating a user instruction corresponding to the user input to the service controller, the at least one processor configured to execute one or more machine-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

receive the user instruction from a device agent on the first end user device over the wireless access network;

apply at least a portion of the forwarding policy, the at least a portion of the forwarding policy for controlling usage of the forwarding service by at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices;

obtain a measure of the usage of the forwarding service by the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices; and

send an accounting record to a billing system, the accounting record being based on the measure of the usage of the forwarding service by the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices; and

a communication interface enabling the service controller to communicate with the first end user device over the wireless access network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the user instruction comprises a directive to activate or deactivate the forwarding service.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein, when executed by the at least one processor, the one or more machine-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

initiate provisioning of one or more functions based on a service plan associated with the first end user device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more functions comprise the first end user device.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more functions comprise at least a portion of the service processor.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein, when executed by the at least one processor, the one or more machine-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to notify a user of the first end user device of an option to activate the forwarding service.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein, when executed by the at least one processor, the one or more machine-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to initiate provisioning of one or more functions based on a service plan associated with the first end user device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein, when executed by the at least one processor, the one or more machine-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to determine a policy setting associated with the forwarding service.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the policy setting establishes whether the forwarding service is active, available, or enabled.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising the billing system, and wherein the billing system is configured to bill a user for the forwarding service.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein obtaining the measure of the usage of the forwarding service by the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices comprises receiving the measure of the usage of the forwarding service by the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices from the device agent.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein obtaining the measure of the usage of the forwarding service by the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices comprises determining the measure of the usage of the forwarding service by the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices.

13. A method performed by a service controller of a network system, the service controller comprising one or more processors, the service controller capable of communicating with a service processor on a first end user device over a wireless access network, the method comprising:

receiving an instruction from a device agent on the first end user device, the instruction being based on a user input obtained through a user interface of the first end user device, the user input requesting a change to a forwarding service, the forwarding service enabling the first end user device to forward data traffic between the wireless access network and one or more other end user devices according to a forwarding policy;

applying at least a portion of the forwarding policy, the at least a portion of the forwarding policy for controlling usage of the forwarding service by at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices;

obtaining a measure of the usage of the forwarding service by the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices; and

sending an accounting record to a billing system, the accounting record being based on the measure of the usage of the forwarding service by the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the instruction comprises a directive to enable or disable the forwarding service.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the instruction indicates a user intention to enable or activate the forwarding service.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the instruction comprises an indication of a user acknowledgment.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the instruction comprises an indication of a service plan selection.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the instruction comprises an indication of a user intention to modify at least an aspect of a service plan associated with the first end user device.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the instruction comprises an indication of a limit associated with the usage of the forwarding service by the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising initiating provisioning of one or more elements based on a service plan associated with the first end user device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more elements comprise the billing system.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more elements comprise a gateway, a router, or a server.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein initiating provisioning of one or more elements based on the service plan associated with the first end user device comprises sending information associated with the forwarding service to the first end user device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the information associated with the forwarding service instructs the device agent on the first end user device to modify at least one device setting of the first end user device, the at least one device setting of the first end user device for enabling the forwarding service.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the information associated with the forwarding service allows the first end user device to enable the forwarding service.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the information associated with the forwarding service establishes how many of the one or more other end user devices are authorized to use the forwarding service.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the information associated with the forwarding service assists the first end user device to control the usage of the forwarding service by the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the information associated with the forwarding service assists the first end user device to control whether the forwarding service is active, enabled, or available to the one or more other end user devices.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the wireless access network is a first wireless access network, and wherein the information associated with the forwarding service assists the first end user device to detect availability of one or more access networks on which to use the forwarding service, the one or more wireless access networks including the wireless access network.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein the information associated with the forwarding service assists the first end user device to enable or disable the forwarding service for the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein the information associated with the forwarding service is based at least in part on whether the wireless access network is a home network or a roaming network.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein the information associated with the forwarding service indicates whether a particular device of the one or more other end user devices is allowed to use the forwarding service.

33. The method of claim 23, wherein the information associated with the forwarding service assists the first end user device to execute an authentication process.

34. The method of claim 23, wherein the information associated with the forwarding service instructs the first end user device to direct or route traffic associated with the forwarding service to a particular logical or physical channel.

35. The method of claim 23, wherein the information associated with the forwarding service comprises an indication of a cost associated with the forwarding service.

36. The method of claim 23, wherein the information associated with the forwarding service assists the first end user device to route or direct traffic associated with the forwarding service.

37. The method of claim 13, further comprising storing information associated with the instruction in memory.

38. The method of claim 13, further comprising establishing, in cooperation with the device agent on the first end user device, a service control link between the service processor and the service controller, the service control link secured by an encryption protocol and configured to support control-plane communications between the service processor and the service controller, and wherein receiving the instruction from the device agent on the first end user device over the wireless access network comprises receiving the instruction over the service control link.

39. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining that the usage of the forwarding service by the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices is not in compliance with the forwarding policy.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising taking an action based on determining that the usage of the forwarding service by the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices is not in compliance with the forwarding policy.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the action comprises restricting or blocking at least a portion of traffic associated with the first end user device, or directing the at least a portion of traffic associated with the first end user device to a quarantine service or server.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the action comprises sending information to the first end user device, or causing a notification to be sent to an administrator or a user.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein determining that the usage of the forwarding service by the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices is not in compliance with the forwarding policy comprises:

determining that the forwarding policy does not authorize usage of the forwarding service; and

determining that the forwarding service is being used by or is available to at least a portion of the one or more other end user devices.

44. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing a notification to the first end user device.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the instruction from the device agent on the first end user device is in response to the notification.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein providing the notification to the first end user device comprises:

obtaining information from a network element;

generating the notification based on the information from the network element; and

sending the notification to the first end user device.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the notification provides information about the forwarding service.

48. The method of claim 44, wherein the notification provides service usage information.

49. The method of claim 44, wherein the notification comprises the measure of usage of the forwarding service by the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices.

50. The method of claim 44, wherein the notification comprises a forwarding service offer.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the instruction from the device agent on the first end user device comprises a response to the forwarding service offer.

52. The method of claim 44, wherein the notification comprises an offer for a service plan comprising the forwarding service.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the instruction from the device agent on the first end user device comprises a response to the offer for the service plan comprising the forwarding service.

54. The method of claim 44, wherein the notification indicates a forwarding service payment term.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the instruction from the device agent on the first end user device indicates that a user has accepted or authorized the forwarding service payment term.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising sending a message to a network element, the message indicating that the user has accepted or authorized the forwarding service payment term.

57. The method of claim 44, wherein the notification comprises an offer to enable or activate the forwarding service.

58. The method of claim 44, wherein the notification comprises an offer to enable or activate the forwarding service, and wherein the instruction from the device agent on the first end user device is in response to the notification.

59. The method of claim 44, wherein the notification indicates that the forwarding service is active, enabled, or available.

60. The method of claim 44, wherein the notification indicates a type of the wireless access network.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein the type of the wireless access network comprises home, cellular, roaming, or a combination of these.

62. The method of claim 44, wherein the notification indicates that usage of the forwarding service is associated with a cost.

63. The method of claim 13, further comprising obtaining information from the first end user device.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein the information from the first end user device comprises a signature, a certificate, a hash, or a configuration associated with a software component on the first end user device.

65. The method of claim 63, wherein the information from the first end user device comprises information to assist in billing a subscriber for usage of the forwarding service.

66. The method of claim 63, wherein the information from the first end user device comprises the measure of the usage of the forwarding service by the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices.

67. The method of claim 13, wherein controlling usage of the forwarding service by the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices comprises allowing, blocking, restricting, delaying, redirecting, quarantining, or throttling one or more data communications associated with the forwarding service.

68. The method of claim 13, wherein controlling usage of the forwarding service by the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices comprises restricting one or more data communications associated with the forwarding service when the measure of the usage of the forwarding service by the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices satisfies a condition relative to a threshold.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein the threshold is a limit.

70. The method of claim 68, wherein the instruction from the device agent on the end user device indicates the condition, the threshold, or both the condition and the threshold.

71. The method of claim 68, wherein controlling usage of the forwarding service by the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices comprises restricting how many of the one or more other end user devices are authorized to use the forwarding service.

72. The method of claim 13, wherein obtaining the measure of the usage of the forwarding service by the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices comprises receiving the measure of the usage of the forwarding service by the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices from the device agent.

73. The method of claim 13, wherein obtaining the measure of the usage of the forwarding service by the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices comprises determining the measure of the usage of the forwarding service by the at least a subset of the one or more other end user devices.