Dynamic addition of network function services

• US 9,781,016 B1
• Filed: 11/02/2015
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Marquardt, Ronald R., Paczkowski, Lyle W., Rajagopal, Arun
• Primary Examiner(s): Song, Hosuk
• Application Number:
  US14/930,146
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 726 2- 3, 726 11- 15, 713150, 713168-170, 709223-225, 709227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• 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 45/56 Routing software
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/64 using an overlay routing layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

A method of dynamically adding a communication service function to a communication session comprises receiving a communication during a communication session on an active connection, detecting a communication service trigger in the communication, determining a second communication service function based on the communication service trigger, sending a message to a network function virtualization (NFV) catalog, receiving a response from the NFV catalog, providing the routing information to a software defined network (SDN) controller, routing the communication from the first communication service function to the second communication service function, processing the communication with the second communication service function, and routing the communication to an output. The message to the NFV server can include an identity of the second communication service function. The SDN controller can set the session routing protocol to include the second communication service function in a communication flow for the communication session.

Claims

1. A method of dynamically adding a communication service function using network function virtualization during a communication session, the method comprising:

receiving, at a first communication service function executing on a server that comprises a processor, a communication during a communication session on an active connection;

detecting, by the first communication service function, a communication service trigger in the communication;

determining a second communication service function based on the communication service trigger;

sending, by the first communication service function, a message to a network function virtualization catalog, wherein the message comprises an identity of the second communication service function;

receiving, by the first communication service function, a response from the network function virtualization catalog, wherein the response comprises an operating location and routing information for the second communication service function;

providing, by the first communication service function, the routing information to a software defined network controller, wherein the software defined network controller sets a session routing protocol to include the second communication service function in a communication flow for the communication session;

routing the communication from the first communication service function to the second communication service function;

processing the communication with the second communication service function; and

routing the communication to an output.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the server, a setup request for the active connection;

identifying, by the server, the first communication service function associated with the setup request;

sending, by the server, a setup message to a network function virtualization catalog, wherein the setup message comprises an identity of the first communication service function;

receiving, by the server, a setup response from the network function virtualization catalog, wherein the setup response comprises an operating location and routing information for the first communication service function;

providing, by the server, the operating location and the routing information for the first communication service function to the software defined network controller, wherein the software defined network controller defines the session routing protocol for the active connection to include the first communication service function in a communication flow for the communication; and

performing the communication session using the session routing protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending the session routing protocol to a router, wherein the active connection is routed using the session routing protocol during the active connection.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the session routing protocol for the active connection includes the first communication service function to the output, and wherein routing the communication from the first communication service function to the second communication service function comprises redefining the session routing protocol for the active connection to include the first communication service function to the second communication service function to the output.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication service function comprises at least one of a voice call function or a data session management function.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second communication service function comprises a voicemail function, a video optimization function, a parental control function, a video conferencing function, or a voice conferencing function.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication service trigger comprises a request for the second communication service function.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication service trigger comprises a data request contained within the communication.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the first communication service function, a second communication during the communication session;

detecting, by the first communication service function, a second communication service trigger in the second communication;

determining a third communication service function based on the second communication service trigger;

sending, by the first communication service function, a second message to the network function virtualization catalog, wherein the message comprises an identity of the third communication service function;

receiving, by the first communication service function, a response from the network function virtualization catalog, wherein the response comprises an operating location and routing information for the third communication service function;

providing, by the first communication service function, the routing information for the third communication service function to the software defined network controller, wherein the software defined network controller sets the session routing protocol to include the third communication service function in a communication flow for the second communication;

routing the second communication through the first communication service function, the second communication service function, and the third communication service function;

processing the second communication with the third communication service function; and

routing the second communication to the output.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a routing order for the second communication service function and the third communication service function; and

redefining the session routing protocol to include the routing order.

11. A method of dynamically adding a communication service function to an active connection, the method comprising:

performing a communication session over an active connection, wherein a session routing protocol defines a communication path through a first communication service function executing on a server that comprises a processor;

receiving, at the first communication service function, a communication during the communication session;

detecting, by the first communication service function, a communication service trigger in the communication;

determining a second communication service function based on the communication service trigger;

sending, by the first communication service function, a message to a network function virtualization catalog, wherein the message comprises an identity of the second communication service function;

receiving, by the first communication service function, a reply from the network function virtualization catalog, wherein the reply indicates that the second communication service function is unavailable;

instantiating, by a software defined network controller, the second communication service function on a server that comprises a processor;

receiving, by the first communication service function, a notification of the instantiation of the second communication service function and routing information for the second communication service function;

providing, by the first communication service function, the routing information to the software defined network controller, wherein the software defined network controller defines the session routing protocol to include the second communication service function in a communication flow for the communication session;

routing the communication from the first communication service function to the second communication service function;

processing the communication with the second communication service function; and

routing the communication to an output.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

sending the identity and the routing information for the second communication service function to the network function virtualization catalog; and

storing the identity, an execution location, and the routing information in the network function virtualization catalog.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

creating, in response to receiving a setup request, the session routing protocol; and

storing the session routing protocol in a router, wherein the active connection is routed using the session routing protocol during the active connection.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first communication service function comprises at least one of a voice call function or a data session management function.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the second communication service function comprises a voicemail function, a video optimization function, a parental control function, a video conferencing function, or a voice conferencing function.

16. A method of dynamically adding a communication service function to a trusted connection, the method comprising:

receiving, at a first communication service function executing on a server that comprises a processor, a communication during a trusted communication session on a trusted connection;

detecting, by the first communication service function, a communication service trigger in the communication;

determining a second communication service function based on the communication service trigger;

sending, by the first communication service function, a message to a trusted network function virtualization catalog, wherein the message comprises an identity of the second communication service function and an operating location of the first communication service function;

receiving, by the first communication service function, a response from the trusted network function virtualization catalog, wherein the response comprises an operating location and routing information for the second communication service function, wherein the operating location of the second communication service function is the same as the operating location of the first communication service function;

providing, by the first communication service function, the routing information to a software defined network controller, wherein the software defined network controller sets a session routing protocol to include the second communication service function in a communication flow for the trusted communication session;

sending the communication from the first communication service function to the second communication service function;

processing the communication with the second communication service function, wherein responsive to the execution of the first communication service function and execution of the second communication service function, all other applications in the operating location are prevented from executing; and

routing the communication to an output.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the trusted network function virtualization catalog uses a semaphore, wherein the trusted network function virtualization catalog comprises a trusted security zone, and wherein the method further comprises:

accessing the trusted network function virtualization catalog within the trusted security zone, wherein the trusted network function virtualization catalog executes on a second processor;

updating the semaphore based on the accessing;

disabling execution of all applications executing on the second processor outside of the trusted security zone while the trusted network function virtualization catalog executes within the trusted security zone;

closing the trusted network function virtualization catalog; and

releasing the trusted network function virtualization catalog in the semaphore.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein an end-to-end trusted connection is established between the server, the software defined network controller, and a user equipment.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the server comprises a trusted security zone, wherein the first communication service function and the second communication service function execute within the trusted security zone, and wherein all applications outside of the trusted security zone are disabled while the first communication service function and the second communication service function execute within the trusted security zone.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the trusted network function virtualization catalog comprises a list of executing trusted applications, an execution location of the executing trusted applications, and routing information for each executing trusted application.