Node selection using a combination of subscription entitlement and nodal characteristics

• US 10,064,058 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2016
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stammers, Timothy P., Smith, Robert Glenn
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHAI MINH
• Application Number:
  US15/346,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20170164195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/164 at the network layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/17 Selecting a data network PoA [Point of Attachment]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

An embodiment includes receiving at a network node associated with a mobile core network an authorization request from a network device, wherein the authorization request is received via an untrusted network; subsequent to the receiving, performing at the network node authorization of the network device; subsequent to the receiving, determining a preferred network access node for the network device, wherein the determining comprises accessing a node selection information repository containing static and dynamic information related to network access nodes and network access node groupings and wherein the static and dynamic information comprises at least one of resource usage, location, availability of mobility anchors, proximity of mobility anchors, handover opportunities, resiliency class, and time of day; and providing to the network device an initial authorization response comprising a response to the received authorization request, wherein the initial authorization response identifies the determined preferred network access node.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving at a network node associated with a mobile core network an authorization request from a network device, wherein the authorization request is received via an untrusted network;

performing authorization of the network device at the network node and subsequent to the receiving;

determining a preferred network access node for the network device subsequent to the receiving, wherein the determining comprises accessing a node selection information repository containing static and dynamic information related to network access nodes and network access node groupings, and wherein the static and dynamic information comprises at least one of;

resource usage, location, availability of mobility anchors, proximity of mobility anchors, handover opportunities, resiliency class, load balancing considerations, and availability based on time of day;

providing to the network device an initial authorization response comprising a response to the received authorization request, wherein the initial authorization response identifies the determined preferred network access node;

receiving a request at the network node for an updated network access node IP address;

determining a new preferred network access node for the network device; and

providing to the network device an IP address for the determined new preferred network access node.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises optimizing network access node selection for a given service using a combination of entitlement characteristics together with node selection information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network node comprises an entitlement server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the network access node comprises an evolved Packet Data Gateway (“

ePDG”

).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined network access node is identified by at least one of an IP address and a Fully Qualified Domain Name (“

FQDN”

).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the untrusted network comprises a WiFi network.

7. A non-transitory tangible media that includes code for execution and is operable to perform operations when executed by a processor, comprising:

receiving at a network node associated with a mobile core network an authorization request from a network device, wherein the authorization request is received via an untrusted network;

performing node authorization of the network device at the network subsequent to the receiving;

determining a preferred network access node for the network device subsequent to the receiving, wherein the determining comprises accessing a node selection information repository containing static and dynamic information related to network access nodes and network access node groupings, and wherein the static and dynamic information comprises at least one of;

resource usage, location, availability of mobility anchors, proximity of mobility anchors, handover opportunities, resiliency class, load balancing considerations, and availability based on time of day;

providing to the network device an initial authorization response comprising a response to the received authorization request, wherein the initial authorization response identifies the determined preferred network access node;

receiving a request at the network node for an updated network access node IP address;

determining a new preferred network access node for the network device; and

providing to the network device an IP address for the determined new preferred network access node.

8. The media of claim 7, wherein the determining comprises optimizing network access node selection for a given service using a combination of entitlement characteristics together with node selection information.

9. The media of claim 7, wherein the network node comprises an entitlement server.

10. The media of claim 7, wherein the network access node comprises an evolved Packet Data Gateway (“

ePDG”

).

11. The media of claim 7, wherein the determined network access node is identified by at least one of an IP address and a Fully Qualified Domain Name (“

FQDN”

).

12. The media of claim 7, wherein the untrusted network comprises a WiFi network.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a memory element configured to store data; and

a processor operable to execute instructions associated with the data;

the apparatus configured for;

receiving an authorization request from a network device, wherein the authorization request is received via an untrusted network;

performing authorization of the network device subsequent to the receiving;

determining a preferred network access node for the network device subsequent to the receiving, wherein the determining comprises accessing a node selection information repository containing static and dynamic information related to network access nodes and network access node groupings and wherein the static and dynamic information comprises at least one of;

resource usage, location, availability of mobility anchors, proximity of mobility anchors, handover opportunities, resiliency class, load balancing considerations, and availability based on time of day;

providing to the network device an initial authorization response comprising a response to the received authorization request, wherein the initial authorization response identifies the determined preferred network access node;

receiving a request for an updated network access node IP address;

determining a new preferred network access node for the network device; and

providing to the network device an IP address for the determined new preferred network access node.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the determining comprises optimizing network access node selection for a given service using a combination of entitlement characteristics together with node selection information.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the network access node comprises an evolved Packet Data Gateway (“

ePDG”

).

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the determined network access node is identified by at least one of an IP address and a Fully Qualified Domain Name (“

FQDN”

).

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the untrusted network comprises a WiFi network.