Network service plan design

• US 10,165,447 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2015
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Headwater Research LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Original Assignee: Headwater Research LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Inventors: Raleigh, Gregory G., Green, Jeffrey, Lavine, James, James, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Ade, Garcia
• Application Number:
  US14/948,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20160210578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 705 34
• 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 technique involves modular storage of network service plan components and provisioning of same. A subset of the capabilities of a service design system can be granted to a sandbox system to enable customization of service plan offerings or other controls.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of automatically generating provisioning instructions for one or more network-delivered services to be delivered to a wireless end-user device, wherein one or more processors are configured to execute instructions to perform a method comprising:

prompting a service designer, via a user interface of a computing device, to

specify, via the user interface, a plurality of network service classification objects and a plurality of service plans that incorporate the plurality of network service classification objects, and

specify, via the user interface, information that controls an order in which the plurality of network service classification objects are to be evaluated in connection with a network service request from a wireless end-user device; and

automatically generating a plurality of network equipment provisioning instructions for the plurality of service plans, the plurality of network equipment provisioning instructions indicating the order in which the plurality of classification objects are to be evaluated by a network element in connection with a network service request from a wireless end-user device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein prompting the service designer, via the user interface, to specify information that controls an order in which the plurality of network service classification objects are to be evaluated in connection with a network service request comprises prompting the service designer to, via the user interface, assign each of the plurality of service plans to respective plan classes, the plan classes being prioritized relative to one another such that assignment of first and second service plans of the plurality of service plans to first and second plan classes, respectively, indicates that the first service plan is prioritized over the second service plan such that any of the plurality of network service classification objects incorporated into the first service plan is to be evaluated in connection with the network service request before any of the plurality of network service classification objects incorporated into the second service plan is to be evaluated in connection with the network service request.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first plan class is a sponsored plan class and the second policy class is a user plan class.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein prompting the service designer to specify the plurality of service plans that incorporate the plurality of network service classification objects comprises:

prompting the service designer to specify, via the user interface, a plurality of service policies that each incorporate one or more of the network service classification objects; and

prompting the service designer to specify, via the user interface, one or more of the service policies to be incorporated into each of the service plans.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein prompting the service designer to specify information that controls an order in which the plurality of network service classification objects are to be evaluated in connection with the network service request comprises prompting the service designer to assign, via the user interface, each of the one or more service policies to a respective one of a plurality of policy classes that are prioritized relative to one another such that assignment of first and second service policies of the plurality of service policies to respective first and second policy classes of the plurality of policy classes indicates that the first service policy is prioritized over the second service policy such that any of the network service classification objects incorporated into the first service policy is to be evaluated in connection with the network service request before any of the network service classification objects incorporated into the second service policy is to be evaluated in connection with the network service request.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first policy class is a sponsored policy class and the second policy class is a user policy class.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein prompting the service designer to specify information that controls an order in which the plurality of network service classification objects are to be evaluated in connection with a network service request further comprises prompting the service designer to assign, via the user interface, each of the plurality of service plans to respective plan classes, the plan classes being prioritized relative to one another such that assignment of first and second service plans of the plurality of service plans to first and second plan classes, respectively, indicates that the first service plan is prioritized over the second service plan such that any of the plurality of network service classification objects incorporated into the first service plan is to be evaluated in connection with the network service request before any of the plurality of network service classification objects incorporated into the second service plan is to be evaluated in connection with the network service request.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein automatically generating the plurality of network equipment provisioning instructions for the plurality of service plans comprises generating the plurality of network equipment provisioning instructions to order the evaluation of the plurality of network service classification objects first according to policy class priority and then according to plan class priority.

9. A computer system for generating network equipment provisioning instructions for one or more network-delivered services to be delivered to a wireless end-user device, the system comprising computing circuitry, including one or more processors and non-transitory memory to store program code, the program code to configure the one or more processors to:

prompt a service designer, via a user interface, to

specify, via the user interface, a plurality of network service classification objects and a plurality of service plans that incorporate the plurality of network service classification objects, and

specify, via the user interface, information that controls an order in which the plurality of network service classification objects are to be evaluated in connection with a network service request from a wireless end-user device; and

generate a plurality of network equipment provisioning instructions for the plurality of service plans, the plurality of network equipment provisioning instructions indicating the order in which the plurality of network service classification objects are to be evaluated in connection with a network service request from a wireless end-user device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the program code to configure the one or more processors to prompt the service designer to specify information that controls an order in which the plurality of network service classification objects are to be evaluated in connection with a network service request comprises instructions to configure the one or more processors to prompt the service designer to assign, via the user interface, each of the plurality of service plans to respective plan classes, the plan classes being prioritized relative to one another such that assignment of first and second service plans of the plurality of service plans to first and second plan classes, respectively, indicates that the first service plan is prioritized over the second service plan such that any of the plurality of network service classification objects incorporated into the first service plan is to be evaluated in connection with the network service request before any of the plurality of network service classification objects incorporated into the second service plan is to be evaluated in connection with the network service request.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first plan class is a sponsored plan class and the second policy class is a user plan class.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the program code to configure the one or more processors to prompt the service designer to specify the plurality of service plans that incorporate the plurality of network service classification objects comprises instructions to configure the one or more processors to:

prompt the service designer to specify, via the user interface, a plurality of service policies that each incorporate one or more of the network service classification objects; and

prompt the service designer to specify, via the user interface, one or more of the service policies to be incorporated into each of the service plans.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the program code to configure the one or more processors to prompt the service designer to specify information that controls an order in which the plurality of network service classification objects are to be evaluated in connection with the network service request comprises instructions to configure the one or more processors to prompt the service designer to assign, via the user interface, each of the one or more service policies to a respective one of a plurality of policy classes that are prioritized relative to one another such that assignment of first and second service policies of the plurality of service policies to respective first and second policy classes of the plurality of policy classes indicates that the first service policy is prioritized over the second service policy such that any of the network service classification objects incorporated into the first service policy is to be evaluated in connection with the network service request before any of the network service classification objects incorporated into the second service policy is to be evaluated in connection with the network service request.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first policy class is a sponsored policy class and the second policy class is a user policy class.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the program code to configure the one or more processors to prompt the service designer to specify information that controls an order in which the plurality of network service classification objects are to be evaluated in connection with a network service request further configures the one or more processors to prompt the service designer to assign, via the user interface, each of the plurality of service plans to respective plan classes, the plan classes being prioritized relative to one another such that assignment of first and second service plans of the plurality of service plans to first and second plan classes, respectively, indicates that the first service plan is prioritized over the second service plan such that any of the plurality of network service classification objects incorporated into the first service plan is to be evaluated in connection with the network service request before any of the plurality of network service classification objects incorporated into the second service plan is to be evaluated in connection with the network service request.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the program code to configure the one or more processors to generate the plurality of network equipment provisioning instructions for the plurality of service plans comprises instructions to configure the one or more processors to generate the plurality of network equipment provisioning instructions to order the evaluation of the plurality of network service classification objects first according to policy class priority and then according to plan class priority.