System and method for controlling access to legacy multimedia message protocols based upon a policy

• US 20070106799A1
• Filed: 05/15/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: BEA Systems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Jansson, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 7,957,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• 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 41/5022 by giving priorities, e.g. assigning classes of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/22 Traffic shaping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2425 for supporting services specification, e.g. SLA
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2433 Allocation of priorities to traffic types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/30 in combination with information about buffer occupancy at either end or at transit nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/50 Queue scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/522 Dynamic queue service slot or variable bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/6215 Individual queue per QOS, rate or priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/745 Reaction in network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/781 Centralised allocation of resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/821 Prioritising resource allocation or reservation requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 : Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 : Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 : Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1313 : Metering, billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 : Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 : Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13336 : Store & forward, messaging systems email H04Q2213/13375
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13348 : Channel/line reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for controlling access to telecommunications resources implementing a legacy protocol based upon a policy. These mechanisms and methods for controlling access to legacy protocols based upon a policy can enable embodiments to control access by third party created and other applications to network resources implementing legacy telecommunications protocols. The ability of embodiments to control access by third party created and other applications to network resources can enable network providers to provide greater access to network resources without compromising security of other users. Embodiments may further provide the ability to interface with legacy push protocols, multimedia message protocols and short message peer-to-peer protocols.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system, comprising:

an application interface to receive at least one invocation to a legacy multimedia message protocol from a legacy application;

a gatekeeper to control access through the telecommunications system by applying at least one policy to the invocation;

wherein the at least one policy indicates whether the legacy application is permitted to use a resource of the telecommunications system; and

a resource interface connecting the gatekeeper with at least one resource element implementing the legacy multimedia message protocol to receive the at least one invocation to a legacy multimedia message protocol when the gatekeeper permits the legacy application to use a resource of the telecommunications system.

2. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein an application interface to receive at least one invocation to a legacy multimedia message protocol from a legacy application includes:

an application interface to receive at least one invocation to a legacy multimedia message services protocol (MM7) from a legacy application

3. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein a gatekeeper to control access through the telecommunications system by applying at least one policy to the invocation;

wherein the at least one policy indicates whether the legacy application is permitted to use a resource of the telecommunications system includes;

a policy engine at the gatekeeper to control access through the telecommunications system by applying at least one policy in accordance with a service level agreement (SLA) to the invocation.

4. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein a resource interface connecting the gatekeeper with at least one resource element implementing the legacy multimedia message protocol to receive the at least one invocation to a legacy multimedia message protocol when the gatekeeper permits the legacy application to use a resource of the telecommunications system includes:

a resource interface plug-in connecting the gatekeeper with at least one resource element implementing the legacy multimedia message services protocol (MM7).

5. The telecommunications system of claim 1, further comprising:

a multi-media messaging service center (MMSC) coupled to the resource interface to sending value-added service content from providers to subscribers who have multimedia messaging service (MMS) enabled mobile devices.

6. The telecommunications system of claim 5, wherein the a multi-media messaging service center (MMSC) coupled to the resource interface to sending value-added service content from providers to subscribers who have multimedia messaging service (MMS) enabled mobile devices sends value added service content comprising at least one of an image, text, an audio clip and a video clip.

7. The telecommunications system of claim 5, wherein the a multi-media messaging service center (MMSC) coupled to the resource interface to sending value-added service content from providers to subscribers who have multimedia messaging service (MMS) enabled mobile devices offers at least one of a development environment and a billing environment.

8. A method for controlling access to a legacy multimedia message protocol based upon a policy in a telecommunications environment, the method comprising:

receiving, by an application interface, at least one invocation to a legacy multimedia message protocol from a legacy application;

controlling access through the telecommunications system by applying at least one policy to the invocation at a gatekeeper;

wherein the at least one policy indicates whether the legacy application is permitted to use a resource of the telecommunications system; and

providing to a resource interface connecting the gatekeeper with at least one resource element implementing the legacy multimedia message protocol, the at least one invocation to a legacy multimedia message protocol when the gatekeeper permits the legacy application to use a resource of the telecommunications system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving, by an application interface, at least one invocation to a legacy multimedia message protocol from a legacy application includes:

receiving at least one invocation to a legacy multimedia message services protocol (MM7) from a legacy application.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein controlling access through the telecommunications system by applying at least one policy to the invocation at a gatekeeper;

wherein the at least one policy indicates whether the legacy application is permitted to use a resource of the telecommunications system includes;

controlling access through the telecommunications system using a policy engine at the gatekeeper to apply at least one policy in accordance with a service level agreement (SLA) to the invocation.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein providing to a resource interface connecting the gatekeeper with at least one resource element implementing the legacy multimedia message protocol, the at least one invocation to a legacy multimedia message protocol when the gatekeeper permits the legacy application to use a resource of the telecommunications system includes:

providing to a resource interface plug-in connecting the gatekeeper with at least one resource element implementing the legacy multimedia message services protocol (MM7), the at least one invocation to a legacy multimedia message protocol when the gatekeeper permits the legacy application to use a resource of the telecommunications system.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

sending value-added service content from providers to subscribers who have multimedia messaging service (MMS) enabled mobile devices via a multi-media messaging service center (MMSC) coupled to the resource interface.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein sending value-added service content from providers to subscribers who have multimedia messaging service (MMS) enabled mobile devices via a multi-media messaging service center (MMSC) coupled to the resource interface includes:

sending value added service content comprising at least one of an image, text, an audio clip and a video clip.

14. The telecommunications system of claim 12, wherein sending value-added service content from providers to subscribers who have multimedia messaging service (MMS) enabled mobile devices via a multi-media messaging service center (MMSC) coupled to the resource interface includes:

offering at least one of a development environment and a billing environment.

15. An apparatus for controlling access to a legacy multimedia message protocol in a telecommunications system, the apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of;

receiving, by an application interface, at least one invocation to a legacy multimedia message protocol from a legacy application;

controlling access through the telecommunications system by applying at least one policy to the invocation at a gatekeeper;

wherein the at least one policy indicates whether the legacy application is permitted to use a resource of the telecommunications system; and

providing to a resource interface connecting the gatekeeper with at least one resource element implementing the legacy multimedia message protocol, the at least one invocation to a legacy multimedia message protocol when the gatekeeper permits the legacy application to use a resource of the telecommunications system.