SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A CONVERGED WIRELINE AND WIRELESS NETWORK ENVIRONMENT

• US 20090207759A1
• Filed: 02/13/2009
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Andreasen, Flemming S., Vucetic, Vojislav, Brockners, Frank
• Application Number:
  US12/371,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20090207759A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/259
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/02 Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving packets for a communications flow from an end user that can conduct the flow through a wireless network and through a wireline network. The method also includes providing policy control for the end user at a network element that receives packets and resolves admission control decisions for the flow for the end user in both the wireless network and the wireline network. The network element providing Internet Protocol (IP) address assignment for the end user in both networks. In more specific embodiments, the method includes providing policy peering in both home and visited networks for the flow, providing access network information that indicates the type of access network being used by the end user, and network address translation (NAT) control for the user.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving packets for a communications flow from an end user that can conduct the flow through a wireless network and through a wireline network, a network element receiving the packets if the flow is initiated in the wireless network and the wireline network and the network element providing Internet Protocol (IP) address assignment for the end user in both networks; and

providing policy control for the end user at the network element that resolves admission control decisions for the flow for the end user in both the wireless network and the wireline network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing policy peering in both home and visited networks for the flow.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing access network information that indicates the type of access network being used by the end user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the network element is an edge gateway that is coupled to a packet data network gateway and the gateways exchange packets during one or more communication sessions involving the end user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the end user uses a Wi-Fi access point for the flow in the wireline network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the end user uses a femto-cell for the flow in the wireline network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein policy enforcement is provided for the end user at the network element, the policy enforcement including a quality of service application and a bandwidth reservation for the end user in both the wireless and the wireline networks.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a network element operable to receive packets for a communications flow from an end user that can conduct the flow through a wireless network and through a wireline network, wherein policy control for the end user is executed at the network element, which resolves admission control decisions for the flow for the end user in both the wireless network and the wireline network, the network element providing Internet Protocol (IP) address assignment for the end user in both networks.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the network element provides policy peering in both home and visited networks for the flow.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the network element provides access network information that indicates the type of access network being used by the end user.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the network element is an edge gateway that is coupled to a packet data network gateway and the gateways exchange packets during one or more communication sessions involving the end user.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the network element provides policy enforcement at the network element for the end user for the communications flow.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the policy enforcement includes billing data for the end user in both the wireless and the wireline networks.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the policy enforcement includes a quality of service application and a bandwidth reservation for the end user in both the wireless and the wireline networks.

15. Logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed by a processor operable to:

receive packets for a communications flow from an end user that can conduct the flow through a wireless network and through a wireline network; and

provide policy control for the end user at a network element that receives the packets and resolves admission control decisions for the flow for the end user in both the wireless network and the wireline network, the network element providing Internet Protocol (IP) address assignment for the end user in both networks.

16. The logic of claim 15, wherein the code is further operable to:

provide policy peering in both home and visited networks for the flow.

17. The logic of claim 15, wherein the code is further operable to:

provide access network information that indicates the type of access network being used by the end user.

18. The logic of claim 15, wherein the code is further operable to:

provide policy enforcement at the network element for the end user for the communications flow, wherein the policy enforcement includes billing data for the end user in both the wireless and the wireline networks.

19. A system, comprising:

means for receiving packets for a communications flow from an end user that can conduct the flow through a wireless network and through a wireline network; and

means for providing policy control for the end user at a single network node that resolves admission control decisions for the flow for the end user in both the wireless network and the wireline network, the network node providing Internet Protocol (IP) address assignment for the end user in both networks.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for providing policy peering in both home and visited networks for the flow.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for providing access network information that indicates the type of access network being used by the end user.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for providing policy enforcement at the network node for the end user for the communications flow.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the policy enforcement includes billing data for the end user in both the wireless and the wireline networks.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the policy enforcement includes a quality of service application and a bandwidth reservation for the end user in both the wireless and the wireline networks.