Virtualized Policy & Charging System

• US 20140040975A1
• Filed: 07/21/2013
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Headwater Research LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Original Assignee: Headwater Partners I LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Inventors: Raleigh, Gregory G., Lavine, James
• Granted Patent: US 10,057,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/384 using social networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1407 Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1417 Advice of charge with threshold, e.g. user indicating maximum cost
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1435 volume-based
• 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 41/5051 Service on demand, e.g. definition and deployment of services in real time
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/64 On-line charging system [OCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/66 Policy and charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0192 Sponsored, subsidised calls via advertising, e.g. calling cards with ads or connecting to special ads, free calling time by purchasing goods
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/125 Protection against power exhaustion attacks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A network system for providing one or more services to one or more end-user devices communicatively coupled to the network system over a wireless access network, the network system comprising: a policy enforcement function, a first policy element, a second policy element, and a network element, wherein the network element is communicatively coupled to the policy enforcement function, the first policy element, and the second policy element, and wherein the network element is configured to communicate first policy information between the policy enforcement function and the first policy element, and communicate second policy information between the first policy enforcement function and the second policy element.

Claims

1. A network system for providing one or more services to one or more end-user devices communicatively coupled to the network system over a wireless access network, the network system comprising:

a policy enforcement function;

a first policy element;

a second policy element; and

a network element communicatively coupled to the policy enforcement function, the first policy element, and the second policy element, wherein the network element is configured to;

communicate first policy information between the policy enforcement function and the first policy element, and

communicate second policy information between the first policy enforcement function and the second policy element.

2. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the network element comprises a service policy control plane information router or proxy.

3. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein communicate first policy information between the policy enforcement function and the first policy element comprises communicate the first policy information over a standardized interface or an application programming interface (API) that is compatible with a policy information communication interface of the policy enforcement function.

4. The network system recited in claim 3, wherein the first policy information comprises service policy control plane information and wherein communicate the first policy information over a standardized interface or an application programming interface (API) that is compatible with a policy information communication interface of the policy enforcement function comprises switch, route, or multiplex the first policy information over the standardized interface or the API.

5. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein communicate first policy information between the policy enforcement function and the first policy element comprises communicate the first policy information over a Gx interface or using a Gx communication protocol.

6. The network system recited in claim 5, wherein communicate the first policy information over a Gx interface comprises switch, route, or multiplex the first policy information over the Gx interface or using the Gx communication protocol.

7. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein communicate first policy information between the policy enforcement function and the first policy element comprises communicate the first policy information over a Gy interface or using a Gy communication protocol.

8. The network system recited in claim 7, wherein communicate the first policy information over a Gy interface comprises switch, route, or multiplex the first policy information over the Gy interface or using the Gy communication protocol.

9. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein communicate first policy information between the policy enforcement function and the first policy element comprises communicate the first policy information over an Rx interface or using an Rx communication protocol.

10. The network system recited in claim 9, wherein communicate the first policy information over an Rx interface comprises switch, route, or multiplex the first policy information over the Rx interface or using the Rx communication protocol.

11. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein communicate first policy information between the policy enforcement function and the first policy element comprises communicate the first policy information over a RADIUS interface or using a RADIUS communication protocol.

12. The network system recited in claim 11, wherein communicate the first policy information over a RADIUS interface comprises switch, route, or multiplex the first policy information over the RADIUS interface or using the RADIUS communication protocol.

13. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein communicate first policy information between the policy enforcement function and the first policy element comprises communicate the first policy information over a diameter interface or using a diameter communication protocol.

14. The network system recited in claim 13, wherein communicate the first policy information over a diameter interface comprises switch, route, or multiplex the first policy information over the diameter interface or using the diameter communication protocol.

15. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy element comprises a virtual policy element instance or thread that executes in a policy element cloud system, and wherein the virtual policy element instance or thread is configured to process the first policy information, and further comprising a load balancer configured to select or assign the virtual policy element instance or thread.

16. The network system recited in claim 15, wherein the first policy element comprises a policy decision function.

17. The network system recited in claim 15, wherein the first policy element comprises a policy and charging rules function (PCRF).

18. The network system recited in claim 15, wherein the first policy element comprises an on-line charging system (OCS).

19. The network system recited in claim 15, wherein the first policy element comprises an accounting policy function.

20. The network system recited in claim 15, wherein the first policy element comprises a policy state function.

21. The network system recited in claim 15, wherein the first policy element comprises a service policy management function.

22. The network system recited in claim 15, wherein the virtual policy element instance or thread comprises a first virtual policy element instance or thread, and wherein the second policy element comprises a second virtual policy element instance or thread that executes in the policy element cloud system, and wherein the second virtual policy element instance or thread is configured to process the second policy information, and wherein the load balancer is further configured to select or assign the second virtual policy element instance or thread.

23. The network system recited in claim 22, wherein select or assign the first virtual policy element instance or thread or select or assign the second virtual policy element instance or thread is based on an estimate of a processing demand associated with implementing one or more policies for at least a portion of the one or more end-user devices communicatively coupled to the network system over the wireless access network.

24. The network system recited in claim 22, wherein select or assign the first virtual policy element instance or thread or select or assign the second virtual policy element instance or thread is based on an estimate of a processing demand associated with (a) processing the first policy information, (b) processing the second policy information, (c) initiating a network session associated with a user device in the PEF or (d) a combination of two or more of (a) through (c).

25. The network system recited in claim 22, wherein select or assign the first virtual policy element instance or thread is based on an association of the first policy information with a first end-user device of the one or more end-user devices communicatively coupled to the network system over the wireless access network, and wherein select or assign the second virtual policy element instance or thread is based on an association of the second policy information with a second end-user device of the one or more end-user devices communicatively coupled to the network system over the wireless access network.

26. The network system recited in claim 22, wherein select or assign the first virtual policy element instance or thread is based on an association of the first policy information with a first service activity available to at least a portion of the one or more end-user devices communicatively coupled to the network system over the wireless access network, and wherein select or assign the second virtual policy element instance or thread is based on an association of the second policy information with a second service activity available to at least a portion of the one or more end-user devices communicatively coupled to the network system over the wireless access network, wherein the first service activity differs in at least an aspect from the second service activity.

27. The network system recited in claim 22, wherein select or assign the first virtual policy element instance or thread is based on an association of the first policy information with a first device group or a first user group associated with a first subset of the one or more end-user devices communicatively coupled to the network system over the wireless access network, and wherein select or assign the second virtual policy element instance or thread is based on an association of the second policy information with a second device group or a second user group associated with a second subset of the one or more end-user devices communicatively coupled to the network system over the wireless access network.

28. The network system recited in claim 22, wherein select or assign the first virtual policy element instance or thread is based on an association of the first policy information with a first network operator or a first service design center administrator, and wherein select or assign the second virtual policy element instance or thread is based on an association of the second policy information with a second network operator or a second service design center administrator.

29. The network system recited in claim 22, wherein select or assign the first virtual policy element instance or thread is based on an association of the first policy information with a first network or network type, and wherein select or assign the second virtual policy element instance or thread is based on an association of the second policy information with a second device group or a second user group associated with a second network or network type.

30. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the second policy element comprises hardware, and wherein the network element is further configured to assist in providing a migration from a management of policies by the second policy element to a management of policies by a policy element cloud system.

31. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the second policy element comprises hardware, and wherein the network element is further configured to assist in providing management of a first set of one or more service activities by the second policy element and management of a second set of one or more service activities by the first policy element.

32. The network system recited in claim 31, wherein the first set of one or more service activities is associated with a first subset of the one or more end-user devices communicatively coupled to the network system over the wireless access network, and wherein the second set of one or more service activities is associated with a second subset of the one or more end-user devices communicatively coupled to the network system over the wireless access network.

33. The network system recited in claim 31, wherein the first set of one or more service activities is associated with a first set of one or more services available over the wireless access network, and wherein the second set of one or more service activities is associated with a second set of one or more services available over the wireless access network.

34. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the policy enforcement function comprises a virtual policy enforcement function instance or thread.

35. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the policy enforcement function comprises a policy control enforcement function (PCEF).

36. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the policy enforcement function comprises a gateway GPRS support node (GGSN).

37. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the policy enforcement function comprises a switch.

38. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the policy enforcement function comprise a packet inspection element.

39. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the second policy element is a local policy element, and wherein the first policy element is a virtual policy element instance or thread.

40. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy element is located in a first data center, and wherein the second policy element is located in a second data center.

41. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the second policy element comprises hardware, and wherein the first policy element comprises a virtual policy element that executes in a policy element cloud system.

42. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy element comprises a first virtual policy element instance or thread, and wherein the second policy element comprises a second virtual policy element instance or thread, and wherein the first virtual policy element and the second virtual policy element execute in one or more policy element cloud systems.

43. The network system recited in claim 42, wherein the first policy element is configured to process a first set of one or more policies, and wherein the second policy element is configured to process a second set of one or more policies, the first set of one or more policies and the second set of one or more policies being defined or managed by a common administrator or service provider.

44. The network system recited in claim 43, further comprising a service design center (SDC) system configured to enable the common administrator or service provider to define or manage the first set of one or more service policies and the second set of one or more service policies.

45. The network system recited in claim 42, wherein the first policy element is configured to process a first set of one or more policies, the first set of one or more policies being defined or managed by a first administrator or service provider, and wherein the second policy element is configured to process a second set of one or more policies, the second set of one or more policies being defined or managed by a second administrator or service provider.

46. The network system recited in claim 45, further comprising a service design center (SDC) system configured to:

provide a first user interface to enable the first administrator or service provider to define or manage the first set of one or more policies, and

provide a second user interface to enable the second administrator or service provider to define or manage the second set of one or more policies.

47. The network system recited in claim 46, wherein the first set of one or more policies is associated with a first device group or a first user group associated with a first subset of the one or more end-user devices communicatively coupled to the network system over the wireless access network, and wherein define or manage the first set of one or more policies comprises define or manage a first set of credentials associated with the first device group or the first user group, and wherein the second set of one or more policies is associated with a second device group or a second user group associated with a second subset of the one or more end-user devices communicatively coupled to the network system over the wireless access network, and wherein define or manage the second set of one or more policies comprises define or manage a second set of credentials associated with the second device group or the second user group.

48. The network system recited in claim 46, wherein the SDC system is further configured to:

determine whether a first user is authorized to define or manage the first set of one or more policies before providing the first user interface to the first user, and

determine whether a second user is authorized to define or manage the second set of one or more policies before providing the second user interface to the second user.

49. The network system recited in claim 48, wherein the first set of one or more policies is associated with a first device group or a first user group associated with a first subset of the one or more end-user devices communicatively coupled to the network system over the wireless access network, and wherein the second set of one or more policies is associated with a second device group or a second user group associated with a second subset of the one or more end-user devices communicatively coupled to the network system over the wireless access network.

50. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy element comprises hardware, and wherein the second policy element is a cloud-based policy element.

51. The network system recited in claim 42, wherein the network system is further configured to:

determine to communicate first policy information between the policy enforcement function and the first policy element, and

determine to communicate second policy information between the first policy enforcement function and the second policy element.

52. The network system recited in claim 42, wherein the network element is further configured to bring up or establish the first virtual policy element instance or thread or the second virtual policy element instance or thread based on a measure or estimate of processing demand on the network system.

53. The network system recited in claim 42, wherein the network element is further configured to bring up or establish the first virtual policy element instance or thread or the second virtual policy element instance or thread based on (a) a number of the one or more end-user devices managed by the network system, (b) one or more end-user devices initiating communication over a network associated with the network system, or (c) both (a) and (b).

54. The network system recited in claim 42, wherein the network element is further configured to bring up or establish a third virtual policy element instance or thread based on (a) a measure or estimate of an available processing load on the first virtual policy element instance or thread, (b) a measure or estimate of an available processing load on the second virtual policy element instance or thread, (c) a communication session being established by a user device, (d) a number of the one or more end-user devices managed by the network system or (e) a combination of two or more of (a) through (d).

55. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy element comprises a policy decision function (PDF).

56. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy element comprises a policy control function (PCF).

57. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy element comprises a policy and charging rules function (PCRF).

58. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy element comprises an on-line charging system (OCS).

59. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy element comprises an accounting policy function (APF).

60. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy element comprises a policy state function (PSF).

61. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy element comprises a service policy management function (SPMF).

62. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy element comprises a device interface function (DIF).

63. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy element comprises a classification definition update function (CDUF).

64. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy element comprises a policy rules element (PRE).

65. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy element comprises a charging element (CE).

66. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy element comprises a notification element (NE).

67. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy information comprises information associated with traffic control.

68. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy information comprises information associated with session control.

69. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy information comprises information associated with service permission.

70. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy information comprises information associated with one or more service control attributes.

71. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy information comprises information associated with service accounting or charging.

72. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy information comprises information associated with service billing.

73. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy information comprises information associated with service plan management.

74. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy information comprises information associated with service plan modification.

75. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy information comprises information associated with service plan selection.

76. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy information comprises information associated with a service limit or cap.

77. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy information comprises information associated with a service quality-of-service (QoS) level.

78. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy information comprises information associated with a user notification.

79. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy information comprises service allowance information.

80. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy information comprises service wallet information.

81. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy information comprises information associated with a service notification trigger.

82. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the policy enforcement function is configured to classify traffic from at least a portion of the one or more end-user devices communicatively coupled to the network system over the wireless access network, and wherein the first policy information comprises one or more instructions defining a classification of service, the classification of service enabling the network system to provide or perform granular service accounting, granular service notification, or granular service control.

83. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy element is configured to make a traffic control decision, and wherein the first policy information comprises an instruction from the first policy element to the policy enforcement function to enforce the traffic control decision.

84. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the policy enforcement function is configured to determine a service charge, and wherein the first policy information or the second policy information comprises information associated with the service charge.

85. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy information assists in implementing a first service plan associated with a first mobile operator network or a first country network of a multi-country mobile operator, and wherein the second policy information assists in implementing a second service plan associated with a second mobile operator network or a second country network of the multi-country mobile operator.

86. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy information assists in implementing a first control policy, a first accounting policy, or a first notification policy associated with a first service plan offered by a first mobile service operator or offered over a first mobile service network of a multi-country mobile network, and wherein the second policy information assists in implementing a second control policy, a second accounting policy, or a second notification policy associated with a second service plan offered by a second mobile service operator or offered over a second mobile service network of a multi-country mobile network.

87. The network system recited in claim 1, wherein the first policy element is a virtual policy element instance or thread running in a policy element cloud, and wherein the first policy information is communicated via an interaction layer configured to interface the session-service processing that occurs in the policy element cloud with the session-service processing that occurs in the PEF signaling interface.

88. A network system for providing one or more services to one or more end-user devices communicatively coupled to the network system over a wireless access network, the network system comprising:

one or more policy enforcement functions;

a policy element cloud system configured to run a plurality of virtual policy element instances or threads, wherein the policy element cloud system is configured to;

run a first virtual policy element, the first virtual policy element configured to communicate first policy information with at least one of the one or more policy enforcement functions, and

run a second virtual policy element, the second virtual policy element configured to communicate second policy information with at least one of the one or more policy enforcement functions; and

a load balancer configured to;

determine a processing demand associated with the policy element cloud system, and

based on the processing demand associated with the policy element cloud system, assign communication of the first policy information to the first virtual policy element, and assign communication of the second policy information to the second virtual policy element.

89. A network system for providing one or more services to one or more end-user devices communicatively coupled to the network system over a wireless access network, the network system comprising:

a first policy enforcement function, the first policy enforcement function being located in a first mobile operator network or a first country network of a multi-country mobile operator;

a second policy enforcement function, the second policy enforcement function being located in a second mobile operator network or a second country network of the multi-country mobile operator;

a policy element cloud system configured to;

run a first virtual policy element, the first virtual policy element configured to communicate first policy information with the first policy enforcement function, and

run a second virtual policy element, the second virtual policy element configured to communicate second policy information with the second policy enforcement function; and

a load balancer configured to;

assign communication of the first policy information to the first virtual policy element, and

assign communication of the second policy information to the second virtual policy element.