Methods, systems, and computer readable media for providing user receptivity driven policy in a communications network

• US 9,332,036 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2011
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tekelec
• Original Assignee: Tekelec
• Inventors: Cackowski, David, Marsico, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abedin, Normin
• Application Number:
  US13/274,936
• Publication Number:
  US 20120096139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,660 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/224, 709/225, 709/226, 709/203
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24573 using data annotations, e.g. user-defined metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1046 Call controllers; Call servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/66 Policy and charging system

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for providing user receptivity driven policy in a communications network are disclosed. The method includes storing subscriber preference information indicating a willingness of a subscriber to receive a first type of content as well as policy and charging enhancement information associated with the subscriber preference information. Content is received from a content provider. Based on the subscriber preference information, it is determined whether the subscriber is willing to receive the content. In response to determining that the subscriber is willing to receive the content, the content is communicated to the subscriber and a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) is communicated with for temporarily enhancing a network or charging policy of the subscriber based on the policy charging enhancement information.

Claims

1. A method for providing user receptivity driven policy in a communications network, the method comprising:

storing subscriber preference information indicating an attribute of willingness of a subscriber to receive a first type of advertisement content from among multiple types of advertisement content, wherein the subscriber preference information indicates a willingness of the subscriber to receive the advertisement content based on one of a type of content, media type, delivery mode, time of day, day of week, roaming status, geo-location of the subscriber, and subscriber presence status;

generating, by a policy and charging rules function (PCRF), a policy and charging rule based at least in part on the attribute of willingness of the subscriber to receive the advertisement content of the first type, wherein the policy and charging rule includes policy enhancement information for enhancing a quality of service (QoS) related attribute, wherein the policy enhancement information is provisioned by a network operator in response to the willingness of the subscriber to receive the first type of advertisement content;

communicating the policy and charging rule to a policy and charging enforcement function (PCEF);

receiving advertisement content of the first type from a content provider;

determining, based on the subscriber preference information, if the subscriber is willing to receive the advertisement content; and

in response to determining that the subscriber is willing to receive the advertisement content;

communicating the advertisement content to the subscriber; and

communicating with the PCRF for temporarily enhancing a network or charging policy of the subscriber based on the policy enhancement information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein communicating with the PCRF for temporarily enhancing a network or charging policy includes communicating at least some of the policy and charging enhancement information to the PCRF.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein temporarily enhancing the network or charging policy includes increasing one of a guaranteed download bitrate, a maximum download bitrate, a permitted service flow, a permitted quality of service (QoS) class, a permitted access point name (APN), a permitted destination IP address, a permitted destination port number, and a download quota.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising storing the received advertisement content.

5. The method of claim 4 comprising purging the stored advertisement content after a predetermined time period.

6. The method of claim 1 comprising classifying the advertisement content by one of the content provider or a network operator.

7. A system for providing receptivity service in a communications network, the system comprising:

a subscriber receptivity rules database for storing subscriber preference information indicating an attribute of willingness of a subscriber to receive advertisement media content of a first type from among multiple types of advertisement content, wherein the subscriber preference information indicates a willingness of the subscriber to receive the advertisement media content based on one of a type of content, media type, delivery mode, time of day, day of week, roaming status, geo-location of the subscriber, and subscriber presence status;

a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) for generating a policy and charging rule based at least in part on the attribute of willingness of the subscriber to receive the advertisement media content of the first type and for communicating the policy and charging rule to a policy and charging enforcement function (PCEF), wherein the policy and charging rule includes policy enhancement information for enhancing a quality of service (QoS) related attribute, wherein the policy enhancement information is provisioned by a network operator in response to the willingness of the subscriber to receive the advertisement media content of the first type; and

a receptivity service content gateway server for;

receiving the advertisement media content of the first type from a content provider;

determining, based on the subscriber preference information, if the subscriber is willing to receive the advertisement media content;

in response to determining that the subscriber is willing to receive the advertisement media content;

communicating the advertisement media content to the subscriber; and

communicating with the PCRF for temporarily enhancing a network or charging policy of the subscriber based on the policy and charging enhancement information.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the receptivity service content gateway server is configured to communicate at least some of the policy and charging enhancement information to the PCRF.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the PCRF installs the policy and charging rule at the PCEF wherein the policy and charging rule is based on the policy and charging enhancement information.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the receptivity service content gateway server is configured to increase one of a guaranteed download bitrate, a maximum download bitrate, a permitted service flow, a permitted quality of service (QoS) class, a permitted access point name (APN), a permitted destination IP address, a permitted destination port number, and a download quota.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the receptivity service content gateway server is configured to store the received advertisement content.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the receptivity service content gateway server is configured to purge the stored advertisement content after a predetermined time period.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the content is classified by one of the content provider or a network operator.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions that when executed by a processor of a computer control the computer to perform steps comprising:

storing subscriber preference information indicating an attribute of willingness of a subscriber to receive a first type of advertisement content from among multiple types of advertisement content, wherein the subscriber preference information indicates a willingness of the subscriber to receive the advertisement content based on one of a type of content, media type, delivery mode, time of day, day of week, roaming status, geo-location of the subscriber, and subscriber presence status;

generating, by a policy and charging rules function (PCRF), a policy and charging rule based at least in part on the attribute of willingness of the subscriber to receive the advertisement content of the first type, wherein the policy and charging rule includes policy enhancement information for enhancing a quality of service (QoS) related attribute, wherein the policy enhancement information is provisioned by a network operator in response to the willingness of the subscriber to receive the first type of advertisement content;

communicating the policy and charging rule to a policy and charging enforcement function (PCEF);

receiving advertisement content of the first type from a content provider;

determining, based on the subscriber preference information, if the subscriber is willing to receive the advertisement content; and

in response to determining that the subscriber is willing to receive the advertisement content;

communicating the advertisement content to the subscriber; and

communicating with the PCRF for temporarily enhancing a network or charging policy of the subscriber based on the policy enhancement information.