Method and apparatus for managing communication interfaces in a communication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9930682-B2
Application number	US-201715445384-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2017
Priority date	Oct 28, 2013
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may include, for example, facilitating establishing a first interface between a processor and the system where the system performs a policy and charging rules function in a mobile communications network and where the first interface bypasses a packet data network gateway and a serving gateway, facilitating establishing a second interface between the processor and the system where the second interface utilizes the packet data network gateway and the serving gateway, providing a first message from the processor to the system via the first interface where the first message is associated with a quality of service authorization, and receiving a second message from the system via the first interface where the second message is associated with the quality of service authorization. Other embodiments are disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving via a first interface, by a processing system including a processor, a first message in first communications from a network device, wherein the first interface is between the processing system and the network device, wherein the network device performs a policy rule function, wherein the first communications between the processing system and the network device via the first interface do not utilize any packet data network gateway or any serving gateway, and wherein the processing system operates as a mobility management entity or a serving general packet radio service support node;
receiving via a second interface, by the processing system, a second message in second communications from the network device, wherein the second interface is distinct from the first interface, wherein the second interface is between the processing system and the network device, and wherein the second communications between the processing system and the network device via the second interface do utilize a packet data network gateway or a serving gateway;
wherein the first message is sent by the network device via the first interface and not the second interface responsive to the network device identifying a first type of content in the first message; and
wherein the second message is sent by the network device via the second interface and not the first interface responsive to the network device identifying a second type of content in the second message.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving the first message from the network device via the first interface is further based on network conditions and the receiving the second message from the network device is further based on network conditions.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving the first message from the network device via the first interface is further based on identifying the first message as a first message type and the receiving the second message from the network device is further based on identifying the second message as a second message type.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving the first message from the network device via the first interface is further based on a policy change.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the policy change is one of a usage policy change or a geographical location policy change and wherein the network device further performs a charging rule function.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first message includes a quality of service authorization update, and wherein the second message includes a quality of service authorization update acceptance.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first message includes a quality of service authorization response, and wherein the second message includes a quality of service authorization request.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the quality of service authorization request includes user location information associated with an end user device and an identification of radio access technology being utilized by the end user device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first interface is limited to providing messages for quality of service control.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first message includes quality of service parameters associated with an end user attach procedure.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second message includes a request for bearer quality of service parameters for all active access point names and for an end user device.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first message includes quality of service parameters associated with a packet data protocol activation procedure.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer instructions which, responsive to being executed by a processing system including a processor, cause the processing system to perform operations, the operations comprising:
obtaining first communications via a first interface between a network device and the processing system that operates as a mobility management entity or a serving general packet radio service support node, wherein the network device performs a policy rule function, wherein the first communications between the processing system and the network device via the first interface do not utilize any packet data network gateway or any serving gateway;
obtaining second communications via a second interface between the network device and the processing system, the second interface being distinct from the first interface, wherein the second communications between the processing system and the network device via the second interface do utilize a packet data network gateway or a serving gateway;
obtaining a first message from the network device via the first interface, wherein the network device sends the first message to the first interface and not the second interface responsive to the network device identifying the first message as a first message type; and
obtaining a second message from the network device via the second interface, wherein the network device sends the second message to the second interface and not the first interface responsive to the network device identifying the second message as a second message type.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the obtaining the first message from the network device via the first interface is further based on network conditions and the obtaining the second message from the network device is further based on network conditions.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the first message includes a quality of service authorization update acceptance, and wherein the second message includes a quality of service authorization update.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the first message includes a quality of service authorization request, and wherein the second message includes a quality of service authorization response.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the first interface is limited to receiving messages for quality of service control.

18. A device comprising:
a processing system including a processor; and
a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to operate as a mobility management entity or a serving general packet radio service support node by performing operations, the operations comprising:
obtaining a first communication via a first interface between the processing system and a network device, wherein the network device performs a policy rule function, wherein the first communication between the processing system and the network device via the first interface does not utilize any packet data network gateway or any serving gateway;
obtaining a second communication via a second interface between the processing system and the network device, the second interface being distinct from the first interface, wherein the second communication between the processing system and the network device via the second interface does utilize a packet data network gateway or a serving gateway;
obtaining a first signal from the network device via the first interface, wherein the network device sends the first signal to the first interface and not the second interface responsive to the network device identifying the first signal as a first signal type; and
obtaining a second signal from the network device via the second interface, wherein the network device sends the second signal to the second interface and not t

Assignees

• At & T Ip I Lp

Inventors

• Wang Jiansong
• Redfern Ryan

Classifications

• H04W92/10

  between terminal device and access point, i.e. wireless air interface · CPC title

• H04W64/00

  Locating users or terminals {or network equipment} for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management · CPC title

• H04W4/023

  using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds · CPC title

• H04W88/08

  Access point devices · CPC title

• H04L12/1407

  Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture · CPC title