U.S. patent number 9,270,709 [Application Number 13/935,994] was granted by the patent office on 2016-02-23 for integrated signaling between mobile data networks and enterprise networks.
This patent grant is currently assigned to CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.. The grantee listed for this patent is CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.. Invention is credited to Arun C. Alex, Gibson Soon Teck Ang, David T. Clough, Craig Robert Sanderson, Kevin D. Shatzkamer.
United States Patent |
9,270,709 |
Shatzkamer , et al. |
February 23, 2016 |
Integrated signaling between mobile data networks and enterprise
networks
Abstract
A method is provided in one example and includes receiving a
request from a first network element associated with a first
network for establishing a first communication session between the
first network element to a first user device associated with a
second network. The request includes a first user identifier used
to identify a first user associated with the first user device
within the first network. The method further includes translating
the first user identifier to a second user identifier in which the
second user identifier is used to identify the first user within
the second network. The method still further includes sending a
first query including the second user identifier to a second
network element, and receiving a first response message including
quality of service information indicated by a policy associated
with the second user identifier.
Inventors: |
Shatzkamer; Kevin D. (Hingham,
MA), Ang; Gibson Soon Teck (Westford, MA), Alex; Arun
C. (Nashua, NH), Sanderson; Craig Robert (Union City,
CA), Clough; David T. (Hingham, MA) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC. |
San Jose |
CA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC. (San
Jose, CA)
|
Family
ID: |
50679864 |
Appl.
No.: |
13/935,994 |
Filed: |
July 5, 2013 |
Prior Publication Data
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|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20150019746 A1 |
Jan 15, 2015 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L
65/1069 (20130101); H04W 76/00 (20130101); H04W
76/10 (20180201); H04W 4/00 (20130101); H04L
67/322 (20130101); H04W 4/50 (20180201); H04L
67/306 (20130101); H04W 92/02 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04L
29/06 (20060101); H04L 29/08 (20060101); H04W
4/00 (20090101); H04W 76/00 (20090101); H04W
92/02 (20090101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
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2299675 |
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2768181 |
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2822247 |
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Jan 2015 |
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2858016 |
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Apr 2015 |
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EP |
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2858020 |
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EP |
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WO2012/000161 |
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WO |
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WO2013/007287 |
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WO |
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Other References
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Primary Examiner: Gillis; Brian J
Assistant Examiner: Ling; Amy
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Patent Capital Group
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method, comprising: receiving a request from a first network
element associated with a first network for establishing a first
communication session between the first network element to a first
user device associated with a second network, the request including
a first user identifier used to identify a first user associated
with the first user device within the first network, wherein the
first network is a mobile network and the second network is an
enterprise network; translating the first user identifier to a
second user identifier, the second user identifier used to identify
the first user within the second network; sending a first query
including the second user identifier to a second network element;
receiving a first response message including quality of service
information indicated by a policy associated with the second user
identifier; translating the first response message with the second
use identifier to a policy query message with the first user
identifier to determine whether the first user identified by the
first user identifier has a policy associated with the first user;
determining a performance quality threshold for the first
communication session based upon the quality of service
information; and establishing the first communication session
between the first network element and the first user device.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving performance
data including at least one performance metric indicating a quality
of delivery of content to the first user device by the first
communication session.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining whether
the at least one performance metric exceeds the performance quality
threshold.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining whether
the quality of delivery is to be improved for the first user when
it is determined that the at least one performance metric exceeds
the performance quality threshold.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising increasing a first
quality of service value for the first communication session if it
is determined that the quality of delivery is to be improved for
the first user.
6. The method of claim 4, further comprising decreasing a second
quality of service value for a second session associated with a
second user device if it is determined that the quality of delivery
is to be improved for the first user.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network element
includes a policy and charging rules function (PCRF).
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second network element is an
application server for providing one or more applications or
services to first user equipment.
9. Logic encoded in one or more non-transitory tangible media that
includes code for execution and when executed by a processor
operable to perform operations comprising: receiving a request from
a first network element associated with a first network for
establishing a first communication session between the first
network element to a first user device associated with a second
network, the request including a first user identifier used to
identify a first user associated with the first user device within
the first network, wherein the first network is a mobile network
and the second network is an enterprise network; translating the
first user identifier to a second user identifier, the second user
identifier used to identify the first user within the second
network; sending a first query including the second user identifier
to a second network element; receiving a first response message
including quality of service information indicated by a policy
associated with the second user identifier; translating the first
response message with the second user identifier to a policy query
message with the first user identifier to determine whether the
first user identified by the first user identifier has a policy
associated with the first user; determining a performance quality
threshold for the first communication session based upon the
quality of service information; and establishing the first
communication session between the first network element and the
first user device.
10. The media of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise
receiving performance data including at least one performance
metric indicating a quality of delivery of content to the first
user device by the first communication session.
11. The media of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise
determining whether the at least one performance metric exceeds the
performance quality threshold.
12. The media of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise
determining whether the quality of delivery is to be improved for
the first user when it is determined that the at least one
performance metric exceeds the performance quality threshold.
13. The media of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise
increasing a first quality of service value for the first
communication session if it is determined that the quality of
delivery is to be improved for the first user.
14. The media of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise
decreasing a second quality of service value for a second session
associated with a second user device if it is determined that the
quality of delivery is to be improved for the first user.
15. An apparatus, comprising: a memory element configured to store
data, a processor operable to execute instructions associated with
the data, and at least one module, the at least one module being
configured to: receive a request from a first network element
associated with a first network for establishing a first
communication session between the first network element to a first
user device associated with a second network, the request including
a first user identifier used to identify a first user associated
with the first user device within the first network, wherein the
first network is a mobile network and the second network is an
enterprise network; translate the first user identifier to a second
user identifier, the second user identifier used to identify the
first user within the second network; send a first query including
the second user identifier to a second network element; receive a
first response message including quality of service information
indicated by a policy associated with the second user identifier;
translate the first response message with the second user
identifier to a policy query message with the first user identifier
to determine whether the first user identified by the first user
identifier has a policy associated with the first user; determine a
performance quality threshold for the first communication session
based upon the quality of service information; and establish the
first communication session between the first network element and
the first user device.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one module is
further configured to receive performance data including at least
one performance metric indicating a quality of delivery of content
to the first user device by the first communication session.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one module is
further configured to determine whether the at least one
performance metric exceeds the performance quality threshold.
18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one module is
further configured to determine whether the quality of delivery is
to be improved for the first user when it is determined that the at
least one performance metric exceeds the performance quality
threshold.
19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the at least one module is
further configured to increase a first quality of service value for
the first communication session if it is determined that the
quality of delivery is to be improved for the first user.
20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the at least one module is
further configured to decrease a second quality of service value
for a second session associated with a second user device if it is
determined that the quality of delivery is to be improved for the
first user.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
This disclosure relates in general to the field of communications
and, more particularly, to providing for integrated signaling
between mobile data networks and enterprise networks.
BACKGROUND
The phenomenal growth of mobile networking is presenting mobile
operators with tremendous opportunities along with corresponding
challenges as they race to add capacity and services to meet
accelerating demands. Mobile operators worldwide are seeing
tremendous growth in mobile data subscriptions and bandwidth usage.
The emergence of free, "over-the-top" and offnet applications and
services (such as those from Skype, gaming vendors, and
applications stores is impacting the return on investment (ROI) of
mobile operators. Consumers can utilize these applications and
services, which use the operator's network, without providing even
an incremental usage fee to the mobile operator. While operators
benefit in the near term with new subscriptions, long term there
are profitability challenges from the explosion of data traffic. To
take advantage of the mobile Internet explosion, mobile operators
must add value to third party service transactions. This value can
be extracted in terms of new revenue and profit. Without this value
add, mobile operators risk becoming simply a bandwidth "bit pipe"
provider. As a result, it is critical for mobile operators to
invest strategically in their network assets allowing them to
launch new services and go beyond flat-rate data plans. In current
networks, various pieces of information like location of a
subscriber and the reachability of a subscriber etc distributed in
various network elements throughout the network and there is no
single entity in the network, which can aggregate the information
present in the different network elements, correlate the
information, and feed that information to various external
entities.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
To provide a more complete understanding of the present disclosure
and features and advantages thereof, reference is made to the
following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying
figures, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts, in
which:
FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram showing a high level
architecture of a communication system for orchestrating mobile
networks in accordance with one embodiment of the present
disclosure;
FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram showing an embodiment of a
hierarchical architectural framework of a communication system for
orchestrating mobile networks in accordance with another embodiment
of the present disclosure;
FIG. 3 is a simplified flow diagram of an embodiment of workflow
coordination operations performed by a orchestration/work flow
engine;
FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the protocol translation
platform of the orchestration/work flow engine;
FIG. 5 is a simplified flow diagram of an embodiment of subscriber
identity normalization operations performed by the
orchestration/work flow engine;
FIG. 6 is a simplified flow diagram of another embodiment of
workflow coordination operations performed by the
orchestration/work flow engine;
FIG. 7 is a simplified diagram of an embodiment of a call flow of a
network, service, subscriber abstraction, orchestration module;
FIG. 8 is a simplified block diagram illustrating a particular
embodiment of a server of the communication system of FIG. 2;
FIG. 9 is a simplified block diagram of an embodiment of a
communication system for providing integrated signaling between a
mobile data network and enterprise networks;
FIG. 10 is a simplified flow diagram of an embodiment of signaling
between an mobile network and an enterprise network for a
quality-of-service (QoS) request;
FIG. 11 is a simplified flow diagram of another embodiment of
signaling between an mobile network and an enterprise network for a
quality-of-service (QoS) request;
FIG. 12 is a simplified block diagram of another embodiment of a
communication system for providing integrated signaling between
mobile data network and enterprise networks;
FIG. 13 is a simplified flow diagram of another embodiment of
signaling between a mobile network and an enterprise network;
and
FIG. 14 is a simplified flowchart of another embodiment of
signaling between a mobile network and an enterprise network.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
Overview
A method is provided in one example and includes receiving a
request from a first network element associated with a first
network for establishing a first communication session between the
first network element to a first user device associated with a
second network. The request includes a first user identifier used
to identify a first user associated with the first user device
within the first network. The method further includes translating
the first user identifier to a second user identifier in which the
second user identifier is used to identify the first user within
the second network. The method still further includes sending a
first query including the second user identifier to a second
network element, and receiving a first response message including
quality of service information indicated by a policy associated
with the second user identifier.
In a particular embodiment, the method further includes translating
the first response message with the second user identifier to a
policy query with the first user identifier.
In a particular embodiment, the method further includes determining
a performance quality threshold for the first communication session
based upon the quality of service information, and establishing the
first communication session between the first network element and
the first user device. In another particular embodiment, the method
further includes receiving performance data including at least one
performance metric indicating a quality of delivery of content to
the first user device by the first communication session.
In still another particular embodiment, the method further includes
determining whether at least one performance metric exceeds the
performance quality threshold. In another particular embodiment,
the method further includes determining whether the quality of
delivery is to be improved for the first user when it is determined
that the at least one performance metric exceeds the performance
quality threshold. In still another particular embodiment, the
method still further includes increasing a first quality of service
value for the first communication session if it is determined that
the quality of delivery is to be improved for the first user. In
still another particular embodiment, the method still further
includes decreasing a second quality of service value for a second
session associated with a second user device if it is determined
that the quality of delivery is to be improved for the first
user.
In another particular embodiment, the first network is a mobile
network. In still another particular embodiment, the second network
is an enterprise network. In still another particular embodiment,
the first network element includes a policy and charging rules
function (PCRF). In still another particular embodiment, the second
network element is an application server for providing one or more
applications or services to first user equipment.
Example Embodiments
Referring now to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram
showing a high-level architecture of a communication system 100 for
orchestrating mobile networks in accordance with one embodiment of
the present disclosure. Communication system 100 includes a server
102 including a network, service, and subscriber abstraction module
104. The network, service, and subscriber abstraction module 104
includes a network infrastructure and service abstraction layer
106, an application/3rd party application programming interface
(API) gateway 108, and enterprise service BUS 110. Server 102
further includes a network services layer 112, a network management
system (NMS) 114, and analytics module 116.
Communication system 100 provides for a monetization architecture
for mobile networks. Issues facing service providers today includes
creating services targeted for both the enterprise and consumer
markets in a rapid fashion, dynamically optimizing the network to
drive efficiencies, and enabling a third party application
developer eco-system to easily leverage the power of the network.
One or more embodiments of the architecture described herein
address these issues. Various embodiments allow a mobile service
provider, fixed line provider and/or large enterprise to create a
platform which exposes network capabilities and allows application
developers and walled gardened applications developers to leverage
the power of the network, allowing service providers to monetize
the capabilities of the network by optimizing the infrastructure
and then creating a service framework that allows service providers
to quickly and efficiently create new service offers. Various
embodiments provide an architecture to integrate with the existing
capabilities that the service provider provides while avoiding "rip
and replace" scenarios and ensuring faster time to market.
Network services layer 112 provides for the management of network
services within communication system 100. In a particular
embodiment, network services layer 112 may provide one or more of
identity management, service management, policy management, device
management, and subscriber data management. Identity management
enables a service provider to manage subscribers across all
applications, device types, and access types. In a mobile context,
the Identity management functions may reside within one or more of
a home location register (HLR), home subscriber server (HSS), and
authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server. Service
management enables a service provider to manage
services/application charging/rating functions across all access
types, device types, and subscribers. In mobile a mobile context,
the service management functions may reside in one or more of an
online charging system (OCS) and an offline charging system (OFCS).
Device management enables a service provider to manage device
behavior when interacting with different access and applications.
In a mobile context, the device management functions may reside in
a Open Mobile Alliance device management (OMA-DM) function and
Access network discovery and selection function (ANDSF), but may in
other embodiments also extend into operator-specific
implementations that allow modification of device parameters,
security parameters, application interaction, etc.
Policy management enables a service provider to define rules based
on various input parameters from identity/service/device management
functions, network functions, analytics functions, coupled with
internally-defined rules (e.g., time-of-day, promotional), to
determine how a specific service for a specific subscriber, on a
specific device, at a specific instant (e.g., real-time), when
connected to a specific network is to be treated. In a mobile
context, the policy management functions may reside live in a
policy and charging rules function (PCRF). Subscriber data
management enables a service provider to deliver real-time services
that reflect individual preferences of subscriber. Subscriber data
management may encompass the overarching service layer management
workflow items and underlying an service layer management database
that allow for multiple structured or unstructured pieces of
information to be stored and aggregated into a holistic "user
profile". The subscriber data that is managed may include identity
information, authentication information, personalization
information, policy settings, and settings for specific services.
In a particular embodiment, the subscriber data management includes
a Subscriber Profile Repository (SPR).
NMS 114 manages the network elements, also called managed devices,
within communication system 100. In a particular embodiment, NMS
114 may include discovery, fault/event monitoring, and provisioning
of network elements. Device management may include fault,
configuration, accounting, performance, and security management.
Management tasks include discovering network inventory, monitoring
device health, and status, providing alerts to conditions that
impact system performance, and identification of problems, their
source, and possible solutions. NMS 114 may further collect device
statistics and may maintain an archive of previous network
statistics including problems and solutions that were successful in
the past. If faults recur, NMS 114 may search the archive for the
possible solutions. Analytics module 116 analyzes network traffic
received by server 104 in real-time and provides for a view of
network use within communication system 100. Analytics module 116
may include analysis, profiling, modeling, and database
functions.
In accordance with one or more embodiments, network, service, and
subscriber abstraction module 104 is configured to collect
information or data from various network elements within
communication system 100 and abstract the data by examining one or
more correlating factors between collected data such as an Internet
Protocol (IP) address or mobile subscriber identifier, combine the
correlating data together based upon the correlating factors into a
consistent store of data which can be later accessed and utilized.
As a result, network, service, and subscriber abstraction module
104 creates structured data from unstructured data. Network,
service, and subscriber abstraction module 104 is configured in at
least one embodiment to collect data from one or more of network
services layer 112, NMS 114, and analytics module 116 for
abstraction and storage. The abstraction function provides a
stateless communications plane for service aggregation and protocol
conversion. The abstraction function is stateless but in various
embodiments, the database is not stateless. In one or more
embodiments, the collection of data may be an active-pull in which
network, service, and subscriber abstraction module 104 is pulling
information from a particular network element. In other
embodiments, the collection of data may be an active-push in which
a network element is pushing specific information to network,
service, and subscriber abstraction module 104 on configured
thresholds or time windows. In still other embodiments, network,
service, and subscriber abstraction module 104 may collect the data
in a passive manner as the data passes through it. The abstraction
layer includes a mobile IP network enabler, which provides a
service aggregator function. The aggregation function provides for
collection and coordination of real-time network, subscriber,
application intelligence (such as packet core, probes, and other
elements) for service enablement. An API gateway provides a
protocol translation function, securely enabling deeper integration
with third parties. OSS integration provides billing and settlement
integration into existing OSS, as well as 3rd party Service Brokers
to provide orchestration workflows.
Server 102 is in communication with a client device 118, a radio
access network infrastructure 120, network infrastructure 122, and
integrated applications 124 through network infrastructure and
service abstraction layer 106. In a particular embodiment, client
device 118 may include any mobile client device such as a mobile
telephone, a smartphone, or a tablet. In a particular embodiment,
client device 118 may include mobility, analytics, virtual desktop
infrastructure (VDI)/virtual experience infrastructure (VXI),
unified communications and collaboration (UC&C), video, and
administration functions. RAN infrastructure 120 include hardware
and software configured to implement radio access network functions
and may include operations maintenance center radio (OMC-R), small
cell, eNB/NB/BTS, RAN optimization, RRH/BBU, and radio network
controller (RNC) functions. Network infrastructure 122 includes
hardware and software configured to implement wired network
infrastructure functions an may include optical, routing, legacy
IN, Ethernet, MPC, and location functions. Integrated applications
124 are configured to provide integrated application functions such
as multimedia functions to fixed or mobile subscribers. In
particular embodiments, the multimedia functions may include video,
voice over IP (VOIP), and IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS).
Network, service, and subscriber abstraction module 104 is further
configured in at least one embodiment to collect data from one or
more of client device 118, RAN infrastructure 120, network
infrastructure 122, and integrated applications 124 for abstraction
and storage.
Server 102 is further in communication with enterprise applications
126 via application/3rd party API gateway 108, and operator OSS
infrastructure 128 via enterprise service bus 110. Enterprise
applications 126 provide third party services and operations
support systems (OSS) services to subscribers in the network. In
particular embodiments, enterprise applications 126 may include an
application server and OSS functions. In one or more embodiments,
enterprise applications 126 may provide enterprise applications to
communication network 100. In particular embodiments, enterprise
applications may include collaboration, video communications, and
email services hosted either within or without the enterprise
systems. Operator OSS infrastructure 128 supports processes such as
maintaining network inventory, provisioning services, configuring
network components, managing faults, taking orders, processing
bills, and collecting payments. In a particular embodiment operator
OSS infrastructure 128 may include billing, customer care, service
fulfillment, and service assurance components. The enterprise OSS
may include customer care, enterprise service/application
fulfillment, employee asset tracking, information security rules,
and other enterprise functions. The billing component may include
retail billing which enables operators to generate a customer bill
based on service plan, usage, promotions, and other OSS
interactions, and enabling third parties to leverage operator
billing systems for charging a subscriber such as for an in-app
purchase that appears on the customer's bill, allowing third party
Wi-Fi providers to bill the subscriber, or service delivery
platform interaction (e.g., ringtone download). The billing
component may also differentiate enterprise data usage (that is
relevant to work tasks) from consumer data usage (that is relevant
to personal tasks) from the same device with the same subscriber
identity. The billing component may also enable an analytical based
approach to understanding subscriber billing trends as a means of
providing information to an operator that might facilitate service
creation, campaign creation, pricing, etc. This may be for a
prepaid user or an enterprise shared data plan user, in which case
the billing system also manages quota/balance in real-time,
converged (across multiple access types) and postpaid.
The customer care component may include customer interaction
systems to provide channels for customer self-service, enterprise
IT self-service and direct machine-to-customer information,
customer relationship management to provide sophisticated
marketing, sales and operational support to the service provider
agents who interact with the customer, and subscriber management
software to support care agents and direct customer interaction.
The service fulfillment component may include systems to provide
order management systems to orchestrate the steps needed to
implement customer orders, handle interdependencies, requests to
other content service providers (CSPs), cloud service providers and
enterprise platform-as-a-service (PaaS), and manual work orders.
The service fulfillment component may further include inventory
management systems to track the inventory available to supply
services in the network, assign resources, design network
connections, and discover network configurations and reconcile them
with inventory records. The service fulfillment component may
further provide for activation to automatically configure network
equipment and network-serving systems to provide a
subscriber-requested service, and engineering tools refers to
support engineers who plan, design, install and configure networks
and services, including planning and design tools, outside plant
and geographical information systems, and network installation and
configuration tools.
The service assurance component may include service management
systems to link customers with their individual services, and
enable CSPs to generate granular reports on each customer and
service to validate service-level commitments. The service
assurance component may further include performance monitoring
systems to collect circuit-switched and packet data from the
network elements and element management systems supplied by
equipment manufacturers and provide reports for operations staff.
The service assurance component may further include workforce
automation software used to track incidents resulting from service
disruption and effectively dispatch field resources, and probe
systems rely on dedicated hardware and software agents to collect
signaling and media data from the network. In at least one
embodiment, the various components of communication system 100 may
interoperate to provide professional services 130 including
business consulting, design consulting, product-related services,
system integration, outsourced operations and hosted management
services.
In various embodiments, network, server, and subscriber abstraction
module 104 is configured to provide the abstracted information
obtained from data sources within communication system 100, such as
client device 118, to an information consumer, such as one or more
of enterprise applications 126 and operator OSS infrastructure 128,
which uses the information to provide some value-added service to
subscribers in the network as will be further described herein. In
one or more embodiments, the structured/correlated database is what
allows "northbound" systems such as enterprise applications 126 and
operator OSS infrastructure 128 to function more effectively.
In the particular embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, network
services layer 112, NMS 114, client device 118, RAN infrastructure
120, integrated applications 124, the application server of
enterprise applications 126 have push/pull data connections with
network, service, and subscriber abstraction module 104. Further,
in the particular embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, analytics
module 116, network infrastructure 122, the OSS functions of
enterprise applications 126, and the component of operator OSS
infrastructure 128 have a pull connection with network, service,
and subscriber abstraction module 104. In still other embodiments,
the one or more components may have push connections, pull
connections, or both push and pull connections with any other
component.
The phenomenal growth of mobile networking is presenting mobile
operators with tremendous opportunities along with corresponding
challenges as they race to add capacity and services to meet
accelerating demands. Mobile operators worldwide are seeing
tremendous growth in mobile data subscriptions and bandwidth usage.
The emergence of "over-the-top" and offnet applications and
services (such as those from salesforce.com, Skype, gaming vendors,
and applications stores is impacting the return on investment (ROI)
of mobile operators. Consumers can utilize these applications and
services, which use the operator's network, without providing even
an incremental usage fee to the mobile operator. While operators
benefit in the near term with new subscriptions, long term there
are profitability challenges from the explosion of data traffic. To
take advantage of the mobile Internet explosion, mobile operators
must add value to third party service transactions. This value can
be extracted in terms of new revenue and profit. Without this value
add, mobile operators risk becoming simply a bandwidth "bit pipe"
provider. As a result, it is critical for mobile operators to
invest strategically in their network assets allowing them to
launch new services and go beyond flat-rate data plans. In current
networks, various pieces of information like location of a
subscriber and the reachability of a subscriber etc distributed in
various network elements throughout the network and there is no
single entity in the network, which can aggregate the information
present in the different network elements, correlate the
information, and feed that information to various external
entities.
The current challenges for creating new services may include: Long
time to availability--typically twelve to eighteen months to enable
services; service silos--building one service doesn't always help
build the second service; personalization--each service has unique
requirements; no killer application--market conditions vary between
operators and regions; and lag in response times--it is difficult
to quickly create or modify services in response to market trends.
While operators have significant challenges, they also have
significant market advantages and unique value. For example,
application developers are often clamoring to leverage information
only available in the network. Application provider challenges
include: restricted or no access to the network; no real time
access; lack of desire to understand the operator topology;
difficulty in correlating multiple sources/vendors; and lack of
standard interfaces to carrier applications/services.
Mobile operators have the opportunity to leverage the key asset in
their networks--real-time subscriber, application, and network
intelligence--and build an architecture that harvests this
intelligence to monetize the network. Various embodiments described
herein provide a monetization architecture that increases service
velocity, quickly enabling multiple use cases, while providing a
platform for application developers to leverage the network. This
may provide increased revenue for both the operator and application
developers, while enhancing the subscriber experience.
At least one embodiment solves the problem of abstracting out data
from different sources and organizing the data into a coherent
format that can be translated into one or more external protocols
such as Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Extensible Messaging
and Presence Protocol (XMPP), and Diameter Protocol. Diameter is an
authentication, authorization, and accounting protocol for computer
networks and is described in Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)
Request for Comments (RFC) 6733. Existing systems are not capable
of correlating data from multiple sources, perform analytics and
present the information in a coherent format in a network wide
scalable way. In addition, existing systems require more than one
entity to perform similar functions, but still lack scalability to
provide network scale solutions.
In various embodiments, network, service, and subscriber
abstraction module 104 may further function as a data flow engine,
which incrementally correlates the data from various sources to
extract useful network-wide information. This along with high
horizontal scalability allows network, service, and subscriber
abstraction module 104 to provide network level abstraction to
applications and OSS systems in Enterprise Applications 126. In
various embodiments, network, service, and subscriber abstraction
module 104 collects network wide data, performs a set of
transformations on the data and correlates the data to make it
presentable in a coherent format, which can be used by entities
outside network, service, and subscriber abstraction module
104.
In particular embodiments, communication system 100 provides for a
flexible mobile architecture/framework that enables operators to
quickly create and modify use cases for monetization by harvesting,
abstracting, and monetizing intelligence from the network.
Monetization uses which may include such services as general
consumer control points, targeted ad insertion, video,
Femto/Wi-Fi/location/presence information, collaboration,
Telepresence.TM., congestion/control, telematics, remote/video
surveillance, automatic metering infrastructure, ATM/POS, remote
monitoring/automation, information display, IMS cloud, voice and
video over LTE, and messaging.
Referring now to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram
showing an embodiment of a hierarchical architectural framework of
a communication system 200 for orchestrating mobile networks in
accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. In
the embodiment of FIG. 2, communication system 200 includes four
hierarchical layers. A first layer, a network layer, includes
client device 118a, radio access network (RAN) infrastructure 120,
network infrastructure 122a, and integrated applications 124a. The
network layer may include fundamental network elements of one or
more mobile packet core platforms and the services contained within
these platforms. A second layer may include a network, service,
subscriber abstraction, orchestration module 202, analytics module
116, and network management services component 114. A third layer
may include a network services 112, and a fourth layer may include
higher level services and applications provided by a service
provider including third party applications 204, mobile
applications 206, enterprise applications 126, OSS/BSS elements
208, and other billing, network management, and third party and/or
operator applications. In a particular embodiment, network services
112, NMS 114, analytics 116 and network, service, subscriber
abstraction, orchestration module 202 may be embodied within a
server 201. Network infrastructure 122a includes an Internet
Protocol network enabler (IPNE) client 210 that performs an
interworking function to interface the network layer elements of
the mobile packet core with network, service, subscriber
abstraction, orchestration module 202. In a particular embodiment,
network, service, subscriber abstraction, orchestration module 202
interfaces with capabilities of the mobile platform via Extensible
Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP)/Extensible Markup Language
(XML) and RESTFul interfaces as transport mechanism to expose these
capabilities using an XML schema. XMPP is a communications protocol
for message-oriented middleware based on XML. XML is a markup
language that defines a set of rules for encoding documents.
Representational State Transfer (REST) is a style of software
architecture for distributed systems and includes requests and
responses built around the transfer of representations of
resources. A resource can be essentially any coherent and
meaningful concept that may be addressed and a representation of a
resource is typically a document that captures the current or
intended state of a resource. Typically, a client begins sending
requests when it is ready to make a transition to a new state. The
representation of each application state may contain links that may
be used the next time the client chooses to initiate a new
state-transition. Conforming to REST constraints is generally
referred to as being "RESTful." Capabilities and data that are
exposed are stored in network, service, subscriber abstraction,
orchestration module 202 as will be further described herein. The
network layer may further include other components, which make up
the network platform including client side capabilities providing
linkages to other domains.
In various embodiments, network, service, subscriber abstraction,
orchestration module 202 contains sub-elements including a API
gateway/service delivery platform 108, mobile IP network enabler
(MINE) component 212, a service directory component 214, a resource
manager component 216, and an orchestration/work flow engine 218.
MINE component 212 functions as an interface layer to IPNE client
210 and contains a central storage 220 to store network information
such as call records and network structures that may be later
accessed. In a particular embodiment, central storage 220 may be
based upon a distributed file system structure and may be accessed
by an XMPP interface. Access to the lower layer and requesting
information from the network layer is performed through MINE
component 212. MINE component 212 provides a single entry point to
the network and also orchestrates network requirements.
Services directory component 214 is configured to publish network
capabilities and resource availability for higher layer services.
Resource manager component 216 is configured to publish network
capabilities and resource availability for applications such as
third party and operator applications. In various embodiments,
service directory component 214 and resource manager component 216
perform publishing of these capabilities directly through MINE 212
component. In particular embodiments, service directory component
214 and resource manager component 216 publish capabilities through
MINE component 212 using an interface such as an XMPP interface. In
still other embodiments, service directory component 214 and
resource manager component publish capabilities through MINE
component 212 using application/3rd party API gateway 108.
API gateway/service delivery platform 108a exposes capabilities to
the higher-level services and applications of the fourth layer such
as third party applications 204, mobile applications 206, OSS/BSS
elements 208, and other billing, network, network management, and
third party and/or operator applications. In a particular
embodiment, API gateway/service delivery platform 108a exposures
capabilities to the higher-level services and applications of the
fourth layer via a standards based GSMA OneAPI interface by the
Groupe Speciale Mobile Association (GSMA). API gateway/service
delivery platform 108a is further configured to provide adapters to
standard service provider billing and backend systems. In at least
one embodiment, the combination of these layers allows a service
provider to rapidly implement new service and features.
Orchestration/work flow engine 218 is configured to orchestrate
various network elements and coordinate workflows between network
elements using MINE component 212 as will be further described
herein.
Analytics module 116 provides functions including leveraging data
store 220 provided by MINE component 212 and analyzing network
status based upon request from orchestration/work flow engine and
responding via a specific trigger that may be applied to the
network via a policy function. In a particular embodiment, MINE
component 212 is configured to interface with analytics module 116
via an XMPP interface and/or standard mobile interfaces. In one or
more embodiments, analytics module 116 may contain an analytics
engine component, a modeling component, a profiling component and a
visualization component. In various embodiments, analytics module
116 subscribes to information that is contained in data store 220
of MINE component 212 that analytics module 116, and analytics
module 116 may uses this information to perform historical trend
analysis. In some embodiments, MINE component 212 may be further
configured to send real time feeds of data to analytics module 116
so that analytics module 116 may perform immediate processing of
the data and/or respond to one or more triggers. In another
embodiment, MINE component 212 may request a query be performed on
data, making analytics module 116 subservient to MINE component
212, or more specifically making MINE component 212 a controller of
analytics module 116. MINE component 212 may then trigger
particular actions based on a query response received from
analytics module 116.
Network services 112 may provide one or more of identity
management, policy management, service management, device
management, and subscriber data management functions, which may
exist within a service provider network. MINE component 212 is
configured to provide a link between the functions provided by
network services 112 and other network elements.
In accordance with various embodiments, one or more of the network
elements of communication system 200, such as the mobile packet
core of network infrastructure 122a and the TDF/PEP, optimization,
and IMS elements of integrated applications 124a may be
subscriber-aware network elements that are aware of the identity of
a subscriber utilizing the network elements or services. Further in
various embodiments, network services include subscriber databases
such as the HSS/HLR, PCRF, OCS, and SPR. In accordance with various
embodiments, network, service, subscriber abstraction,
orchestration module 202 provides interconnection between the
subscriber-aware network elements and the subscriber databases. In
various embodiments, network, service, subscriber abstraction,
orchestration module 202 orchestrates and coordinates workflow
between the subscriber aware network elements and subscriber
databases, and provides protocol translation between the various
network elements and databases.
In accordance with various embodiments, the above-described
framework allows service providers to easily offer services related
to their network capabilities, dynamically optimize those
capabilities, and create an environment, which enables rapid
service enablement. Various embodiments of the described
architecture allow a mobile service provider, a fixed line
provider, and/or large enterprises to create a platform, which
exposes network capabilities and allows application developers and
walled gardened application developers to leverage the power of the
network. Various embodiments may allow service providers to
monetize the capabilities of the network by optimizing the
infrastructure and then creating a service framework that allows
service providers to quickly and efficiently create new service
offers. In at least one embodiment, the above-described
architecture integrates with the existing capabilities of the
service provide to avoid "rip and replace" scenarios and ensures
faster time to market.
One or more embodiments may provide one or more advantages
including leveraging the existing service provider environment to
eliminate a "rip and replace" scenarios, and allowing easy access
to network capabilities which have historically been very difficult
for application developers and service providers to access.
In one or more embodiments create a policy framework having three
fundamental elements including policy, network abstraction and
orchestration and analytics tied together in conjunction with
network access. Various embodiments provide a service creation
environment that ties these elements together into existing service
provider OSS/BSS systems. Various embodiments of this framework may
be used to create/run multiple different services such as business
to consumer (B2C), business-to-business (B2B), machine-to-machine
(M2M), and security services. Further, one or more embodiments one
or more embodiments may provide a massively scalable framework that
may be deployed in a cloud based architecture.
In an example workflow, network, service, subscriber abstraction,
orchestration module 202 receives a service request from enterprise
applications 126 such as an enterprise IT Telepresence server to a
client device associated with a subscriber. In various embodiments,
network, service, subscriber abstraction, orchestration module 202
provides protocol translation between network elements. In a
particular example, the request from the third party provider is
formatted as an HTTP/WebRTC request. The request includes a request
for a guarantee of a particular quality of services for a
predetermined time period. In response, orchestration/work flow
engine 218 generates a DIAMETER request from the HTTP request and
sends the DIAMETER request to the policy management, such as the
PCRF, of network services 112 to determine if the service request
meets one or more policies associated with the subscriber.
Orchestration/work flow engine 218 may also generated a DIAMETER
request to the identify management service, such as the HSS, of
network services 112 to determine the identity of the subscriber
associated with the service request, generate a DIAMETER request to
OSS/BSS 208 to determine if the billing system will allow the
service request. Orchestration/work flow engine 218 may further
send a request to the mobile packet core of network infrastructure
122a to determine if there is any congestion in the network.
Orchestration/work flow engine 218 may further send a request to
the RAN Optimization of RAN infrastructure 120 to determine if
there is congestion on the radio interface. In still other
examples, orchestration/work flow engine 218 may request
information from analytics module 116 to determine, based on
historical information stored by analytics module 116, whether the
network will be congested in the predetermined time period. Based
on responses to these various requests, orchestration/work flow
engine 218 may determine whether the initial request from the
enterprise provider will be allowed.
FIG. 3 is a simplified flow diagram 300 of an embodiment of
workflow coordination operations performed by orchestration/work
flow engine 218. In 302, orchestration/work flow engine 218
receives an HTTP inbound service request from client device 118a
associated with a subscriber. In a particular embodiment, the
inbound service request is an HTTP inbound request. In at least one
embodiment, the inbound request includes a request from an
application of client device 118a for the providing of one or more
services by the network to client device 118a. In a particular
example, the request is a request for a streaming media
presentation, such as a Telepresence session or other video/audio
collaboration. In 304, orchestration/work flow engine 218 applies
authorization into network services 112. In 306, orchestration/work
flow engine 218 sends a request to the policy management service of
network services 112 to determine whether the inbound request
conforms to one or more policies associated with client device 118.
In a particular embodiment, the policy management services is a
PCRF. In 308, the policy management service applies one or more
policies associated with the subscriber to the request to determine
if the request is in compliance with the one or more policies. In
accordance with various embodiments, a policy may be defined in any
number of ways. For example, a policy could describe how to enforce
a rule against a particular IP flow, the services that need to be
orchestrated together to apply for a particular user service, or a
set of security rules. In another example, the policy may describe
which services are applicable to an application request and how
those services show be orchestrated together in order to provide
the requested service. In a particular example, a policy may
describe how to orchestrate video optimization, deep packet
inspection, and firewall services for a request for a Telepresence
session. In 310, orchestration/work flow engine 218 receives a
response from the policy management service regarding whether the
request is in compliance with the one or more polices.
In 312, orchestration/work flow engine 218 sends a request to a
billing service to perform a prepaid check to determine whether the
subscriber has prepaid for the requested service. In a particular
embodiment, the billing system is an OCS. In 314, the billing
service performs the prepaid check to determine whether the
subscriber has prepaid for the requested service. In 316,
orchestration/work flow engine 218 receives a response from the
billing service indicating whether the subscriber has prepaid for
the requested service. In 318, orchestration/work flow engine 218
sends a request to the policy management service regarding whether
the service request complies with one or more programmable
policies. In various embodiments, the programmable policies are
access control policies that are programmable such as by an
application or administrator. In 320, the policy management service
performs a check to determine whether the service request complies
with the one or more programmable policies. In 322,
orchestration/work flow engine 218 receives a response from the
policy management service indicating whether the initial request
complies with the one or more programmable policies.
In 324, orchestration/work flow engine 218 may call an external
application-programming interface (API) in instances in which a
third party services needs to be invoked to satisfy the initial
service request. In a particular embodiment, the call to the
external API is a call to an external HTTP endpoint associated with
the external API. In 326, orchestration/work flow engine 218
creates a settlement for the service request. In 328,
orchestration/work flow engine 218 sends a prepaid charge request
to the billing service in order to request a charge for the
service. In 330, the billing system performs a prepaid charging
change in order to charge the subscriber for the created
settlement. In 332, orchestration/work flow engine 218 receives a
prepaid charging response indicating that the prepaid charging
change has been performed.
In 334, orchestration/work flow engine 218 determines whether to
grant access to the requested service to client device 118a. In at
least one embodiment, orchestration/work flow engine 218 determine
whether to grant access to the requested service by correlating the
responses received from the network elements and services and
making a decision based on the responses regarding whether the
service request will be granted. For example, in a particular
embodiment if any of the responses in the chain or responses
indicate that the service request should not or cannot be granted,
orchestration/work flow engine 218 will not grant the service
request to client device 118a. For example, if the PCRF indicates
that the service request will not satisfy a particular policy, if
analytics module 116 indicates that there will not be available QOS
for the predetermined time period necessarily to provide the
requested service, or if the OCS indicates that the subscriber will
not have enough balance remaining to pay for the requested service,
orchestration/work flow engine 218 may indicate that the requested
service will not be granted to client device 118a. In 336,
orchestration/work flow engine 218 sends an outbound response
message to client device 118a indicating whether the client device
118a is granted access to the requested service. In a particular
embodiment, the outbound response is an HTTP outbound response.
FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a protocol translation platform
400 of orchestration/work flow engine 218. In the embodiment
illustrated in FIG. 4, orchestration/work flow engine 218 includes
one or more protocol translation modules 402a-402i. In the
particular illustrated embodiment, orchestration/work flow engine
218 includes short message service (SMS) translation module 402a,
multimedia messaging service (MMS) translation module 402b,
location translation module 402c, voice call control translation
module 402d, payment translation module 402e, device capability
translation module 402f, data connection translation module 402g,
QoS profile translation module 402h, and zonal presence translation
module 402i. Network, service, subscriber abstraction,
orchestration module 202 further includes network gateway (NGW)
translation module 404, and MINE 212 in communication with
orchestration/work flow engine 218.
Network, service, subscriber abstraction, orchestration module 202
is in further communication with one or more network elements
406a-406g. In the illustrated embodiment, the one or more network
elements 406a-406g include short message service center (SMSC)
406a, multimedia messaging service center (MMSC) 406b, mobile
platform controller (MPC) 406c, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)
Proxy server 306d, billing service 406e, multimedia platform 406f,
and PCRF/SPR 406g. In the particular embodiment illustrated in FIG.
4, SMS translation module 402a, MMS translation module 402b,
location translation module 402c, and voice call control
translation module 402d are in communication with network gateway
translation module 404, and payment translation module 402e is in
communication with billing service 406e. Data connection
translation module 402g, QOS profile translation module 402h, and
zonal presence translation module 402i are in communication with
MINE 212. NGW 404 is in further communication with SMSC 406a, MMSC
406b, MPC 406c, and SIP proxy server 406d. MINE 212 is in further
communication with multimedia platform 406f and PCRF/SPR 406g.
Each of protocol translation modules 402a-402i and network gateway
translation module 404 are configured to receive a message, such as
a request, formatted in a first protocol format and translate the
message to be formatted in a second protocol format. In the
illustrated embodiment of FIG. 4, each protocol translation modules
402a-402i is configured to receive a message formatted in a first
format 408. In a particular example, first protocol format 408 is
an HTTP format. Protocol translation modules 402a-402d may be
configured to translate the message received in the first protocol
format 408 to a second protocol format 410 and communicate the
translated message to NGW 410. Payment translation module 402e may
be configured to translate the message in first protocol format 408
to a third format 412 and communicate the translated message to
billing service 406e. Protocol translation modules 402g-402i may be
configured to translate the message in the first protocol format
408 to a fourth format 414 and communicate the translated message
to MINE 212. In a particular embodiment, fourth protocol format 414
is an XMPP protocol format. Network gateway translation module 404
may be further configured to translate the message received from
each of protocol translation modules 402a-402d in second protocol
format 410, translate the message into a fifth protocol format 416,
and communicate the translated message to network elements
406a-406d. MINE 212 may be configured to translate message received
from protocol translation modules 402g-402i in fourth format 414 to
a sixth protocol format 418 and communicate the translated message
to network elements 406f-406g.
FIG. 5 is a simplified flow diagram 500 of an embodiment of
subscriber identity normalization operations performed by
orchestration/work flow engine 218. In 502, orchestration/work flow
engine 218 receives a request including a username and network
address associated with a user who is also a subscriber of a mobile
network. In a particular embodiment, the request may be received
from a third party service provider such as a an enterprise IT
server or enterprise cloud service provider, in response to a
request from a client device associated with the user and the
username is an identifier used by the third party service provider
to identify the user. In the case of an enterprise IT organization,
this username may be represented as an email address, employee ID
number, or some other enterprise-allocated identifier. In a
particular embodiment, the network address is an Internet protocol
(IP) address associated with the user as seen by the third party
service provider. This IP address may be different from the IP
address known to the mobile network if Network Address Translation
(NAT) is being applied. In 504, orchestration/work flow engine 218
determines whether a mapping of the received username and a
subscriber identifier (ID) is found in a cache associated with
orchestration/work flow engine 218. If a mapping of the username
and a subscriber ID is not found in the cache, the operations
continue to 506. In 506, orchestration/work flow engine 218
determines whether NAT is being applied the received network
address. If NAT is being applied to the received network address,
the operations continue to 508 in which orchestration/work flow
engine 218 queries a NAT device responsible for the network address
translation for an actual network address associated with the
received request. In 510, orchestration/work flow engine 218
receives the actual network address associated with the received
request and continues to 512. If in 506, orchestration/work flow
engine 218 determines that NAT is not being applied, the operations
continue to 512.
In 512, orchestration/work flow engine 218 queries the mobile
packet core of network infrastructure 122a for an International
Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) corresponding to the network
address. In 514, orchestration/work flow engine 218 receives the
IMSI corresponding to the network address from the mobile packet
core. In 516, orchestration/work flow engine 218 queries an
identity management database for a subscriber identifier (ID)
associated with the IMSI. In a particular embodiment, the
subscriber ID is a Mobile Subscriber Integrated Services Digital
Network-Number (MSIDN) or a mobile phone number associated with the
client device of the subscriber. Although particular embodiments
have been described using IMSI and MSIDN identifiers, it should be
understood that in other embodiments any type of subscriber
identifier may be used. In at least one embodiment, the identity
management database is an HSS/HLR. In 518, orchestration/work flow
engine 218 receives the subscriber ID associated with the IMSI from
the identity management database. In 520, the username is mapped to
the subscriber ID and the IMSI. In 522, orchestration/work flow
engine 218 stores the mapping of the username, subscriber ID, and
IMSI in the cache associated with orchestration/work flow engine
218.
In 524, orchestration/work flow engine 218 provides the subscriber
ID and/or IMSI to one or more network elements that will use the
IMSI and/or subscriber ID to fulfill the request for service. If it
is determined in 504, that the username and subscriber ID mapping
are found in the cache associated with orchestration/work flow
engine 218, the operations continue to 526 in which
orchestration/work flow engine 218 retrieves the subscriber ID and
IMSI mapping to the username from the cache and proceeds to 524.
After 524, the operations end at 528. By caching of the mapping of
the username and externally understood IP address to the subscriber
ID, IMSI and mobile network-understood IP address, subsequently
requests including the username do not require another query of the
network elements such as the identity management database or mobile
packet core to determine the subscriber identity and IMSI and IP
address mapping.
FIG. 6 is a simplified flow diagram 600 of another embodiment of
workflow coordination operations performed by orchestration/work
flow engine 218. In 602, orchestration/work flow engine 218
receives a service request from a requester. In 604, an
instantiation of work flow is triggered in response to the request.
In one embodiment, the request is received from an internal network
element associated with a requester located inside of communication
system 200. In a particular application, the request is received
from one of integrated application 124a such as the IMS. In another
example, the request is received from the OSS/BSS 208 as a result
of a user balance running low to trigger an orchestration/work flow
event. In still another example, analytics module 116 may detect
congestion and send the request to trigger the orchestration/work
flow event. In still another embodiment, the request is received
from an external network element that requires the instantiation of
a workflow, which will result in a response to the requestor. For
example, the request may be received from a third-party streaming
media provider. In 606, orchestration/work flow engine 218
determines one or more network elements and/or one or more
subscriber databases that required to satisfy and orchestrate the
request. In 608, orchestration/work flow engine 218 coordinates
workflow between the one or more network element(s) and/or
subscriber database(s) in order to satisfy the request.
In 610, orchestration/work flow engine 218 receives a first
communication message from a first network element having a first
protocol format. In 612, orchestration/work flow engine 218
translates the first communication message to a second
communication message having a second communication protocol
format. In 614, orchestration/work flow engine 218 sends the second
communication message to a second network element.
In 616, orchestration/work flow engine 218 determines whether a
response to the requester is required. If a response to the
requester is required, orchestration/work flow engine 218 sends a
response to the requester in 618 and the operations continue to
620. If it is determined in 616 that a response to the requestor is
not required, the operations continue to 620. In 620,
orchestration/work flow engine 218 determines whether modification
of one or more network elements and/or subscriber databases is
required by the workflow. If modification of one or more network
elements and/or subscriber databases within communication system
200 is required, the operations continue to 622. In 622,
orchestration/work flow engine 218 modifies the one or more network
elements and/or subscriber databases. In particular embodiments,
the modification of configuration information or other data within
the one or more network elements and/or subscriber databases.
In a particular example, RAN optimization system of RAN
infrastructure 120 detects congestion and notifies PCRF of network
services 112 that there is congestion through orchestration/work
flow engine 218. The PCRF may instantiate a workflow that requests
that video optimization be instantiated for all heavy network users
that are nearing their limit on the amount of data that they can
consume for the month. Accordingly, the PCRF may initiate a
workflow in which the orchestration/work flow engine 218 determines
me the heavy users who are nearing their quota limitation by
querying the analytics module 116 to determine who are the heavy
users, query the online charging system to determine the users who
are nearing their quota, return a response to the PCRF. The PCRF
may instantiate a rule, which enforces video optimization for these
users and triggers a service path where traffic associated with
those users goes to the video optimization.
The operations then continue to 624 in which the operations end. If
it is determined that modification of one or more network elements
and/or subscriber databases is not required, the operations
continue to 624 in which the operations end.
FIG. 7 is a simplified diagram of an embodiment of a call flow 700
of network, service, subscriber abstraction, orchestration module
202. The call flow 700 is illustrated using number of network
elements and subscriber databases including a enterprise
application 702, a network abstraction layer (NAL) 704 of network,
service, subscriber abstraction, orchestration module 202, a policy
server (PCRF) 706, a subscriber policy register (SPR)/user data
repository (UDR) 708, network element 1 to network element x (NE1 .
. . X) 710, analytics (AN) 712, and user equipment 714. In at least
one embodiment, user equipment 714 is client device 118a. In 716,
UE 714 sends a session start request (SessionStart) to enterprise
application 702. In the particular embodiment illustrated in FIG.
7, the session start request is a request for a TurboBoost service
in which UE 714 is requesting an on-demand dynamic increase in
network performance. In 718, enterprise application 702 sends a
Boost Availability Request (BoostAvailRequest) to NAL 704. In 720,
NAL 704 checks for the availability of the resource(s) required to
satisfy the session start request. In 722, NAL 704 sends a Resource
Model Request to (ResrchModelRequest) to AN 712 requesting
analytics modeling of whether the resource will be available. In
724, AN 712 sends a Resource Model Response (RsrcModelResponse)
indicating whether the resource will be available to NAL 704. In
726, NAL 704 sends a Boost Allow Request (BoostAllowRequest) to
PCRF 706 requesting whether the service request is to be allowed
based upon one or more policies. In 728, PCRF 706 sends a Boost
Authorization Request (BoostAuthRequest) to SPR/UDR 708. In 730,
SPR/UDR 708 sends Boost Authorization Response (BoostAuthResponse)
to PCRF 706. In 732, PCRF 706 sends a Boost Allow Response
(BoostAllowResponse) to NAL 704. In 734, NAL 704 sends a Boost
Availability Response (BoostAvailResponse) to enterprise
application 702.
In 736, enterprise application 702 sends an Upgrade Notification
message (UpgradeNotify) to UE 714 indicating that there will be an
additional charge to utilize the requested service. In 738, the
user accepts the charge. In 740, UE 714 sends an Upgrade
Confirmation message (UpgradeConfirm) to enterprise application
702. In 742, enterprise application 702 sends a Boost Request
(BoostRequest) to NAL 704. In 744, NAL 704 sends a Service Profile
Request (SvcProfileRequest) to PCRF 706 requesting user profile
information associated with the user of UE 714. In 746, PCRF 706
sends a Service Profile Response (SvcProfileResponse) to NAL 704
including the user profile information. In 748, NAL 704 sends one
or more Policy Charging Control (PCC) Requests (PCCRequest1 . . .
x) to one or more of network elements (NE1 . . . x) 710. In 750,
one or more of network elements (NE1 . . . x) 710 sends one or more
PCC Responses (PCCResponse1 . . . x) to NAL 704.
In 752, NAL 704 performs orchestration of a BSS/OSS and external
network elements necessary to provide the requested service. In
754, NAL 752 sends a Boost Response (BoostResponse) to enterprise
application 702. In 756, network elements (NE1 . . . x) 710 send
one or more Resource Update messages (ResourceUpdate1 . . . x) to
NAL 704. In 758, NAL 704 sends one or more acknowledgement messages
(Ack1 . . . x) to one or more of network elements (NE1 . . . x)
710. It should be understood that each of the messages exchanged
between the network elements and subscriber databases may be
received in a particular protocol format utilized by the sending
network element and translated to a particular protocol format
utilized by the receiving network element.
FIG. 8 is a simplified block diagram 800 illustrating a particular
embodiment of server 201 of communication system 200 of FIG. 2. The
particular embodiment of server 201 of FIG. 2 includes a
processor(s) 802, memory element 804, and network, service,
subscriber abstraction, orchestration module 202. Processor(s) 802
are configured to execute software instructions to perform various
operations of server 201 as described herein. Memory element 804
may be configured to store software instructions and data
associated with server 201. Network, service, subscriber
abstraction, orchestration module 202 is configured to implement
the various orchestration, workflow coordination, and translation
functions as described herein.
Although the particular embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8 shows
server 201 as including a single node, it should be understood that
in other embodiments server 201 may include any number of nodes. In
still other embodiments, a cluster may be formed of any number of
processing nodes distributed throughout a number of servers or
other network elements within a communication network.
In still other embodiments, mobile IP enabler (MINE) component 212
is configured to provide for integrated signaling between one or
more network elements associated with a mobile data network and one
or more network elements associated with enterprise networks. In
particular embodiments, MINE component 212 provides a network
address translation function in which an identifier, such as an
Internet Protocol (IP) address, associated with a particular user
equipment device is mapped to an identifier, such as a username,
used by an enterprise network to identify a particular user.
Examples of enterprise services offerings that may be provided to
the user equipment device by one or more enterprise networks
include hosted communications, telepresence, or enterprise voice
over LTE services.
FIG. 9 is a simplified block diagram of an embodiment of a
communication system 900 for providing integrated signaling between
a mobile data network and enterprise networks. Communication system
900 includes user equipment device 902 in communication with a base
station 904. Base station 904 is in further communication with a
gateway node 906. Gateway node 906 is in further communication with
a server 201. Server 201 includes network, service, and subscriber
abstraction layer 202. Network, service, and subscriber abstraction
layer 202 further includes mobile IP enabler (MINE) component 212
as previously discussed herein. MINE component 212 is in further
communication with a PCRF component 910, a utilization database
912, and an enterprise application server 914.
User equipment device 902 may include any mobile client device such
as a mobile telephone, a smartphone, or a tablet. In a particular
embodiment, user equipment device 902 may include client device 118
as previously discussed herein. In one or more embodiments, base
station 904 includes a base station of a mobile network configured
to communicate with user equipment device 902 via a wireless
signal. Gateway node 906 is configured to function as a gateway
between the mobile network and server 201 within a core network.
PCRF 910 is configured to manage policies associated with one or
more subscribers associated with user equipment such as user
equipment device 902. Utilization database 912 is configured to
maintain network load and capacity information regarding various
locations within the mobile network. Enterprise application server
914 is an application server located within an enterprise network
configured to provide one or more enterprise applications to user
equipment device 902.
In various embodiments, MINE component 212 is configured to enable
signaling between components, network elements and/or devices of
one or more enterprise networks and components, network elements
and/or devices of one or mobile networks. A challenge when enabling
over-the-top application provided by an enterprise network is that
a user identifier used by the enterprise network often differs from
a user identifier used by the mobile network. For example, an
enterprise network may use its own internal IP address to identify
a particular user while the user is identified by a public IP
address within the packet core network. In one or more embodiments,
MINE component 212 receives a request from an enterprise network,
which includes a internal user identifier, such as an internal IP
address, used by the enterprise network to identify a particular
user and/or user equipment. MINE component 212 then performs a
rewrite within the network, service, and subscriber abstraction
layer 202 to associate the internal user identifier with a public
identifier, such as a public IP address, used to identify the user
and/or user equipment within the mobile network. Accordingly, when
a request is made by an application or service provided by the
enterprise network to a network element or component outside of the
enterprise network, such as to a policy server, a home subscriber
server (HSS), or the network infrastructure, that request may be
made using the public identifier rather than the internal
identifier.
FIG. 10 is a simplified flow diagram 1000 of an embodiment of
signaling between an mobile network and an enterprise network for a
quality-of-service (QoS) request. In 1002, user equipment device
902 sends a request for higher quality-of-service (QoS) to MINE
component 212 via gateway 906. In one or more embodiments, the
request for higher quality of service may include a request for
assignment of a higher QoS Class Identifier (QCI) to the user
equipment device 902 or a higher bandwidth allocation to the user
equipment device 902. A QCI specifies the treatment of IP packets
received on a particular bearer associated with user equipment
device 902. QCI may specify various quality parameters associated
with the bearer such as a particular resource type, a particular
priority, an acceptable packet delay, and/or an acceptable packet
error for the bearer. In a particular embodiment, the request for
higher QoS may be generated by a client application associated with
user equipment device 902. In 1004, MINE component 212 sends a user
equipment (UE) plan query to PCRF 910 to determine whether a user
service plan and/or policy associated with user equipment device
902 allows for higher QoS and/or bandwidth to be allocated to user
equipment device 902. In 1006, MINE component 912 receives a UE
plan response message including an indication regarding whether
user equipment device 902 is associated with a plan and/or policy
that allows for higher QoS and/or bandwidth too be allocated to
user equipment device 902. In 1008, MINE component 212 sends a
utilization database query to utilization database 912 to inquire
whether the current location of user equipment device 902 and/or a
location to which user equipment device 902 is headed can handle
additional load in the mobile network and/or what radio types
should be used. In 1010, MINE component 212 receives a utilization
database response message from utilization database 912 indicating
whether current location and/or anticipated location of user
equipment device 902 can handle additional load in the mobile
network and/or radio types that should be used.
In 1012, MINE component 212 accesses a rules engine to correlate
information regarding radio conditions, the user service plan
and/or application requirements of the client application to
determine the QoS parameters to be granted to user equipment device
902 in response to the request for additional QoS and/or bandwidth.
In 1014, MINE component 212 sends a grant and user profile to user
equipment device 902 for the session. The grant indicates QoS
parameters for the session. In one or more embodiments, the QoS
parameters indicated by the grant may include a QCI value,
bandwidth parameters, and/or a radio priority to be used during the
session.
FIG. 11 is a simplified flow diagram 1100 of another embodiment of
signaling between an mobile network and an enterprise network for a
quality-of-service (QoS) request. In the embodiment illustrated in
FIG. 11, enterprise application server 914 includes one or more
applications and/or services that user equipment device 902 desires
to access. In 1102, user equipment device 902 sends a UE
application client request to establish a session with an
application of enterprise application server 914 via gateway 906.
In a particular embodiment, the UE application client request may
be generated by a user equipment application client associated with
user equipment device 902. In 1104, enterprise application server
914 sends a mobile network request to the mobile network that is
received by MINE component 212. The mobile network request includes
a user identifier used to identify the user associated with user
equipment device 902 within the enterprise network. In a particular
embodiment, the user identifier used to identify the user in the
enterprise network is an internal IP address used by the enterprise
network to identifier the user.
In 1106, MINE component 212 translates the enterprise network user
identifier into a mobile network user identifier used by the mobile
network to identify the user. In 1108, MINE component 212 sends a
user equipment (UE) plan query to PCRF 910 to determine whether a
user service plan and/or policy associated with the user of user
equipment device 902 allows for higher QoS and/or bandwidth to be
allocated to user equipment device 902. The UE plan query includes
the mobile network user identifier, which is used by the PCRF 910
to match a user profile or plan associated with the user. In 1110,
MINE component 912 receives a UE plan response message including
quality of service information indicated by a plan and/or policy
associated with the user. In a particular embodiment, the UE plan
response message includes quality of service information having an
indication regarding whether a plan and/or policy associated with
the user allows for higher QoS and/or bandwidth to be allocated to
user equipment device 902. In 1112, MINE component 212 sends a
utilization database query to utilization database 912 to inquire
whether the current location of user equipment device 902 and/or a
location to which user equipment device 902 is moving can handle
additional load in the mobile network and/or what radio types
should be used. In 1114, MINE component 212 receives a utilization
database response message from utilization database 912 indicating
whether a current location and/or an anticipated location of user
equipment device 902 can handle additional load in the mobile
network and/or radio types should be used.
In 1116, MINE component 212 accesses a rules engine to correlate
information regarding radio conditions, the user service plan
and/or application requirements of the client application to
determine the QoS parameters to be granted to user equipment device
902 in response to the request for additional QoS and/or bandwidth.
In 1118, MINE component 212 sends a grant and user profile to
application server 912 for the session. The grant indicates QoS
parameters for the session. In one or more embodiments, the QoS
parameters indicated by the grant may include a QCI value,
bandwidth parameters, and/or a radio priority to be used during the
session. In 1120, application server 912 sends a session parameters
response message to user equipment device 902 indicating QoS
parameters to be used for the session.
FIG. 12 is a simplified block diagram of another embodiment of a
communication system 1200 for providing integrated signaling
between mobile data network and enterprise networks. Communication
system 1200 includes first user equipment (UE) 902a, second UE
device 902b, and third UE device 902c in communication with a base
station 904. First UE device 902a includes a media services
interface (MSI) application 1202. Base station 904 is in further
communication with a gateway node 906. Gateway node 906 is in
further communication with an aggregation network 1204.
Communication system 1200 further includes an aggregation services
router 1206 in communication with aggregation network 1204. Gateway
node 906 and aggregation services router 1206 are each in
communication with network, service, and subscriber abstraction
layer 202. Network, service, and subscriber abstraction layer 202
further includes mobile IP enabler (MINE) component 212.
Aggregation services router 1206 is further in communication with a
content provider cloud 1208. Content provider cloud 1208 is in
further communication with provider systems 1210, which may include
a subscriber management module 1212 and a billing module 1214.
Content provider cloud 1208 may be in further communication with
content provider(s) 1216. In one embodiment, the content provider
cloud 1208 may be a hosted enterprise service, such as hosted
collaboration, and the content provider 1216 may be an enterprise
telephony system.
Media applications, such as video applications, typically not only
need a high bandwidth connection but also a stable connection so
that they can perform bit rate adaptation to match the available
capacity to deliver the best possible experience to the user.
Mobile environments are incredibly fickle when it comes to network
performance. As the mobile user moves in the spatial environment,
the effective network capacity available to the user can change
rapidly. Additionally, even if the user stays still, the
environment may change do still provide a non-stable network
capacity connection.
Various embodiments described herein provide for the capability for
the mobile network to interact with a mobile client to enable the
mobile network to receive continuous feedback on the state of
traffic flows that are sent to the client on a per application
and/or per flow basis to enable the mobile network to map users,
devices and location to one or more quality of delivery metrics.
Using this ability of the mobile network to interact with an end
client and to determine the prevailing network service conditions,
the mobile network may exploit this information to dynamically
adapt the service delivered to maximize the experience of all users
and devices in accordance with the network policy and the
prevailing mobile network conditions.
In some embodiments, the mobile network system may provide feedback
to the mobile client to provide predictive suggestions to specific
users of video or other applications (both wired and wireless) such
that the applications themselves may adapt to better match the
changing network conditions. These predictions may include: an
impending decrease in capacity in which MINE component 212 may
advertise the impending describes to the endpoints so that the
application can tune preemptively to the correct bitrate based on
available mechanisms without actually incurring loss; an increase
in capacity in which MINE component 212 may realize that the bit
rate used by the application is below the available capacity
(perhaps due to movement of the environment, change in service
plan, etc.), and MINE component 212 may inform the application of
the increased available capacity so that the application may
increase its encoding bitrate to deliver higher quality video;
change in loss properties in which MINE component 212 is aware of
the lossiness of particular regions and environments and by
conveying this information to a video application, the video
application is able to make better decisions on how much forward
error correction (FEC) should be applied to the media stream; and
for an adaptation in process MINE component 212 may inform the
client that the network is attempting to restore an acceptable
level of service and that the client should refrain from enacting
any client adaptation until requested to do so by the mobile
network client.
In one or more embodiments, MSI SDK 1202 is a software development
kit (SDK) that exposes a series of API's to enable co-resident
applications to better leverage network services to improve
performance and increase serviceability. The MSI is associated with
first UE device 902a that is configured to integrate enterprise
applications and/or services such as applications and/or services
provided by one or more content providers 1216 with network,
service, subscriber abstraction layer 202. MSI application 1202
enables network, service, subscriber abstraction layer 202 to
become aware of and monitor the service or application. In one or
more embodiments, network, service, subscriber abstraction layer
202 monitors the performance of a particular application and may
make determinations using monitored data received from MSI
application 1202 and other information received from other network
elements and components regarding whether adjustments should be
made to change the quality of the experience provided by the
application and/or service based on either default or configured
performance thresholds. In a particular embodiment, network,
service, subscriber abstraction layer 202 may change a bandwidth
and/or QCI value allocated to the application or service and/or
redirect the UE to move to a different radio or WiFi network to
enable a user or subscriber to obtain a better experience from the
application and/or service.
In various embodiments MSI SDK 1202 is configured to make it easier
for applications to integrate with MINE component 212. This
integration allows applications to become "network aware" such that
applications are aware of what happens in the network and that the
network itself is aware of how the application is performing.
Accordingly, MINE component 212 allows more intelligent decisions
to be made within the network to better allocate resources to meet
user expectations. In one or more embodiments, MSI SDK 1202
includes a service discovery mechanism to allow client devices such
as first UE device 902a to discover MINE component 212 and a
registration mechanism to register first UE device 902a with MINE
component 212. During registration, MSI application 1202 may pass
metadata that describes the UE, the application and its associated
flows, including a mobile network identifier associated with first
UE device 902a to MINE component 212. MINE component 212 may then
map the mobile network identifier to a user identifier, such as a
username, used by provider systems 1210 and register first UE
device 902a with MINE component 212. Upon registration, MINE
component 212 becomes aware of applications running on first UE
device 902a. In one or more embodiments, MSI SDK 1202 may pass
supplemental metadata to MINE component 212 such as identifying a
particular data flow as either teleconferencing video,
teleconferencing audio, or teleconferencing data.
Upon knowing the identity of the user, MINE component 212 may
access provider systems 210 to determine whether the user has a
contract and/or policy that guarantees a particular quality
experience for the user as opposed to a user who does not have such
a contract and/or policy. In one or more embodiments, MSI SDK 1202
is configured to calculate performance metrics or statistics on
behalf of an application or service. In other embodiments, if an
application or service calculates its own performance metrics or
statistics, the application or service may pass the performance
metrics or statics to MINE component via the MSI SDK's common
management interface.
Upon registration by MSI application 1202 with MINE component 212,
MINE component 212 may connect to MSI application 1202 and indicate
to MSI SDK 1202 that it is interested in receiving particular
notifications including performance measurements obtained by MSI
SDK 1202 for an application or service, such as packet loss, jitter
or delay, from MSI SDK 1202. MINE component 212 may be further
configured to set one or more thresholds related to the performance
monitoring data and if one or more of those thresholds are
exceeded, MINE component 212 may take that information as well as
other information from the network to make intelligent decisions to
determine whether the user is receiving an acceptable experience in
a current class of which the user is a member. In a particular
embodiment, exceeding a threshold is indicative of the user
experiencing a decreased quality of experience. For example, if the
user has been guaranteed a particular quality of service and MINE
component 212 determine that the user is not currently experiencing
the particular quality of service, MINE component 212 may be
configured to change the QCI value for the user's bearer channel
and place the user in a higher priority queue to rectify the
problems the user is currently experiencing. Alternatively, the
MINE component 212 may also decide to direct the UE 902a device to
move to a different radio or WiFi network based upon the current
performance feedback and notifications. In various embodiments, MSI
SDK 1202 may send performance statistics to MINE component 212
periodically or upon request from MINE component 212.
Accordingly, various embodiments provide for a dynamic performance
feedback for user equipment applications and services so that MINE
component 212 may make intelligent performance management decisions
as well as intelligent cost management decisions within the
network.
FIG. 13 is a simplified flow diagram 1300 of another embodiment of
signaling between a mobile network and an enterprise network. In
1302, media services interface (MSI) SDK 1202 of first device UE
device 902a sends a registration request to MINE component 1302 of
network, service, subscriber abstraction layer 202. The
registration request may include metadata such as an identifier
associated with first UE device 902a. In 1304, MINE component 212
determines a user identity associated a user of first UE device
902a based upon the received identifier. In a particular
embodiment, MINE component 212 maps the received identifier to a
username associated with the user. In 1306, MINE component 212
sends a user policy inquiry to provider systems 1210 to determine
whether the user identified by the user identity has a policy
associated with the user including rules for determining the
services available to the user as well as a quality level of the
provided services. In a particular embodiment, the provider systems
1210 include a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) which
manages and stores policy information associated with one or more
users. In 1308, provider systems 1210 sends user policy data
including policy information associated with the identified user to
MINE component 212.
In 1310, MINE component 212 sends a notification subscription to
MSI SDK 1202. The notification subscription indicates to MSI SDK
1202 one or more performance-monitoring notifications that MINE
component 212 wishes to subscribe in order to receive the
performance monitoring notifications from MSI SDK 1202. The
performance monitoring notifications include one or more
performance metrics or thresholds related to an application or
service that is to be provided from the enterprise network, such as
content provider(s) 1216 to first UE device 902a. In 1312, a media
content session is established between content provider(s) 1216 and
first UE device 902a in which media content such as audio and/or
video content is provided by content provider(s) 1216 to first UE
device 902a.
In 1314, MSI SDK 1202 sends a performance monitoring notification
to MINE component 212. The performance monitoring notification
includes performance data obtained or calculated by MSI SDK 1202
indicating a quality of delivery of the media content to first UE
device 902a by the media content session. In a particular
embodiment, MSI application 1202 may calculate Transmission Control
Protocol (TCP) performance metrics, Real-time Transport Protocol
(RTP) performance metrics, and/or wireless transmission performance
metrics associated with the media content session such as packet
loss or packet delay. MSI SDK 1202 may further send a summary of
the calculated performance metrics summary to MINE component 212 in
the performance monitoring notification. In various embodiments,
MSI application 1202 may send a performance monitoring notification
to MINE component 212 on a periodic basis such as every fifteen
seconds during the duration of the media content session or based
upon a monitoring threshold being crossed.
In 1316, MINE component 212 determines if the performance
monitoring data for the session has exceeded a performance quality
threshold for the particular user. In 1318, in response to
determining that the performance quality threshold has been
exceeded for the session, MINE component 212 determines if quality
is to be improved for the user based upon the user profile and
available resources within the network. In various embodiments,
MINE component 212 may evaluate information obtained from other
network elements and/or components, such as signaling diagnostics,
in addition to the received performance monitoring data in order to
determine whether the quality is to be improved for the user. For
example, MINE component 212 may obtain information from analytics
module 116 to determine current and/or historical information
regarding network traffic in order to determine whether quality is
to be increased for first UE device 902a. In other embodiments,
MINE component 212 may poll other user equipment from the same cell
zone to evaluate the type of device, application, user plan and
usage to determine whether quality is to be increased for first UE
device 902a. In still other embodiments, MINE component 212 may
receive cell site congestion notifications including cell site
congestion information from one or more network elements and
correlate the cell congestion information with the performance
monitoring data received from MSI SDK 1202 to determine whether
quality is to be increased for first UE device 902a.
In 1320, MINE component 212 applies a policy to the media content
session for an improved user experience by increasing one or more
quality parameters associated with the media content session. In a
particular embodiment, MINE component 212 may reallocate one or
more network resources in the network in order to increase the user
experience provided to first UE device 902a. In one or more
embodiments, MINE component 212 may decrease the quality of
experience provided to second UE device 902b in order to increase
the user experience provided to first UE device 902a. For example,
a policy associated with a user of second UE device 902b may not
guarantee a high quality of experience to the user of second UE
device 902b as compared to the policy associated with the user of
first UE device 902a. In 1322, MINE component 212 sends a message
to GW 906 to reduce a QoS value associated with second UE device
902b. In a particular embodiment, MINE component 212 changes a QCI
value associated with a bearer channel of second UE device 902b in
order to reduce a QoS for second UE device 902b. In 1324, MINE
component sends a message to GW 906 to increase a QoS value
associated with first UE device 902a. In a particular embodiment,
MINE component 212 changes a QCI value associated with a bearer
channel of first UE device 902a associated with the media content
session in order to reduce a QoS for first UE device 902a.
In still another embodiment, first UE device 902a, second UE device
902b, and third UE device 902c each include MSI SDK 1202 and are
configured to include adaptive bit rate (ABR) clients having the
capability of varying the bit rate of transmitted and received
data. In such embodiments, first UE device 902a, second UE device
902b, and third UE device 902c may each send a registration request
including metadata indicating that first UE device 902a, second UE
device 902b, and third UE device 902c support ABR capability. First
UE device 902a, second UE device 902b, and third UE device 902c may
then periodically send performance monitoring data to MINE
component 212 including measured performance monitoring data
associated with one or more applications or services provided to
first UE device 902a, second UE device 902b, and third UE device
902c, respectively. First UE device 902a, second UE device 902b,
and third UE device 902c may each further send adaption data to
MINE component 212 indicating one or more ABR adaption capabilities
of first UE device 902a, second UE device 902b, and third UE device
902c such as the ability to change between using different codecs,
adaptation techniques or error correction/concealment procedures
during ABR adaptation.
If MINE component 212 determines that one or more performance
quality thresholds has been exceed based upon the received
performance monitoring data and/or information received from other
network elements, MINE component 212 may send a metadata adaptation
message to a respective MSI application 1202 of first UE device
902a, second UE device 902b, or third UE device 902c indicating
that the bit rate associated with a particular session should be
adjusted. For example, MINE component 3212 may instruct a first UE
device 902a to drop its ABR rate from 500 kbps to 350 kps in
response to receiving monitoring data indicating that a particular
performance threshold has been exceeded. In one or more
embodiments, if the particular user is a high value user as
determined by policy information, MINE component 212 may instruct
the ABR client to not perform adaptation of the bitrate unless
performance does not improve after a predetermined period of time.
Conversely, in at least one embodiment, if the particular user is a
low value user as determined by policy information, MINE component
212 may instruct the ABR client to start adaptation of the bitrate.
In still other embodiments, MSI SDK 1202 may send periodic status
notifications to MINE component 212 including adaption attributes
indicating the current adaptation state (adaption on/off) and/or an
adaption type (codec change, error correction/concealment). In
still other embodiments, MINE component 212 may encode on or more
packets/frames to indicate to GW 906 which packets/frames may or
may not be discarded. For example, in a particular embodiment MINE
component 212 may indicate that a packet containing a reference
frame should not be dropped while allowing other packets not
containing a reference frame to be dropped by GW 906.
In some embodiments, MINE component 212 may utilize other network
information such as RAN analytics in addition to performance
metrics generated by MSI SDK 1202 to determine with an adaption
event should be triggered.
FIG. 14 is a simplified flowchart 1400 of another embodiment of
signaling between a mobile network and an enterprise network. In
1402, MINE component 212 receives a request from a first network
element associated with a first network for establishing a first
communication session between the first network element to a first
user device associated with a second network. In a particular
embodiment, the first network element is an application server and
the first network is an enterprise network. In a particular
embodiment, the first user device is first UE device 902a. In a
particular embodiment, the communication session is a media
session. The request includes a first user identifier used to
identify a user associated with the first user device within the
first network. In one or more embodiments, the request includes a
request to provide content, such as media content, form the first
network element to the first user device.
In 1404, MINE component 212 translates the first user identifier to
a second user identifier in which the second user identifier is
used to identify the user within the second network. In 1406, MINE
component 212 sends a first query including the second user
identifier to a second network element. In a particular embodiment,
the second network element is a billing system storing one or more
user profiles and/or user plans associated with users of one or
more user devices within the mobile network. In a particular
embodiment, the billing system includes a policy and charging rules
function (PCRF). In 1408, MINE component 212 receives a first
response message including quality of service information indicated
by a user policy associated with the second user identifier. In a
particular embodiment, MINE component 212 may further translate the
first response message with the second user identifier to a policy
query with the first user identifier.
In 1410, MINE component 212 determines one or more performance
quality thresholds for the first communication session based upon
the quality of service information. In 1412, the first
communication session is established between the first network
element and the first user device. In 1414, MINE component 212
receives performance data from the first user device including at
least one performance metric indicating a quality of delivery of
content to the first user device by the first communication
session. In a particular embodiment, MINE component 212 has
previously subscribed to receive the performance data from the
first user device. In one or more embodiments, MINE component 212
may be configured to receive performance data from the first user
device on a periodic basis during the communication session.
In 1416, MINE component 212 determines whether the at least one
performance metric exceeds the performance quality threshold. If it
is determined that the at least one metric has exceeded the
performance quality threshold, in 1418 MINE component 212
determines whether the quality of delivery is to be improved for
the user. If it is determined that the quality of delivery is to be
improved for the user, in 1420 MINE component 212 adjusts a
quality-of-service (QoS) value for the communication session. In a
particular embodiment, MINE component 212 increases a first quality
of service value for the first communication session if it is
determined that the quality of delivery is to be improved for the
user. In still another particular embodiment, MINE component 212
decreases a second quality of service value for a second session
associated with a second user device if it is determined that the
quality of delivery is to be improved for the user and the
procedure ends. If it is determined in 1416 that the at least one
performance quality threshold has not been exceed or if it is
determined in 1418 that the quality of delivery is not to be
improved for the user, the procedure ends.
In one implementation, server 201 includes software to achieve (or
to foster) the operations as outlined herein in this Specification.
Note that in one example, each of these elements can have an
internal structure (e.g., a processor, a memory element, etc.) to
facilitate some of the operations described herein. In other
embodiments, the operations may be executed externally to these
elements, or included in some other network element to achieve this
intended functionality. Alternatively, server 201 may include this
software (or reciprocating software) that can coordinate with other
network elements in order to achieve the operations, as outlined
herein. In still other embodiments, one or several devices may
include any suitable algorithms, hardware, software, components,
modules, interfaces, or objects that facilitate the operations
thereof.
Note that in certain example implementations, the orchestration,
work flow coordination, and translation functions outlined herein
may be implemented by logic encoded in one or more tangible media
(e.g., embedded logic provided in an application specific
integrated circuit [ASIC], digital signal processor [DSP]
instructions, software [potentially inclusive of object code and
source code] to be executed by a processor, or other similar
machine, etc.). In some of these instances, a memory element [as
shown in FIG. 8] can store data used for the operations described
herein. This includes the memory element being able to store
software, logic, code, or processor instructions that are executed
to carry out the activities described in this Specification. A
processor can execute any type of instructions associated with the
data to achieve the operations detailed herein in this
Specification. In one example, the processor (as shown in FIG. 8)
could transform an element or an article (e.g., data) from one
state or thing to another state or thing. In another example, the
activities outlined herein may be implemented with fixed logic or
programmable logic (e.g., software/computer instructions executed
by a processor) and the elements identified herein could be some
type of a programmable processor, programmable digital logic (e.g.,
a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an erasable programmable
read only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable ROM
(EEPROM)) or an ASIC that includes digital logic, software, code,
electronic instructions, or any suitable combination thereof.
In one example implementation, server 102 may include software in
order to achieve the functions outlined herein. These activities
can be facilitated by sub-modules of network, service, subscriber
abstraction and orchestration module 202 (where sub-modules can be
suitably combined in any appropriate manner, which may be based on
particular configuration and/or provisioning needs). Server 201 can
include memory elements for storing information to be used in
achieving the data abstraction activities, as discussed herein.
Additionally, server 201 may include a processor that can execute
software or an algorithm to perform the operations, as disclosed in
this Specification. These devices may further keep information in
any suitable memory element (random access memory (RAM), ROM,
EPROM, EEPROM, ASIC, etc.), software, hardware, or in any other
suitable component, device, element, or object where appropriate
and based on particular needs. Any of the memory items discussed
herein (e.g., database, tables, trees, cache, etc.) should be
construed as being encompassed within the broad term `memory
element.` Similarly, any of the potential processing elements,
modules, and machines described in this Specification should be
construed as being encompassed within the broad term `processor.`
Each of the network elements can also include suitable interfaces
for receiving, transmitting, and/or otherwise communicating data or
information in a network environment.
Note that with the example provided above, as well as numerous
other examples provided herein, interaction may be described in
terms of two, three, or four network elements. However, this has
been done for purposes of clarity and example only. In certain
cases, it may be easier to describe one or more of the
functionalities of a given set of flows by only referencing a
limited number of network elements. It should be appreciated that
communication systems 100, 200, 900, and 1200 (and their teachings)
are readily scalable and can accommodate a large number of
components, as well as more complicated/sophisticated arrangements
and configurations. Accordingly, the examples provided should not
limit the scope or inhibit the broad teachings of communication
systems 100 and 200 as potentially applied to a myriad of other
architectures.
It is also important to note that the steps in the preceding flow
diagrams illustrate only some of the possible signaling scenarios
and patterns that may be executed by, or within, communication
systems 100, 200, 900, and 1200. Some of these steps may be deleted
or removed where appropriate, or these steps may be modified or
changed considerably without departing from the scope of the
present disclosure. In addition, a number of these operations have
been described as being executed concurrently with, or in parallel
to, one or more additional operations. However, the timing of these
operations may be altered considerably. The preceding operational
flows have been offered for purposes of example and discussion.
Substantial flexibility is provided by communication systems 100,
200, 900, and 1200 in that any suitable arrangements, chronologies,
configurations, and timing mechanisms may be provided without
departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
Although the present disclosure has been described in detail with
reference to particular arrangements and configurations, these
example configurations and arrangements may be changed
significantly without departing from the scope of the present
disclosure. For example, although the present disclosure has been
described with reference to particular communication exchanges
involving certain endpoint components and certain protocols,
communication systems 100, 200, 900, and 1200 may be applicable to
other protocols and arrangements. Moreover, the present disclosure
is equally applicable to various technologies, aside from mobile
architectures, as these have only been offered for purposes of
discussion.
Additionally, although communication systems 100, 200, 900, and
1200 have been illustrated with reference to particular elements
and operations that facilitate the communication process, these
elements and operations may be replaced by any suitable
architecture or process that achieves the intended functionality of
communication systems 100, 200, 900, and 1200.
* * * * *
References