Abstract: A network management architecture referred to as the Control/Orchestration/Management/Policy/Analytics (COMPA) architecture (or COMPA for short). The COMPA architecture functions to simplify and automate the operations (both management and business process) of a network. In one aspect, the COMPA architecture addresses four use case categories: (1) Resource/Service Onboarding; (2) Automated Product Offerings; (3) Automated Management; and (4) Service Exposure. COMPA enables rapid service introduction into the network and lifecycle management; dynamic network governance via policy; and controlled access to functionality provided by different responsibility domains.

Abstract: A network is described herein which can control, through subscriber profile data and/or policy preconfigured control data, whether deep packet inspection for data flow/s for an Internet Protocol-Connectivity Access Network (IP-CAN) session established by an end user should take place, or not, according to a defined “User Privacy Policy”, and, in the former case, to which traffic detection function (TDF) node the data flow(s) should be directed.

Abstract: A method of handling packets sent across a packet switched network comprising a policy server acting as a policy and charging rules function. The method comprises providing a first set of policy rules at said policy server, and installing these from the policy server into an access gateway over a first service control session. These policy rules cause packets belonging to a given IP session to be diverted by the access gateway to a network address translator. At the network address translator, an IP source address of said packets is translated into a translated IP source address identifying a deep packet inspection node. The network address translator forwards the packets to the deep packet inspection node configured to perform deep packet inspection of IP packet.

Abstract: The embodiments herein relates to a method for enabling multiple bearer support upon congestion situations in a communication network. The PCC architecture is enabled to determine whether separate bearers need to be established for service(s) that demand MBR>GBR when no ECN support is provided. This is provided in nodes and methods receiving, using a receiving unit (301), an indication of session establishment for a bearer from a bearer binding function unit (113, 115), obtaining profile information with Quality of Service, QoS, information about maximum bit rate, MBR, and guaranteed bit rate, GBR, related to the bearer; determining that the MBR is larger than the GBR, making a policy decision, and transmitting, using the transmitting unit (305), an acknowledgement of session establishment to the bearer binding function unit with an indicator that a separate bearer is to be established.

Abstract: A method, by a policy control unit of a mobile communications network, to control a signalling of congestion information of mobile entities at a plurality of congestion monitoring units that monitor which mobile entities are affected by a congestion state in a radio access network of the mobile communications network. The method comprises receiving, from one of the congestion monitoring units, an indication that one of the mobile entities is affected by a congestion, storing said one congestion monitoring unit from which the indication is received as the current congestion monitoring unit for said one mobile entity, receiving, from another congestion monitoring unit, the indication that said one mobile entity is affected by a congestion, and indicating, in response to the indication received from the other monitoring unit, to the current congestion monitoring unit a release of congestion information relating to said one mobile entity.

Abstract: A method, by a policy control unit of a mobile communications network, to control a signaling of congestion information of mobile entities at a plurality of congestion monitoring units that monitor which mobile entities are affected by a congestion state in a radio access network of the mobile communications network. The method comprises receiving, from one of the congestion monitoring units, an indication that one of the mobile entities is affected by a congestion state, storing said one congestion monitoring unit from which the indication is received as the current congestion monitoring unit for said one mobile entity, receiving, from another congestion monitoring unit, the indication that said one mobile entity is affected by a congestion state, and indicating, in response to the indication received from the other monitoring unit, to the current congestion monitoring unit a release of congestion information relating to said one mobile entity.

Abstract: In scenarios where the quality of service is negotiated through a signalling layer whereas the services are actually carried through a bearer layer, application functions at the signalling layer are not always aware of how quality of service is individually accomplished at the bearer layer on a service basis. The invention provides a method and devices whereby events are detected on a service data flow basis at a detection device in the bearer layer and notified towards an application device in the signalling layer via a control device between the signalling and the bearer layer. The list of events to be notified is obtainable at the control device from the application device and is included in Quality of Service related rules, along with service data flow filters. This Quality of Service related rules are provided to the detection device for inspecting individual service data flows in order to detect and notify the indicated events.

Abstract: In scenarios where the quality of service is negotiated through a signalling layer whereas the services are actually carried through a bearer layer, application functions at the signalling layer are not always aware of how quality of service is individually accomplished at the bearer layer on a service basis. The invention provides a method and devices whereby events are detected on a service data flow basis at a detection device in the bearer layer and notified towards an application device in the signalling layer via a control device between the signalling and the bearer layer. The list of events to be notified is obtainable at the control device from the application device and is included in Quality of Service related rules, along with service data flow filters. This Quality of Service related rules are provided to the detection device for inspecting individual service data flows in order to detect and notify the indicated events.

Abstract: A method for deploying a policy from a 3GPP core network to a non-3GPP access network. The policy relates to a connection established from a mobile terminal to the 3GPP core network via the non-3GPP access network. A local IP address acquired by the mobile terminal during establishment of the connection is received at the 3GPP core network. At the 3GPP core network, establishment of a policy control session is initiated from the 3GPP core network to the non-3GPP access network. The received local IP address is used to determine the non-3GPP access network used for the connection with reference to shared IP addressing information. At the 3GPP core network, the policy is provided to the non-3GPP access network using the policy control session established as a result of the policy control session initiation step. The policy is for deployment in the non-3GPP access network in relation to the established connection.

Abstract: At present, applying conventional policy and charging control in scenarios where a huge amount of users is supported, such as machine-to-machine type communication devices, represents a number of drawbacks, such as the amount of data to be stored in subscriber databases and the access rate, the signalling load, and the processing performance of nodes. The present invention provides for a method of policy control and enhanced apparatuses enabling the support of user community profiles that apply to a plurality of subscribers, the generation and enforcement of community policy and charging rules derived from the user community profiles and preferably installed upon establishment of a session for a first user. Further sessions to be established for subsequent users of the plurality of users would be enforced with said community policy and charging rules without needs for handling them on individual basis.

Abstract: Traffic flow template filters with policy control and charging rule precedence are provided in a network. A request from a wireless device to add or modify at least one traffic flow template, TFT, filter, with a requested TFT filter precedence value for a particular bearer associated with the wireless device is received. A policy and charging control, PCC, rule precedence range, corresponding to the TFT filter is then determined. The determined PCC rule precedence range is transmitted to a policy and charging rules function, PCRF, block.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods of sending, to a policy control unit of a mobile communications network, congestion information for a plurality of mobile entities (MEs) are described. Each of the MEs being connected to a respective radio access network (RAT) and associated with the policy control unit, the congestion information indicates congestion of the respective RAT. The disclosure includes a congestion monitoring unit aggregating the congestion information for at least some of the MEs based on the respective MEs being associated with the policy control unit, and sending a message including the aggregated congestion information to the policy control unit. A congestion monitoring unit is configured to aggregate the congestion information for at least some of the MEs based on the respective MEs being associated with the policy control unit, and an interface configured to send the message including the aggregated congestion information to the policy control unit.

Abstract: A method, by a policy control unit of a mobile communications network, to control a signalling of congestion information of mobile entities at a plurality of congestion monitoring units that monitor which mobile entities are affected by a congestion state in a radio access network of the mobile communications network. The method comprises receiving, from one of the congestion monitoring units, an indication that one of the mobile entities is affected by a congestion state, storing said one congestion monitoring unit from which the indication is received as the current congestion monitoring unit for said one mobile entity, receiving, from another congestion monitoring unit, the indication that said one mobile entity is affected by a congestion state, and indicating, in response to the indication received from the other monitoring unit, to the current congestion monitoring unit a release of congestion information relating to said one mobile entity.

Abstract: A method of handling packets sent across a packet switched network comprising a policy server acting as a policy and charging rules function. The method comprises providing a first set of policy rules at said policy server, and installing these from the policy server into an access gateway over a first service control session. These policy rules cause packets belonging to a given IP session to be diverted by the access gateway to a network address translator. At the network address translator, an IP source address of said packets is translated into a translated IP source address identifying a deep packet inspection node. The network address translator forwards the packets to the deep packet inspection node configured to perform deep packet inspection of IP packet.

Abstract: Traffic flow template filters with policy control and charging rule precedence are provided in a network. A request from a wireless device to add or modify at least one traffic flow template, TFT, filter, with a requested TFT filter precedence value for a particular bearer associated with the wireless device is received. A policy and charging control, PCC, rule precedence range, corresponding to the TFT filter is then determined. The determined PCC rule precedence range is transmitted to a policy and charging rules function, PCRF, block.

Abstract: At present, applying conventional policy and charging control in scenarios where a huge amount of users is supported, such as machine-to-machine type communication devices, represents a number of drawbacks, such as the amount of data to be stored in subscriber databases and the access rate, the signalling load, and the processing performance of nodes. The present invention provides for a method of policy control and enhanced apparatuses enabling the support of user community profiles that apply to a plurality of subscribers, the generation and enforcement of community policy and charging rules derived from the user community profiles and preferably installed upon establishment of a session for a first user. Further sessions to be established for subsequent users of the plurality of users would be enforced with said community policy and charging rules without needs for handling them on individual basis.

Abstract: A method of delivering data to user terminals connected to an Internet Protocol Connectivity Access Network, IP-CAN, wherein the IP-CAN implements a Policy and Charging Control, PCC, architecture. The method comprises caching data within an IP-CAN cache server upon a decision made by a Policy and Charging Rules Function, PCRF, of the PCC architecture. The cached data is then identified to a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function, PCEF, of the PCC architecture. At the PCEF, data requests made by user terminals are monitored and a determination made as to whether or not a request relates to cached data. If a request does relate to cached data, then that cached data is delivered from the IP-CAN cache server to the requesting user terminal.

Abstract: The present invention faces the issue of authorizing transactional services by a Policy and Charging Control system. To this end, the present invention provides for an apparatus carrying out a method of authorizing transactional services and comprising: an authorization requester for submitting a transactional service authorization request with a user identifier and a transactional service identifier, and an authorizer for receiving the transactional service authorization request. This authorizer comprises: a PCRF server for authorizing the transactional service based on subscription and service data, an OCS for authorizing the transactional service based on credit authorization, and a decider for deciding service authorization for the transactional service based on the authorizations respectively made by the PCRF server and OCS.

Abstract: A method of handling packets sent across a packet switched network comprising a policy server acting as a policy and charging rules function. The method comprises providing a first set of policy rules at said policy server, and installing these from the policy server into an access gateway over a first service control session. These policy rules cause packets belonging to a given IP session to be diverted by the access gateway to a network address translator. At the network address translator, an IP source address of said packets is translated into a translated IP source address identifying a deep packet inspection node. The network address translator forwards the packets to the deep packet inspection node configured to perform deep packet inspection of IP packets.

Abstract: A system, policy nodes, and methods are described herein for establishing a policy session (e.g., IP-CAN session) for a user equipment between a first policy node (e.g., BPCF) which is associated with a fixed broadband access network (e.g., non-3GPP access network) and a second policy node (e.g., PCRF) which is associated with an evolved packet core network (e.g., 3GPP access network).