Abstract: Aspects of the invention allow mobile network users as well as mobile network providers to define policies that are managed across several applications and services. Thus, several application servers and network elements are coordinated to implement a service policy. More specifically, aspects of the invention define service level policies for any service be within an IMS based or non-IMS based wireless network implemented by SIP or non-SIP network elements. A service policy is a set of rules that is applied when a subscriber uses a specific service (Web Browsing, Location, Presence, MMS, SMS, PoC, etc). The policy may be applicable on a per-need, per-subscriber basis. A service policy enhances or restricts use of the service functionality by the subscriber. A service level policy should also allow definition of service utilization rules that constrain how the service may be used by the subscriber.

Abstract: Subscriber travel behavior is defined using cellular call location data. The defined travel behavior is used to segment the customer population. In a further aspect of the disclosed principles, a method to consolidate numerous of price plans is disclosed wherein price plans are grouped using cluster analysis. In the context of this disclosure, the term “cluster analysis” encompasses a number of different algorithms and methods for grouping objects of similar kind into respective categories to thus organize observed data into meaningful structures. In this context, cluster analysis is a data analysis process for sorting different objects into groups in a way that the degree of association between two objects is maximal if they belong to the same group and minimal otherwise.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to methods and systems for monitoring network usage according to predetermined rules and calculating user charges based on the network usage. The described technique includes receiving a data packet, extracting parameters from the data packet and determining whether the extracted parameters match at least one rule in a rules engine. Charges for the data packet are calculated based on the matched rules. The data packet is forwarded on to its destination.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for routing data packet connection pathways. A pathway controller monitors all of the packet data service nodes available for the transmission of data packets to mobile nodes in order to allocate the service nodes appropriately. A main call processing node selects an available packet data service node for use for a mobile node based upon the availability of the service nodes. A mobile node may have its data packet pathway deactivated if the network infrastructure determines the need to free-up resources for other mobile nodes. The data packet pathway may be reactivated upon the event of a new data packet arriving for the mobile node. The methods of deactivation and reactivation may be used to solve data packet pathway serving faults. The data packet connection pathways that may be reactivated may be done in a load balanced fashion.

Abstract: The described embodiments of the present invention include a method for controlling authorization of a multimedia service requested by a user device. In one embodiment, the method includes examining an identity of an access network associated with the user device and an identity of the service requested to determine whether the service is supported; authorizing resources in the access network required by the service if the service is supported; rejecting the service if the service is not supported and if a policy associated with the access network requires unsupported services to be rejected; and authorizing a default level of resources in the access network if the service is not supported and if the policy associated with the access network does not require unsupported services to be rejected.

Abstract: The described embodiments of the present invention outline two solutions to the problems desribed above regarding simple IP data access for pre-paid subscribers. The first solutions includes a method for providing pre-paid simple IP data service to a subscriber in a network, including: sending an access request from a point of attachment in an access network capable of providing an IP network access to a home network remote authentication server which deploys a Pre-Paid Client (PPC) and receiving in the point of attachment an access request response from the home network remote authentication server. The second solution includes a method for providing pre-paid simple IP data service to a subscriber in a network, including: sending an access request from a Mobile Station (MS) which deploys a Pre-Paid Client (PPC) to a home network remote authentication server and receiving in the MS an access request response from the home network remote authentication server.

Abstract: The described embodiments include a system for controlling communications between a first network and a second network including a plurality of in-line security devices, the in-line security devices being configured to manage communication between the first network and the second network, and including a state server connected to the plurality of in-line security devices, the state server being configured to receive state information about the state of the connections established by a first one of the in-line security devices and to communicate the state information to at least a second one of said in-line security devices. In one embodiment, the in-line security devices are firewalls. In another embodiment, state server communicates the state information received from the first one of the firewall devices and communicates the state information to every other one of the plurality of firewall devices.

Abstract: The invention increases billing options for a wireless service provider by allowing the provider to make billing decisions based upon what a client or mobile station application does both on and off the network. This type of billing, based on context, generates a billing record of events whether or not a particular client accesses the wireless network or not. The invention also provides transmission quality data allowing the wireless network provider to improve user experience in a wireless network. The invention captures the context, including content, quantity, and/or quality of data processed by a mobile station using a client-based application rather than a network-based application. The client-based application causes the mobile station to transmit a billing record corresponding to the captured context to a user monitoring server. The user monitoring server processes the billing record for determining billing and for generating engineering reports.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring and recording latency in data networks. The system and method can be used to measure and record latency in a Simple IP network or a Mobile IP network. One embodiment of the present invention is a system and method for measuring latency between a first device and a second device, the first and second devices communicating in accordance with a communications specification. The system and method comprises the second device transmitting, during a communication session, a message to the first device; receiving a response message from the first device; computing an elapsed time from transmission of the message to receipt of the response message to determine the latency; and recording the latency in a latency parameter. The message and the response message are provided by the communications specification.