Abstract: Systems and methods for providing an interface to communicate policy information from a policy server to a policy enforcement point are presented. An external policy server is used to implement and provide various policies to a policy enforcement point for enforcement on subscriber sessions and traffic flows of a mobile subscriber. A policy enforcement point can request instructions from the policy server using an access-request message and receive from the policy server unsolicited instructions with a change-of-authorization message. Policies for application to a subscriber session or traffic flow are included in the message from a policy server to the policy enforcement point. Other messages such as a disconnect message are used to terminate a subscriber session.

Abstract: A call flow is provided in a wireless communication system to enable quality of service (QoS) parameters to be retrieved and provided to a base station when a wireless device requests service. The QoS parameters may include or represent a QoS profile associated with the wireless device, a QoS profile associated with a user of the wireless device, or a QoS policy for a session involving the wireless device. The base station uses the QoS parameters to control access to the system by the wireless device. Another call flow is provided to transfer the QoS parameters from the base station to a packet control function for storage when a packet data session associated with the wireless device becomes dormant. If the packet data session is later reactivated, the QoS parameters are provided from the packet control function back to the base station.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling congestion on a packet data network are provided. The congestion control may be implemented between any two network nodes where a regulation of a data flow is desired to prevent a device overload from occurring. In order to provide regulation of a data flow, congestion control states are used where each state regulates the data flow in a specified manner. State transitions may occur in response to messages that include congestion information detected at a network node.

Abstract: Systems and methods to manage network access (e.g., IPv4 and IPv6) and layer 3 mobility are provided. This can allow mobility management to be moved from a mobile node's stack to the access gateway, simplifying the stack and providing fast handoffs. The mobility management at an access gateway further allows a mobile node to keep its dynamically assigned IP address for the duration of a call session and through handoffs. The placement of access gateways in a domain of trust allows security information to be passed between access gateways in a handoff so that the security associations do not need to be re-authenticated with the mobile node. One or more of the above mobility management features can be used to provide a fast and seamless handoff for a mobile node.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing interconnection between network operation environments are disclosed in some embodiments. This can include providing interoperability between 3GPP and 3GPP2 standards environments. In one embodiment, a method is disclosed that includes receiving a request from a mobile device for service at a gateway, determining a mode of operation for the mobile device by inspecting an incoming message, wherein the mode of operation includes 3GPP and 3GPP2, establishing a connection using a proxy mobile internet protocol (PMIP), where the type of connection established is dependent on the mode of operation, providing an IP address to a mobile device based on the mode of operation and the parameters associated with the mode of operation, and communicating with an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server operating in accordance with the mode of operation.

Abstract: Systems and methods for bridging packet flows to bypass call legs and/or tunnels are provided. A tunnel initiator, which can be an access gateway, a foreign agent, and a mobility anchor point, for example, provides a bypass for certain packets that have a destination serviced by the same tunnel initiator. The bridge allows the packets to bypass a backhaul loop and reduces latency and frees bandwidth for other purposes in the network. The bridging can be implemented in a tunnel initiator for mobile to mobile packet flows, mobile to land line packet flows, and land line to mobile packet flows. Route optimization can also be provided in certain embodiments.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a system and method for offloading selected data to an alternate communication network. The offloading provides another route for selected packet traffic that can relieve the burden on a mobile operator's network, such as the backhaul and core networks. As the proliferation of data rich content and increasingly more capable mobile devices has continued, the amount of data communicated over mobile operator's networks has exponentially increased. Upgrading the existing network that was designed for voice calls is not desirable or practical for many mobile operators. A offload gateway is provided that inspects packets and determines those packets to offload to an alternate network as well as providing mobility management to allow for seamless handoffs and gateway relocations.

Abstract: As the proliferation of data rich content and increasingly more capable mobile devices has continued, the amount of data communicated over mobile operator's networks has increased. Upgrading the existing network that was designed for voice calls is not desirable or practical for many mobile operators. This disclosure relates to a mobility edge gateway that resides on the edge of the core network and can provide one or more services such as call localization, offloading of traffic, session management, and content streaming. The call localization involves identifying calls that can be maintained at the edge of the network and bridging the calls at the mobility edge gateway to bypass the core network. The offloading involves identifying traffic and offloading the traffic to the Internet or another network to bypass the core network. These services can relieve congestion on the core network of mobile operator's networks.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a system and method for offloading selected data to an alternate communication network. The offloading provides another route for selected packet traffic that can relieve the burden on a mobile operator's network, such as the backhaul and core networks. As the proliferation of data rich content and increasingly more capable mobile devices has continued, the amount of data communicated over mobile operator's networks has exponentially increased. Upgrading the existing network that was designed for voice calls is not desirable or practical for many mobile operators. This disclosure provides systems and methods for offloading data to the Internet or another IP network to relieve congestion on the mobile operator's network.

Abstract: Systems and methods for bridging packet flows to bypass call legs and/or tunnels are provided. A tunnel initiator, which can be an access gateway, a foreign agent, and a mobility anchor point, for example, provides a bypass for certain packets that have a destination serviced by the same tunnel initiator. The bridge allows the packets to bypass a backhaul loop and reduces latency and frees bandwidth for other purposes in the network. The bridging can be implemented in a tunnel initiator for mobile to mobile packet flows, mobile to land line packet flows, and land line to mobile packet flows. Route optimization can also be provided in certain embodiments.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that provide self management of network devices in a communication network. These management abilities allow a network device to perform functions, for example, that improve resource distribution, allow for maintenance and upgrades, and provide session management and policy enforcement in a coherent and organized fashion. In a self organizing network (SON), some network devices can be configured to provide self-configuration and self-optimizing capabilities to provide the ability to automate certain operations and management functions and system management functions. The SON incorporates self-configuration, self-optimization, monitoring, and operation management to allow the network devices to be inserted into the network and operate with little to no human intervention.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in accordance with the present invention provide for releasing resources dedicated to a dormant mobile station in a region served by a first network access server that has migrated to in a region in an IP network served by a second network access server to allow those released resources to be allocated more efficiently. Generally the invention includes defining logic with a Authentication, Authorization and Accounting facility (AAA) and within a network access server for triggering a release of network access server (NAS) resources allocated for a given Mobile Station (MS) when the MS moves to a physical location requiring service by a different NAS.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing voice communications and data communications are provided, including: receiving an attach message from a mobile node indicating the mobile node can fallback from a first radio access technology to a second radio access technology and including location information identifying a location of the mobile node, the attach message received via the first radio access technology; sending a translated location updated message to a remote switching device; receiving a service request message from the mobile node, the service request message requesting initiation of a voice call, the service request message received via the first radio access technology; and based on the service request message and the indication that the mobile node can fallback to the second radio access technology, setting up the voice call with the mobile node via the second radio access technology.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that allow network resources to be shared across geographical distances. This can be achieved by changing the resources available for establishing and handling call or data session processing in an area. A mobility management device can alone or in combination with a DNS server change the size or the resource pool available in some embodiments. The change in resources can be dynamic according to certain predefined conditions or can be setup beforehand to account for daily demand. This sharing of resources can allow more efficient usage of resources available across a geographic region, rather than needed to over-provision each region to account for peak demands.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to allow detection of the load conditions on network devices. The load detection can occur using a mobility management device to track establishment of sessions and attempts at session establishment to determine the loading conditions on various network devices. This information can then be used by a selection logic to determine which devices are selected to send session establishment messaging for new session establishment requests. This can provide quicker setup times as highly loaded network devices or network devices experiences other failures are selected less until conditions are back to normal.

Abstract: Location reporting in long term evolution (LTE) wireless networks is provided. Systems and methods are disclosed to provide support of location reporting and messaging at a mobility management entity (MME) to allow location updates to serving gateways (SGWs) and packet data network gateways (PGWs), and for the SGWs and PGWs to activate and de-activate location reporting. The MME also supports detection and communication with the LTE radio access network to provide location reporting back to the communication network. The MME and the accompanying messaging can provide location reporting including enhanced cell global identity (ECGI) and tracking area identity (TAI) information.

Abstract: Systems and methods for call localization are provided. The call localization can be provided in a radio access network by detecting a call flow between mobile node such as user equipment (UE) served by the same radio access network device. For example, a gateway can detect a call localization opportunity and the call can be localized with an evolved nodeB (eNB). The method provides for efficient routing, reporting of billing information, lawful monitoring, and mobility if one or both user equipment leave the common eNB.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to systems and methods for paging devices in a communication network. A network device providing mobility management through control messaging can be assigned a number of cell sites in a tracking area. The network device such as a mobility management entity (MME) can use a criteria or heuristic based implementation to provide a hierarchy for contacting a mobile device with a page. The criteria or heuristic based implementation can page a subset of the total number of cell sites in a tracking area and expand the subset after unsuccessful attempts to page the mobile device. The implementation can also be tailored to offer a range of options for page requests received by a network device, which can be based on such things as the application sending the page request.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for providing service redundancy among devices in a communication network. The devices can be, for example, a mobility management entity (MME), a serving gateway (SGW), a PDN gateway (P-GW), a call session control function (CSCF), a SGSN, a GGSN, or any other device implemented on a chassis. The redundancy includes a geographic redundancy where the devices are remotely located from one another to prevent a service outage. The devices can provide redundancy to multiple other devices, such that one device serves as a backup to multiple other devices. The information used to provide service to a mobile node such as user equipment can be backed up on the redundancy device and the device can advertise the same routing information to the network so the network is unaware of any change.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing a dynamic and real time load factor that can be shared with other network elements is disclosed. The load factor can be used in determining the relative load among a set of network elements and in distributing new sessions requests as well as existing session on the set of network elements. The load factor can also be used for determining to which network element a user equipment is handed off. The dynamic load factor can also be shared amongst network elements to determine how the load is balanced among the network elements, such as a mobility management entity (MME).