Abstract: Systems and methods for providing centralized subscriber session state information are provided. The system includes multiple local session state store servers associated with one or more access control servers and a global location store. When access to a network is attempted, the local session state store server receives an access request message and creates a local session state store record, including a user identifier and information associated with the requested session. The local session state store server also transmits a location message to the global location store. Upon receipt of the location message, the global location store creates a record including the user identifier and a network address for the local session state store server having the session state information for the user. An application requiring user session information can access the global location store and the multiple local session state store servers via a common application programming interface.

Abstract: Wireless data services such as wireless email are becoming common, and in particular, “always-on” systems, where new email is automatically forwarded by the service provider to the wireless device. The problem is that there is no effective mechanism for implementing “always-on” systems when the user is moving around a network, or from one network to another. The invention addresses this problem by generating a session key at the service provider's system for a given data session, and returning this session key to the mobile device. Each time the mobile device communicates with the service provider, it enters this session key into a field that will simply pass through the communication network to the service provider. This allows the service provider to manage the data session, preparing proper accounting records and directing the deletion of stale data sessions on network resources.

Abstract: Systems and method for policy-based service management are provided. An exemplary system includes a rule definition interface module configured to receive a plurality of rule definitions and a separate policy management interface module configured to allow a user to define a rule instance from an existing rule definition instance and to define a policy instance based on the defined rule instance. A policy may be simply expressed via the policy management interface as “perform the following set of action if all of the following rule instances are true unless any of the following rule instances are true.” Additionally, policies may be associated with a context at a specific a level in a context hierarchy having multiple levels. The policy may therefore inherit rules from contexts at a higher level in the hierarchy.

Abstract: Systems and methods for context-aware service subscription management are provided. In an embodiment a context-aware service subscription management system includes a policy decision module that makes a decision whether the requested service will be provided based on policy rules, subscription profiles and the context of the request for the service. The use of context to make the policy decision allows for services offerings to be adjusted dynamically to the context of a particular user's service request. The subscription management system further includes a policy rules module, subscription profile interface and a context analysis module. The policy rules module provides policy rules. The context analysis module determines the context of a service request. Based on context information, the policy decision module in effect temporarily overrides a subscription profile based on the context of a service access by the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods subscriber profile management to facilitate seamless roaming of mobile devices from one network to another. A subscriber profile management system is provided that includes a time to live (“TTL”) generator that generates a TTL limit for a subscriber based on usage characteristics of the subscriber. The subscriber profile management system further includes an administration module that administers TTL limits, TTL limit database that store TTL limits, a subscriber profile database that stores subscriber profiles, a usage measurement database that stores usage measurements, and a TTL limit reference module that administers TTLs when a subscriber profile and TTL limit are transmitted. The invention further includes a series of methods that support seamless roaming capabilities of a subscriber throughout visited networks without the need to continually make proxy calls to re-authenticate a subscriber.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a mobile node having a home network to determine an authentication policy of a visited network in a communications network using the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) are provided. In an embodiment, the method includes a mobile node receiving an EAP Request Identity message from the visited network. The mobile node then determines the visited network's authentication policy based on the received EAP Request Identity message. Once the mobile node has determined the visited network's authentication policy, the mobile node selects an authentication policy based on the visited network's authentication policy and on its home network's authentication policy. The mobile node then transmits an EAP Response Identity message that includes the selected authentication policy. The mobile node includes, but is not limited to laptop computers, cellular phones, smart phones, and personal data assistants.

Abstract: A content capability clearing house that can act as a trusted and neutral mediator among network providers to manage rich content capabilities among multiple networks is provided. Content capabilities that can be brokered include, but are not limited to, quality of service and content screening. In an embodiment, a content capability clearing house includes a receiver that receives content capability request messages and other messages from network providers. A content capability request message includes a quality of service request and/or a subscriber profile request for use with content screening and subscriber specific advertisements. The present invention includes a series of methods for determining content capabilities for data transmission over a transaction between a content provider and a subscriber in which a content capability clearing house is used to efficiently broker and manage the capability among multiple network providers.