Abstract: The various embodiments include methods, computing devices and communication systems for controlling services in a communications network. A communications server may be configured to receive bounding information from a first server, decision making information from a second server, and a request to generate a decision from any of a number of different systems or components. The communications server may define bounds for generating the decision based on the received bounding information, and generate the decision based on the received decision making information and defined bounds. The communication server may send the generated decision to a third server implementing a functional system, such as a server in policy management system, policy enforcement system, charging system, or mobile application server system.

Abstract: A telecommunication network may include a policy management system and a charging system. The charging system may be configured to receive a request for subscriber state information relating to a subscriber from the policy management system, retrieve current subscriber state information from memory, determine future subscriber state information for the subscriber, generate a communication message that includes the current subscriber state information and the future subscriber state information, and send the generated communication message to the server computing device.

Abstract: A system and method for telecommunications operators to enable group based dynamic policy controls for both pre-paid and post-paid subscribers, who are typically not managed in an Online Charging System (OCS), but rather in an Charging System or a Billing System. Examples of policy controls that may be enabled by this invention include tracking spending for post-paid subscribers, managing subscriber usage across fixed-line and mobile networks, and so on. This is achieved by introducing a new component called the Enhanced Charging System (ECS) and creating a new reference point and interface between the Policy Management System and the ECS.

Abstract: The various embodiments include methods, computers and communication systems for establishing a closed feedback loop across multiple heterogeneous networks within a telecommunications system, which may include measuring a first attribute of a communication in a first telecommunications domain and sending a first request message including information relating to the measured first attribute to a server. The server may receive the first request message, identify a second telecommunications domain involved in the communication based on information in the first request message, generate a second request message that includes information for adjusting a second attribute of the communication, and send the second request message to the second telecommunications domain. A computing device in the second telecommunications domain may receive the second request message and adjust the second attribute of the communication to alter the first attribute of the communication in the first telecommunications domain.

Abstract: A network server may be configured to prevent user equipment (UE) from communicating payload information across a telecommunication network without paying for the access or use of the network. This may be accomplished by the network server receiving signaling information relating to the UE from a first network component, receiving data plane information relating to the UE from a second network component, determining whether the UE is a signaling-only device based on the received information, and performing a responsive operation when it is determined that the user equipment device is a signaling-only device. The responsive operation may include applying a policy rule to the signaling communications of the UE when it is determined that the UE is a signaling-only device. The policy rule may be charging rule that causes a charging system to bill a subscriber account or a network access rule that blocks the signaling communications of the UE.

Abstract: Methods, servers and systems for communicating signaling information in a telecommunications signaling network implement methods that include receiving a first message encoding signaling information from a source component and processing the message using a fixed pipeline having a plurality of modules, each module having at least one procedure for performing a specific set of tasks. Application level routing operations may be performed to identify a suitable destination component. Information contained in the first message may be used to generate a second message encoding signaling information, which is sent to the identified destination component.

Abstract: Methods, servers and systems for directly accessing and modifying charging information maintained within a telecommunications operator's business and operating systems' infrastructure from user equipment. A mobile application server may receive a charging request from a user equipment, identify a relevant charging system based on the received request, send a charging request to the identified charging system for processing, receive a first response message including charging information from the identified charging system, generate a second response message based on the charging information included in the first response message, and send the generated second response message to the user equipment. The received charging request may include various types of information, including information for transferring cost or billing information from a first billing category to a second billing category.

Abstract: Methods, servers and systems for communicating signaling information in a telecommunications signaling network may involve using a topology tree categorizing network nodes into groups, receiving a first message encoding signaling information from a source, decoding the received first message into an internal representation of the message, determining if the internal representation identifies a destination component in the topology tree, performing application level routing operations by hierarchy to determine if information contained in the internal representation identifies a destination component in the topology tree, packaging the information contained in the internal representation into a second message encoding signaling information, and sending the second message encoding signaling information to the identified destination component.

Abstract: Methods, servers and systems for performing dynamic context based routing operations in a telecommunications signaling network in which a dynamic context based router may receive a first message encoding signaling information from a source component, decode the message into an internal representation, perform application level routing operations using contextual information derived from the internal representation to identify a destination component, encode signaling information contained in the internal representation into a second message, and send the second message to the identified destination component. Application level routing operations using contextual information may include generating keys based on the internal representation, transmitting the generated keys to an external resource, receiving supplementary information in response to the generated keys, and using the supplementary information to identify the destination component.

Abstract: Methods, systems and devices examine data flows in a communication system control network for known malware threats and suspicious properties typically associated with malware threats. A policy management system inside the control network accesses a user repository and a charging network, and performs pattern matching and/or observed behavior detection methods to determine if the data flows carry content (e.g., malware) that poses a security risk to network or wireless devices. The policy management system generates policy rules based on user preferences and risk-level. The policy management system sends the generated policy rules to a gateway/PCEF, which blocks the data flows, allows the data flows, or restricts the data flow based on the policy rules.

Abstract: Methods, servers and systems for communicating information in networks enable efficient expansion while maintaining high-availability. A first message associated with an entity may be received on a first server. An operation may be performed on certain information included in the first message associated with the entity to identify a first data repository in which information associated with the first message or the entity is to be stored. Information extracted from the first message may be stored in the identified first data repository. When a second message associated with the entity is received, the same operation may be performed on the same certain information included in the second message to identify the first data repository in which information associated with the first message or the entity is stored. The information related to the first message or the entity from the first data repository may then be used.

Abstract: Methods, servers and systems for communicating signaling information in a policy and charging control network within a telecommunications signaling network, may include receiving a message encoding signaling information in a dynamic context router operating at the application layer. The dynamic context router may determine whether the received message is to be replicated, and if so, the dynamic context router may identify a primary destination to which the received message is to be sent and secondary destinations to which replicated messages (“fork-routed messages”) are to be sent. The message may be replicated into multiple fork-routed messages, with the original message sent to the primary destination and the fork-routed messages sent to secondary destination components. The replicated fork-routed messages may be the same as or different from the received message, and may be sent using the same protocol or different protocols.

Abstract: The various embodiments include methods, servers and systems for communicating signaling information in a telecommunications signaling network that involves decoding a first portion of the received first message, determining if the decoded first portion identifies a destination component, determining if the destination component can be derived from the decoded first portion when the decoded first portion does not identify a destination component, recursively decoding subsequent portions of the received first message when previously decoded portions do not identify the destination component and that the destination component cannot be derived using the previously decoded portions, performing context-based routing operations using information extracted from the previously decoded portions to identify the destination component, packaging the previously decoded portions along with a remainder of the first message into a second message encoding signaling information, and sending the second message encoding signali

Abstract: Systems and methods for accomplishing charging operations in telecommunications networks that include multiple charging and enforcement components may include configuring a first charging and enforcement component to receive user traffic, determine usage information associated with the received user traffic, send the associated usage information to a charging system component, and send the user traffic and the associated usage information to a second charging and enforcement component. The second charging and enforcement component may be configured to receive the user traffic and usage information, compute updated usage information, and send the updated usage information to the charging system component. The charging system may use this updated usage information to ensure that the subscriber accounts were billed correctly.

Abstract: The system and methods of the various embodiments enable a revenue assurance system to detect revenue leakage by analyzing usage records from one or more sources within a telecommunications network. Discrepancies are identified and corrective action taken where possible. Corrective actions may include requesting source systems to retransmit missing or erroneous records that were detected. This may result in reduced revenue loss for the network operator.

Abstract: A network server may be configured to communicate triggers across a telecommunication network by receiving a trigger communication message that includes information suitable for causing a destination machine-to-machine device to perform operations in response to receiving the trigger communication message, receiving policy or charging information from a component in the telecommunication network, determining whether the trigger communication message should be sent to the destination machine-to-machine based on the received policy or charging information, and sending the trigger communication message to the destination component only when it is determined that the trigger communication message should be sent to the destination machine-to-machine based on the received policy or charging information.

Abstract: A network server may be configured to generate, modify, augment, communicate, and/or manage the triggers and signaling communications so that they may be processed and communicated in a more intelligent, efficient, and/or cost effective manner than that which is available via conventional solutions. The network server may receive a trigger communication message that includes trigger parameters and information suitable for causing a destination device to automatically initiate an operation, determining a criterion for sending the trigger communication message to the destination device based on the trigger parameters included in the trigger communication message, monitoring a condition to determine whether the criterion has been satisfied, and send the trigger communication message to the destination device when it is determined that the criterion has been satisfied.

Abstract: A network server may be configured to prevent user equipment (UE) from communicating payload information across a telecommunication network without paying for the access or use of the network. This may be accomplished by the network server receiving signaling information relating to the UE from a first network component, receiving data plane information relating to the UE from a second network component, determining whether the UE is a signaling-only device based on the received information, and performing a responsive operation when it is determined that the user equipment device is a signaling-only device. The responsive operation may include applying a policy rule to the signaling communications of the UE when it is determined that the UE is a signaling-only device. The policy rule may be charging rule that causes a charging system to bill a subscriber account or a network access rule that blocks the signaling communications of the UE.

Abstract: A combination of a common key routing (CKR) method and data proxy architecture (DPA) method may be used to route communication messages in a telecommunication network to achieve improved data locality and reduce secondary key lookups. A processor in a multiprocessor computing system may receive a first communication message that includes subscriber identifiers that uniquely identify a subscriber, generate a common key based on the subscriber identifiers, identify a first logical scalable unit that includes a first database memory that stores subscriber data relating to the subscriber via a database application programming interface (API) and the common key, store the first communication message in the first database memory included in the first logical scalable unit, and receive a second communication message in response to storing the first communication message in the first database memory and routing the second communication message to another component the telecommunication network.

Abstract: A combination of a common key routing (CKR) method and a data locality table (DLT) method may be used to route communication messages in a telecommunication network to achieve improved data locality and reduce secondary key lookups. A processor in a multiprocessor computing system may receive a first communication message that includes subscriber identifiers that uniquely identify a subscriber, generate a common key based on the subscriber identifiers included in the first communication message, and identify a first logical scalable unit that includes a first database memory that stores subscriber data relating to the subscriber by querying a data locality table with the common key. The processor may also identify a first application processor in the multiprocessor computing system that is part of the first logical scalable unit and send the first communication message to the first application processor.