Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: receiving a Diameter message at the DRA from an origin device, wherein the Diameter message includes a first destination address; establishing a context object based on receiving the Diameter message, wherein the context object is associated with a copy of the Diameter message; evaluating at least one rule, comprising modifying, based on a first reference to the context object, the copy to include a second destination address, and transmitting the copy to another device based on the second destination address.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method, network node, and machine-readable medium including one or more of the following: instructions for processing a received Diameter message according to a plurality of proxylets; and instructions for defining a plug-in framework as a proxylet of the plurality of proxylets, including: instructions for retrieving a plug-in chain identifying a sequence of plug-ins; instructions for determining a current plug-in based on the plug-in chain; and instructions for evaluating plug-in instructions associated with a current plug-in.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method, network node, and non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions for execution by a network device, the non-transitory machine-readable storage medium including: instructions for associating a received response message with a previously-processed request message; instructions for evaluating operator-defined rules at run-time with respect to the received response message, the instructions for evaluating including: instructions for processing the previously-processed request as an outgoing request in response to encountering a first reference in an operator-defined rule.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a network device configured to hide network topological information, the network device including: a network interface configured to communicate with other devices in a network; a memory; and a processor in communication with the network interface and the memory, the processor configured to: receive a message; identify in the message one or more Attribute Value Pairs (AVPs) with network information; define a local network identity; and evaluate a plurality of messages to determine whether one of a source of the message and a destination of the message are included in the local network identity.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method, network node, and machine-readable medium including one or more of the following: instructions for processing a received Diameter message according to a plurality of proxylets; and instructions for defining a plug-in framework as a proxylet of the plurality of proxylets, including: instructions for retrieving a plug-in chain identifying a sequence of plug-ins; instructions for determining a current plug-in based on the plug-in chain; and instructions for evaluating plug-in instructions associated with a current plug-in.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node and machine-readable storage medium including a policy and charging rules node (PCRN) receiving a plurality of related service requests from different devices. The PCRN may proceed to generate a policy and charging control (PCC) rule based on at least one service request and other information stored in the PCRN if a mate service request does not arrive during the duration of a waiting timer. If the mate service request arrives subsequent to the expiry of the waiting timer, the PCRN may then generate a subsequent PCC rule to replace the previously generated rule, with the new PCC rule incorporating information from both of the mate service requests.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: receiving a Diameter message at the DRA from an origin device; establishing a message context object in response to receiving the Diameter message, wherein the message context object includes a first collection of child objects; evaluating at least one rule, including: modifying, based on a first instruction, a first index value associated with the first collection of child objects, accessing, based on a second instruction and from the first collection of child objects, a child object corresponding to the first index value; and transmitting a message based on the evaluation of the at least one rule.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus for managing feature support requirements for a communication protocol with major-minor version spans having temporal constraints on feature definitions using a flexible Diameter command dictionary wherein context-specific definitions are defined to apply to different versions and releases.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a flexible Diameter command dictionary for 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) network nodes wherein context-specific definitions are defined to apply to different versions and releases of 3GPP standards.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide an improved major release negotiation mechanism between an initiating node and a receiving node during Diameter session establishment in a 3GPP network.

Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that enable a device such as a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) node to operate with other nodes in a long term evolution (LTE) network that are operating at different respective major-minor release combinations of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standards. Some embodiments enable such a device to operate with another network node at a given major-minor release combination of the 3GPP standards with respect to one session being managed by the device and at another major-minor release combination of the 3GPP standards with respect to another session. Some embodiments enable the major-minor release combination to be specified by first and second attribute value pairs (AVPs) respectively indicating the major and minor release identifiers of the major-minor release combination when a new session is requested, thereby providing greater flexibility for establishing sessions.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: receiving, at a policy and charging rules node (PCRN), a request from a requesting node for an establishment of a first service data flow (SDF); generating a first rule set for implementing the first SDF in response to the request; transmitting a first rule of the rule set to a first node for installation of the first rule; waiting for a period of time for a response from the first node; determining from the response whether installation of the first rule at the first node failed or succeeded; and if installation of the first rule succeeded, transmitting a second rule of the first rule set to a second node for installation of the second rule.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: selecting a connection of a plurality of connections; testing the selected connection to determine whether the selected connection is usable; and based on a determination that the selected connection is not usable: closing the selected connection and at least one additional connection of the plurality of connections, and reestablishing the selected connection and the at least one additional connection.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method performed by a policy and charging rules node of provisioning event triggers. The method may include: receiving, from a requesting node, a request to provision a set of event triggers on a primary gateway; forwarding, to the primary gateway, the set of event triggers; storing the set of event triggers in association with a session; detecting a handover of the session; determining a new primary gateway; and forwarding, to the new primary gateway, the set of event triggers. The method may further include: receiving a message; determining whether the message includes the same set of event triggers; if the message includes the same set of event triggers, refraining from sending the set of event triggers to the primary gateway; and if the message includes a different set of event triggers, forwarding the different set of event triggers to the primary gateway.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus for managing feature support requirements for a communication protocol with major-minor version spans having temporal constraints on feature definitions using a flexible Diameter command dictionary wherein context-specific definitions are defined to apply to different versions and releases.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method performed by a policy and charging rules node (PCRN), the method including: receiving an event trigger and a restriction filter rule associated with a first set of policy and charging control (PCC) rules from a policy and charging enforcement node (PCEN) indicating that a subscriber is out of credit; producing a second set of PCC rules to implement the restriction filter to handle the out of credit status of the subscriber; installing the second set of PCC rules; receiving an indication that the subscriber has received a reallocation of credit; and uninstalling the second set of PCC rules after receiving an indication that the subscriber has completed the reallocation of credit operation.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node and machine-readable storage medium including one or more of the following: receiving a message at the PCRN, the message comprising at least one content element; inferring a message type of the message based on the at least one content element; and responding to the message based on the message type of the message and the at least one content element of the message. Inferring a message type may include applying a set of inference rules to content elements of the message to determine a message type. Various exemplary embodiments further include validating a message received at the PCRN, receiving an incomplete message at the PCRN, and inferring a value of a missing element of an incomplete message. Incomplete messages may include messages where the missing element is a message type element that indicates the type of the message.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node and machine-readable storage medium including one or more of the following: receiving, at the PCRN, the application request message; determining at least one requested service flow from the application request message; for each requested service flow of the at least one requested service flow, generating a new PCC rule based on the application request message; and providing each new PCC rule to a Policy and Charging Enforcement Node (PCEN). Various exemplary embodiments further include an application request message including at least one media component and at least one media subcomponent and the step of for each media subcomponent, determining a requested service flow from the media subcomponent.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: receiving a Diameter message at the DRA from an origin device; establishing a message context object in response to receiving the Diameter message, wherein the message context object includes a first collection of child objects; evaluating at least one rule, including: modifying, based on a first instruction, a first index value associated with the first collection of child objects, accessing, based on a second instruction and from the first collection of child objects, a child object corresponding to the first index value; and transmitting a message based on the evaluation of the at least one rule.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: selecting a connection of a plurality of connections; testing the selected connection to determine whether the selected connection is usable; and based on a determination that the selected connection is not usable: closing the selected connection and at least one additional connection of the plurality of connections, and reestablishing the selected connection and the at least one additional connection.