Abstract: An apparatus, method and machine readable storage medium, for an authentication server such as a RADIUS server, for authenticating a subscriber are disclosed. The method comprises: receiving a request message including a plurality of attributes such as attribute value pairs (AVPs) having respective attribute names and respective attribute values; retrieving an authentication profile object; identifying a plurality of authentication attributes to use for authentication from the authentication profile object; extracting the plurality of authentication attribute values from the message; pre-processing one or more of the extracted attribute values; and authenticating the request message based on the pre-processed extracted attribute values.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method, network node, and non-transitory machine-readable storage medium including one or more of the following: receiving, at an authentication server, a request message including a plurality of attributes having respective attribute names and respective attribute values; retrieving a profile object that identifies a first attribute name; reading a first attribute value from a first attribute of the plurality of attribute values, wherein the first attribute carries the first attribute name; generating a first subscription identifier that carries the first attribute value; identifying a first subscriber profile that stores the first subscription identifier; and authenticating the request message based on the first subscriber profile.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and machine readable storage medium, for an authentication server such as a RADIUS server, for authenticating a subscriber are disclosed. The method comprises: receiving at the authentication server, a request message including a plurality of attributes having respective attribute names and respective attribute values; retrieving from a profile storage, an authentication profile object; identifying a plurality of authentication attributes to use for authentication, including a respective associated priority value, from the authentication profile object; extracting attribute values from the request message, corresponding to each authentication attribute; and attempting to authenticate the request message based on each of the extracted attribute value in order of a respective associated priority value until the authentication attempt is successful.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including: receiving, at the network device, a traffic message including an IP address; identifying the traffic message as belonging to a new session; generating a request message based on identifying the traffic message as belonging to a new session, wherein the request message includes the IP address; transmitting the request message to a policy server; and receiving, from the policy server, a policy message including a policy. Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including: receiving, at the policy server, a request message from a network device, the request message including a subscriber IP and a network device identifier; identifying a subscriber session associated with the IP address; recording the network device identifier in association with the subscriber session; retrieving a policy associated with the subscriber session; and transmitting the policy to the network device.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and machine readable storage medium, for an authentication server such as a RADIUS server, for authenticating a subscriber are disclosed. The method comprises: receiving at the authentication server, a request message including a plurality of attributes having respective attribute names and respective attribute values; retrieving from a profile storage, an authentication profile object; identifying a plurality of authentication attributes to use for authentication, including a respective associated priority value, from the authentication profile object; extracting attribute values from the request message, corresponding to each authentication attribute; and attempting to authenticate the request message based on each of the extracted attribute value in order of a respective associated priority value until the authentication attempt is successful.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and machine readable storage medium, for an authentication server such as a RADIUS server, for authenticating a subscriber are disclosed. The method comprises: receiving a request message including a plurality of attributes such as attribute value pairs (AVPs) having respective attribute names and respective attribute values; retrieving an authentication profile object; identifying a plurality of authentication attributes to use for authentication from the authentication profile object; extracting the plurality of authentication attribute values from the message; pre-processing one or more of the extracted attribute values; and authenticating the request message based on the pre-processed extracted attribute values.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method performed by a policy and charging rules node (PCRN), the method including: receiving a RADIUS accounting request (ACR) start message from a network access server (NAS); establishing a RADIUS session with the NAS; applying rules by a rules engine to information in the ACR start message to determine a traffic detection function (TDF) to be updated; establishing a Sd session with the TDF; and binding the Sd session to the RADIUS session.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method, network node, and non-transitory machine-readable storage medium including one or more of the following: receiving, at an authentication server, a request message including a plurality of attributes having respective attribute names and respective attribute values; retrieving a profile object that identifies a first attribute name; reading a first attribute value from a first attribute of the plurality of attribute values, wherein the first attribute carries the first attribute name; generating a first subscription identifier that carries the first attribute value; identifying a first subscriber profile that stores the first subscription identifier; and authenticating the request message based on the first subscriber profile.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method performed by a policy and charging rules node (PCRN), the method including: sending a first Sy spending limit request (SLR) to an online charging system (OCS) without specifying any policy counters; receiving from the OCS a first spending limit answer (SLA) including policy counters and associated status reports for a subscriber; creating an Sy session; determining required policy counters based upon the policy counter statuses; sending a second Sy SLR to the OCS for the required policy counters; and receiving a second SLA including status reports for the required policy counters.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method performed by a policy and charging rules node (PCRN), the method comprising: receiving an event trigger from a policy and charging enforcement node (PCEN) indicating that a subscriber is out of credit; installing temporary PCC rules to handle the out of credit status of the subscriber; receiving an indication that the subscriber has completed a reallocation of credit action; uninstalling the temporary PCC rules and restoring the original PCC rules after receiving an indication of reallocation of credit.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including: receiving, at the network device, a traffic message including an IP address; identifying the traffic message as belonging to a new session; generating a request message based on identifying the traffic message as belonging to a new session, wherein the request message includes the IP address; transmitting the request message to a policy server; and receiving, from the policy server, a policy message including a policy. Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including: receiving, at the policy server, a request message from a network device, the request message including a subscriber IP and a network device identifier; identifying a subscriber session associated with the IP address; recording the network device identifier in association with the subscriber session; retrieving a policy associated with the subscriber session; and transmitting the policy to the network device.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method performed by a policy and charging rules node (PCRN), the method including: receiving a RADIUS accounting request (ACR) start message; applying rules by a rules engine in the PCRN to information in the ACR start message to determine a traffic detection function (TDF) to be updated; determining application detection and control (ADC) rules to be applied to the TDF; and transmitting the determined ADC rules to the determined TDF.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method performed by a policy and charging rules node (PCRN), the method including: receiving a RADIUS accounting request (ACR) start message from a network access server (NAS); establishing a RADIUS session with the NAS; applying rules by a rules engine to information in the ACR start message to determine a traffic detection function (TDF) to be updated; establishing a Sd session with the TDF; and binding the Sd session to the RADIUS session.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and machine readable storage medium is disclosed for handling Network-Request-Support (NRS) and Bearer Control Mode (BCM) at a Policy and Charging Rules Node (PCRN) and a Evolved Packet Core (EPC) gateway node. Embodiments maintain corresponding buffers for NRS values at the PCRN and the gateway and maintain synchronization between them. A gateway sends a credit control request (CCR) message to a PCRN and updates a local NRS buffer at the gateway when a successful credit control acknowledgement (CCA) response is received from the PCRN. Similarly, the PCRN updates a local NRS buffer at the PCRN when a successful credit control acknowledgement (CCA) response is sent to the gateway.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and machine readable storage medium is disclosed for handling Network-Request-Support (NRS) and Bearer Control Mode (BCM) at a Policy and Charging Rules Node (PCRN) and a Evolved Packet Core (EPC) gateway node. Embodiments maintain corresponding buffers for NRS values at the PCRN and the gateway and maintain synchronization between them. A gateway sends a credit control request (CCR) message to a PCRN and updates a local NRS buffer at the gateway when a successful credit control acknowledgement (CCA) response is received from the PCRN. Similarly, the PCRN updates a local NRS buffer at the PCRN when a successful credit control acknowledgement (CCA) response is sent to the gateway.

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 (PCRN) device for implementing a PCC procedure with SDF inputs, the method including: receiving a PCC request with a SDF input; determining if the PCC request is from a user equipment (UE); mapping flow direction information from the SDF input request into a unified flow-direction record stored in the PCRN; generating PCC, ADC, and/or QoS rules based upon the unified flow-direction record; determining if flow direction is defined on an output interface; mapping the unified flow-direction record into a flow-information AVP associated with the generated PCC, ADC, and/or QoS rules.

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: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method performed by a policy and charging rules node (PCRN), the method including: sending a first Sy spending limit request (SLR) to an online charging system (OCS); receiving from the OCS a first spending limit answer (SLA) including policy counters and associated status reports for a subscriber; creating an Sy session; storing policy counter data in the Sy session; and making a policy decision based upon policy counter statuses associated with the Sy session.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method performed by a policy and charging rules node (PCRN), the method including: sending a first Sy spending limit request (SLR) to an online charging system (OCS) without specifying any policy counters; receiving from the OCS a first spending limit answer (SLA) including policy counters and associated status reports for a subscriber; creating an Sy session; determining required policy counters based upon the policy counter statuses; sending a second Sy SLR to the OCS for the required policy counters; and receiving a second SLA including status reports for the required policy counters.