Patents by Inventor Tom A. Foottit

Tom A. Foottit has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8683544
    Abstract: A flexible rule engine allows a network operator to dynamically create and modify business rules that govern a subscriber's access to a communications network. The flexible rule engine governs subscriber transitions between various session states by testing for subscriber conditions, network conditions, and then performing specified actions based on these conditions. A rule editor provides the network operator with the ability to compose, edit and delete one or more rules in real time, using an appropriate user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgewater Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Tom A. Foottit, Yong Li, Elizabeth Janet Clark, Dmitry Toptygin, Joseph Jean Gaetan Michel Collette, Randy Alan Jones
  • Patent number: 8494933
    Abstract: A system and method are described whereby interoperability is facilitated in a 3GPP network environment in combination with DIAMETER policy controls. Such interoperability enables updated policy rules to be fully communicated in on-line charging situations where quota expirations occur. This invention maintains centralized policy control in a 3GPP network with on-line charging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Bridgewater Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Tom A. Foottit, Yong Li, Mark Jones
  • Patent number: 8494520
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Bridgewater Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Tom A. Foottit, Matthew Upton
  • Patent number: 8335161
    Abstract: Systems and methods for managing communications network congestion are provided. In an embodiment, the system includes a radio access network (RAN) interface configured to receive RAN congestion indicators, a congestion correlator module configured to correlate RAN congestion indicators to service congestion indicators, a database comprising a set of congestion based policy rules, a policy controller module configured to apply the congestion-based policy rules to achieve a policy decision, and a policy enforcement control point interface configured to transmit network control instructions to enforce the policy decisions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Bridgewater Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Tom Foottit, Masilamany Raguparan, Shannon Bell
  • Patent number: 8320246
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing adaptive fine-grained fair usage controls are provided. Rather than providing a fixed fair usage threshold having time and data volume for all subscribers in the network, a quota manager at the policy controller defines an initial fair usage window having a longer period of time and higher data volume. When a subscriber exceeds the initial window, the quota manager provides a smaller time period and lower data volume. The quota manager continues to adapt the fair usage window in this way until a violation of the fair usage threshold is detected. The adaptive fair usage windows may be based on subscriber profile information, subscriber session information, and/or prior subscriber usage history.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Bridgewater Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Tom Foottit, Yong Li
  • Patent number: 8130655
    Abstract: Systems and methods for managing communications network congestion are provided. In an embodiment, the system includes a radio access network (RAN) interface configured to receive RAN congestion indicators, a congestion correlator module configured to correlate RAN congestion indicators to service congestion indicators, a database comprising a set of congestion based policy rules, a policy controller module configured to apply the congestion-based policy rules to achieve a policy decision, and a policy enforcement control point interface configured to transmit network control instructions to enforce the policy decisions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Bridgewater Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Tom Foottit, Masilamany Raguparan, Shannon Bell
  • Publication number: 20120026879
    Abstract: Systems and methods for managing communications network congestion are provided. In an embodiment, the system includes a radio access network (RAN) interface configured to receive RAN congestion indicators, a congestion correlator module configured to correlate RAN congestion indicators to service congestion indicators, a database comprising a set of congestion based policy rules, a policy controller module configured to apply the congestion-based policy rules to achieve a policy decision, and a policy enforcement control point interface configured to transmit network control instructions to enforce the policy decisions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Tom FOOTTIT, Masilamany Raguparan, Shannon Bell
  • Publication number: 20110280130
    Abstract: Systems and methods for managing communications network congestion are provided. In an embodiment, the system includes a radio access network (RAN) interface configured to receive RAN congestion indicators, a congestion correlator module configured to correlate RAN congestion indicators to service congestion indicators, a database comprising a set of congestion based policy rules, a policy controller module configured to apply the congestion-based policy rules to achieve a policy decision, and a policy enforcement control point interface configured to transmit network control instructions to enforce the policy decisions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Inventors: Tom Foottit, Masilamany Raguparan, Shannon Bell
  • Publication number: 20110208628
    Abstract: A system and method are described whereby interoperability is facilitated in a 3GPP network environment in combination with DIAMETER policy controls. Such interoperability enables updated policy rules to be fully communicated in on-line charging situations where quota expirations occur. This invention maintains centralized policy control in a 3GPP network with on-line charging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: Bridgewater Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Tom A. FOOTTIT, Yong LI, Mark JONES
  • Patent number: 7937300
    Abstract: A system and method are described whereby interoperability is facilitated in a 3GPP network environment in combination with DIAMETER policy controls. Such interoperability enables updated policy rules to be fully communicated in on-line charging situations where quota expirations occur. This invention maintains centralized policy control in a 3GPP network with on-line charging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgewater Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Tom A. Foottit, Yong Li, Mark Jones
  • Publication number: 20110044353
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing adaptive fine-grained fair usage controls are provided. Rather than providing a fixed fair usage threshold having time and data volume for all subscribers in the network, a quota manager at the policy controller defines an initial fair usage window having a longer period of time and higher data volume. When a subscriber exceeds the initial window, the quota manager provides a smaller time period and lower data volume. The quota manager continues to adapt the fair usage window in this way until a violation of the fair usage threshold is detected. The adaptive fair usage windows may be based on subscriber profile information, subscriber session information, and/or prior subscriber usage history.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Inventors: Tom FOOTTIT, Yong Li
  • Publication number: 20100010922
    Abstract: A system and method are described whereby interoperability is facilitated in a 3GPP network environment in combination with DIAMETER policy controls. Such interoperability enables updated policy rules to be fully communicated in on-line charging situations where quota expirations occur. This invention maintains centralized policy control in a 3GPP network with on-line charging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: Bridgewater Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Tom A. Foottit, Yong Li, Mark Jones
  • Publication number: 20090288134
    Abstract: A flexible rule engine allows a network operator to dynamically create and modify business rules that govern a subscriber's access to a communications network. The flexible rule engine governs subscriber transitions between various session states by testing for subscriber conditions, network conditions, and then performing specified actions based on these conditions. A rule editor provides the network operator with the ability to compose, edit and delete one or more rules in real time, using an appropriate user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Inventors: Tom A. FOOTTIT, Yong Li, Elizabeth Janet CLARK, Dmitry TOPTYGIN, Joseph Jean Gaetan Michel COLLETTE, Randy Alan JONES
  • Publication number: 20090025010
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Applicant: Bridgewater Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Tom A. Foottit, Matthew Upton