Application server-centric quality of service management in network communications

Abstract

An application server-centric approach for managing quality of service in network communications involves an application server causing the modification of an existing communications session with a device, via a layer-2 change to a communications link used by the session, so that the session supports a different quality of service level for the device. The process starts when a request to initiate a communications session is received from a device. A session is initiated with the device, wherein the session supports a first quality of service level. In response to detecting the occurrence of an event, an application server determines that a second quality of service level is to be supported based upon the detected event and service criteria data. The application server then causes the existing session to be modified, via a layer-2 change to the communications link, so that the existing session supports the second quality of service level for the device.

1 . In a layer-2 gateway device communicatively coupled over a network to an application server computing device, a method comprising:
 the layer-2 gateway device establishing a network communications session with a user device;   the layer-2 gateway device receiving a signal from the application server computing device to modify the network communications session to support a quality of service level, wherein receiving the signal comprises receiving a network message that includes a quality of service profile for the quality of service level within the message; and   based on the quality of service profile, the layer-2 gateway device initiating modification of the network communications session to support the quality of service level.   
   
   
       2 . A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a layer-2 gateway device communicatively coupled over a network to an application server computing device, causes the layer-2 gateway device to perform:
 establishing a network communications session with a user device;   receiving a signal from the application server computing device to modify the network communications session to support a quality of service level, wherein receiving the signal comprises receiving a network message that includes a quality of service profile for the quality of service level within the message; and   based on the quality of service profile, initiating modification of the network communications session to support the quality of service level.   
   
   
       3 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 2 , wherein the network message is a change of authorization message. 
   
   
       4 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 2 , wherein the quality of service profile is a 3 rd  Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) quality of service profile. 
   
   
       5 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 2 , wherein the quality of service profile is included within a vendor specific attribute of the network message. 
   
   
       6 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 2 , further storing instructions which, when executed by the layer-2 gateway device, causes the layer-2 gateway device to perform:
 sending an indication that the layer-2 gateway device has initiated the modification of the network communications session to support the quality of service level.   
   
   
       7 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 6 , wherein sending the indication includes sending a change of authorization message. 
   
   
       8 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 2 , further storing instructions which, when executed by the layer-2 gateway device, causes the layer-2 gateway device to perform:
 completing the modification of the network communications session to support the quality of service level; and   sending an indication that the layer-2 gateway device has completed the modification of the network communications session to support the quality of service level.   
   
   
       9 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein sending the indication includes sending a change of authorization message. 
   
   
       10 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 2 , wherein the quality of service profile indicates that the network communications session should be terminated. 
   
   
       11 . A layer-2 gateway device comprising:
 one or more processors;   a network interface; and   logic encoded in one or more computer-readable storage media which when executed by the one or more processors causes:   establishing a network communications session with a user device;   receiving a signal through said network interface from an application server computing device to modify the network communications session to support a quality of service level, wherein receiving the signal comprises receiving, through said network interface, a network message that includes a quality of service profile for the quality of service level within the message; and   based on the quality of service profile, initiating modification of the network communications session to support the quality of service level.   
   
   
       12 . In a network device communicatively coupled over a network to a layer-2 gateway device and an application server computing device, a method comprising:
 the network device receiving, from the application server computing device, a signal to modify a network communications session established between the layer-2 gateway device and a user device to support a quality of service level; and   the network device signaling the layer-2 gateway device to modify the network communications session to support the quality of service level, wherein signaling the layer-2 gateway device includes sending a network message that includes a quality of service profile for the quality of service level within the message thereby causing the layer-2 gateway device to initiate modification of the network communications session to support the quality of service level.   
   
   
       13 . A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a network device communicatively coupled over a network to a layer-2 gateway device and an application server computing device, causes the network device to perform:
 receiving, from the application server computing device, a signal to modify a network communications session established between the layer-2 gateway device and a user device to support a quality of service level; and   signaling the layer-2 gateway device to modify the network communications session to support the quality of service level, wherein signaling the layer-2 gateway device includes sending a network message that includes a quality of service profile for the quality of service level within the message thereby causing the layer-2 gateway device to initiate modification of the network communications session to support the quality of service level.   
   
   
       14 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the network message is a change of authorization message. 
   
   
       15 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the quality of service profile is a 3 rd  Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) quality of service profile. 
   
   
       16 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the quality of service profile is included within a vendor specific attribute of the network message. 
   
   
       17 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , further storing instructions which, when executed by the network device, causes the network device to perform:
 translating a network message received from the application server computing device into a network message to modify the network communications session to support the quality of service level that the layer-2 gateway device can understand.   
   
   
       18 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , further storing instructions which, when executed by the network device, causes the network device to perform:
 receiving, from the layer-2 gateway device, a network message indicating that the layer-2 gateway device has initiated modification of the network communications session to support the quality of service level; and   translating the network message received from the layer-2 gateway device into a network message that the application server computing device can understand.   
   
   
       19 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the network message received from the layer-2 gateway device is a 3 rd  Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)-specific quality of service message. 
   
   
       20 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the network communications session is a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) session, the computer-readable storage medium further storing instructions which, when executed by the network device, causes the network device to perform:
 determining whether the network communications session corresponds to a GPRS R98 session or a GPRS R99 session; and   generating the quality of service profile based on whether the network communications session corresponds to a GPRS R98 session or a GPRS R99 session.   
   
   
       21 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 20 , wherein determining whether the network communications session corresponds to a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) R98 session or a GPRS R99 session is based on one or more received Authentication Authorization Accounting (AAA) accounting messages. 
   
   
       22 . A network device comprising:
 one or more processors;   a network interface; and   logic encoded in one or more computer-readable storage medium which when executed by the one or more processors causes:   receiving, from the application server computing device, a signal to modify a network communications session established between the layer-2 gateway device and a user device to support a quality of service level; and   signaling the layer-2 gateway device to modify the network communications session to support the quality of service level, wherein signaling the layer-2 gateway device includes sending a network message that includes a quality of service profile for the quality of service level within the message thereby causing the layer-2 gateway device to initiate modification of the network communications session to support the quality of service level.