Identifying and controlling network sessions via an access concentration point

Abstract

The present invention facilitates identification and control of peer-to-peer sessions via an access concentration point (ACP). The ACP will monitor packets routed therethrough and detect access messages intended for known peer-to-peer access services. The access messages sent from a communication client to the peer-to-peer access service, which will respond by sending an access reply message back to the communication client. The ACP will monitor the packets being routed to identify the access reply message, which will include routing addresses that may be associated with potential remote communication clients. With these addresses, the ACP can monitor packets to identify when an attempt to initiate a peer-to-peer communication session is being made to or through an entity associated with one or more of these addresses. Upon detecting a session initiation message to or through an identified address, the ACP may take any number of actions, depending on how the ACP is configured.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of identifying packets with a particular service at an access concentration point having at least one access network interface and at least one packet network interface, the method comprising:
 monitoring packets being routed between the at least one access network interface and the at least one packet network interface;   identifying select ones of the packets representing access messages associated with the particular service; and   identifying select ones of the packets associated with the particular service representing access reply messages in response to the access messages.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 identifying select ones of the packets representing session initiation messages for communication sessions associated with the particular service; and   processing the select ones of the packets representing session initiation messages according to defined criteria.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising:
 identifying addresses provided in the access reply messages; and   identifying the select ones of the packets representing session initiation messages for the communication sessions associated with the particular service when the session initiation messages include the addresses.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the addresses are used for routing packets associated with the communication sessions associated with the particular service. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the addresses are associated with remote communication clients. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the addresses are associated with routing nodes in a packet network. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the defined criteria dictate that the select ones of the packets representing session initiation messages are dropped; and   the method comprises dropping the select ones of the packets representing session initiation messages.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the defined criteria dictate that the select ones of the packets representing session initiation messages are routed toward their destination; and   the method comprises routing the select ones of the packets representing session initiation messages.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising sending reporting messages to a reporting service when the select ones of the packets representing session initiation messages are identified. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising sending reporting messages to a reporting service when the select ones of the packets representing session initiation messages are identified. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the defined criteria dictate that the select ones of the packets representing session initiation messages are routed to a proxy for further processing; and   the method comprises routing the select ones of the packets representing session initiation messages to the proxy.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising monitoring traffic in the communication sessions associated with the session initiation messages. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the session initiation messages are intended to initiate the communication sessions between at least two communication clients over a packet network through which the packets are routed. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the session initiation messages are session initiation protocol messages. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the session initiation protocol messages are invite messages. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising periodically receiving information and updating the defined criteria based on the information. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the session initiation messages are configured to initiate the communication sessions for voice communications. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the session initiation messages are configured to initiate the communication sessions for at least one of the group consisting of audio, video, and data communications. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particular service is a peer-to-peer service. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the communication sessions are peer-to-peer communication sessions.