System and method for service session management in an IP centric distributed network

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of service layers includes a network service function layer.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 wherein the network service layer includes a mobility manager that provides handoff services to the first user when the first user leaves the local service function layer for another local service function layer.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of service layers includes a local service function layer.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4 wherein the local service layer includes a mobility manager that provides handoff services to the first user when the first user leaves an access management layer for another access management layer.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of service layers includes an access service function layer.

Claim 8

The method of claim 6 wherein the access service function layer accommodates a plurality of technologies used for the first user to communicate to the network.

Claim 9

The method of claim 6 wherein the access management layer includes a location tracking server that provides handoff services to the first user when the first user leaves a first cell in a first access interface layer for another cell in another access interface layer.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1 wherein the invocating service through the application server includes providing a list of a plurality of functions available to the first user.

Claim 11

The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of functions available to the first user are based on capabilities of the first user and a plurality of network preferences.

Claim 12

The method of claim 1 wherein an access and a termination functions at an access management layer reserves any quality of service parameters and an amount of bandwidth requested by the first user.

Claim 13

The method of claim 1 further including sending communications from an application layer at the first user wherein an user agent client resides at the first user.

Claim 14

The method of claim 1 further including sending communications from a network layer at the first user wherein an user agent client resides at an access management layer of the access layer.

Claim 15

The method of claim 1 further including an user agent server associated for each of a plurality of access interface layer of the access layer.

Claim 16

The method of claim 1 further including an user agent server that acts as a gateway by converting incoming protocols of incoming communications to a protocol understood by the first user.

Claim 17

The method of claim 1 further including an user agent server that delivers incoming protocols of incoming communications to the first user when the incoming protocol is understood by the first user.

Claim 18

The method of claim 1 wherein the network includes a connection management server that can transport communications on a plurality of backbone infrastructures.

Claim 19

The method of claim 1 wherein the network includes a connection management server that can transport communications on a point to point basis.

Claim 20

The method of claim 1 wherein the network includes a connection management server that can transport communications on a point to multi-point basis.

Claim 21

The method of claim 1 further including providing the requested amount of network resources by utilizing a connection management server that utilizes a plurality of protocols to deliver a requested quality of service for latency.

Claim 22

The method of claim 1 further including providing the requested amount of network resources by utilizing a connection management server that utilizes a plurality of protocols to deliver a requested bandwidth.

Claim 23

The method of claim 1 further including deciding policy parameters at a core network level.

Claim 24

The method of claim 22 further including enforcing policy parameters at an access management level.

Claim 25

The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of access management layer components interact with a network layer of the first user to establish an access session.

Claim 26

The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of access management layer components interact with a plurality of components to bring the mobile host on the traffic channel.

Claim 27

The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of access management layer components interact through a connection management component to establish point to point protocol path that allows the first user to access any other IP capable device through a serving network.

Claim 28

The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of network preferred call/session control services are handled through a plurality of access management components.

Claim 29

The method of claim 1 wherein handoff, power control, and paging functions related handshakes with the first user are controlled by a plurality of access management components.

Claim 30

The method of claim 1 wherein the first user interacts with a plurality of allied protocol servers and access management service layer components.

Claim 31

The method of claim 29 wherein the plurality of protocol servers and access management service layer components interact with a plurality of components at the local service function layer.

Claim 32

The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of components at a local service function layer provide specific services to a plurality of access management components during establishment of an access session and service session with the first user.

Claim 33

The method of claim 1 wherein the accessing includes providing subscriber management and policy decision services for the first user.

Claim 34

The method of claim 1 wherein policy decision services are provided for the first user during user session invocation.

Claim 35

The method of claim 1 wherein Intranet services are provided to the first user by a local service function layer through specialized application servers.

Claim 36

The method of claim 1 wherein the first user interacts with a plurality of global network service components.

Claim 37

The method of claim 1 wherein the accessing further includes a network service function layer providing services to a local service function layer.

Claim 38

The method of claim 1 further including providing subscriber management services during an access session establishment for the first user.

Claim 39

The method of claim 1 where the first user is capable of accessing publicly available services.

Claim 40

The method of claim 1 wherein the first is capable of direct home network accesses.

Claim 41

The method of claim 1 further including enforcing the accounting and billing policies for services and collecting and reporting the charging data to an operator's billing system.

Claim 42

The method of claim 1 further including accounting clients at the application servers facilitating accounting activities at a service level for the first user.

Claim 43

The method of claim 1 further including accounting clients at the access management layer facilitating the collection of usage data reported to the accounting server at the core network for accumlation.

Claim 44

The method of claim 1 further including interfacing with a storage device to fetch collected data in order to create a customer billable record.

Claim 45

A communications network architecture for an Internet Protocol centric wireless network for a first user to communicate with a destination, the architecture comprising: a radio access network including: an access interface layer configured for communication with a mobile device associated with the first user and an access management layer coupled to the access interface layer and configured to manage communications between the access interface layer and a core network, wherein the access management layer is access technology independent and the access interface layer is access technology specific; a core network connected to the access management layer, the core network configured to control network resources associated with the mobile device and maintain user and network information associated with the mobile device; an allied application service platform that forms an intranet network connected to the core network, the allied application service platform configured to access the user and network information maintained by the core network to provide application specific services to an application located on the mobile device, wherein the services are customized for the user by the allied application service platform based on the user and network information; and an application service platform within the Internet independent from the core network and connected to the access management layer, the application service platform configured to provide application specific services to an application located on the mobile device without having access to the user and network information maintained by the core network.

Claim 46

A communications network architecture for an Internet Protocol centric wireless network for a first user to communicate with a destination, the architecture comprising: a radio access network including: an access interface layer configured for communication with a mobile device associated with the first user and an access management layer coupled to the access interface layer and configured to manage communications between the access interface layer and a core network, wherein the access management layer is access technology independent and the access interface layer is access technology specific; a core network connected to the access management layer, the core network configured to control network resources associated with the mobile device and maintain user and network information associated with the mobile device; an allied application service platform that forms an intranet network connected to the core network, the allied application service platform configured to access the user and network information maintained by the core network to provide application specific services to an application located on the mobile device, wherein the services are customized for the user by the allied application service platform based on the user and network information; and an application service platform within the Internet independent from the core network and connected to the access management layer, the application service platform configured to provide application specific services to an application located on the mobile device without having access to the user and network information maintained by the core network.

Claim 47

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the application service platform within the intranet is allied with the core network.

Claim 48

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the application service platform within the Internet is not allied with the core network.

Claim 49

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the access management layer receives service requests from the first user.

Claim 50

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the core network receives service requests from the first user.

Claim 51

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the intranet network receives service requests from the first user.

Claim 52

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the intranet network includes a plurality of independent service providers and wherein the plurality of independent service providers are allied with the core network.

Claim 53

The architecture of claim 44 further including independent service providers outside the core network.

Claim 54

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the allied application service platform in connection with the core network provides feature analysis.

Claim 55

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the access management layer provides enforcement of the first user's preferences and capabilities.

Claim 56

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the core network provides dynamic provisioning of Quality of Service.

Claim 57

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the core network provides dynamic provisioning of data rates.

Claim 58

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the access management layer provides enforcing access restriction at the serving network.

Claim 59

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the core network provides routing functions.

Claim 60

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the core network provides connection types.

Claim 61

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the core network provides handling of multi-media sessions and accounting.

Claim 62

The architecture of claim 44 further including support for multiple xANs where each xAN is associated with a different technology.

Claim 63

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the access management layer forwards data sent by the first user.

Claim 64

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the core network provides mobility management for user mobility across a plurality of access networks.

Claim 65

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the access management layer provides usage collection functions.

Claim 66

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the core network provides accounting, authentication and authorization functions.

Claim 67

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the core network routes data to the first user via an IP address that the first user is currently using.

Claim 68

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the core network supports access to multiple network service layers from the same device.

Claim 69

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the network service management layer is the home network and “owns” the first user's subscription and associated profile.

Claim 70

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the network service management layer supports a “Unified Directory” for subscriber profiles and policies independent of the access type.

Claim 71

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the network service management layer provides mobility to subscribers on a large scale.

Claim 72

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the network service management layer allows the first user to roam in any local service layer.

Claim 73

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the network service management layer provides routing information to anyone requesting to establish communications with the first user.

Claim 74

The architecture of claim 44 wherein the network service management layer provides accounting, authentication and authorization functions for the first users.