Policy Contact Point for OTT Traffic Handling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Over-the-top (OTT) content delivery over the internet leads to network resource imbalances due to varying quality of service (QoS) mechanisms employed by both network operators and OTT service providers, causing conflicts that negatively impact user experience, especially since encryption prevents network operators from managing OTT traffic effectively.
Innovation Solution
A system where a user device communicates with a service provider's server through a network, sending a policy enforcement request to a policy contact point, which applies predefined or dynamically updated policy rules for traffic handling, including charging, bandwidth, and optimization, ensuring harmonious network resource utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the network operator attempts to carry all traffic for all client devices with equal priority, then network simplicity is maintained, but network resource efficiency deteriorates due to bandwidth hogs consuming disproportionate resources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing differentiated traffic handling policies for different service types and client devices. Instead of uniform equal-priority carrying, the system applies specific quality characteristics (priority levels, bandwidth allocation) to different traffic flows based on their requirements, allowing bandwidth hogs to be controlled while ensuring critical services receive appropriate resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamic policy enforcement where traffic handling rules can be adjusted in real-time based on network conditions, service requirements, and client behavior. Policies are not static but can be modified to respond to changing demands, allowing the network to adaptively manage resources rather than relying on fixed equal-priority carrying.
2Reliability
If encryption is employed in OTT content delivery, then content security is improved, but network operator's ability to inspect and enforce QoS mechanisms deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by establishing policy enforcement mechanisms before encrypted traffic flows are established. The network operator configures and deploys QoS policies and inspection rules in advance, so that when encrypted traffic arrives, the pre-configured mechanisms can immediately apply appropriate handling without needing to decrypt or deeply inspect the encrypted content.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary policy enforcement point between the network operator and encrypted OTT traffic. This intermediary layer applies QoS mechanisms and inspection rules to traffic metadata and flow characteristics without requiring decryption of the actual content, allowing security and QoS to coexist with encryption.
3Reliability
If OTT service providers implement their own QoS mechanisms, then service quality is improved, but conflict with network operator's QoS mechanisms increases, deteriorating overall user experience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the QoS mechanisms of network operators and OTT service providers into a unified policy enforcement framework. Rather than allowing separate conflicting mechanisms to operate independently, the system combines them through a common policy interface where both parties' requirements are integrated and coordinated, eliminating conflicts while maintaining the quality benefits of both approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback loops between network operator QoS mechanisms and OTT service provider mechanisms. Policy enforcement points monitor the effects of applied policies and provide feedback to both the operator and service provider, allowing dynamic adjustment of QoS parameters to prevent conflicts and optimize overall service quality based on actual network conditions and service performance.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
There is provided a system comprising a user device, a network and a service provider, wherein the user device communicates with a server operated by the service provider using the network. The system is arranged such that in response to receipt of user input requesting initiation of communication with the service provider, the user device sends a policy enforcement request to a policy contact point in the network. The system is further arranged such that the network receives the policy enforcement request at the policy contact point and applies at least one policy rule to the communication between the user device and the service provider.