Policy Strategy Point for Conflict Resolution in Communication Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
In communication systems, Policy Enforcement Points (PEPs) often face conflicts when receiving decisions from multiple Policy Decision Points (PDPs), leading to complexity and inflexibility in managing and enforcing policies, especially when different stakeholders have varying rules and priorities.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that introduce a Policy Strategy Point (PSP) to configure a decision strategy, which determines a resulting decision by applying algorithms to combine decisions from multiple PDPs, ensuring unambiguous enforcement and flexibility in policy management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a PEP receives decisions from multiple PDPs, then comprehensive policy coverage is improved, but decision conflict and enforcement complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a Policy Strategy Point (PSP) as an intermediary component between multiple PDPs and the PEP. The PSP receives decisions from multiple PDPs, applies resolution strategies to determine a single resulting decision, and forwards it to the PEP for enforcement. This mediator architecture allows comprehensive policy coverage from multiple PDPs while shielding the PEP from the complexity of resolving conflicts among them.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the policy decision-making architecture into distinct functional components: multiple specialized PDPs that generate decisions, a PSP that resolves conflicts and determines the resulting decision, and a PEP that enforces the final decision. This segmentation allows each component to focus on its specific function, improving overall system manageability and reducing enforcement complexity at the PEP.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple PDPs are used to enforce different stakeholder rules, then policy flexibility is improved, but managing and resolving conflicting decisions becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The PSP serves as a mediator that simplifies decision management for stakeholders. Instead of requiring stakeholders to directly manage and resolve conflicts among multiple PDPs, the PSP automatically receives decisions from all PDPs, applies configured resolution strategies (such as priority-based, weighted, or voting mechanisms), and produces a single resulting decision. This intermediary layer significantly eases the operational burden while preserving the flexibility of multiple stakeholder rules.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic decision resolution strategies at the PSP that can adapt to different scenarios. The resolution mechanism can dynamically select among multiple strategies (e.g., priority-based resolution, weighted majority voting, sequential evaluation) based on the specific policy context and stakeholder configurations. This dynamic approach maintains policy flexibility while simplifying management through automated, context-aware conflict resolution.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for policy based management in a communication system, comprising at a policy enforcement point (101) associated with policy decision points (102,103,104). The enforcement point (101) transmits a request for a decision from the decision points (102,103,104). A policy strategy point (105) is configured with a decision strategy, comprising an algorithm for determining a resulting decision. The decision points (102,103,104) generate decisions upon which the strategy point (105) generates the resulting decision, by applying said decision strategy on said decisions. The strategy point (105) communicates the resulting decision to the enforcement point (101), which executes the resulting decision.