IP Library Granted Patent US 12701148
Granted Patent B2
US 12701148 · App. 18/701,986 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Policy node, radio device and methods in a communications network

Inventors: Miguel Angel Muñoz De La Torre Alonso (Madrid, ES); Marcus Ihlar (Älvsjö, SE); Attila Mihály (Dunakeszi, HU); Mirja Kuehlewind (Ludwigsburg, DE)
Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (PUBL)
H04L65/1045H04L45/306H04L65/1069H04W28/0925
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12701148
App. No.
18/701,986
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method performed by a policy node for handling policies related to a radio device in a communications network is provided. The radio device supporting proxy server functionality. During a session establishment of the radio device, the policy node determines ( 602 ) that obtained policies related to the radio device comprises one or more rules. The respective one or more rules comprises any one or more out of: An application descriptor related to the one or more rules, and a domain descriptor related to the one or more rules. The policy node determines ( 605 ), based on received capability information, that the radio device is not aware of any or more one out of an application and a domain, and that the radio device supports proxy server functionality. The policy node handles the policies related to the radio device by activating ( 606 ) a proxy server in the radio device by sending a message to the radio device. The message comprises: An indication requesting the radio device to activate the proxy server, the one or more rules, and a configuration related to the proxy server. The proxy server enables the radio device, even though not being application aware or domain aware, to apply the one or more rules comprised in the policies related to the radio device.

Claims (72)

1 . A method performed by a policy node for handling policies related to a radio device in a communications network, the radio device supporting proxy server functionality, the method comprising:

during a session establishment of the radio device, determining that obtained policies related to the radio device comprises one or more rules, wherein the respective one or more rules comprises any one or more out of:

an application descriptor related to the one or more rules, and

a domain descriptor related to the one or more rules,

based on received capability information, that the radio device is not aware of any one or more out of an application and a domain, and that the radio device supports proxy server functionality,

handling the policies related to the radio device by activating a proxy server in the radio device by sending a message to the radio device, the message comprising:

an indication requesting the radio device to activate the proxy server,

the one or more rules, and

a configuration related to the proxy server, which proxy server enables the radio device, even though not being application aware or domain aware, to apply the one or more rules comprised in the policies related to the radio device.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving during the session establishment, a request message requesting the session to be established, the request message comprising the capability information.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

triggering towards the radio device, a discovery procedure by establishing a connection to the radio device and sending a discovery request message to the radio device using the established connection,

receiving from the radio device, a discovery response message, which discovery response message comprises the capability information, and

wherein the message requesting the radio device to activate the proxy server is sent using the established connection.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the capability information indicates any one or more out of:

that the radio device does supports application awareness,

that the radio device does not support domain awareness, and

that the radio device supports proxy server functionality.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the configuration related to the proxy server comprises any one or more out of:

certificates, and

encryption keys,

to be used by the proxy server.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the request message to activate the proxy server is any one out of:

a configuration request sent directly to the radio device, or

a policy control request message sent to the radio device via an access and mobility node.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the proxy server is a MASQUE server.

8 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the steps of the method of claim 1 .

9 . A method performed by a radio device for handling policies related to the radio device in a communications network, the radio device supporting proxy server functionality, the method comprising:

receiving, from a policy node, a message, the message comprising:

an indication requesting the radio device to activate the proxy server,

one or more rules comprised in the polices, and

a configuration related to the proxy server,

handling policies related to the radio device by activating the proxy server in the radio device based on the received message, which proxy server enables the radio device, even though not being application aware or domain aware, to apply the one or more rules comprised in the policies related to the radio device.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:

during the session establishment, sending a request message requesting the session to be established, the request message comprising capability information related to the radio device.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:

performing a discovery procedure triggered by the policy node by establishing a connection to the policy node and receiving a discovery request message from the policy node using the established connection, and

sending to the policy node, a discovery response message, which discovery response message comprises the capability information related to the radio device.

12 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the capability information related to the radio device indicates any one or more out of:

that the radio device does supports application awareness,

that the radio device does not support domain awareness, and

that the radio device supports proxy server functionality.

13 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the configuration related to the proxy server comprises any one or more out of:

certificates, and

encryption keys,

to be used by the proxy server.

14 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the message requesting the radio device to activate the proxy server is any one out of:

a configuration request received directly from the policy node, or

a policy control request message received from policy node via an access and mobility node.

15 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the proxy server is a MASQUE server.

16 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the steps of the method of claim 9 .

17 . A policy node configured to handle policies related to a radio device in a communications network, the radio device being adapted to support proxy server functionality, the policy node comprising processing circuitry and a memory, the processing circuitry operable to:

during a session establishment of the radio device, determine that obtained policies adapted to be related to the radio device comprises one or more rules, wherein the respective one or more rules are adapted to comprise any one or more out of:

an application descriptor adapted to be related to the one or more rules, and

a domain descriptor adapted to be related to the one or more rules,

determine, based on received capability information, that the radio device is not aware of any or more one out of an application and a domain, and that the radio device supports proxy server functionality,

handle the policies adapted to be related to the radio device by activating a proxy server in the radio device by sending a message to the radio device, the message being adapted to comprise:

an indication adapted to request the radio device to activate the proxy server,

the one or more rules, and

a configuration adapted to related to the proxy server,

which proxy server is adapted to enable the radio device, even though not being application aware or domain aware, to apply the one or more rules comprised in the policies adapted to be related to the radio device.

18 . The policy node according to claim 17 , the processing circuitry further operable to:

receive during the session establishment, a request message adapted to request the session to be established, the request message adapted to comprise the capability information.

19 . A radio device configured to handle policies adapted to be related to the radio device in a communications network, the radio device being adapted to support proxy server functionality, the radio device comprising processing circuitry and a memory, the processing circuitry operable to:

receive, from a policy node, a message, the message being adapted to comprising:

an indication adapted to request the radio device to activate the proxy server,

one or more rules comprised in the policies, and

a configuration adapted to be related to the proxy server,

handle policies related to the radio device by activating the proxy server in the radio device based on the received message, which proxy server is adapted to enable the radio device, even though not being application aware or domain aware, to apply the one or more rules comprised in the policies adapted to be related to the radio device.

20 . The radio device according to claim 19 , the processing circuitry further operable to:

send during the session establishment, a request message adapted to request the session to be established, the request message adapted to comprise capability information related to the radio device.