Granted Patent B2

US 12,425,488 · App. 18/552,636 · Granted Sep 23, 2025

Inventors: Simon Beddus (London, GB); Claudia Cristina (London, GB); Fadi El-Moussa (London, GB)

Assignee: BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS public limited company

H04L67/564H04L67/60

Abstract

Claims (43)

1. A computer-implemented method of operating a telecommunications network, the telecommunications network comprising a client device, a server, and an edge device connecting the client device to the server, the method being performed by the edge device and comprising:

intercepting a service request from the client device en route to the server, said service request requesting a service from the server;

identifying client device characteristic information associated with the client device;

identifying service requirement information associated with the requested service;

comparing the identified client device characteristic information with the identified service requirement information so as to determine if the client device characteristic information complies with the service requirement information; and

in response to determining that the client device information:

complies with the service requirement information:

permitting the server to provide the requested service in accordance with the service request; and

does not comply with the service requirement information:

preventing the server from providing the requested service in accordance with the service request; and

in response to the preventing:

identifying a characteristic of the client device characteristic information that is non-compliant with the service requirement information;

identifying a reconfiguration for modifying a network connection between the client device and the server to render the characteristic compliant with the requirement information, wherein the reconfiguration comprises re-routing, to a new network path between the client device and the server, communications associated with the client device; and

implementing the identified reconfiguration.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the client device characteristic information comprises pre-defined information provided by the client device.

3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the pre-defined information is contained in a Manufacturer Usage Description file.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein identifying the client device characteristic information further comprises:

monitoring network communications with the client device;

compiling a behaviour profile for the client device in dependence on said network communications, wherein the client device characteristic information comprises the behaviour profile.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the client device characteristic information comprises a classification of the type of client device.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the client device characteristic information comprises a classification of the type of data generated by the client device.

7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the client device characteristic information comprises network connection characteristics of the client device.

8. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the service requirement information is a rule requiring specific client device characteristic information of the client device.

9. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the reconfiguration comprises implementing a security policy.

10. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the reconfiguration comprises modifying the client device.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable carrier medium comprising a computer program, which, when the computer program is executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform steps of claim 1 .

12. A telecommunications network for a client device, the telecommunications network comprising:

a server, to which the client device is connected via an access point;

a receiver configured to receive a service request from the client device, said service request requesting a service from the server;

a processor configured to:

identify client device characteristic information associated with the client device;

identify service requirement information associated with the requested service;

compare the identified client device characteristic information with the identified service requirement information so as to determine if the client device characteristic information complies with the service requirement information; and

in response to a determination that the client device information:

complies with the service requirement information:

permit the server from providing the requested service in accordance with the service request; and

does not comply with the service requirement information:

prevent the server from providing the requested service in accordance with the service request;

in response to the preventing:

identify a characteristic of the client device characteristic information that is non-compliant with the service requirement information;

identify a reconfiguration for modifying a network connection between the client device and the server to render the characteristic compliant with the requirement information, wherein the reconfiguration comprises re-routing, to a new network path between the client device and the server, communications associated with the client device; and

implement the identified reconfiguration.

13. The telecommunications network according to claim 12 , wherein a modification of the network connection comprises changing a routing policy for the network communications associated with the client device, including routing to a firewall.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (33)