Patent ID: 9258742
Filing Date: 2016-02-09
CPC Classification: H04L

Claim Text:
1. A method comprising: receiving, by a policy enforcement device for an access network by which a subscriber device accesses a packet data network, a policy rule that defines at least one of policy control and application detection by the policy enforcement device for the subscriber device, wherein the policy rule includes a service chain identifier that identifies a service chain that defines one or more value-added services to be applied in a particular order by one or more value-added service nodes external to the policy enforcement device and located on a service path for the service chain between the policy enforcement device and the packet data network to provide a composite service for application to packet flows associated to the service chain; receiving, by the policy enforcement device, a packet sourced by the subscriber device and destined to the packet data network; applying, by the policy enforcement device, the policy rule to the packet to associate the packet to the service chain identified by the service chain identifier; and forwarding, by the policy enforcement device and based at least on the association of the packet to the service chain identified by the service chain identifier, the packet to the one or more value-added service nodes.