Patent ID: 7855982
Filing Date: 2010-12-21
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A communications apparatus providing services comprising: at least one network processing unit configured to receive an accounting message for signaling session initiation, and to receive a packet, the network processing unit directing the accounting message to an IP services gateway (IPSG) manager, the IPSG manager receiving the accounting message, extracting information from the accounting message, and sending the information to a session manager, the network processing unit directing the received packet to the session manager, the session manager using the information received from the IPSG manager to obtain a subscriber profile wherein the subscriber profile includes an access control list describing which services are to be performed on a subscriber's packets; and a content service steering interface (CSS API), the CSS API using information obtained from the subscriber profile to select a service provider, and to cause the received packet to be routed to the selected service provider, wherein the selection of a service provider includes selecting between in-line services or external servers.