Patent ID: 6662235
Filing Date: 2003-12-09
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method for processing a complex policy rule structured in a plurality of levels wherein the complex policy rule selects an action for execution based on a plurality of individual policy conditions each of the individual policy conditions being expressed as ranges and being associated with one of the levels, the method comprising the steps of:determining if the complex policy rule is a conjunctive normal form (CNF) policy rule; receiving an event, the event having an associated value defining a point in a space covered by the individual policy conditions; and performing the following steps if the complex policy rule is a CNF policy rule: generating a plurality of summary conditions, each of the summary conditions being associated with one of the levels; comparing the associated value of the received event to a selected one of the summary conditions to determine if the selected one of the summary conditions is met; determining that the complex policy rule may be skipped if the selected one of the summary conditions is not met; repeating the step of comparing for others of the summary conditions and individual policy conditions until at least one of one of the summary conditions is not met, all individual policy conditions for one of the levels are not met or at least one of the individual policy conditions for each level is met; and determining that the complex policy rule may be skipped if at least one of one of the summary conditions is not met or all individual policy conditions for one of the levels are not met.