Patent ID: 7966645

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving a first message from a first manager, the first message comprising a first element of a request for policy authorization, the request for policy authorization attempting to authorize use of particular network resources for a particular application context, the particular network resources comprising one or more quality-of-service (QoS) resources, access and connectivity parameters, mobility resources, accounting resources, deep-packet-inspection resources, or transcoding resources, the particular application context comprising a particular application framework; in response to the first message, establishing a policy rendezvous state at a policy manager for a policy decision on the request for policy authorization; during the policy rendezvous state, communicating to the first manager a second message indicating that the policy decision is pending, receipt of the second message at the first manager initiating one or more processes at the first manager in preparation for use of the particular network resources or application parameters for the particular application context; receiving a third message from a second manager subsequent to the first message, the third message comprising a second element of the request for policy authorization, the second element completing the request for policy authorization; in response to the third message, making the policy decision based on the first and second elements of the request for policy authorization; and if the policy decision grants the request for policy authorization, generating a complete policy facet and communicating the complete policy facet to the first manager or the second manager to authorize use of the particular network resources or the application parameters for the particular application context.