Patent ID: 8650279

Claim:
A method of managing subscriber sessions with a mobile gateway device, the method comprising: receiving a session request with one of a plurality of forwarding units within a mobile network gateway device of a mobile service provider network that provides access to services of one or more packet data networks, wherein the session request identifies a mobile device and requests the mobile network gateway device to serve as an anchor for a subscriber session for the mobile device when accessing one of the packet data networks; selecting, with the forwarding unit, a first one of a plurality of subscriber management service units within the mobile network gateway device in response to the session request, wherein the plurality of subscriber management service units present a uniform interface to nodes within the mobile service provider network, and wherein the plurality of subscriber management service units serve as anchors for subscriber sessions for mobile devices when accessing one or more packet data networks by the mobile service provider network; and internally sending the session request from the forwarding unit to the first subscriber management service unit to provide management services for the subscriber session requested by the mobile device.