Conflict Resolution and Rule Determination in a Policy Realization Framework

A computer-readable storage device storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a policy intelligence rules system, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

• receiving, from a master policy repository, a plurality of policies pertaining to a request for a network resource, wherein the plurality of policies pertaining to the request for the network resource comprise at least one operator policy provided by a network operator and at least one subscriber specific policy provided by a subscriber associated with the request for the network resource;
• analyzing the plurality of policies to determine whether any policy conflicts exist between any of the plurality of policies;
• in response to determining that a policy conflict exists between a first policy of the plurality of policies and a second policy of the plurality of policies, determining that the first policy has precedence over the second policy, wherein the first policy comprises the at least one subscriber specific policy and the second policy comprises the at least one operator policy;
• resolving the policy conflict by giving precedence to the first policy over the second policy;
• generating, based on the first policy having precedence over the second policy, a rule describing a course of action for a communications network to take in response to the request for the network resource of the policy request;
• and
• sending the rule to a policy configuration and provisioning server of a policy layer of a policy realization framework of the communications network for use in instructing a policy and charging rules function of a network layer of the policy realization framework.

A method comprising:

• receiving, by a policy intelligence rules system comprising a processor, from a master policy repository, a plurality of policies pertaining to a request for a network resource, wherein the plurality of policies pertaining to the request for the network resource comprise at least one operator policy provided by a network operator and at least one subscriber specific policy provided by a subscriber associated with the request for the network resource;
• analyzing, by the policy intelligence rules system, the plurality of policies to determine whether any policy conflicts exist between any of the plurality of policies;
• in response to determining that a policy conflict exists between a first policy of the plurality of policies and a second policy of the plurality of policies, determining, by the policy intelligence rules system, that the first policy has precedence over the second policy, wherein the first policy comprises the at least one subscriber specific policy and the second policy comprises the at least one operator policy;
• resolving, by the policy intelligence rules system, the policy conflict by giving precedence to the first policy over the second policy;
• generating, by the policy intelligence rules system, based on the first policy having precedence over the second policy, a rule describing a course of action for a communications network to take in response to the request for the network resource of the policy request;
• and
• sending, by the policy intelligence rules system, the rule to a policy configuration and provisioning server of a policy layer of a policy realization framework of the communications network for use in instructing a policy and charging rules function of a network layer of the policy realization framework.