Policy server and architecture providing radio network resource allocation rules

A policy architecture for an integrated third generation (3G) wireless Internet Protocol (IP) network having a radio raccess domain and an IP-based domain, said policy architecture comprising:

• a Bandwidth Broker (BB) that functions as a Policiy Decision Point (PDP) in each domain;
• a plurality of edge routers in each domain that interface with the BB and function as Policy Enforcement Points (PEPs);
• a policy server that interfaces with the BB and provides radio network resource allocation rules to the BB;
• and
• wherein the BB includes:
• a user/application interface for receiving a call request from a user;
• means for determining radio network resources required to satisfy the received call request;
• a policy server interface toward the policy server for sending queries from the BB regarding the availability of radio network resources to satisfy the received call request, and for receiving responses from the policy server indicating whether the requested resources are available;
• and
• an intra-domain interface toward an edge router for sending an approval or a denial for the requested resources.

A policy architecture for an integrated third generation (3G) wireless Internet Protocol (IP) network having a radio raccess domain and an IP-based domain, said policy architecture comprising:

• a Bandwidth Broker (BB) that functions as a Policiy Decision Point (PDP) in each domain;
• a plurality of edge routers in each domain that interface with the BB and function as Policy Enforcement Points (PEPs);
• and
• a policy server that interfaces with the BB and provides radio network resource allocation rules to the BB, the policy server including:
• means for determining a level of availability of radio network resources;
• an interface toward the BB for receiving queries from the BB regardin the availability of radio network resources to satisfy requests for resources, and for sending responses to the BB indicating whether the requested resources are available;
• and
• means for determining whether the level of availability of radio network resources is sufficient to satisfy the received requests for resources.