Methods and apparatus for improving idle mode performance using deep packet inspection (DPI) idle mode agent

A method for prioritizing paging messages in a communication network, comprising:

• receiving downstream traffic addressing to an end user (“EU”) equipment in a communication network;
• identifying forwarding action by comparing the downstream traffic with content of predefined list of a forwarding table;
• directing the downstream traffic to an inline deep packet inspection (“DPI”) agent if the first EU equipment is in idle mode in accordance with a result of comparison between the downstream traffic and the forwarding table;
• and
• categorizing the downstream traffic to a low priority paging category when the downstream traffic fails to match with any legitimate push applications stored in a list of legitimate push applications.

A network system configured to categorize paging messages, comprising:

• a traffic forwarder having a traffic forwarding table operable to receive downstream traffic containing destination address;
• a controller coupled to the traffic forwarder and configured to generate a list of legitimate push applications;
• and
• a deep packet inspection (“DPI”) agent coupled to the controller and configured to receive incoming traffic from the traffic forwarder when destination of the incoming traffic is in idle mode, wherein the DPI agent is able to categorize incoming traffic to different prioritized paging categories based on the list of legitimate push applications.