System and method for enabling mobile edge services

Abstract

A system and method are directed to providing a Mobile Edge Service (MES) in a mobile network. An apparatus configured to enable a smart Gateway General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Support Node (GGSN) to communicate with an MES application layer such that a service provider may provide a content delivery service, a network service, and an application service to an subscriber. The apparatus is also directed to enabling an interaction between components in the smart GGSN by providing a protocol stack that includes control, data, and management interface.

1 . An apparatus for enabling a mobile edge service, comprising: 
 a smart Gateway General packet radio service Support Node (GGSN) interface means for receiving a packet from at least one of a wireless application, and a Wireless Network Includes (WNI);    a switching means for receiving the packet from the smart GGSN interface means, and for determining where to forward the packet;    a core service means for employing the request associated with the packet and for providing the packet to at least one mobile edge service; and    a protocol stack means for managing an interaction between the smart GGSN interface, the switch, and the core service.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an edge Application Programming Interface (API) means for enabling a communication between the switching means and the core service means.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the WNI is further configured to manage wireless content for at least one of an application, a content, and a wireless delivery mechanism.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the WNI includes a means for managing a wireless content with an XML-based markup language.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the smart GGSN interface means further receives the packet from at least one of a Gi interface means, a wireless application, and a Gn interface means.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the switching means is further configured to route the packet based on at least one of a packet type, a packet source, a packet destination, and a policy associated with the packet.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the policy associated with the packet further comprises at least one of a characteristic of a mobile device, bandwidth, International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), service subscription, Visitor Location Register (VLR), and access privilege.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the protocol stack means further comprises: 
 a control plane means for forwarding the packet based at least in part on a control signal associated with the packet;    a data plane means for forwarding the packet based at least in part on content associated with the packet; and    a management plane means for enabling a set of components in the protocol stack means to provide the packet to at least one mobile edge service.    
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the protocol stack employs a minimum set of components that are determined in part by at least one of a policy, a request associated with the packet, a control signal associated with the packet, and content associated with the packet.  
     
     
         10 . A method for enabling a mobile edge service, comprising: 
 step for enabling a smart GGSN to receive a packet from a Wireless Network Includes (WNI);    step for employing a switch to determine where to forward the received packet, based at least in part on a request associated with the packet;    step for providing the packet to a mobile edge service based on at least one of content associated with the packet, a service type associated with the packet, and a control signal associated with the packet; and    step for employing a protocol stack means for managing an interaction between the smart GGSN, the switch, and the mobile edge service to enable management of the packet.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein receiving the packet further comprises a step for receiving the packet from at least one of a wireless application, a Gi interface, and a Gn interface.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein forwarding the packet further comprises a step for employing an edge Application Programming Interface (API).  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein forwarding the packet further comprises: 
 step for routing the packet based at least in part on a control signal associated with the packet;    step for routing the packet based at least in part on content associated with the packet; and    step for enabling a protocol layer for routing the packet.