Method, system and apparatus for handling terminal capabilities

• US 20030233461A1
• Filed: 06/02/2003
• Published: 12/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Visiedo, Felix Javier Garcia, Mariblanca-Nieves, David, Herrero, Juan Antonio Sanchez
• Granted Patent: US 9,154,360 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/71 Hardware identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

The present invention relates to telecommunication systems providing multiple services which could require possible adaptations based on the capabilities of the terminal used to access those services.

Master databases in the telecommunication system take the responsibility to map between terminal and user identifiers. Applications and services are thus able to query terminal related capability information based on a user identity.

In accordance with the invention, a Terminal Capabilities database (TC-DB) is introduced in order to establish a temporary relationship between a user and a terminal operated by such user. When a user attaches to the network, a terminal identifier is sent to the network that forwards that identity to the TC-DB. For retrieval of terminal capabilities the application servers send a request message to the TC-DB by using the user identity as a correlating key.

Claims

1. A method for providing capabilities of a terminal equipment operated by a user in a telecommunication network to an application server intended for offering services to said user through such terminal equipment, the method characterized in that it comprises the steps of:

(a) storing in a telecommunication system capabilities of at least one of a plurality of terminal equipment;

(b) establishing a temporary relationship between the user operating a terminal equipment and the capabilities of said terminal equipment; and

(c) providing capabilities of the terminal equipment currently in use by the given user, from the telecommunication system to an application server.

2. The method in claim 1, wherein the step a) includes the step of correlating capabilities of each terminal equipment with an identifier of said terminal equipment.

3. The method in claim 1, wherein the step b) comprises the steps of:

(b1) sending from the terminal equipment toward the telecommunication system an identifier of said terminal equipment along with the user identity;

(b2) receiving the user identity and the current terminal equipment identifier at an entity holding user profile data in the telecommunication system; and

(b3) linking user profile data, user identity and terminal equipment identifier.

4. The method in claim 1, wherein the step c) comprises the steps of:

(c1) requesting from an application server to the telecommunication network, by providing the user identity, the capabilities of the terminal operated by the given user;

(c2) obtaining at an entity holding user profile data in the telecommunication network the terminal equipment identifier linked to said user identity;

(c3) fetching from storage the list of capabilities stored for such terminal equipment identifier; and

(c4) responding to the application server from the telecommunication network with the list of capabilities requested.

5. The method in claim 2, wherein terminal capabilities are stored in a storage accessible to a Terminal Capabilities Database and correlated therein with a terminal equipment identifier.

6. The method in claim 3, wherein the step b1) involves an entry node to a telecommunication network, the entry node receiving and transferring the terminal equipment identifier and the user identity sent from the terminal equipment.

7. The method in claim 6, wherein the entry node to the telecommunication network is a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) or a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN).

8. The method in claim 7, wherein the terminal equipment identifier and the user identity are both included in an Update Location message.

9. The method in claim 6, wherein the entry node to the telecommunication network is a Call Status Control Function (CSCF).

10. The method in claim 9, wherein the terminal equipment identifier and the user identity are both included in an Cx-put message.

11. The method in claim 6, wherein the entry node to the telecommunication network is a Network Access Server (NAS) or a WLAN Support Node (WSN).

12. The method in claim 11, wherein the terminal equipment identifier and the user identity are both included in a message intended for Access Request.

13. The method in claim 3, wherein the entity holding user profile data in the step b2) and thus receiving the terminal equipment identifier and the user identity is a Home Location Register (HLR) or a Home Subscriber Server (HSS).

14. The method in claim 3, wherein the entity holding user profile data in the step b2) and thus receiving the terminal equipment identifier and the user identity is An Authentication Authorization and Accounting (AAA) server.

15. The method in claim 3, wherein user profile data, user identity and terminal equipment identifier in step b3) are linked on a per user basis in a Home Location Register (HLR), or in a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), or in an Authentication Authorization and Accounting (AAA) server.

16. The method in claim 3, wherein user identity and terminal equipment identifier in step b3) are linked on a per user basis in a Terminal Capabilities database.

17. The method in claim 4, wherein an application server requests to a Home Location Register (HLR), or a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), or an Authentication Authorization and Accounting (AAA) server the terminal capabilities of a terminal equipment by providing the user identity of the user operating said terminal equipment.

18. The method in claim 4, wherein a list of terminal capabilities associated to a terminal equipment identifier is fetched from a storage accessible to a Terminal Capabilities Database.

19. A method according to any of preceding claims wherein an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) is used as a terminal equipment identifier.

20. A method according to any of preceding claims wherein a terminal descriptor based on Composite Capability Preference Profiles (CC/PP) or in User Agent Profile (UAProf) is used as a terminal equipment identifier.

33. A telecommunication system according to any of preceding claims wherein an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) is used as a terminal equipment identifier.

34. A telecommunication system according to any of preceding claims wherein a terminal descriptor based on Composite Capability Preference Profiles (CC/PP) or in User Agent Profile (UAProf) is used as a terminal equipment identifier.

21. A telecommunication system for providing capabilities of a terminal equipment operated by a user to an application server intended for offering services to said user through such terminal equipment, the telecommunication system characterized in that it comprises:

(a) means for storing capabilities of at least one of a plurality of terminal equipment;

(b) means for establishing a temporary relationship between the user operating a terminal equipment and the capabilities of said terminal equipment; and

(c) means for providing capabilities of a terminal equipment currently in use by a given user to the application server.

22. The telecommunication system in claim 21, wherein the means a) includes means for correlating stored capabilities of each terminal equipment with an identifier of said terminal equipment.

23. The telecommunication system in claim 21, wherein the means b) includes:

(b1) means for receiving a user identity and a terminal equipment identifier of the terminal currently operated by said user; and

(b2) means for linking user profile data, user identity and terminal equipment identifier;

at an entity holding user profile data in the telecommunication system.

24. The telecommunication system in claim 21, wherein the means c) includes:

(c1) means for receiving from an application server a request for providing the capabilities of a terminal equipment, the request including the user identity of the user operating said terminal equipment;

(c2) means for obtaining the terminal equipment identifier linked to said user identity;

(c3) means for fetching from storage the list of capabilities stored for such terminal equipment identifier; and

(c4) means for responding to the application server with the list of capabilities requested for the indicated user identity.

25. The telecommunication system in claim 22, wherein terminal capabilities are stored in a storage accessible to a Terminal Capabilities Database and correlated therein with a terminal equipment identifier.

26. The telecommunication system in claim 23, wherein user identity and associated terminal equipment identifier are both included in an Update Location message.

27. The telecommunication system in claim 23, wherein user identity and associated terminal equipment identifier are both included in a Cx-put message.

28. The telecommunication system in claim 23, wherein user data profile, user identity and terminal equipment identifier are linked on a per user basis in a Home Location Register (HLR), or in a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), or in an Authentication Authorization and Accounting (AAA) server.

29. The telecommunication system in claim 23, wherein user identity and terminal equipment identifier are linked on a per user basis in a Terminal Capabilities Database.

30. The telecommunication system in claim 23, wherein the means b1) includes an entry node to the telecommunication system, the entry node receiving and transferring the terminal equipment identifier and the user identity sent from a terminal equipment.

31. The telecommunication system in claim 24, wherein at least one entity selected from an Authentication Authorization and Accounting (AAA) server, a Home Location Register (HLR), a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), and a Terminal Capabilities Database includes the means for providing a list of terminal capabilities of a terminal equipment at request from an application server providing the user identity of the user operating said terminal equipment.

32. The telecommunication system in claim 24, wherein a list of terminal capabilities associated to a terminal equipment identifier is fetched from a storage accessible to a Terminal Capabilities Database.

35. The Terminal Capabilities Database (TC-DB) included in the telecommunication system of claim 21, arranged for fetching from an accessible storage a list of capabilities of a terminal equipment identified by a terminal equipment identifier linked to a user identity in said telecommunication system.

36. An application server coupled to the telecommunication system in claim 21, arranged for adapting specific contents to be submitted to a terminal equipment to the capabilities of said terminal equipment as received from said telecommunication system.