Communication system and method for establishing a connection to a serving network element

• US 20040057442A1
• Filed: 10/10/2003
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Tuohino, Markku, Westman, Ilkka
• Granted Patent: US 7,392,034 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4541 Directories for service discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/169 Special adaptations of TCP, UDP or IP for interworking of IP based networks with other networks protocols for interworking, protocol conversion H04L69/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/10 adapted for application session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14

Abstract

The invention relates to a communication system and method wherein a user equipment contains, or is provided with, a list of items of service-related information. The list of service-related information represents a list of service provider names, services and/or service types or the like. When intending to establish or modify a session or connection or use a service, the user equipment selects, in one of the embodiments, an item from the list and performs a DNS query to resolve the name of the selected item to an IP address which then is used for set-up. The list may be provided by an DHCP server or in a PDP context message.

The list may comprise one or more service provider default names, in particular for visited and home networks.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising at least one user equipment which is adapted to communicate with a resource designation means to obtain information about session establishment means available in the said communication system, wherein

the user equipment, when intending to establish a session using a session establishment means, includes or is adapted to access a list of at least one item comprising service-related information and to select an item from the list or to pick the item in case the list comprises only one item, said item being used to enquire said resource designation means to obtain a reference to at least one session establishment means,

said user equipment being adapted to establish a session via one of the session establishment means to which the reference has been obtained.

3. Communication system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the session establishment means is a proxy.

4. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the resource designation means is a DNS (Domain Name System) server.

5. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a reference to session establishment means is an address of a proxy.

6. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a session is a call or video call or other real-time stream type of communication.

7. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the user equipment is adapted to establish a connection to a serving network element for connection to another network element.

8. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one address translating network element, the address translating network element comprising a map mapping a name of an item selected from the list to an address for accessing an element represented by or providing the selected item.

9. Communication system according to claim 8, wherein the address translating network element is a Domain Name System server.

10. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claim 1s, wherein the list of service-related information comprises or represents a list of service provider names.

11. Communication system according to claim 10, wherein the list of service provider names comprises one or more service provider default names.

12. Communication system according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the service provider default names is assigned to a service provider provided for a user equipment attached to its home network.

13. Communication system according to claim 11 or 12, wherein at least one of the service provider default names is assigned to a service provider provided for a roaming user equipment attached to a network different from home network of the user equipment.

14. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the service-related information represents services and/or service types.

15. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the list includes names of proxy servers.

16. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the user equipment comprises a memory means storing the list of service-related information.

17. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the list of service-related information is stored in a serving network element.

18. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a DHCP network element as a serving network element, the user equipment being adapted to access the DHCP server for receiving the list, or at least one or more items of the list, from the DHCP server.

19. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a Serving Call State Control Function (S-CSCF) as a serving network element.

20. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the user equipment is adapted to perform a PDP connection, and to receive the list, or at least one or more items of the list, in a PDP-related message.

2. A communication system comprising at least one user equipment which is adapted to communicate with a resource designation means to obtain information about session establishment means available in the said communication system, wherein a network element includes or is adapted to access a list of items comprising service-related information, and the user equipment, when intending to establish a session using a session establishment means, is provided with at least one item selected from the list, one of said selected items being used to enquire the resource designation means to obtain a reference to at least one session establishment means,

the user equipment being adapted to establish a session via one of the session establishment means to which said reference has been obtained,

wherein the list of service-related information comprises or represents a list of service provider names which list includes one or more service provider default names,

wherein at least one of the service provider default names is assigned to a service provider provided for a user equipment attached to its home network, or to a service provider provided for a roaming user equipment attached to a network different from home network of the user equipment.

21. A communication method wherein at least one user equipment is adapted to communicate with a resource designation means to obtain information about session establishment means available in the a communication system, wherein

the user equipment, when intending to establish a session using a session establishment means, accesses a list of at least one item comprising service-related information and selects an item from the list or picks the item in case the list comprises only one item,

said item being used to enquire said resource designation means to obtain a reference to at least one session establishment means,

said user equipment establishing a session via one of the session establishment means to which the reference has been obtained.

23. Communication method according to claim 21 or 22, wherein the session establishment means is a proxy.

30. Method according to claim 21 any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the list of service-related information comprises or represents a list of service provider names.

31. Method according to claim 30, wherein the list of service provider names comprises one or more service provider default names.

32. Method according to claim 31, wherein at least one of the service provider default names is assigned to a service provider provided for a user equipment attached to its home network.

33. Method according to claim 31 or 32, wherein at least one of the service provider default names is assigned to a service provider provided for a roaming user equipment attached to a network different from home network of the user equipment.

22. A communication method wherein at least one user equipment is adapted to communicate with a resource designation means to obtain information about session establishment means available in the said communication system, wherein a network element includes or is adapted to access a list of items comprising service-related information, and the user equipment, when intending to establish a session using a session establishment means, is provided with at least one item selected from the list, one of said selected items being used to enquire the resource designation means to obtain a reference to at least one session establishment means,

the user equipment to establishing a session via one of the session establishment means to which said reference has been obtained,

wherein the list of service-related information comprises or represents a list of service provider names which list includes one or more service provider default names,

wherein at least one of the service provider default names is assigned to a service provider provided for a user equipment attached to its home network, or to a service provider provided for a roaming user equipment attached to a network different from home network of the user equipment.

24. Communication method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the resource designation means is a DNS (Domain Name System) server.

25. Communication method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein a reference to session establishment means is an address of a proxy.

26. Communication method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein a session is a call or video call or other real-time stream type of communication.

27. Communication method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the at least one user equipment is adapted to establish a connection to a serving network element for connection to another network element.

28. Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein at least one address translating network element comprising a map mapping a name of an item selected from the list to an address for accessing an element represented by or providing the selected item, the translated address translating network element sending the address of the selected item to the user equipment.

29. Method according to claim 28, wherein the address translating network element is a Domain Name System server.

34. Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the service-related information represents services and/or service types.

35. Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the list includes names of proxy servers.

36. Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the user equipment comprises a memory means storing the list of service-related information.

37. Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the list of service-related information is stored in a serving network element.

38. Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, comprising a DHCP server as a serving network element, the user equipment being adapted to access the DHCP server for receiving the list, or at least one or more items of the list, from the DHCP server.

39. Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, comprising a Serving Call State Control Function (S-CSCF) as a serving network element.

40. Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the user equipment is adapted to perform a PDP connection, and to receive the list, or at least one or more items of the list, in a PDP-related message.