Methods and devices for providing seamless global roaming using an all-IP network

• US 20040228324A1
• Filed: 05/12/2003
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Murakami, Kazutaka, Haase, Oliver, Lennox, Jonathan M., Doshi, Parag M., Alexiou, Triantafyllos, Isukapalli, Ramana
• Granted Patent: US 7,756,122 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server
• 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

A Global Roaming Application Server is adapted to act as an intermediary between all Internet Protocol (IP)-based network(s) and non-IP-based network(s), such as a circuit-switched landline network, an ANSI-41 network, wireless LAN network, a Global System for Mobile Communications network or Universal Mobile Telecommunications System network. In a first or forward direction, the Application Server enables a user in a non-IP network to be located in accordance with user profiles at the request of another user who has chosen to send a message via an all-IP based network. After the user in the non-IP network is so located, the Application Server enables a signaling link to be created between the two users. The Application Server may also be used to enable a signaling link when a message is sent in a second, or reverse direction.

Claims

1. An application server (AS) operable to:

receive a first Internet Protocol (IP)-based message associated with a public identity and user profiles associated with a far-end user;

generate a modified, IP protocol-based message based on a first routing value; and

send the modified message to an element of an IP network to eventually enable a signaling link to be established between a near-end user and the far-end user.

2. The application server as in claim 1 further operable to:

send a location determination message to an element of a non-IP network based on the received IP protocol-based message and profiles; and

receive the first routing value associated with the far-end user.

3. The application server as in claim 1 further operable to select a non-IP device associated with the public identity to establish the link.

4. The application server as in claim 1 further operable to select a non-IP device which is not associated with the public identity to establish the link.

5. The application server as in claim 1 wherein the AS comprises a co-located element of the non-IP network.

6. The application server as in claim 2 further comprising a common operations interface operable to allow the sending of the location determination message to the element of the non-IP network.

7. The application server as in claim 1 further operable to execute the first IP- protocol-based message in accordance with the profiles.

8. The application server as in claim 1 wherein the IP network is selected from the group consisting of an Internet-based network, a 3GPP, all-IP network and a 3GPP2, all-IP network.

9. The application server as in claim 1 wherein the non-IP network is selected from at least the group consisting of a circuit-switched, landline network, an ANSI-41 network, a wireless LAN network, a Global System for Mobile Communications network and a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System network.

10. The application server in claim 1 further operable to generate a plurality of modified, IP-based protocol messages.

11. The application server as in claim 1 wherein the modified message comprises a re-directed message.

12. The application server as in claim 1 further operable to:

receive a location determination message associated with a directory number from a non-IP network;

identify one or more IP devices associated with the directory number;

identify a plurality of IP contact addresses;

send a second routing value to the non-IP network;

receive a IP-based message comprising an identification value associated with the routing value or an activity identification; and

send a plurality of modified, IP-based messages constructed based on previously stored routing values or activity identifications to an IP network.

13. An application server operable to:

receive a location determination message associated with a directory number from a non-IP network;

identify one or more IP devices associated with the directory number;

identify a plurality of IP contact addresses;

send a second routing value to the non-IP network;

receive a second IP-based message comprising an identification value associated with the second routing value or an activity identification; and

send a plurality of second, modified IP-based messages constructed based on previously stored second routing values or activity identifications to an IP network.

14. A method for providing seamless global roaming using an all-IP network comprising:

receiving a first Internet Protocol (IP)-based message associated with a public identity and user profiles associated with a far-end user;

generating a modified, IP protocol-based message based on a first routing value; and

sending the modified message to an element of an IP network to eventually enable a signaling link to be established between a near-end user and the far-end user.

15. The method as in claim 14 further comprising:

sending a location determination message to an element of a non-IP network based on the received IP protocol-based message and profiles; and

receiving the first routing value associated with the far-end user.

16. The method as in claim 14 further comprising selecting a non-IP device associated with the public identity to establish the link.

17. The method as in claim 14 further comprising selecting a non-IP device which is not associated with the public identity to establish the link.

18. The method as in claim 15 further comprising using a common operations interface to allow the sending of the location determination message to the element of the non-IP network.

19. The method as in claim 14 further comprising executing the first IP-protocol-based message in accordance with the profiles.

20. The method as in claim 14 wherein the IP network is selected from the group consisting of an Internet-based network, a 3GPP, all-IP network and a 3GPP2, all-IP network.

21. The method as in claim 14 wherein the non-IP network is selected from at least the group consisting of a circuit-switched, landline network, an ANSI-41 network, a wireless LAN network, a Global System for Mobile Communications network and a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System network.

22. The method as in claim 14 further comprising generating a plurality of modified, IP-based protocol messages.

23. The method as in claim 14 wherein the modified message comprises a re-directed message.

24. The method as in claim 14 further comprising:

receiving a location determination message associated with a directory number from a non-IP network;

identifying one or more IP devices associated with the directory number;

identifying a plurality of IP contact addresses;

sending a second routing value to the non-IP network;

receiving a IP-based message comprising an identification value associated with the routing value or an activity identification; and

sending a plurality of modified, IP-based messages constructed based on previously stored routing values or activity identifications to an IP network.

25. A method for providing seamless global roaming using an all-IP network comprising:

receiving a location determination message associated with a directory number from a non-IP network;

identifying one or more IP devices associated with the directory number;

identifying a plurality of IP contact addresses;

sending a routing value to the non-IP network;

receiving a IP-based message comprising an identification value associated with a plurality of, modified IP-based messages constructed based on previously stored second routing values or activity identifications to an IP network.