Address de-registration from ip multimedia networks

• US 20050117591A1
• Filed: 10/09/2001
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: INVT SPE LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Hurtta, Tuija, Tuohino, Markku, Rajaniemi, Jaakko, Hulkkonen, Tony, Sivanandan, Mohan
• Granted Patent: US 7,623,529 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5053 Lease time; Renewal aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5076 Update or notification mechanisms, e.g. DynDNS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/06 De-registration or detaching
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

According to one aspect, a communication network system comprising at least one first network and at least one second network providing application services over the first network is described. The system comprises first network means (GGSN) for receiving a message associated with an IP address allocated by the first network from the second network, for detecting that there is no active communication channel for this IP address which is allocated to a user equipment, and for sending an indication that the user equipment is not reachable through this IP address to the second network. The system further comprises second network means (P-CSCF/PCF) for receiving this indication.

Claims

1. A communication network system comprising at least one first network (GPRS) and at least one second network (IMS) providing application services over the first network, the first network allocating an IP address used by the second network, said system comprising:

first network means (GGSN) for receiving a message associated with an IP address allocated by the first network from the second network, for detecting that there is no active communication channel for said IP address which is allocated to a user equipment, and for sending an indication that the user equipment is not reachable through said IP address to the second network; and

second network means (P-CSCF, PCF) for receiving said s indication.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said message comprises the IP address.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the second network comprises means for inhibiting sending further messages to the unreachable user equipment upon receiving the user equipment not reachable indication sent from the first network means.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the second network means, upon receiving the user equipment not reachable indication, are arranged to terminate the invited session by sending a reject message to a peer entity.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the second network means, upon receiving the user equipment not reachable indication, are arranged to terminate all active sessions.

6. A system according to claim 3, wherein the second network means, upon receiving the user equipment not reachable indication, are arranged to set a flag indicating that the user equipment is not available for user equipment terminated messages.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein the second network means are arranged to remove the flag when the user equipment performs re-registration towards the second network.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the second network means, upon receiving the user equipment not reachable indication, are arranged to initiate a de-registration of the user equipment in the second network.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the second network means, for initiating the de-registration, are arranged to send a message with an indication to perform de-registration to a serving network node (S-CSCF) in the second network.

10. A system according to claim 8, wherein the second network means are arranged to initiate the de-registration directly.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first network means are arranged to send the user equipment is not reachable indication to the node in the second network, which initiated said message.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein the user equipment is not reachable indication is an ICMP message.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first network is a wireless access network.

14. A system according to claim 1, wherein the second network is an IP multimedia network.

15. A system according to claim 1, wherein the communication channel is a PDP context.

16. A method of providing communication between at least one first network (GPRS) and at least one second network (IMS) providing application services over the first network, the first network allocating an IP address used by the second network, said method comprising:

receiving a message associated with an IP address allocated by the first network from the second network in first network means;

detecting in the first network means that there is no active communication channel for said IP address which is allocated to a user equipment;

sending an indication that the user equipment is not reachable through said IP address from the first network means to the second network; and

receiving said indication by the second network means.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein said message comprises the IP address.

18. A method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of inhibiting, by the second network means, sending further messages to the unreachable user equipment upon receiving the user equipment not reachable indication sent from the first network means.

19. A method according to claim 16, upon receiving the user equipment not reachable indication, comprising the step of terminating the invited session by sending a reject message from the second network means to a peer entity.

20. A method according to claim 16, upon receiving the user equipment not reachable indication, comprising the step of terminating all active sessions.

21. A method according to claim 18, upon receiving the user equipment not reachable indication, further comprising the step of setting a flag in the second network, which indicates that the user equipment is not available for user equipment terminated messages.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the flag is set in the second network means.

23. A method according to claim 21, wherein the flag is set in a serving network node.

24. A method according to claim 21, wherein the flag is removed when the user equipment performs re-registration towards the second network.

25. A method according to claim 16, upon receiving the user equipment not reachable indication, comprising the step of initiating a de-registration of the user equipment in the second network.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein the initiating step comprises the step of sending a message with an indication to perform de-registration to a serving network node (S-CSCF) in the second network.

27. A method according to claim 25, wherein the de-registration is performed by the second network means directly.

28. First network means of a first network in a communication network system comprising at least one first network (GPRS) and at least one second network (IMS) providing application services over the first network, the first network allocating an IP address used by the second network, said first network means being arranged to:

receive a message associated with an IP address allocated by the first network from the second network;

detect that there is no active communication channel for said IP address which is allocated to a user equipment; and

send an indication that the user equipment is not reachable through said IP address to the second network.

29. Second network means of a second network in a communication network system comprising at least one first network (GPRS) and at least one second network (IMS) providing application services over the first network, the first network allocating an IP address used by the second network, said second network means being arranged to:

send a message associated with an IP address which is allocated to a user equipment to the first network; and

receive an indication that a user equipment is not reachable through an IP address, which indication is sent from the first network.

30. A communication network system comprising at least one first network (GPRS) and at least one second network providing application services over the first network, the first network allocating an IP address used by the second network, said system comprising:

means for detecting that the IP address allocated to a user equipment is de-allocated by the first network; and

means for initiating a de-registration of the de-allocated IP address in the second network.

31. A system according to claim 30, further comprising a control entity (PCF) being arranged to communicate with a gating network element (GGSN) in the first network and a dedicated call serving network element (CSCF) in the second network, the dedicated call serving network element serving the requested application,

wherein the gating network element detects a communication channel deactivation, and informs the control entity thereof,

wherein the control entity detects that the deactivated communication channel represents a signaling PDP context and initiates the de-registration in the dedicated call serving network element.

32. A system according to claim 31, wherein the gating network element supplies an indication of the signaling PDP context to the control entity.

33. A system according to claim 31, wherein the control entity detects that the deactivated communication channel represents a signaling PDP context by checking request state information in the control entity.

34. A system according to claim 31, wherein the gating network element is informed by a serving network element in the first network about a communication channel deactivation and forwards this information to the control entity.

35. A system according to claim 30, wherein a network element in the first network detects the de-allocation of the IP address and informs a server about the de-allocation, and the server initiates de-registration in call serving network elements in the second network, to which said IP-address is associated with.

36. A system according to claim 35, wherein the server is a home subscriber server (HSS).

37. A system according to claim 35, wherein a network element (SGSN) in the first network informs a database (HLR) about the de-allocation, the home database informs a mobility serving entity (UMS) about the de-allocation, and the mobility serving entity initiates the de-registration in a dedicated call serving network element (CSCF) in the second network, the dedicated call serving network element serving the requested application.

38. A system according to claim 35, wherein the network element in the first network detects a detach of the user equipment causing the de-allocation for all IP addresses of the user equipment and informs the server about the de-allocation, and the server initiates de-registration in all call serving network elements of the user equipment.

39. A system according to claim 35, wherein a gating network element (GGSN) in the first network stores addresses of call serving network elements proposed to the user equipment against the allocated IP address and a user identification, the gating network element allocating the IP address and being involved in the discovery procedure of a call serving network element (CSCF) in the second network, the call serving network elements being able to serve the requested application, and, when the gating network element detects the de-allocation of the IP address, it initiates de-registration in all stored call serving network elements associated with the IP addresses in the second network.

40. A system according to claim 35, wherein the user equipment informs a gating network element (GGSN) in the first network whenever it registers with a call serving network element (CSCF) in the second network, the gating network element allocating the IP address and being involved in the discovery procedure of a call serving network element (CSCF) in the second network, the call serving network elements being able to serve the requested application, wherein the gating network element stores addresses of the registered call serving network elements against the allocated IP addresses and a user identification, and, when the gating network element detects the de-allocation of the IP addresses, it initiates the de-registration in all stored call serving network nodes associated with the IP addresses.

41. A system according to claim 35, wherein a de-allocation of the IP address caused by a communication channel deactivation is detected by a gating network element in the first network, and the server is informed by the gating network element about the de-allocation.

42. A system according to claim 35, wherein a de-allocation of the IP address caused by a detach of the user equipment is detected by a serving network element (SGSN) in the first network, and the home server is informed by the serving network element about the de-allocation.

43. A system according to claim 35, wherein the server is informed by the user equipment about all call serving network elements the user equipment is registered with.

44. A system according to claim 30, wherein the IP address is de-registered in the second network by deleting a record in a home server (HSS) in the first network by a call serving network element in the second network.

45. A system according to claim 30, wherein an IP address is allocated for each communication channel request performed by the user equipment.

46. A system according to any one of claims 30, wherein the initiation of the de-registration comprises the supply of a de-register message.

47. A system according to any one of claims 30 to 46, wherein the first network is a wireless access network.

48. A system according to any one of claims 30, wherein the second network is an IP multimedia network.

49. A system according to any one of claims 30, wherein the communication channel is a PDP context.

50. A control entity which is arranged to communicate with a gating network element (GGSN) in a first network and a dedicated call serving network element (CSCF) in a second network providing application services over the first network, the first network allocating an IP address used by the second network, the dedicated call serving network element serving the requested application,

wherein the control entity receives information from the gating network element about a communication channel deactivation

wherein the control entity detects that the deactivated communication channel represents a signaling PDP context and initiates the de-registration in the dedicated call serving network element.

51. A method of providing communication between at least one first network (GPRS) and at least one second network providing application services over the first network, the first network allocating an IP address used by the second network, said method comprising:

detecting that the IP address allocated to a user equipment is de-allocated by the first network; and

initiating a de-registration of the de-allocated IP address in the second network.

52. A method according to claim 51, further comprising the step of:

providing a control entity (PCF) being arranged to communicate with a gating network element (GGSN) in the first network and a dedicated call serving network element (CSCF) in the second network, the dedicated call serving network element serving the requested application,

detects a communication channel deactivation by the gating network element and informing the control entity thereof,

wherein when it is detected by the control entity that the deactivated communication channel represents a signaling PDP context, the de-registration in the dedicated call serving network element is initiated.

53. A method according to claim 52, wherein an indication of the signaling PDP context is supplied to the control entity by the gating network element.

54. A method according to claim 52, wherein it is detected by the control entity that the deactivated communication channel represents a signaling PDP context by checking request state information in the control entity.

55. A method according to claim 52, wherein the gating network element is informed by a serving network element in the first network about a communication channel deactivation and this information is forwarded to the control entity.

56. A method according to claim 51, wherein the de-allocation of the IP address is detected by a network element in the first network and a server is informed about the de-allocation, and de-registration is initiated in call serving network elements in the second network, to which said IP-address is associated with.

57. A method according to claim 56, wherein the server is a home subscriber server (HSS).

58. A method according to claim 56, wherein a database (HLR) is informed by a network element (SGSN) in the first network about the de-allocation, a mobility serving entity (UMS) is informed by the home database about the de-allocation, and the de-registration is initiated by the mobility serving entity in a dedicated call serving network element (CSCF) in the second network, the dedicated call serving network element serving the requested application.

59. A method according to claim 56, wherein a detach of the user equipment causing the de-allocation for all IP addresses of the user equipment is detected by the network element in the first network and the server is informed about the de-allocation by the network element, and de-registration in all call serving network elements of the user equipment is initiated by the server.

60. A method according to claim 56, wherein addresses of call serving network elements proposed to the user equipment against the allocated IP address and a user identification are stored in a gating network element (GGSN) in the first network, the gating network element allocating the IP address and being involved in the discovery procedure of a call serving network element (CSCF) in the second network, the call serving network elements being able to serve the requested application, and, when the gating network element detects the de-allocation of the IP address, de-registration in all stored call serving network elements associated with the IP addresses in the second network is initiated by the gating network element.

61. A method according to claim 56, wherein a gating network element (GGSN) in the first network is informed by the user equipment whenever it registers with a call serving network element (CSCF) in the second network, the gating network element allocating the IP address and being involved in the discovery procedure of a call serving network element (CSCF) in the second network, the call serving network elements being able to serve the requested application, wherein the gating network element stores addresses of the registered call serving network elements against the allocated IP addresses and a user identification, and, when the gating network element detects the de-allocation of the IP addresses, it initiates the de-registration in all stored call serving network nodes associated with the IP addresses.

62. A method according to claim 56, wherein a de-allocation of the IP address caused by a communication channel deactivation is detected by a gating network element in the first network, and the server is informed by the gating network element about the de-allocation.

63. A method according to claim 56, wherein a de-allocation of the IP address caused by a detach of the user equipment is detected by a serving network element (SGSN) in the first network, and the home server is informed by the serving network element about the de-allocation.

64. A method according to claim 56, wherein the server is informed by the user equipment about all call serving network elements the user equipment is registered with.

65. A method according to claim 51, wherein the IP address is de-registered in the second network by deleting a record in a home server (HSS) in the first network by a call serving network element in the second network.

66. A method according to claim 51, wherein an IP address is allocated for each communication channel request performed by the user equipment.

67. A method according to any one of claims 51, wherein the initiation of the de-registration comprises the supply of a de-register message.

68. A method according to any one of claims 51, wherein the first network is a wireless access network.

69. A method according to any one of claims 51, wherein the second network is an IP multimedia network.

70. A method according to any one of claims 51, wherein the communication channel is a PDP context.