System and method for allocating session initiation protocol (SIP) identifications (IDs) to user agents

• US 20060056392A1
• Filed: 09/16/2004
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Wang, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,599,347 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/50 Address allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]

Abstract

A communications system includes a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) user agent. A server communicates with the SIP user agent and allocates an SIP ID for the user agent for subsequent communications using SIP. A database can be associated with the server and contain data relating to free SIP ID'"'"'s that can be allocated to the SIP user agent and allocated SIP ID'"'"'s.

Claims

1. A communications system comprising:

a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) user agent; and

a server that communicates with the SIP user agent and allocates an SIP ID for the user agent for subsequent communications using SIP.

2. A communications system according to claim 1, and further comprising a database associated with the server and containing data relating to free SIP ID'"'"'s that can be allocated to a SIP user agent.

3. A communications system according to claim 1, wherein the SIP ID comprises a unique identifier for the SIP user agent.

4. A communications system according to claim 3, wherein the SIP ID is associated with an IP address, PIN number or email address.

5. A communications system according to claim 1, wherein the server allocates the SIP ID to another user agent after a communications session is completed by the user agent using the originally allocated SIP ID.

6. A communications system according to claim 1, wherein the user agent comprises one of a hardware or software user agent.

7. A communications system according to claim 1, wherein the server comprises an SIP registrar server.

8. A communications system according to claim 1, wherein the user agent is operative for issuing a request for a SIP ID to the server, receiving the SIP ID from the server, and issuing a REGISTER command for registering and communicating by using SID.

9. A communications system comprising:

a server that is operable for communicating with a SIP user agent;

a database associated with the server and containing data relating to free SIP ID'"'"'s that are available to be allocated to a SIP user agent, wherein said server is operative for querying the database and determining a free SIP ID that can be allocated and transmitted to the SIP user agent.

10. A communications system according to claim 9, wherein the database includes data of allocated SIP ID'"'"'s.

11. A communications system according to claim 9, wherein the SIP ID comprises a unique identifier for the SIP user agent.

12. A communications system according to claim 11, wherein the SIP ID is associated with an IP address, PIN number or email address.

13. A communications system according to claim 9, wherein the SIP server is operable for allocating the same SIP ID to another user agent after a communications session is completed by a user agent on a communications network using the originally allocated SIP ID.

14. A communications system according to claim 9, wherein the server comprises a SIP registrar server.

22. A communications system according to claim 14, wherein the user agent is operative for issuing a request for a SIP ID to the server, receiving the SIP ID from the server, and issuing a REGISTER command for registering and communicating by using SID.

15. A communications system comprising:

a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) user agent;

a server that communicates with the SIP user agent;

a database associated with the server and containing data relating to free SIP ID'"'"'s that are available to be allocated to the SIP user agent, wherein said server is operative for querying the database, determining a free SIP ID that can be allocated to the SIP user agent, and communicating the SIP ID to the SIP user agent for temporary use by the SIP user agent during a communications session over an Internet Protocol (IP) based network using SIP.

16. A communications system according to claim 15, wherein the database includes data of allocated SIP ID'"'"'s.

17. A communications system according to claim 15, wherein the SIP ID comprises a unique identifier for the SIP user agent.

18. A communications system according to claim 17, wherein the SIP ID is associated with an IP address, PIN number or email address.

19. A communications system according to claim 15, wherein the server allocates the same SIP ID to another user agent after a communications session is completed by the user agent on a communications network using SIP.

20. A communications system according to claim 15, wherein the user agent comprises one of a hardware or software user agent.

21. A communications system according to claim 15, wherein the server comprises a SIP registrar server.

23. A method of enabling communication on an Internet Protocol (IP) based network which comprises:

establishing a communications connection between a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) user agent and a server; and

allocating from the server an SIP ID for use by the user agent.

24. A method according to claim 23, which further comprises querying a database of free SIP ID'"'"'s for determining a SIP ID that can be allocated to the user agent.

25. A method according to claims 24, wherein the database includes data of allocated SIP ID'"'"'s.

26. A method according to claim 23, which further comprises allocating a unique identifier for the user agent.

27. A method according to claim 26, which further comprises allocating from the server to the user agent an SIP ID associated with an IP address, PIN number, or email address.

28. A method according to claim 23, which further comprises returning the SIP ID for use by another user agent after the user agent to which the SIP ID was originally allocated has completed a communications session using SIP.

29. A method according to claim 23, which further comprises issuing from the user a request for a SIP ID, receiving the SIP ID from the server, and issuing a REGISTER command for registering and communicating by using SID.

30. A method according to claim 23, wherein the user agent comprises one of a hardware or software agent.

31. A method according to claim 23, which further comprises allocating the SIP ID from a server operative as a SIP registrar server.

32. A method of enabling communication on an Internet Protocol (IP) based network which comprises:

establishing a communications connection between a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) user agent and a server and requesting from the SIP user agent allocation of a SIP ID from the server;

querying a database of free SIP ID'"'"'s and determining a free SIP ID that can be temporarily allocated to the SIP user agent;

allocating the SIP ID to the user agent;

terminating a communications session between the SIP user agent on a communications network using SIP; and

returning the SIP ID that had been previously allocated to the database of free SIP ID'"'"'s for use by another SIP user agent.

33. A method according to claim 32, which further comprises releasing allocated SIP ID'"'"'s.

34. A method according to claim 32, which further comprises allocating a unique identifier as an SIP ID for the user agent.

35. A method according to claim 34, which further comprises allocating from the server to the user agent an SIP ID associated with an IP address, PIN number, or email address.

36. A method according to claim 32, wherein the user agent comprises one of a hardware or software agent.

37. A method according to claim 32, which further comprises allocating the SIP ID from a server operative as a SIP registrar server.