Delivering sip-based call services to circuit-switched terminals

• US 20070263599A1
• Filed: 05/15/2006
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle Israel Limited (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Convergin Israel Ltd. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Itzkovitz, Ayal, Zoller, Tal, Livyatan, Tzach
• Granted Patent: US 8,243,715 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 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1095 Inter-network session transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/123 where the packet-switched network is an Internet Protocol Multimedia System-type network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1235 where one of the core networks is a wireless network

Abstract

A method for communication in a communication system includes predefining a plurality of service delivery modes having different signaling and media path configurations in circuit-switched and packet-switched networks. A request to place a call is accepted in the circuit-switched network, and a call service to be provided to the call by a service platform in the packet-switched network is identified responsively to the request. A service delivery mode is selected from the plurality responsively to an attribute of the call indicated by the request. Signaling and media paths are established for the call via the circuit-switched and packet-switched networks in accordance with the signaling and media path configurations of the selected service delivery mode. The call service is provided from the service platform to the call using the established signaling and media paths.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for communication in a communication system that includes a circuit-switched network and a packet-switched network, the method comprising:

predefining a plurality of service delivery modes having different respective signaling and media path configurations in the circuit-switched and packet-switched networks;

accepting a request to place a call in the circuit-switched network;

responsively to the request, identifying a call service to be provided to the call by a service platform in the packet-switched network;

selecting a service delivery mode from the plurality responsively to an attribute of the call indicated by the request;

establishing signaling and media paths for the call via the circuit-switched and packet-switched networks in accordance with the respective signaling and media path configurations of the selected service delivery mode; and

providing the call service from the service platform to the call using the established signaling and media paths.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting the service delivery mode comprises matching the selected mode to a need of the service platform to access a media content of the call in order to provide the call service.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein predefining the plurality of service delivery modes comprises defining at least one of an intelligent network (IN) mode having a media path configuration confined to the circuit-switched network, an early media mode having an initial media path configuration connected to the service platform via the packet-switched network and a subsequent media path configuration confined to the circuit-switched network, and an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)-controlled mode having a first media path configuration anchored at a media gateway (MGW) in the packet-switched network and a second media path configuration further extending the first media path configuration by connecting the MGW and the service platform.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein predefining the plurality of service delivery modes comprises defining an intelligent network (IN) mode having a media path configuration confined to the circuit-switched network, and wherein selecting the service delivery mode comprises selecting the IN mode when providing the call service by the service platform does not depend on a media content of the call.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein predefining the plurality of service delivery modes comprises defining an early media mode having a first media path configuration connected to the service platform via the packet-switched network and a second media path configuration confined to the circuit-switched network.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein selecting the service delivery mode comprises selecting the early media mode when providing the call service by the service platform depends on a media content of the call only in an initial stage of the call.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein establishing the signaling and media paths comprises establishing the first media path configuration in the initial stage of the call and switching to the second media path configuration responsively to a request by the service platform.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein predefining the plurality of service delivery modes comprises defining an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)-controlled mode having a first media path configuration anchored at a media gateway (MGW) in the packet-switched network and a second media path configuration further extending the first media path configuration by connecting the MGW and the service platform.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein establishing the signaling and media paths comprises switching from the first media path configuration to the second media path configuration so as to provide a media content of the call to the service platform.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein establishing the signaling and media paths comprises alternating between the first and second media path configurations responsively to a request by the service platform.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein identifying the call service comprises downloading a list of triggers identifying call services defined for the call from a service database.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the attribute of the call comprises at least one of a service identifier (service ID), an identity of a subscriber originating the call and an identity of a subscriber accepting the call.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the circuit-switched network comprises an intelligent network (IN), wherein the packet-switched network comprises an Internet protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network, and wherein the service platform comprises a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Application Server (AS).

14. A convergence server, comprising:

first and second network interfaces, which are respectively arranged to communicate with a circuit-switched network and a packet-switched network; and

a processor, which is arranged to accept a request to provide a call service by a service platform in the packet-switched network to a call in the circuit-switched network, to select a service delivery mode from a plurality of predefined service delivery modes having different respective signaling and media path configurations in the circuit-switched and packet-switched networks responsively to an attribute of the call indicated by the request, to establish signaling and media paths for the call via the circuit-switched and packet-switched networks in accordance with the respective signaling and media path configurations of the selected service delivery mode, and to invoke the service platform to provide the call service to the call using the established signaling and media paths.

15. The convergence server according to claim 14, wherein the processor is arranged to match the selected mode to a need of the service platform to access a media content of the call in order to provide the call service.

16. The convergence server according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of service delivery modes comprises an intelligent network (IN) mode having a media path configuration confined to the circuit-switched network, and wherein the processor is arranged to select the IN mode when providing the call service by the service platform does not depend on a media content of the call.

17. The convergence server according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of service delivery modes comprises an early media mode having a first media path configuration connected to the service platform via the packet-switched network and a second media path configuration confined to the circuit-switched network, and wherein selecting the service delivery mode comprises selecting the early media mode when providing the call service by the service platform depends on a media content of the call only in an initial stage of the call.

18. The convergence server according to claim 17, wherein the processor is arranged to establish the first media path configuration in the initial stage of the call and to switch to the second media path configuration responsively to a request by the service platform.

19. The convergence server according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of service delivery modes comprises an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)-controlled mode having a first media path configuration anchored at a media gateway (MGW) in the packet-switched network and a second media path configuration further extending the first media path configuration by connecting the MGW and the service platform, and wherein the processor is arranged to switch from the first media path configuration to the second media path configuration so as to provide a media content of the call to the service platform.

20. The convergence server according to claim 19, wherein the processor is arranged to alternate between the first and second media path configurations responsively to a request by the service platform.

21. The convergence server according to claim 14, wherein the processor is arranged to identify the call service to be provided to the call by downloading a list of triggers from a service database.

22. The convergence server according to claim 14, wherein the attribute of the call comprises at least one of a service identifier (service ID), an identity of a subscriber originating the call and an identity of a subscriber accepting the call.

23. The convergence server according to claim 14, wherein the first network interface is arranged to communicate with an intelligent network (IN), wherein the second network interface is arranged to communicate with an Internet protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network, and wherein the service platform comprises a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Application Server (AS).

24. A communication system, comprising:

a circuit-switched network;

a packet-switched network comprising a service platform, which is arranged to provide a call service; and

a convergence server connected to the circuit-switched and packet-switched networks, which is arranged to accept a request to provide the call service by the service platform to a call in the circuit-switched network, to select a service delivery mode from a plurality of predefined service delivery modes having different respective signaling and media path configurations in the circuit-switched and packet-switched networks responsively to an attribute of the call indicated by the request, to establish signaling and media paths for the call via the circuit-switched and packet-switched networks in accordance with the respective signaling and media path configurations of the selected service delivery mode, and to invoke the service platform to provide the call service to the call using the established signaling and media paths.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein the circuit-switched network comprises an intelligent network (IN), wherein the packet-switched network comprises an Internet protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network, and wherein the service platform comprises a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Application Server (AS).

26. A computer software product for communication in a communication system that includes a circuit-switched network and a packet-switched network, the product comprising a computer-readable medium, in which program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to accept a request to provide a call service by a service platform in the packet-switched network to a call in the circuit-switched network, to select a service delivery mode from a plurality of predefined service delivery modes having different respective signaling and media path configurations in the circuit-switched and packet-switched networks responsively to an attribute of the call indicated by the request, to establish signaling and media paths for the call via the circuit-switched and packet-switched networks in accordance with the respective signaling and media path configurations of the selected service delivery mode, and to invoke the service platform to provide the call service to the call using the established signaling and media paths.