Unified IMS supplementary services signaling across circuit and packet domains

• US 20080056236A1
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Thompson, Robin Jeffrey, Dolan, Michael Francis, Barclay, Deborah Lewandowski, Ejzak, Richard Paul
• Application Number:
  US11/513,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20080056236A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1095 Inter-network session transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for signaling between an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and a multi-mode terminal using concise primitives to support the use of IMS-based services while the multi-mode terminal is attached to either the packet switched (PS) domain or to the circuit switched (CS) domain, or moves between these domains. The present invention enables the maintenance of services state in only the IMS and in the multi-mode terminal, thus avoiding the creation or transfer of services state information as the multi-mode terminal moves between the PS and CS domains.

Claims

1. A method for signaling between an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and a multi-mode terminal, the method comprising:

sending a signal between the IMS and the multi-mode terminal, the signal including an encoded primitive action; and

receiving the signal.

2. A method for signaling in accordance with claim 1, the method further comprising the step of executing the primitive action by the signal recipient.

3. A method for signaling in accordance with claim 2, wherein the signal further comprises additional values, the additional values being useful in executing the primitive action.

4. A method for signaling in accordance with claim 1, wherein the signal includes a plurality of primitive actions.

5. A method for signaling in accordance with claim 4, wherein the plurality of primitive actions are useful in executing a single primitive action.

6. A method for signaling in accordance with claim 4, wherein the plurality of primitive actions are separately identifiable by the signal recipient.

7. A method for signaling in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of sending a signal comprises sending the signal in a plurality of separate transmissions.

8. A method for signaling in accordance with claim 7, the method further comprising the step of assembling the plurality of separate transmissions into the signal.

9. A method for signaling in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of sending a signal between the IMS and the multi-mode terminal comprises sending the signal via a circuit-switched domain.

10. A method for signaling in accordance with claim 9, wherein the step of sending the signal via a circuit-switched domain does not disrupt services being offered by the circuit-switched domain.

11. A method for signaling in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of sending a signal between the IMS and the multi-mode terminal comprises sending the signal via a packet-switched domain.

12. A method for signaling in accordance with claim 11, wherein the step of sending the signal via a packet-switched domain does not disrupt services being offered by the packet-switched domain.