Provision of Ims Services Via Circuit-Switched Access

• US 20080247385A1
• Filed: 10/21/2005
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Keller, Ralf, Witzel, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 9,614,876 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 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

The present invention proposes a solution for providing IMS services to users having circuit-switched controlled terminal being not adapted to provide IMS services to the users. In particular, it is proposed, in order to allow IMS to take the full call and service control, to place a user agent being responsible for the user ported to the IMS in a new node type called Mobile Access Gateway Control Function (MAGCF). This new node combines the logical functionality of a cellular switching center and the logical functionality of IMS. Further it is proposed to enhance a user'"'"'s register, like HLR, to provide also information about the availability of a MAGCF node and about whether a particular user is enabled to use the MAGCF functionality.

Claims

1. Access Gateway Node for providing access to an IP multimedia system for a circuit-switched controlled user'"'"'s terminal located in circuit-switched controlled domain wherein said node comprises

a circuit-switched function adapted to provide exchange signalling for a circuit-switched controlled user'"'"'s terminal wherein said circuit-switched function is adapted to interact with a register being located in a home circuit-switched controlled domain to provide user'"'"'s IP multimedia system parameter, and

a user agent adapted to register the circuit-switched controlled user'"'"'s terminal to the IP multimedia system using the user'"'"'s IP multimedia system parameter and,

exchange interface adapted to exchange signalling between the user agent and the circuit-switched function.

2. Access Gateway Node according to claim 1 wherein the IP multimedia system parameter is an indication that a subscription of the circuit-switched controlled user'"'"'s terminal has been ported to the IP multimedia system.

3. Access Gateway Node according to claim 1 wherein the IP multimedia system parameter is a list of parameters required to register the circuit-switched controlled user'"'"'s terminal in the IP multimedia system.

4. Access Gateway Node according to claim 2 with the exchange interface adapted to forward the IP multimedia system parameter from the circuit-switched function to the user agent.

5. Access Gateway Node according to claim 2 with the exchange interface adapted to deliver an indication to the user agent to register the circuit-switched controlled user'"'"'s terminal in the IP multimedia system or to update the registration of the circuit-switched controlled user'"'"'s terminal.

6. Access Gateway Node according to claim 1 with the exchange interface adapted to translate between circuit-switched controlled signalling and IMS controlled signalling.

7. Access Gateway Node according to claim 1 wherein the circuit-switched function is adapted to receive mobility related notification from a mobile switching node to which the circuit-switched controlled user'"'"'s terminal is attached to for handling the provision of an access to the IP multimedia system.

8. A register node located in a home circuit-switched controlled domain for communicating with a circuit-switched function the register comprising

receiver entity for receiving a request message regarding a circuit-switched controlled user'"'"'s terminal from the circuit-switched function for handling the circuit-switched controlled user'"'"'s terminal and,

provision module for providing an information about a functionality of the circuit-switched function sending the request message wherein the functionality indicates whether the circuit-switched function is part of an Access Gateway Node for providing an access to the IP multimedia system, and

user'"'"'s parameter module for providing user'"'"'s IP multimedia system parameter applicable in the IP multimedia system in case the circuit-switched function is part of the Access Gateway Node and,

sender entity for sending a message to the circuit-switched function with the user'"'"'s IP multimedia system parameter.

9. Register node according to claim 8 further comprising a list with circuit-switched functions with the information about the supported functionality, wherein the provision module has access to said list.

10. Register node according to claim 8 wherein the information about the functionality is included in a notification message provided from the circuit switched function and the provision module is adapted to extract said information.

11. Register node according to claim 8 wherein said register further comprises a tracking module for keeping track on the serving Access Gateway Node and on a mobile switching node to which the circuit-switched controlled user'"'"'s terminal is attached.

12. Register node according to claim 8 wherein said register further comprises a selection unit for selecting a new serving Access Gateway Node in case the circuit-switched controlled user'"'"'s terminal leaves a serving area of a present Access Gateway Node.

13. Register node according to claim 8 wherein the user'"'"'s parameter module further comprises a modification module for modifying the user'"'"'s IP multimedia system parameter before sending it in case the circuit-switched controlled user'"'"'s terminal is served by a mobile switching node.

14. Register node according to claim 13 wherein the modification module is for removing services from the user'"'"'s IP multimedia system parameter which are handled in the IP multimedia system

15. Register node according to claim 8 wherein the user'"'"'s IP multimedia system parameter is provided to the user'"'"'s parameter module either after migration of a user to the IP multimedia system performed by an operator or after an explicit registration of a user to the IP multimedia system.

16. Method for providing access to an IP multimedia system for a circuit-switched controlled user'"'"'s terminal located in circuit-switched controlled domain the method comprising the following steps

a circuit-switched function being part of a Access Gateway Node receives from a circuit-switched controlled user'"'"'s terminal a registration message, and

the circuit-switched function interacts with a register node located in a home circuit-switched controlled domain for providing user'"'"'s IP multimedia system parameter,

the circuit-switched function provides the received user'"'"'s IP multimedia system parameter to an user agent being part of the Access Gateway Node, and

the user agent uses the user'"'"'s IP multimedia system parameter to register the circuit-switched controlled user'"'"'s terminal in the IP multimedia system.

17. Method for providing access to an IP multimedia system for a circuit-switched controlled user'"'"'s terminal located in circuit-switched controlled domain with the following steps to be performed in a register located in a home circuit-switched controlled domain and adapted to communicate with a circuit-switched function

receiving a request message regarding a circuit-switched controlled user'"'"'s terminal from the circuit-switched function for handling the circuit-switched controlled user'"'"'s terminal,

providing an information about a functionality of the circuit-switched function sending the request message wherein the functionality indicates whether the circuit-switched function is part of an Access Gateway Node providing an access to the IP multimedia system,

providing user'"'"'s IP multimedia system parameter applicable in the IP multimedia system in case the circuit-switched function is part of the Access Gateway Node and,

sending a message to the circuit-switched function with the user'"'"'s IP multimedia system parameter.