Method and Apparatus for Enabling Discovery Within a Home Network

• US 20090092109A1
• Filed: 12/19/2005
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Damola, Ayodele, Cagenius, Torbjorn
• Application Number:
  US12/097,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20090092109A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/25 of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]

Abstract

A method and Home IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) Gateway for enabling a non-IMS enabled device within a home network to discover the availability of the Home IMS Gateway. The Home IMS Gateway is interposed at a control plane between a remote network and the non-IMS enabled device. The Home IMS Gateway sends an advertisement message to the non-IMS enabled device advertising the availability of services on the remote network via the Home IMS Gateway.

Claims

1. A method of enabling a device that is not IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) enabled to detect the availability of a Home IMS Gateway, the method comprising the steps of:

interposing a Home IMS Gateway at a control plane between a remote network and the non-IMS enabled device; and

sending an advertisement message to the non-IMS enabled device, said advertisement message advertising the availability via the Home IMS Gateway of services on the remote network.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein a service on said remote network is a Session Initiation Protocol service.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein a service on said remote network is an IMS service.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said advertisement message uses Universal Plug and Play protocol.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of sending the advertising message includes sending said advertisement message periodically over a Local Area Network.

6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

storing at least one address at a database on a Local Area Network, said address corresponding to a Uniform Resource Identifier identifying an IMS device or service; and

sending said address to said non-IMS enabled device.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the database is disposed at the Home IMS Gateway.

8. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of registering the advertisement message at the non-IMS enabled device.

9. A Home IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) Gateway comprising:

a first interface for communicating with a remote network;

a second interface for communicating with a non-IMS enabled device; and

means for sending an advertisement message to the non-IMS enabled device, the advertisement message advertising the availability via the Home IMS Gateway of services on the remote network.

10. A method for alerting a device that is not IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) enabled to the availability of an IMS network, the method comprising:

automatically advertising to the non-IMS device, the availability of devices or services via a Home IMS Gateway on the IMS network.