NETWORK INTEROPERABILITY BETWEEN IP COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS OR SUB-NETWORKS

• US 20100177780A1
• Filed: 01/12/2010
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starhome GmbH
• Original Assignee: Starhome GmbH
• Inventors: Rubin, Rafael, Raviv, Li-On, Rozenfeld, Edy, OPHIR, Shai
• Granted Patent: US 8,520,689 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• 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 65/1045 Proxies, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1095 Inter-network session transfer or sharing

Abstract

Gateway apparatus for interworking between source and destination communication networks, to solve issues of absence of mutual recognition between the source and destination networks when communication within the networks uses internet protocol (IP). The apparatus comprises a source network front end emulator for emulating front end IP server components of the source network to the destination network; and a destination network front end emulator for emulating front end IP server components of the destination network to the source network. The apparatus, by virtue of the emulators, mediates communications between the source and destination networks.

Claims

1. Gateway apparatus for interworking between source and destination communication networks, wherein there is an absence of mutual recognition between said source and destination networks, communication within said networks using internet protocol (IP), the apparatus comprising:

a source network front end emulator for emulating front end IP server components of said source network to said destination network; and

a destination network front end emulator for emulating front end IP server components of said destination network to said source network;

thereby to mediate communications between said source and said destination networks.

2. The gateway apparatus of claim 1, being located in association with a third communication network entity that is recognized by both said source network and said destination network.

3. The gateway apparatus of claim 1, wherein said communications use the session initiation protocol (SIP) and wherein said front end IP server component emulations comprise SIP functions.

4. The gateway apparatus of claim 3, wherein said communication is a roaming registration communication between a mobile device registering at said source network and seeking registration confirmation from said destination network.

5. The gateway apparatus of claim 4, wherein the destination network front end emulator emulates an interrogating-call session control function server (I-CSCF) to the proxy-call session control function server (P-CSCF) of the source network, and the source network front end emulator emulates a P-CSCF to the I-CSCF of the destination network.

6. The gateway apparatus of claim 3, wherein the destination network front end emulator emulates an interrogating-call session control function server (I-CSCF) to the serving-call session control function server (S-CSCF) of the source network, and the source network front end emulator emulates an S-CSCF towards the interrogating-call session control function server (I-CSCF) of the destination network.

7. The gateway apparatus of claim 1, wherein said communications use the diameter protocol, and wherein said front end IP server component emulations comprise diameter functions, and said communication is a roaming registration communication between a mobile device registering at said source network and seeking registration confirmation from said destination network.

8. The gateway apparatus of claim 7, wherein the source network front end emulator emulates an MME to the HSS of the destination network, and the destination network front end emulator emulates an HSS to the MME of the source network.

9. The gateway apparatus of claim 7, wherein the source network front end emulator emulates an S gateway to the PDN gateway of the destination network, and the destination network front end emulator emulates PDN gateway to the S gateway of the source network.

10. The gateway apparatus of claim 7, wherein the source network front end emulator emulates a V-PCRF to the H-PCRF of the destination network and the destination network front end emulator emulates an H-PCRF to the V-PCRF of the source network.

11. The gateway apparatus of claim 2, wherein said source network front end emulator comprises a source address substitution unit to substitute, within data packets, an address indicating the source network with an address indicating said third communication network entity.

12. The gateway apparatus of claim 2, wherein said destination network front end emulator comprises a destination address substitution unit to substitute, within data packets, an address indicating the destination network with an address indication the third communication network entity.

13. Method for interworking between source and destination communication networks, wherein there is an absence of mutual recognition between said source and destination networks, communication within said networks using internet protocol (IP), the method comprising:

emulating front end IP server components of said source network to said destination network; and

emulating front end IP server components of said destination network to said source network;

thereby to mediate communications between said source and said destination networks.