DIAS-DYNAMIC IMPU ASSIGNMENT SERVICE

• US 20100223339A1
• Filed: 12/13/2005
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Cheng, Yi, Barriga, Luis
• Granted Patent: US 9,077,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/25 of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• 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: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A method and arrangement in a multimedia gateway connected to a multimedia service network, for providing access to multimedia services for communication devices connected to a private network. In the multimedia gateway, a communication unit receives a request from a device in the private network for a public identity associated with the multimedia gateway. An identity manager then selects and allocates an associated public identity from a pool of public identities associated with the multimedia gateway which have been predefined as valid in the multimedia service network. The communication unit then registers the device by activating the allocated associated public identity in the multimedia service network. Thereby, the multimedia gateway can establish a multimedia session on behalf of the device, using the allocated associated public identity.

Claims

1. A method of providing access to multimedia services for communication devices connected to a private network, by means of a multimedia gateway connected to a multimedia service network, comprising the following steps:

receiving a request from a device in the private network for a public identity associated with the multimedia gateway,

selecting and allocating to said device an associated public identity from a pool of public identities associated with the multimedia gateway which have been predefined as valid in the multimedia service network, and

registering the device by activating the allocated associated public identity in the multimedia service network, thereby enabling the multimedia gateway to establish a multimedia session on behalf of said device, using said allocated associated public identity.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the associated public identities in said pool include temporary identities for use by any devices and/or users in the private network, and personal identities reserved for use by specific devices and/or users in the private network.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein if a personal associated public identity is required, a specific associated public identity reserved for said device and/or its user is selected, whereas if no personal associated public identity is required, any available temporary associated public identity is selected.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein said received identity request indicates whether a personal or temporary associated public identity is desired.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein a personal associated public identity is automatically required when said identity request was received from a particular device or user.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the associated public identities in the pool have been predefined in the multimedia service network for different service profiles with respect to any of:

service access limitations, bandwidth priorities, QoS control, parental control, pricing negotiations, identity of calling/called party, black listing, and security enforcement.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the received identity request is a specifically adapted message defined in said device as an explicit request for an associated public identity.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said device is a SIP enabled device and the received identity request is a specifically adapted SIP message.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said device is an SIP enabled device, and the received identity request is a regular SIP request message for a multimedia service, interpreted as an implicit request for an associated public identity.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the selected associated public identity is saved together with identity information on said device in a session database.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the device identity entered in the session database for said device includes an internal identity code and/or a local IP address of the device.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein said selecting and allocating step includes identifying the requesting device and/or user and applying predetermined allocation rules or policies to the request, based on the identified device and/or user.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the multimedia service network is an IMS network and the associated public identities in the pool are IMPU'"'"'s.

14. A method according to claim 1, performed in a separate node, or in an RGW, or in an IMS enabled terminal in the private network.

15. An arrangement in a multimedia gateway connected to a multimedia service network, for providing access to multimedia services for communication devices connected to a private network, comprising:

a communication unit adapted to receive a request from a device in the private network for a public identity associated with the multimedia gateway, and

an identity manager adapted to select and allocate to said device, an associated public identity from a pool of public identities associated with the multimedia gateway which have been predefined as valid in the multimedia service network,

wherein the communication unit is further adapted to register the device by activating the allocated associated public identity in the multimedia service network, thereby enabling the multimedia gateway to establish a multimedia session on behalf of said device, using said allocated associated public identity.

16. An arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the associated public identities in said pool include temporary identities for use by any devices and/or users in the private network, and personal identities reserved for use by specific devices and/or users in the private network.

17. An arrangement according to claim 16, wherein if a personal associated public identity is required, said identity manager is further adapted to select a specific associated public identity reserved for said device and/or its user, whereas if no personal associated public identity is required, said identity manager is further adapted to select any available temporary associated public identity.

18. An arrangement according to claim 16, wherein said received identity request indicates whether a personal or temporary associated public identity is desired.

19. An arrangement according to claim 16, wherein a personal associated public identity is automatically required when said received identity request was received from a particular device or user.

20. An arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the associated public identities in the pool have been predefined in the multimedia service network for different service profiles with respect to any of:

service access limitations, bandwidth priorities, QoS control, parental control, pricing negotiations, identity of calling/called party, black listing, and security enforcement.

21. An arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the received identity request is a specifically adapted message defined in said device as an explicit request for an associated public identity.

22. An arrangement according to claim 21, wherein said device is a SIP enabled device and the received identity request is a specifically adapted SIP message.

23. An arrangement according to claim 15, wherein said device is an SIP enabled device, and the received identity request is a regular SIP request message for a multimedia service, interpreted as an implicit request for an associated public identity.

24. An arrangement according to claim 15, wherein said identity manager is further adapted to save the selected associated public identity together with identity information on said device in a session database.

25. An arrangement according to claim 24, wherein the device identity entered in the session database for said device includes an internal identity code and/or a local IP address of the device.

26. An arrangement according to claim 15, wherein said identity manager is further adapted to identify the requesting device and/or user and apply predetermined allocation rules or policies to the request, based on the identified device and/or user.

27. An arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the multimedia service network is an IMS network and the associated public identities in the pool are IMPU'"'"'s.

28. An arrangement according to claim 15, adapted to be implemented as a separate node, or in an RGW, or in an IMS enabled terminal in the private network.