METHOD OF SELECTING A NETWORK RESOURCE

• US 20120127991A1
• Filed: 06/21/2010
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3G Licensing S.A. (Fineur International S.A.)
• Original Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Inventors: Le Rouzic, Jean-Claude, Doree, Jose
• Granted Patent: US 10,313,400 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 65/1045 Proxies, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for selecting a network resource, in which a “controlled-entity” device connected to an IP network (20) is also capable of accessing at least one other physical and/or virtual telecommunications network. According to the method, after a step in which a request is sent or relayed by the controlled-entity or is sent to the controlled-entity, the controlled-entity then receives a session control signal containing a resource identifier representative of the physical or virtual network that the controlled-entity may or must use in order to satisfy the request.

Claims

1. A method of selecting a network resource, in which a “

controlled-entity”

device connected to an IP network may also access in the transport plane at least one other physical and/or virtual telecommunications network, the method comprising;

a step in which a request is sent or relayed by said controlled-entity in said IP network or is sent to said controlled-entity; and

a step of the controlled-entity then receiving via the IP network a session control signal containing a resource identifier representative of the IP network or of said other physical or virtual network that the controlled-entity may or must use in order to satisfy said request.

2. The method of selecting a network resource according to claim 1, wherein if said controlled-entity finds that it is impossible for it to select a network resource in accordance with said received network identifier, the controlled-entity selects another network resource.

3. The method of selecting a network resource according to claim 1, wherein said controlled-entity sends a session control signal to the IP network, wherein the signal contains information specifying that the controlled-entity possesses means required for interpreting resource identifiers in terms of physical or virtual networks.

6. The method of selecting a network resource according to claim 1, wherein the IP network uses at least H.323 or SIP as a session control protocol.

4. A method of selecting a network resource, the method comprising:

a step of a “

controller”

device intercepting in an IP network a request sent or relayed by a “

controlled-entity”

device or sent to a “

controlled-entity”

device; and

a step of said controller device then sending to the controlled-entity a session control signal containing a transport plane resource identifier representative of said IP network or of some other physical or virtual network that the controlled-entity may or must use in order to satisfy said request.

5. The method of selecting a network resource according to claim 4, wherein:

the controller device then receives from said controlled-entity a resource identifier representative of the network resource that the controlled-entity has actually selected; and

the controller device uses said information to determine whether said request should be satisfied or rejected.

7. A “

controlled-entity”

device connected to an IP network and capable also of accessing in the transport plane at least one other physical and/or virtual telecommunications network, the device comprising;

means for acting, after a request has been sent or relayed by said controlled-entity or sent to said controlled-entity in said IP network, to receive via the IP network a session control signal following from said request; and

means for interpreting a resource identifier contained in said session control signal and representative of the IP network or of said other physical or virtual network that the controlled-entity may or must use in order to satisfy said request.

8. The controlled-entity device according to claim 7, wherein the device includes means for selecting another network resource if it finds that it is impossible to select a network resource in accordance with said received resource identifier.

9. The controlled-entity device according to claim 7, wherein the device includes means for subsequently transmitting a session control signal to the IP network, the signal containing a resource identifier representative of the network resource that the controlled-entity device has actually selected.

10. The controlled-entity device according to claim 7, wherein the device includes means for sending a session control signal to the IP network, wherein the signal informs that the controlled-entity possesses means necessary for interpreting the resource identifiers in terms of physical or virtual networks.

11. The controlled-entity device according to claim 7, wherein the device is constituted by a fixed or mobile terminal connected to the IP network.

12. The controlled-entity device according to claim 7, wherein the device is constituted by a home or business gateway.

13. The controlled-entity device according to claim 7, wherein the device is constituted by a voice gateway of a network operator.

14. A “

controller”

device situated in an IP network and comprising;

means for intercepting a request sent or relayed by a “

controlled-entity”

device or sent to a “

controlled-entity”

device; and

means for then sending a set of control signals to said controlled-entity, the signal containing a transport plane resource identifier representative of said IP network or of some other physical or virtual network that the controlled-entity may or must use in order to satisfy said request.

15. The controller device according to claim 14, wherein the device further includes means for determining whether said request should be satisfied or rejected on the basis of a session control signal received from said controlled-entity and containing a resource identifier representative of the network resource actually selected by the controlled-entity.

16. The controller device according to claim 14, wherein the device further includes means for taking account of information that the controlled-entity possesses means necessary for interpreting the resource identifiers in terms of physical or virtual networks.

17. The controller device according to claim 14, wherein the device is constituted by an application server.

18. The controller device according to claim 14, wherein the IP network has IMS type infrastructure, and said controller device is constituted by an S-CSCF or I/S-CSCF type call server.

19. Permanent or partially or completely removable, non-transmissive data storage medium including computer program code instructions for executing steps of a network resource selection method in which a “

controlled-entity”

device connected to an IP network may also access in the transport plane at least one other physical and/or virtual telecommunications network, the method comprising;

a step in which a request is sent or relayed by said controlled-entity in said IP network or is sent to said controlled-entity; and

a step of the controlled-entity then receiving via the IP network a session control signal containing a resource identifier representative of the IP network or of said other physical or virtual network that the controlled-entity may or must use in order to satisfy said request.

20. (canceled)

21. Permanent or partially or completely removable, non-transmissive data storage medium including computer program code instructions for executing steps of a method of selecting a network resource, the method comprising:

a step of a “

controller”

device intercepting in an IP network a request sent or relayed by a “

controlled-entity”

device or sent to a “

controlled-entity”

device; and

a step of said controller device then sending to the controlled-entity a session control signal containing a transport plane resource identifier representative of said IP network or of some other physical or virtual network that the controlled-entity may or must use in order to satisfy said request.