Method, Computer-Readable Medium, and Apparatus for Providing Different Services to Different Users of an Aggregate Endpoint in an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) Network

• US 20130148652A1
• Filed: 02/08/2013
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Siegel, Steven Alan, Johnson, Leticia, Lambros, Nancy, Parlamas, Stephanie
• Granted Patent: US 9,030,956 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 65/1053 IP private branch exchange [PBX] functionality entities or arrangements circuit switched PBXs H04M3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0093 signalling arrangements in networks

Abstract

Different services are provided to different users or groups of users of an aggregate endpoint in an internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) network. The different users or groups of users are differentiated based on service profiles designated by different PUIDs for the different users or groups of users of each of the users or groups of users. Different services for transmission and/or receipt of packets for the different users or groups of users of the aggregate endpoint are provided, depending upon the differentiation between the different users or groups of users.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

differentiating, by a call session server within an internet protocol multimedia subsystem network, between different users of an aggregate endpoint based on an identifier for each of the users, wherein the identifier is associated with a priority value assigned to each device associated with each of the users and indicates a service profile including contact information, device address, and device capabilities for each device associated with each of the users;

obtaining, by the call session server, the indicated service profile from a home subscriber server, the service profile further including filter criteria designating conditions under which particular application servers should be involved in transmission and/or receipt of packets for each of the users;

determining, by the call session server, different services to provide for the different users of the aggregate endpoint depending upon the differentiating between the different users based on the identifier and the indicated service profile; and

determining, by the call session server, routing for transmission and/or receipt of packets for the different users depending upon the differentiating between the different users based on the identifier, the indicated service profile, and the associated priority value, including evaluating the conditions designated by the filter criteria included in the indicated service profile and, based on the evaluating, sending a session initiation protocol message to a particular application server and instructing the particular application server to return the session initiation protocol message when the particular application server finishes processing the session initiation protocol message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier upon which the differentiating between different users is based is included in a packet header.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein services are provided on a per-user basis.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein for a message originating at the aggregate endpoint, the identifier is placed into the packet header by the aggregate endpoint.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein for a message originating at the aggregate endpoint, the identifier is placed into the packet header by an entry point into the network

6. The method of claim 2, wherein for a message originating at the aggregate endpoint, the identifier is placed into the packet header by an application server.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein for a message terminating at the aggregate endpoint, the identifier is included in the packet header at an application server.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

differentiating between different users of an aggregate endpoint based on an identifier for each of the users, wherein the identifier is associated with a priority value assigned to each device associated with each of the users and indicates a service profile including contact information, device address, and device capabilities for each device associated with each of the users, the indicated service profile being obtained by a call session server from a home subscriber server within an internet protocol multimedia subsystem network, and the indicated service profile further including filter criteria designating conditions under which particular application servers should be involved in transmission and/or receipt of packets for each of the users;

determining different services to provide for the different users of the aggregate endpoint depending upon the differentiating between the different users based on the identifier and the indicated service profile; and

determining routing for transmission and/or receipt of packets for the different users depending upon the differentiating between the different users based on the identifier, the indicated service profile, and the associated priority value, including evaluating the conditions designated by the filter criteria included in the indicated service profile and, based on the evaluating, sending a session initiation protocol message to a particular application server and instructing the particular application server to return the session initiation protocol message when the particular application server finishes processing the session initiation protocol message.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the identifier upon which differentiating between different users is based is included in a packet header.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein services are provided on a per-user basis.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein for a message originating at the aggregate endpoint, the identifier is placed into the packet header by the aggregate endpoint.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein for a message originating at the aggregate endpoint, the identifier is placed into the packet header by an entry point into the network.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein for a message originating at the aggregate endpoint, the identifier is placed into the packet header by an application server.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein for a message terminating at the aggregate endpoint, the identifier is included in the packet header at an application server.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory having stored therein computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

differentiating between different users of an aggregate endpoint based on an identifier for each of the users, wherein the identifier is associated with a priority value assigned to each device associated with each of the users and indicates a service profile including contact information, device address, and device capabilities for each device associated with each of the users, the indicated service profile being obtained by a call session server from a home subscriber server within an internet protocol multimedia subsystem network, and the indicated service profile further including filter criteria designating conditions under which particular application servers should be involved in transmission and/or receipt of packets for each of the users;

determining different services to provide for the different users of the aggregate endpoint depending upon the differentiation between the different users based on the identifier; and

determining routing for transmission and/or receipt of packets for the different users depending upon the differentiation between the different users based on the identifier, the indicated service profile, and the associated priority value, including evaluating the conditions designated by the filter criteria included in the indicated service profile and, based on the evaluating, sending a session initiation protocol message to a particular application server and instructing the particular application server to return the session initiation protocol message when the particular application server finishes processing the session initiation protocol message.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the identifier upon which differentiation between different users is based is included in a packet header.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein for a message originating at the aggregate endpoint, the identifier is placed into the packet header by the aggregate endpoint.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein for a message originating at the aggregate endpoint, the identifier is placed into the packet header by an entry point into the network.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein for a message originating at the aggregate endpoint, the identifier is placed into the packet header by an application server.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein for a message terminating at the aggregate endpoint, the identifier is included in the packet header at an application server.