Provision of services in a communication system including an interworking mobile switching center

• US 6,954,654 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2001
• Issued: 10/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Ejzak, Richard Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bing Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/919,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20030027595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/404.2, 455/422.1, 455/432.1, 455/433, 455/560, 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356
• US Class Current: 455/560
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13039 Asymmetrical two-way transmission, e.g. ADSL, HDSL
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13248 Multimedia
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13348 Channel/line reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/10 adapted for application session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A communication system includes User Equipment (111), Radio Access Network (RAN) (121), a packet-switched domain (131), an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) (141), a circuit-switched domain (151), a Domain Name System (DNS) (165), a Charging Gateway Function (CGF) (134), an EIR (135), a Transport Signaling Gateway (T-SGW) (146), and a Roaming Signaling Gateway (R-SGW) (147). The CS domain (151) includes an interworking Mobile Switching Center (iMSC) (201). The iMSC (201) translates the CS domain registration, call control, feature control, and feature invocation procedures associated with the access technology to standard SIP procedures. The media gateway (MGW) (173) under the control of the iMSC (201) converts the air interface media flow into a packet stream that is managed by SIP procedures within the IMS (141). The iMSC (201) thereby allows for interworking between circuit-switched and packet-switched domains for provision of services to subscribers.

Claims

1. A method for registering a mobile unit with a communication system including a serving system, a home IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), a mobile switching center (MSC), and an interworking MSC (IMSC), the IMSC including at least one Media Gateway (MGW) that is controlled by the iMSC, the method comprising:

performing a location update procedure by the mobile unit;

processing by the serving system the registration by authenticating the mobile unit and informing the Home Subscriber Server (HSS) of the location of the current serving system;

determining if the serving system can process the mobile unit as an iMSC; and

if the serving system can process the mobile unit as an iMSC;

performing SIP registration procedures by the IMSC with the home IMS on behalf of the mobile unit;

delivering phone calls destined for the mobile unit to the serving system;

utilizing a Domain Name System (DNS) by the iMSC to determine if there is an I-CSCF address associated with the mobile unit;

sending a SIP registration message to the I-CSCF in the home IMS on behalf of the mobile unit;

communicating by the I-CSCF with the HSS to complete the IMS registration procedure; and

sending subscriber profile information to a Serving Call State Control Function (S-CSCF).

2. A method for registering a mobile unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the subscriber profile information includes information about features and services provisioned for the mobile unit.

3. A method for registering a mobile unit in accordance with claim 2, wherein the S-CSCF provides all features and services for registered mobile units.

4. A method for registering a mobile unit in accordance with claim 3, wherein the S-CSCF provides all features and services for registered mobile units directly.

5. A method for registering a mobile unit in accordance with claim 3 wherein the S-CSCF provides all features and services for registered mobile units indirectly.

6. A method for registering a mobile unit in accordance with claim 5, wherein the S-CSCF provides all features and services for registered mobile units indirectly comprises sending SIP signaling by the S-CSCF to an application server located in the communication system.

7. A method of registering a mobile unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the subscriber profile information includes information about supplementary services provisioned for the mobile unit.

8. A method of registering a mobile unit in accordance with claim 7, wherein the mobile unit can query for status information about supplementary services provisioned for the mobile unit.

9. A method of registering a mobile unit in accordance with claim 8, wherein the step of querying for status information comprises interworking standard air interface procedures with SIP.

10. A method of registering a mobile unit in accordance with claim 7, wherein the mobile unit can control the behavior of supplementary services provisioned for the mobile unit.

11. A method of registering a mobile unit in accordance with claim 10, wherein the step of controlling the behavior of supplementary services comprises interworking standard air interface procedures with SIP.