Method for registration of a communication terminal with an IMS services network utilizing an SMS message sent to the communication terminal

• US 7,627,316 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2005
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Deutschland GmbH (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile Deutschland GmbH (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Blicker, Stephan
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): FARAGALLA, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US11/072,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20050202819A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,733 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/435.3, 455/466
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• 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 68/12 Inter-network notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for the registration of a communication terminal with a IMS services network via at least one communications network. According to the present invention, it is checked on the part of a network element of the IMS services network whether the communication terminal is currently IMS registered. If the communication terminal is not currently IMS registered, an IMS registration procedure is automatically initiated in the communication terminal by transmitting a Short Message SMS to the communication terminal, the Short Message containing an IMS registration request.

On receipt of the SMS the communication terminal automatically registers with the IMS.

Claims

1. Method for registration of a called communication terminal with a IMS services network via at least one communications network, the method comprising:

allowing a user of a communication terminal to pre-select whether the communication terminal is authorized to receive a forced IMS registration procedure;

in response to an IMS service request from a calling terminal, checking whether the called communication terminal is currently IMS registered on the part of a network element of the IMS services network, and if not IMS registered, whether the called communication terminal has been authorized for the forced IMS registration procedure, the calling terminal and the called communication terminal comprising user communication terminals; and

when the called communication terminal is not currently IMS registered, the network element automatically initiating a forced IMS registration procedure in the called communication terminal by transmitting a Short Message SMS to the called communication terminal, the Short Message containing an IMS registration request, wherein in response to the IMS registration request, the called communication terminal is automatically registered without user input.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the network element checks a Home Subscriber Server HSS whether the user of the called communication terminal has authorized the forced IMS registration procedure.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the network element sets up a specific SMS message for forced IMS registration and transmits it to a Short Message Service Center which transmits it to the called communication terminal to be registered.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein on receipt of the IMS registration SMS in the called communication terminal an IMS registration client is started, and the called communication terminal is automatically registered with the IMS services network.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the network element sends a message to the calling communication terminal that the called communication terminal is currently not IMS registered and that it has to wait for registration.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the network element provides a Call State Control Function CSCF.

7. System for registration of a called communication terminal with IMS services comprising:

a communications network;

an IMS services network connected via a data connection to the communications network, the IMS services network checking whether the called communication terminal is currently IMS registered in response to an IMS service request from a calling terminal, and if not IMS registered, whether the called communication terminal has been authorized for a forced TMS registration procedure, the calling terminal and the called communication terminal comprising user communication terminals;

a Call State Control Function CSCF as part of the IMS services network, wherein a user of a communication terminal is allowed to pre-select whether the communication terminal is authorized to receive the forced IMS registration procedure; and

a Short Message Service Center SMSC as part of the communications network, the SMSC is connected via a data connection to the Call State Control Function, wherein if when the called communication terminal is not currently IMS registered, the IMS services network automatically initiating a forced IMS registration procedure in the called communication terminal by causing the SMSC to transmit a Short Message SMS to the called communication terminal, the Short Message containing an IMS registration request, wherein in response to the IMS registration request, the called communication terminal is automatically registered without user input.

8. System according to claim 7, wherein the communications network comprises a mobile communications network.

9. System according to claim 7, wherein the communications network comprises a packet switched communications service.

10. System according to claim 7, wherein the communications network comprises a Short Message service.