Method and apparatus for registration of a user as a subscriber in a communication network

• US 7,792,974 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2001
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2001
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Honeisen, Bernhard, Westman, Ilkka
• Primary Examiner(s): Pwu; Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sciacca; Scott M
• Application Number:
  US10/473,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20040122934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,343 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455410-411, 455/415, 455417-420, 455/433, 455/435, 455/461, 455/466, 709220-222, 709227-229, 709230-232, 709236-237
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/147 Signalling methods or messages providing extensions to protocols defined by standardisation
• 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 60/005 Multiple registrations, e.g. multihoming

Abstract

A method and apparatus for registering a user as a subscriber in a communication network. The method includes transmitting a registration message which defines an identity of the user to the communication network. The method also includes providing in the registration message a header field for defining at least one other identity of the user as a subscriber. The method also includes performing a one-by-one registration based on an identity information stored at a terminal device, whereby the identity information defines at least one other identity of the user as a subscriber. Thus, the user or subscriber can register some or all of his public identities at once with one registration procedure, allowing the user to utilize his identities by grouping public identities under user profiles or under private identities, while preventing unwanted calls.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating a session initiation protocol registration message defining a plurality of user identities of a user, the session initiation protocol registration message transmitted to an Internet Protocol multimedia service network, the session initiation protocol registration message comprising;

a To header used to define a first user identity,

a From message used to define a second user identity, and

a third dedicated header field used to define at least a third user identity, the first user identity, the second user identity, and at least the third user identity corresponding to the plurality of user identities; and

transmitting the session initiation protocol registration message.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

returning a list of registered identities of said subscriber from said communication network in a corresponding header field of a response message.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said returning comprises returning said list in said corresponding header field of said response message comprising a session initiation protocol 200 OK message.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

adding a direction information to said session initiation protocol registration message for conveying at least one registration direction for which at least the third user identity is valid.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said adding comprises adding said direction information comprising incoming calls, outgoing calls or both.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein said adding comprises determining said direction information by a parameter, a header or a flag of said registration message.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said session initiation protocol registration message comprises an instruction that all valid identities of said user should be activated at the same time.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said transmitting said session initiation protocol registration message further comprises storing said instruction in a header field of said session initiation protocol registration message.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein said transmitting said session initiation protocol registration message further comprises determining said instruction by a flag, a mark, or a note in said session initiation protocol registration message.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting comprises storing said at least the third user identity in a subscriber database.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

dividing said subscriber database into a plurality of subdatabases,

wherein at least one of said plurality of subdatabases can be edited by said subscriber, and at least one of said plurality of subdatabases can be edited by an operator only.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein said storing comprises editing a predetermined part of said subscriber database by said subscriber, and editing another predetermined part of said subscriber database by an operator only.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

editing by said subscriber a temporal copy of a subscriber'"'"'s entry in said subscriber database;

checking a validity and a correctness of said editing; and

replacing said subscriber'"'"'s entry when no errors are found in said temporal copy of subscriber'"'"'s entry.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting said session initiation protocol registration message defining said identity comprising a private identity of said user configured in a “

From”

header field of said session initiation protocol registration message, and said identity comprising valid public identity of said user configured in a “

To”

header field of said session initiation protocol registration message.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

defining an identity profile from the first user identity, the second user identity, and at least the third user identity corresponding to the plurality of user identities, the identity profile comprising a predetermined set of identities.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

storing a list of identity profiles in a subscriber identity module.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

attaching attributes for modifying said list of identity profiles to each said identity profile.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein said defining comprises defining said identity profile comprising a predetermined set of public identities and defining said identity profile by a private identity.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting comprises inserting at least the third user identity into said registration message at a terminal device of said user.

20. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

registering an unregistered one of the first user identity, the second user identity, and at least the third user identity corresponding to the plurality of user identities by a network element when a call is initiated by said user using said unregistered identity.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein said registering comprises transmitting said unregistered identity to said network element in a “

From”

header field of a session initiation protocol invite message.

22. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing a limiting information in a subscriber database, said limiting information comprising limiting factors for limiting registration choices of said user.

23. A method, comprising:

transmitting a session initiation protocol registration message defining a plurality of user identities of a user, the session initiation protocol registration message transmitted to an Internet Protocol multimedia service, the session initiation protocol registration message comprising;

a To header used to define a first user identity,

a From message used to define a second user identity, and

a third dedicated header field used to define at least a third user identity, the first user identity, the second user identity, and at least the third user identity corresponding to the plurality of user identities; and

registering at least one of the first user identity, the second user identity, and at least the third user identity of said user, stored in a subscriber database, by a default setting.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein said registering comprises registering at least the third user identity of a default set defined by said user.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein said registering further comprises registering at least the third user identity of said default set defined via a web page or a terminal menu.

26. The method according to claim 23, further comprising:

issuing a warning about calls to non-registered public identities to said user.

27. A system, comprising:

a terminal device configured to transmit a session initiation protocol registration message comprising a plurality of user identities of a user, the session initiation protocol registration message transmitted to an Internet Protocol multimedia service, the session initiation protocol registration message comprising;

a To header used to define a first user identity,

a From message used to define a second user identity, and

a third dedicated header field used to define at least a third user identity, the first user identity, the second user identity, and at least the third user identity corresponding to the plurality of user identities; and

a network element configured to detect at least the third user identity, and further configured to register at least the third user identity.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein said network element is a call state control function of said communication network.

29. An apparatus comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a session initiation protocol registration message comprising a plurality of user identities of a user, the session initiation protocol registration message transmitted to an Internet Protocol multimedia service, the session initiation protocol registration message comprising;

a To header used to define a first user identity,

a From message used to define a second user identity, and

a third dedicated header field used to define a third user identity, the first user identity, the second user identity, and at least the third user identity corresponding to the plurality of user identities;

a detector configured to detect said at least one of the plurality of user identities; and

a registration device configured to register at least the third user identity, wherein at least one of the transmitter, the detector, and the registration service are implemented on a processor of a user equipment.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the session initiation protocol registration message comprises direction information to convey at least one registration direction for which said at least one other identity is valid.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the session initiation protocol registration message comprises direction information comprising incoming calls, outgoing calls or both.

32. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the session initiation protocol registration message comprises direction information comprising a parameter, a header or a flag of the session initiation protocol registration message.

33. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the session initiation protocol registration message comprising an instruction that all valid identities of the user should be activated at the same time.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the transmitter is further configured to store said instruction in a header field of said session initiation protocol registration message.

35. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the transmitter is further configured to determine the instruction by a flag, a mark or a note in the session initiation protocol registration message.

36. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit said registration message defining said identity comprising a private identity of said user configured in a “

From”

header field of said session initiation protocol registration message, and said identity comprising valid public identity of said user configured in a “

To”

header field of said session initiation protocol registration message.

37. An apparatus comprising:

means for transmitting a session initiation protocol registration message comprising a plurality of user identities of a user, the session initiation protocol registration message transmitted to an Internet Protocol multimedia service, the session initiation protocol registration message comprising;

a To header used to define a first user identity,

a From message used to define a second user identity, and

a third dedicated header field used to define a third user identity, the first user identity, the second user identity, and at least the third user identity corresponding to the plurality of user identities;

means for detecting said at least one of the plurality of user identities; and

means for registering said at least one of the plurality of user identities, wherein at least one of the means for transmitting, the means for detecting, and the means for registering are implemented on a processor.