Extracting embedded NAIS (network access identifiers)

• US 7,933,994 B1
• Filed: 04/12/2007
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Mangal, Manish, Breau, Jeremy R., Rogers, Frederick C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin; Kenny S
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMARTH, GERALD A
• Application Number:
  US11/734,575
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 709/226
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1095 Inter-network session transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server

Abstract

Ways for extracting from a string multiple embedded network-access identifiers (NAIs) included within the string are described. One embodiment includes receiving the string that includes embedded-NAI information, and parsing the string to identify the multiple embedded NAIs. The string can include a username and information that indicates multiple realms (or domains) associated with the username.

Claims

1. One or more non-transitory computer-storage media having computer-useable instructions embodied thereon for performing a method of extracting from a string, multiple embedded network-access identifiers (NAIs) included within the string, the method comprising:

receiving from a mobile device an indication that a string includes information that describes multiple embedded NAIs;

receiving at a local internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) realm the string the string including at least a username followed by at least one local IMS realm associated with the username followed by a delimiter that is followed by a home realm associated with the username;

parsing the string to identify the multiple embedded NAIs, wherein the embedded NAIs are identified by concatenating the user name and the delimiter with each of the at least one local IMS realms and with the home realm to form multiple conventional NAIs;

determining to grant access to a local IMS realm of a communications network by utilizing at least a one of the multiple conventional NAIs, wherein the local IMS realm is not the home realm of the mobile device;

providing services of the local IMS realm to a mobile device when an embedded NAI of the multiple NAIs is associated with the local IMS realm,

wherein the services of the local IMS realm are provided by the systems of the local IMS realm and the local IMS realm is not a home realm of the mobile device.

2. The media of claim 1, wherein parsing the string includes receiving the string that includes;

the username;

a first realm delimiter that indicates a presence of a first realm associated with the first username;

a realm indicator associated with the username;

a second realm delimiter that indicates a presence of a second realm associated with the username; and

a second realm that is also associated with the username.

3. The media of claim 2, further comprising identifying the first realm by utilizing the first realm delimiter.

4. The media of claim 3, further comprising identifying the second realm by utilizing the second realm delimiter.

5. The media of claim 4, further comprising constructing a first conventional NAI from the username and from the first identified realm.

6. The media of claim 5, wherein the constructing includes concatenating the username and a chosen delimiter and the first identified realm.

7. The media of claim 6, wherein the chosen delimiter includes the “

@”

symbol.

8. The media of claim 5, further comprising constructing a second conventional NAI in a manner similar to that of the first NAI.

9. One or more non-transitory computer-storage media having computer-useable instructions embodied thereon for performing a method of extracting from a string, multiple embedded network-access identifiers (NAIs) included within the string, the method comprising:

receiving from a mobile device an indication that a string includes information that describes multiple embedded NAIs;

receiving the string, the string including at least a username followed by at least one foreign realm associated with the username followed by a delimiter that is followed by a home realm associated with the username;

determining the multiple NAIs from the information by concatenating the user name and the delimiter with each of the at least one foreign realms and with the home realm to form multiple conventional NAIs; and

determining to grant access to a foreign realm of a communications network by utilizing at least a one of the multiple conventional NAIs, wherein the foreign realm is not the home realm of the mobile device.

10. The media of claim 9, wherein the indication includes a multiple-string-format (MSF) indicator.

11. The media of claim 10, wherein the MSF indicator is part of the information.

12. One or more non-transitory computer-storage media having computer-useable instructions embodied thereon for performing a method of extracting from a string, multiple embedded network-access identifiers (NAIs) included within the string, the method comprising:

receiving from a mobile device an indication that a string includes information that describes multiple embedded NAIs;

receiving the string that includes embedded-NAI information, the embedded-NAI information including at least a username followed by at least one foreign realm associated with the username followed by a delimiter that is followed by a home realm associated with the username;

parsing the string to identify multiple embedded conventional NAIs by concatenating the user name and the delimiter with each of the at least one foreign realms and with the home realm to form multiple conventional NAIs; and

determining to grant access to a foreign internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) communications network by utilizing at least one of the embedded conventional NAIs, wherein determining includes comparing one or more of the embedded conventional NAIs against a set of authorized NAIs and, when one of the embedded conventional NAIs is an authorized NAI, permitting a device requesting access to the foreign IMS communications network to access the foreign IMS communications network,

wherein the foreign IMS communications network is not the home IMS communications network of the device.