Methods, systems, and computer program products for clustering and communicating between internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) entities

• US 8,015,293 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2005
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tekelec, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Telelec (Management Vhvd)
• Inventors: Marsico, Peter J., Bonds, Thomas L. Jr., Wallace, Robert L., Schaedler, Richard E., Tejani, Aziz A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang; Jungwon
• Application Number:
  US11/303,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20060136557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,090 Days
• Field of Search: 709/246, 709/206, 709/227, 709/238, 709/203, 709/328, 719/310, 370/338, 370/354, 370/254, 455/435.1, 455/453, 455/466, 455/419, 455/67.1, 707/1
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2539 Hiding addresses; Keeping addresses anonymous
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4523 using lightweight directory access protocol [LDAP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4552 Lookup mechanisms between a plurality of directories; Synchronisation of directories, e.g. metadirectories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4588 containing mobile subscriber information, e.g. home subscriber server [HSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• 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

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for clustering and communicating between Internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) entities are disclosed. According to one aspect, an IMS cluster node includes a serving call state control function (S-CSCF) for controlling media sessions between IMS users. The cluster node further includes a home subscriber service (HSS) function for storing and providing IMS subscription information to the S-CSCF function. A shared memory is operatively associated with the S-CSCF function and the HSS function. The S-CSCF function obtains IMS subscription information from the HSS function via the shared memory.

Claims

1. A system for implementing a plurality of Internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) functions, the system comprising:

an IMS node comprising a single hardware platform including;

(a) a first IMS module located in the IMS node for implementing a first IMS function associated with establishing and controlling communication sessions between IMS users;

(b) a second IMS module located in the IMS node for implementing a second IMS function, different from the first IMS function, associated with establishing and controlling communication sessions between IMS users, the second IMS module including a shared data store containing subscriber information that is directly accessible by an S-CSCF processor that implements the second IMS function; and

(c) a local bus internal to the IMS node for connecting the first and second IMS modules.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the second IMS module comprises a serving call state control function (S-CSCF) module including a home subscriber service (HSS) entity associated with shared data store.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the second IMS module comprises a serving call state control function (S-CSCF) module including an abstracted profile server (APS) module for retrieving information from a home subscriber service (HSS) node and storing the retrieved information in the shared data store.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first IMS module comprises an interrogating call state control function (I-CSCF) module and wherein the second IMS module comprises a serving call state control function (S-CSCF) module.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second IMS modules are identifiable by an internal address known only to entities within the IMS node.

6. The system of claim 1 comprising a network address translator (NAT) for mapping an internal address of at least one of the first and second IMS modules to an external address usable by an entity external to the IMS node.