NAI (Network Access Identifier) embedding

• US 8,060,612 B1
• Filed: 04/12/2007
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• 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: Breau, Jeremy R., Rogers, Frederick C., Mangal, Manish
• Primary Examiner(s): Mesfin; Yemane
• Application Number:
  US11/734,570
• Time in Patent Office: 1,678 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/226, 709/229, 370/328, 370/400, 455/432.3, 455/433
• 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 embedding multiple network-access identifiers (NAIs) into a single string are provided. An illustrative embodiment includes providing a multiple-string-format (MSF) indicator that indicates that an instant string a includes data that, when ultimately deconstructed, indicate multiple Network Access Identifiers (NAIs), providing two or more usernames and realm identifiers separated by one or more delimiters that indicate the start of a new user name or realm identifier, providing a domain delimiter that indicates a start of a domain name, providing a domain name, concatenating into a single string various indicators, and providing for the communication of the single string to a receiving device for processing.

Claims

1. One or more non-transitory computer-storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method of embedding multiple network-access identifiers (NAIs) into a single string for servicing a service request from a mobile device that is normally associated with a first domain, the method comprising:

receiving a request, at a second domain, from the mobile device to establish data connectivity with an IMS (Internet protocol multimedia subsystem) network associated with the second domain;

receiving a multiple-string format indicator, at the second domain, that indicates that a string includes data that, when ultimately deconstructed, indicate multiple NAIs (network-access identifiers);

receiving the string that includes multiple embedded NAIs in a multiple-string format, the multiple-string format including a username and at least one domain identifier separated by one or more delimiters;

parsing the string to identify the multiple embedded NAIs;

identifying at least one of the multiple embedded NAIs as being associated with the second domain;

discovering an S-CSCF (serving call session control function) in the IMS network associated with the second domain; and

registering the mobile device with a subscriber server associated with the second domain, the subscriber server including a profile that indicates a set of services available to the device from the second domain.

2. The media of claim 1, wherein the string includes:

a multiple-string format (MSF) indicator that indicates that an instant string includes data that, when ultimately deconstructed, indicate multiple NAIs;

the username;

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

a first domain indicator associated with the username;

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

a second domain indicator that is associated with the username.

3. The media of claim 2, further comprising:

constructing a first embedded NAI by concatenating the username, a chosen delimiter, and one of the first and second domain indicators.

4. The media of claim 1, wherein receiving the request, at the second domain, from the mobile device further comprises:

dynamically assigning the S-CSCF associated with the second domain to receive service requests from the mobile device in the IMS network; and

receiving the requests by way of the dynamically assigned S-CSCF.

5. The media of claim 4, further comprising:

servicing the request by utilizing at least the dynamically assigned S-CSCF.

6. The media of claim 5, wherein servicing the request further comprises:

determining that the request cannot be serviced by the dynamically assigned S-CSCF;

identifying a second S-CSCF is capable of servicing the request; and

directing the request to the second S-CSCF.

7. The media of claim 1, wherein discovering the S-CSCF comprises:

receiving a request for an IP address of the S-CSCF at a domain name server (DNS) in one of an unqualified domain name format or a fully qualified domain name format, wherein the unqualified domain name format does not include an express indication of a certain domain and the fully qualified domain name format does include an express indication of a certain domain; and

providing an IP address of a local S-CSCF.

8. The media of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically registering the mobile device with one or more second subscriber servers associated with one or more of the first domain and one or more third domains such that at least a portion of the services that are available to users that are properly registered with the first or third domains are available to the mobile device.

9. The media of claim 8, further comprising:

registering the mobile device by using the information contained in the profile included on the subscriber server.

10. The media of claim 8, further comprising:

registering the mobile device by using one or more of the multiple embedded NAIs.

11. The media of claim 8, wherein the S-CSCF of the second domain controls the services provided by the first domain and the one or more third domains.

12. The media of claim 11, wherein the services provided by the second domain, first domain, and one or more third domains are simultaneously reachable.

13. The media of claim 8, wherein one or more of the third domains includes a cable network configured to communicate television programming.

14. The media of claim 1, wherein the first domain facilitates mobile wireless communications.

15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method of embedding multiple network-access identifiers (NAIs) into a single string for sharing data across networks in different domains, the method comprising:

receiving a request for services of a cable-television-services domain from a requesting mobile device by way of a first IMS (IP multimedia subsystem) network environment in a first domain;

receiving an indication, at the cable-television-services domain, that a string includes data that indicates multiple NAIs (network-access identifiers);

receiving the string that includes multiple embedded NAIs in a multiple-string format, the multiple-string format including a multiple-string format indicator, a username, and at least one domain identifier separated by one or more delimiters, wherein the first domain is a wireless-communications-services domain;

parsing the string to identify the multiple embedded NAIs;

identifying at least one of the multiple embedded NAIs as being associated with the cable-television-services domain;

discovering an S-CSCF (serving call session control function) in the IMS network associated with the cable-television-services domain; and

registering the mobile device with the S-CSCF associated with the cable-television-services domain, the S-CSCF including an associated subscriber server that includes a profile that indicates a set of services available to the device from the cable-television-services domain;

determining that the request requires one or more services in the set of services available from the cable-television-services domain;

retrieving data associated with the one or more services from the cable-television-services domain;

communicating the retrieved data to the mobile device by way of a session in the first IMS network environment;

determining that the mobile device has moved from the first IMS network environment to a third network; and

communicating the retrieved information by way of the third network to the requesting device.

16. The media of claim 15, wherein the session is switched from the first network to the third network during an idle state.

17. The media of claim 15, wherein the request is for television-type programming to be delivered to the mobile device.

18. The media of claim 15, wherein the first network is a foreign network to the mobile device.