System and method for pushing content to a terminal utilizing a network-initiated data service technique

• US 8,085,746 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2010
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à.r.l. (f/k/a Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.) (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Inventors: Kiss, Krisztian, Asthana, Sarvesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Brandt, Christopher M
• Application Number:
  US12/707,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20100211660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/338, 709/221, 709/228, 455/435.1
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/65 Telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/106 across networks, e.g. mapping telephone numbers to data network addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2564 for a higher-layer protocol, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2578 without involvement of the NAT server
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1045 Proxies, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/005 Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A system is provided for pushing content to a terminal located within a mobile network or a private network. The system includes a network node, such as a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) proxy, located across a public network from the network including the terminal. The network node is capable of subscribing to a push service on behalf of the terminal such that the network node is also capable of receiving push content in accordance with the push service. Thereafter, the network node is capable of establishing a network-initiated data session with the terminal. In response to the network-initiated data session, the network node is further capable of registering the terminal such that the terminal is capable of receiving the push content based upon the registration.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating a request for a subscription to a push service over a first network on behalf of a terminal in a second network to obtain push content;

initiating establishment of a data session with the terminal via a network address translator or a firewall in response to receiving the request;

registering a network address assigned to the terminal associated with the first network in accordance with establishment of the data session;

causing, at least in part, transmission of the push content over the first network and via the network address translator or the firewall to the terminal;

causing, at least in part, transmission of a trigger to the terminal over a communication channel independent of the network address translator or the firewall, in response to receiving subsequent push content in accordance with the push service;

re-registering the terminal after the transmission of the trigger; and

causing, at least in part, transmission of the subsequent push content over the first network and via the network address translator or the firewall to the terminal based upon the re-registration.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of removal of the terminal from a translation table of the network address translator or the firewall, removal of the terminal from the registration, de-registration initiated by the terminal, and entry by the terminal into an idle mode, occurs prior to the re-registration.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

causing, at least in part, transmission of subsequent push content through the network address translator or the firewall to the terminal based upon direct subscription to the push service by the terminal, the direct subscription occurring after the re-registration.

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

causing, at least in part, reception of the push content from the push service, before or after registering the network address assigned to the terminal.

5. A method according to claim 3, further comprising:

causing, at least in part, reception of the subsequent push content from the push service, before re-registering the terminal.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the push service is originated from the first network or a third network connected to the first network via another network address translator or another firewall.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the trigger includes a short messaging service, enhanced messaging service, multimedia messaging service, or wireless application protocol-push message.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the trigger includes a globally unique identifier of the terminal.

9. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

generate a request for a subscription to a push service over a first network on behalf of a terminal in a second network to obtain push content,

initiate establishment of a data session with the terminal via a network address translator or a firewall in response to receiving the request,

register a network address assigned to the terminal associated with the first network in accordance with establishment of the data session,

transmit the push content over the first network and via the network address translator or the firewall to the terminal,

transmit a trigger to the terminal over a communication channel independent of the network address translator or the firewall, in response to receiving subsequent push content in accordance with the push service,

re-register the terminal after the transmission of the trigger, and

transmit the subsequent push content over the first network and via the network address translator or the firewall to the terminal based upon the re-registration.

10. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein at least one of removal of the terminal from a translation table of the network address translator or the firewall, removal of the terminal from the registration, de-registration initiated by the terminal, and entry by the terminal into an idle mode, occurs prior to the re-registration.

11. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

transmit subsequent push content through the network address translator or the firewall to the terminal based upon direct subscription to the push service by the terminal, the direct subscription occurring after the re-registration.

12. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

receive the push content from the push service, before or after registering the network address assigned to the terminal.

13. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

receive the subsequent push content from the push service, before re-registering the terminal.

14. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus comprises a session initiation protocol (SIP) proxy, the first network is a public network, and the second network is a private network.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform the following steps:

generating a request for a subscription to a push service over a first network on behalf of a terminal in a second network to obtain push content;

initiating establishment of a data session with the terminal via a network address translator or a firewall in response to receiving the request;

registering a network address assigned to the terminal associated with the first network in accordance with establishment of the data session;

transmitting the push content over the first network and via the network address translator or the firewall to the terminal;

transmitting a trigger to the terminal over a communication channel independent of the network address translator or the firewall, in response to receiving subsequent push content in accordance with the push service;

re-registering the terminal after the transmission of the trigger; and

transmitting the subsequent push content over the first network and via the network address translator or the firewall to the terminal based upon the re-registration.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein at least one of removal of the terminal from a translation table of the network address translator or the firewall, removal of the terminal from the registration, de-registration initiated by the terminal, and entry by the terminal into an idle mode, occurs prior to the re-registration.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is caused to further perform:

transmitting subsequent push content through the network address translator or the firewall to the terminal based upon direct subscription to the push service by the terminal, the direct subscription occurring after the re-registration.