Method, gateway and system for providing a push-to-x service to a user of a data terminal

• US 8,184,558 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2007
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Inventors: Rossotto, Mauro, Spelta, Stefano, Perrucci, Alessandro, Cena, Piero
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, ANDREW CHUNG CHEUNG
• Application Number:
  US12/451,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20100226286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,818 Days
• Field of Search: 370/259, 370/321, 370/328, 370/332, 370/352, 370/469
• US Class Current: 370/259
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5084 Providing for device mobility network addressing or numbering for mobility support in wireless networks H04W8/26; mobile IP H04W80/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4061 Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

A method of providing a push-to-x service to a user of a data terminal which is connected to a packet-switched network includes, at a gateway interfacing the packet-switched network and the framework supporting the push-to-x service: receiving from the data terminal a request for accessing the push-to-x service; checking a user class to which the user belongs; and, according to the user class, assigning a push-to-x identity to the user either by selecting the push-to-x identity from a set of predefined push-to-x identities, or by retrieving the push-to-x identity from a user profile table; and accessing the framework and the push-to-x service by using the push-to-x identity.

Claims

1. A method for providing a push-to-x service to a user of a data terminal communicating with a packet-switched network, the method comprising:

receiving, by a gateway connected to the packet-switched network, from the data terminal a request for accessing a push-to-x service provided by a push-to-x server;

checking, by the gateway, a user class to which the user belongs;

according to the user class, assigning, by the gateway, a push-to-x identity to the user by;

selecting the push-to-x identity from a set of predefined push-to-x identities, if the user belongs to a first user class;

or

retrieving the push-to-x identity from a user profile table, if the user belongs to a second user class; and

providing, by the gateway, the data terminal with access to the push-to-x service based on the push-to-x identity.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the checking of the user class to which to the user belongs further comprises storing the push-to-x identity for a session of the push-to-x service, when the gateway selects the push-to-x identify from the predefined push-to-x identities.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the checking of the user class to which to the user belongs further comprises retrieving from the user profile table, the push-to-x identity that has been previously selected by the gateway from the set of predefined push-to-x identities during a gateway registration operation performed by the user, when the gateway retrieves the push-to-x identity from the user profile table.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the checking of the user class to which to the user belongs further comprises retrieving from the user profile table the push-to-x identity that is provided by the user to the gateway during a gateway registration operation performed by the user, when the gateway retrieves the push-to-x identity from the user profile table, the push-to-x identity identifying a mobile phone configured to access the push-to-x service through a push-to-x client.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving of the request further comprises receiving a user identifier of the user.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving of the request further comprises receiving a streaming content format supported by the data terminal.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving of the request further comprises receiving a discrete content format supported by the data terminal.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising associating with the user a service event channel identifier identifying a service event channel to be used for exchanging at least one signalling message relating to the push-to-x service.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising associating with the user a media streaming channel identifier identifying a media streaming channel to be used for exchanging at least one streaming content during the push-to-x service.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting a notification message from the gateway to the data terminal for informing the user that the push-to-x service has been accessed.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting to the data terminal information indicative of at least one contact of the user, the information allowing the data terminal to display the at least one contact.

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

receiving from the push-to-x server a presence update information relating to a presence status of the at least one contact; and

updating the presence status of the at least one contact according to the presence update information.

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

receiving from the data terminal a request for modifying the at least one contact; and

modifying the at least one contact according to the request.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the packet-switched network supports a framework suitable for delivering multimedia services to a user of a mobile phone and for supporting the push-to-x service.

15. A gateway for interfacing a packet-switched network and a push-to-x server providing a push-to-x service, comprising:

a push-to-x service access application configured to receive a request for accessing the push-to-x service from a data terminal of a user when the data terminal is connected to the packet-switched network;

an authentication manager configured to check a user class to which the user belongs and, according to the user class, assigning a push-to-x identity to the user;

selecting the push-to-x identity from a set of predefined push-to-x identities, if the user belongs to a first user class;

or

retrieving the push-to-x identity from a user profile table, if the user belongs to a second user class; and

a signaling message interface configured to exchange with the push-to-x server at least one signaling message allowing the user to access the push-to-x service based on the push-to-x identity.

16. The gateway according to claim 15, wherein the authentication manager is further configured to store the push-to-x identity for a session of the push-to-x service, if the authentication manager selects the push-to-x identity from the predefined push-to-x identities.

17. The gateway according to claim 15, wherein the authentication manager is further configured to retrieve from the user profile table the push-to-x identity that has been previously selected by the gateway from the set of predefined push-to-x identities during a gateway registration operation performed by the user, if the authentication manager retrieves the push-to-x identity from the user profile table.

18. The gateway according to claim 15, wherein the authentication manager is further configured to retrieve from the user profile table the push-to-x identity that is provided by the user to the gateway during a gateway registration operation performed by the user, if the authentication manager retrieves the push-to-x identity from the user profile table, the push-to-x identity identifying a mobile phone configured to access the push-to-x service through a push-to-x client.

19. The gateway according to claim 15, further comprising a user contact list storing at least one contact associated with the user.

20. The gateway according to claim 19, further comprising a user contact list access application configured to be invoked by the data terminal to render a user interface at the data terminal, thereby allowing the user to visualize the least one contact.

21. The gateway according to claim 15, further comprising a user folder storing at least one content exchanged by the user during a push-to-x session.

22. The gateway according to claim 21, further comprising a user folder access application configured to be invoked by the data terminal to render a user interface at the data terminal allowing the user to visualize the at least one content.

23. The gateway according to claim 15, further comprising a push-to-x session set-up application configured to be invoked by the data terminal to render a user interface at the data terminal allowing the user to request a set-up of a push-to-x session.

24. The gateway according to claim 15, further comprising a service event channel configured to transmit to and receive from the data terminal, signaling messages relating to the push-to-x service.

25. The gateway according to claim 15, further comprising a media streaming channel configured to transmit to and receive from the data terminal a streaming content.

26. The gateway according to claim 15, wherein the packet-switched network supports a framework suitable for delivering multimedia services to a user of a mobile phone and for supporting the push-to-x service.

27. A telecommunication system comprising:

a packet-switched network;

a push-to-x server providing a push-to-x service;

a data terminal associated with a user and communicating with the packet-switched network; and

a gateway connected to the packet-switched network, the gateway comprising;

a push-to-x service access application configured to receive a request for accessing the push-to-x service from the data terminal through the packet-switched network;

an authentication manager configured to check a user class to which the user belongs and, according to the user class, assign a push-to-x identity to the user by;

selecting the push-to-x identity from a set of predefined push-to-x identities, if the user belongs to a first user class;

or

retrieving the push-to-x identity from a user profile table, if the user belongs to a second user class; and

a signaling message interface configured to exchange with the push-to-x server at least one signaling message allowing the user to access the push-to-x service based on the push-to-x identity.