Exchange and use of globally unique device identifiers for circuit-switched and packet switched integration

• US 8,401,002 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2005
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Allen, Andrew, Buckley, Adrian
• Primary Examiner(s): Pan, Yuwen
• Assistant Examiner(s): GAY, SONIA L
• Application Number:
  US11/158,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20070002831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,827 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/389, 370/465, 370/521, 370/338, 370/328, 455/414.1, 455/426.1, 455/466, 455/415, 455/410, 455/406, 455/435.1
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/39 Globally routable user-agent uniform resource identifier [GRUU] for the session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0846 based on copy from other elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0048 where the text-based messaging service is a Short Message Service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0075 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

According to one aspect, a system and method of exchanging GRUUs (Globally Routed User Agent URI (Uniform Resource Identifier)) between a first telephony-enabled device and a second telephony enabled device using a circuit-switched message is provided. Once exchanged, the telephony enabled devices can exchange SIP (session initiated protocol) communications routed by the GRUUs. Any one of the telephony-enabled devices can add a media component to the SIP communications. According to another aspect, a system and method of generating GRUUs is provided. According to another aspect, a system and method of handing off communications to a packet switched network from a circuit switched network is provided.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining a globally unique device identifier [GUDI] for a device, the method comprising:

generating an instance identifier [ID] using an International Mobile Equipment Identity [IMEI] that uniquely identifies the device, the instance ID having a form of a uniform resource name [URN];

sending the instance ID generated in a session initiation protocol [SIP] register request to a SIP registrar; and

receiving in a SIP 200 OK response a GUDI, the GUDI being in a form of a SIP uniform resources identifier [URI], including at least a user identity, a domain name, and a value in the form of a URN generated from a transformation using at least a portion of the IMEI.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein sending the instance ID generated in the SIP register request comprises sending the instance ID as a Contact header field parameter of the SIP register request.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the GUDI is a GRUU (Globally Routable User Agent URI (Uniform Resource Identifier)).

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the device is a wireless device.

5. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon for execution on a processor of a device so to obtain a globally unique device identifier [GUDI] by:

generating an instance identifier [ID] using an International Mobile Equipment Identity [IMEI] that uniquely identifies the device, the instance ID having a form of a uniform resource name [URN];

sending the instance ID generated in a session initiation protocol [SIP] register request to a SIP registrar; and

receiving in a SIP 200 OK response a GUDI, the GUDI being in a form of a SIP uniform resources identifier [URI], including at least a user identity, a domain name, and a value in the form of a URN generated from a transformation using at least a portion of the IMEI.

6. A device configured to obtain a globally unique device identifier [GUDI], the device comprising:

a processor; and

a GUDI obtaining function configured to;

generate an instance identifier [ID] using an International Mobile Equipment Identity [IMEI] that uniquely identifies the device, the instance ID having a form of a uniform resource name [URN];

send the instance ID generated in a session initiation protocol [SIP] register request to a SIP registrar; and

receive in a SIP 200 OK response a GUDI, the GUDI being in a form of a SIP uniform resource identifier [URI], including at least a user identity, a domain name, and a value in the form of a URN generated from a transformation using at least a portion of the IMEI.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the GUDI obtaining function is configured to send the instance ID generated as a Contact header field parameter of the SIP register request.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein the GUDI is a GRUU (Globally Routable User Agent URI (Uniform Resource Identifier)).

9. The device of claim 6 wherein the device is a wireless device.

10. A method for generating a globally unique device identifier [GUDI] for a device, the method comprising:

receiving, by a session initiation protocol [SIP] registrar, a SIP register request comprising an instance identifier [ID] generated using an International Mobile Equipment Identity [IMEI] that uniquely identifies the device, the instance ID having a form of a uniform resource name [URN];

generating a GUDI based on the instance ID received, the GUDI being in a form of a SIP uniform resources identifier [URI], including at least a user identity, a domain name, and a value in the form of a URN generated from a transformation using at least a portion of the IMEI; and

sending, in a SIP 200 OK response, the GUDI generated to the device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein receiving the instance ID comprises receiving the instance ID as a Contact header field parameter of the SIP register request.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the GUDI is a GRUU (Globally Routable User Agent URI (Uniform Resource Identifier)).

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the device is a wireless device.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon for execution on a processor of a packet-switched network element so as to generate a globally unique device identifier [GUDI] for a device by:

receiving, by a session initiation protocol [SIP] registrar, a SIP register request comprising an instance identifier [ID] generated using an International Mobile Equipment Identity [IMEI] that uniquely identifies the device, the instance ID having a form of a uniform resource name [URN];

generating a GUDI based on the instance ID received, the GUDI being in a form of a SIP uniform resources identifier [URI], including at least a user identity, a domain name, and a value in the form of a URN generated from a transformation using at least a portion of the IMEI; and

sending, in a SIP 200 OK response, the GUDI generated to the device.

15. A session initiation protocol [SIP] registrar configured to generate a globally unique device identifier [GUDI] for a device, the SIP registrar comprising:

a processor; and

a GUDI generation function configured to;

receive a SIP register request comprising an instance identifier [ID] generated using an International Mobile Equipment Identity [IMEI] that uniquely identifies the device, the instance ID having a form of a uniform resource name [URN];

generate a GUDI based on the instance ID received, the GUDI being in a form of a SIP uniform resources identifier [URI], including at least a user identity, a domain name, and a value in the form of a URN generated from a transformation using at least a portion of the IMEI; and

send, in a SIP 200 OK response, the GUDI generated to the device.

16. The SIP registrar of claim 15 wherein the GUDI generation function is configured to receive the instance ID as a Contact header field parameter of the SIP register request.

17. The packet-switched network element of claim 15 wherein the GUDI is a GRUU (Globally Routable User Agent URI (Uniform Resource Identifier)).