Dynamically creating a globally unique identified of a subscriber device based on an identified of an aggregation device and identification information of the subscriber device for circuit-switched and packet-switched communication systems

• US 8,811,988 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2012
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Jones, Anthony Robert, Nielsen, Douglas Jon, Eminovic, Lejla, Quah, Elaine E E Lay
• Primary Examiner(s): Sarwar, Babar
• Application Number:
  US13/485,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20120236794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 455/435.1, 455/410, 455/466, 455/406, 455/414.1, 455/426, 455/415, 455/411, 455/420, 455/422.1, 455/436, 455/437, 455/438, 455/442, 455450-4521, 455/525, 455/552.1, 455/426.1, 370/352, 370/338, 370/328, 370/389, 370/465, 370/521
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/33 containing protocol addresses or telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/39 Globally routable user-agent uniform resource identifier [GRUU] for the session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/3015 Name registration, generation or assignment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

To register a mobile device located in a first network with a packet-switched services network, a registration request is received from an aggregation device in the first network. The registration request contains an identifier of the aggregation device and identification information of the mobile device, where the identification information is previously unknown to the packet-switched services network. A globally unique identifier of the mobile device is dynamically created based on the identifier of the aggregation device and the identification information of the mobile device, wherein the globally unique identifier is used for uniquely identifying the mobile device in the packet-switched services network.

Claims

1. A method of registering a mobile device located in a first network with a packet-switched services network, comprising:

receiving, from an aggregation device in the first network, a registration request containing a SIP address of record of the aggregation device and identification information created by the aggregation device on behalf of the mobile device, wherein the identification information comprises an identifier of the aggregation device and an identifier of the mobile device; and

dynamically creating a Globally Routable User Agent Uniform Resource Identifier (GRUU) used to uniquely identify the mobile device in the packet-switched services network, the GRUU being a combination of the SIP address of record of the aggregation device and the identification information created by the aggregation device on behalf of the mobile device;

wherein the mobile device is configured to access services of the packet-switched services network through the aggregation device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information created by the aggregation device on behalf of the mobile device is a SIP.INSTANCE parameter.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the SIP.INSTANCE parameter is a concatenation of a MAC address of the aggregation device, a mobile identity number of the mobile device, and an electronic serial number of the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving the SIP address of record of the aggregation device and the MAC address of the aggregation device in response to the aggregation device performing a registration procedure with the packet-switched services network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the GRUU is part of a registration procedure performed in the packet-switched services network initiated by the registration request.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein performing the registration procedure in the services network comprises performing the registration procedure in a Session Initiation Protocol (IP) network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information created by the aggregation device on behalf of the mobile device is previously unknown to the packet-switched services network.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the GRUU to an application server for storage at the application server to enable the application server to route calls directed to the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein sending the GRUU to the application server comprises sending the GRUU to a voice call continuity (VCC) application server.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving and dynamically creating are performed by a node in the packet-switched services network.

11. A node configured to operate in a packet-switched services network, comprising:

an interface configured to receive a registration request sent by an aggregation device associated with an enterprise network to register a mobile device in the packet-switched services network, the registration request containing a SIP address of record of the aggregation device and identification information created by the aggregation device on behalf of the mobile device, wherein the identification information comprises an identifier of the aggregation device and an identifier of the mobile device; and

a processor configured to dynamically create a Globally Routable User Agent Uniform Resource Identifier (GRUU) used to uniquely identify the mobile device in the packet-switched services network, the GRUU being a combination of the SIP address of record of the aggregation device and the identification information created by the aggregation device on behalf of the mobile device.

12. The node of claim 11 wherein the identification information created by the aggregation device on behalf of the mobile device is a SIP.INSTANCE parameter.

13. The node of claim 12, wherein the SIP.INSTANCE parameter is a concatenation of a MAC address of the aggregation device, a mobile identity number of the mobile device, and an electronic serial number of the mobile device.

14. The node of claim 13, wherein the interface is configured to receive the SIP address of record of the aggregation device and the MAC address of the aggregation device in response to the aggregation device performing a registration procedure with the packet-switched services network.

15. The node of claim 11, wherein the processor dynamically creates the GRUU as part of a registration procedure performed in the packet-switched services network initiated by the registration request.

16. The node of claim 11, wherein the identification information created by the aggregation device on behalf of the mobile device is previously unknown to the packet-switched services network.

17. The node of claim 11, wherein the processor is also configured to send the GRUU to an application server for storage at the application server to enable the application server to route calls directed to the mobile device.

18. The node of claim 17, wherein the application server is a voice call continuity (VCC) application server.

19. A method of registering a mobile device located in a first network with a packet-switched services network, comprising:

receiving, from an aggregation device in the first network, a registration request containing a SIP address of record of the aggregation device and identification information created by the aggregation device on behalf of the mobile device, wherein the identification information comprises a SIP.INSTANCE parameter, wherein the SIP.INSTANCE parameter comprises a concatenation of a MAC address of the aggregation device, a mobile identity number of the mobile device, and an electronic serial number of the mobile device; and

dynamically creating a Globally Routable User Agent Uniform Resource Identifier (GRUU) used to uniquely identify the mobile device in the packet-switched services network, the GRUU being a combination of the SIP address of record of the aggregation device and the identification information created by the aggregation device on behalf of the mobile device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising receiving the SIP address of record of the aggregation device and the MAC address of the aggregation device in response to the aggregation device performing a registration procedure with the packet-switched services network.

21. A node configured to operate in a packet-switched services network, comprising:

an interface configured to receive a registration request sent by an aggregation device associated with an enterprise network to register a mobile device in the packet-switched services network, the registration request containing a SIP address of record of the aggregation device and identification information created by the aggregation device on behalf of the mobile device, wherein the identification information comprises a SIP.INSTANCE parameter, wherein the SIP.INSTANCE parameter comprises a concatenation of a MAC address of the aggregation device, a mobile identity number of the mobile device, and an electronic serial number of the mobile device; and

a processor configured to dynamically create a Globally Routable User Agent Uniform Resource Identifier (GRUU) used to uniquely identify the mobile device in the packet-switched services network, the GRUU being a combination of the SIP address of record of the aggregation device and the identification information created by the aggregation device on behalf of the mobile device.

22. The node of claim 21, wherein the interface is configured to receive the SIP address of record of the aggregation device and the MAC address of the aggregation device in response to the aggregation device performing a registration procedure with the packet-switched services network.