Methods, systems, and computer program products for clustering and communicating between internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) entities and for supporting database access in an IMS network environment

• US 9,059,948 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2011
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tekelec, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Tekelec, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Schaedler, Richard E., Wallace, Robert L., Tejani, Aziz A., Bonds, Thomas L. Jr., Marsico, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Jungwon
• Application Number:
  US13/192,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20110282904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 709/245, 709/227, 370/356, 713/150, 713/510, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/466, 455/11.1, 455/432.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2539 Hiding addresses; Keeping addresses anonymous
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4523 using lightweight directory access protocol [LDAP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4552 Lookup mechanisms between a plurality of directories; Synchronisation of directories, e.g. metadirectories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4588 containing mobile subscriber information, e.g. home subscriber server [HSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/10 adapted for application session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for clustering and communicating between Internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) entities and for supporting database access in an IMS network environment. According to one aspect, an IMS cluster node includes a serving call state control function (S-CSCF) for controlling media sessions between IMS users. The cluster node further includes a home subscriber service (HSS) function for storing and providing IMS subscription information to the S-CSCF function. A shared memory is operatively associated with the S-CSCF function and the HSS function. The S-CSCF function obtains IMS subscription information from the HSS function via the shared memory.

Claims

1. An abstracted profile server (APS) for supporting database access in Internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) network environment, the APS comprising:

a first hardware interface gathering subscriber profile information from at least one subscriber information database using a native protocol of the subscriber information database, wherein the native protocol includes at least one of RADIUS, DIAMETER, MAP, and LDAP;

an APS module for receiving a query for subscriber profile information, generating a reply message containing subscriber profile information gathered from the at least one subscriber information database, and forwarding the reply message to the source of the query for subscriber profile information,

wherein the APS is adapted to communicate with a serving call session control function (S-CSCF) for the query and reply use an abstracted profile protocol that is different from the native protocol of the at least one subscriber information database; and

wherein the query originates from the serving call session control function (S-CSCF) and wherein the APS is separate from the S-CSCF.

2. The APS of claim 1 wherein the APS is configured to gather the subscriber profile information in response to receiving the query for subscriber profile information.

3. The APS of claim 1 wherein the APS is configured to gather the subscriber profile information by caching subscriber profile data from previous database or application entity queries.

4. The APS of claim 1 wherein the native protocol of the subscriber information database comprises DIAMETER.

5. The APS of claim 4 wherein the subscriber information database comprises a home subscriber server (HSS).

6. The APS of claim 1 wherein the APS is configured to receive the query for subscriber profile information from an IMS network entity.

7. A method for supporting database access in an Internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) network environment, the method comprising:

at an abstract profile server (APS);

gathering subscriber profile information from at least one subscriber information database using a native protocol of the subscriber information database, wherein the native protocol includes at least one of RADIUS, DIAMETER, MAP, and LDAP;

receiving a query for subscriber profile information, generating a reply message containing subscriber profile information gathered from the at least one subscriber information database, and forwarding the reply message to the source of the query for subscriber profile information,

wherein the APS is adapted to communicate with a serving call session control function (S-CSCF) for the query and reply use an abstracted profile protocol that is different from the native protocol of the at least one subscriber information database; and

wherein the query originates from the serving call session control function (S-CSCF) and wherein the APS is separate from the S-CSCF.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the APS is configured to gather the subscriber information in response to receiving the query for subscriber profile information.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the APS is configured to gather the subscriber profile information by caching subscriber profile data from previous database or application entity queries.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the native protocol of the subscriber information database comprises DIAMETER.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the subscriber information database comprises a home subscriber server (HSS).

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the APS is configured to receive the query for subscriber profile information from an IMS network entity.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a computer program comprising computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

gathering subscriber profile information from at least one subscriber information database using a native protocol of the subscriber information database, wherein the native protocol includes at least one of RADIUS, DIAMETER, MAP, and LDAP;

receiving a query for subscriber profile information, generating a reply message containing subscriber profile information gathered from the at least one subscriber information database, and forwarding the reply message to the source of the query for subscriber profile information,

wherein an abstract profile server (APS) is adapted to communicate with a serving call session control function (S-CSCF) for the query and reply use an abstracted profile protocol that is different from the native protocol of the at least one subscriber information database; and

wherein the query originates from the serving call session control function (S-CSCF) and wherein the APS is separate from the S-CSCF.