Method of and a network server and mobile user equipment for providing chat/VoIP services in a mobile telecommunications network

• US 9,203,873 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2008
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: den Hartog, Jos
• Primary Examiner(s): O CONNOR, BRIAN T
• Application Number:
  US13/140,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20110261809A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,540 Days
• Field of Search: 370/265, 370352-356, 370/468
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

A method of and an application server (50) and user equipment (40) for providing at least one of chat and Voice over Internet Protocol, chat/VoIP, services to the mobile user equipment (40) in a mobile telecommunications network (30). The mobile user equipment (40) comprises a chat/VoIP client (41) for accessing a chat/VoIP service application (54) interfacing the mobile telecommunications network (30). The chat/VoIP service application (54) interfaces a plurality of proprietary chat/VoIP clients (51, 52, 53) for accessing a plurality of proprietary chat/VoIP communication environments (21, 22, 23) operated by a plurality of chat/VoIP service providers, for providing chat/VoIP services to the chat/VoIP client (41) of the mobile user equipment (40). The chat/VoIP client (41) and the chat/VoIP service application (54) may be arranged such that privileged use of the mobile telecommunications network (30) is enabled, providing a session (70; 71, 72, 73) between the user equipment (40) and a communication environment (21, 22, 23) with a predetermined or agreed Quality of Service.

Claims

1. A method implemented by an application server for providing at least one of chat and Voice over Internet Protocol (chat/VoIP) services to a mobile User Equipment (UE) in a mobile telecommunications network, wherein said mobile UE comprises a UE chat/VoIP client for accessing a chat/VoIP communication environment, and wherein the method comprises:

executing a chat/VoIP service application,

connecting said chat/VoIP service application to said UE chat/VoIP client via said mobile telecommunications network,

executing a plurality of application server chat/VoIP clients at the application server that are configured to access a plurality of different chat/VoIP communication environments operated by a plurality of different chat/VoIP service providers,

connecting said chat/VoIP service application to one or more of the plurality of application server chat/VoIP clients at the application server to thereby enable said UE chat/VoIP client to access different chat/VoIP communication environments via said UE chat/VoIP client,

wherein said executing comprises each application server chat/VoIP client emulating the UE chat/VoIP client over a link to a respective one of the chat/VoIP communication environments, when that environment is accessed.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, via said chat/VoIP service application and said application server chat/VoIP clients:

acting as a chat/VoIP client towards an accessed chat/VoIP communication environment, wherein said accessed chat/VoIP communication environment is proprietary or standardized, and

acting as a chat/VoIP communication environment towards said UE chat/VoIP client.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said acting as a chat/VoIP client and acting as a chat/VoIP communication environment comprise setting up and accepting chat/VoIP communication sessions that provide privileged use of the mobile telecommunications network.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein said connecting comprises connecting said chat/VoIP service application to said UE chat/VoIP client via privileged use of said mobile telecommunications network, said privileged use providing guaranteed quality of service for chat/VoIP communication over said mobile telecommunications network, and connecting said chat/VoIP service application to one or more of the plurality of application server chat/VoIP clients, to thereby enable the UE chat/VoIP client to access different chat/VoIP communication environments via said privileged use of the mobile telecommunications network.

5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising, via said application server chat/VoIP clients, providing protocol conversion between said accessed chat/VoIP communication environment and the chat/VoIP communication environment that said chat/VoIP service application is acting as towards said UE chat/VoIP client.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein providing said protocol conversion comprises coordinating and mapping of chat/VoIP services, features and, functions of said accessed chat/VoIP communication environment to and from the UE chat/VoIP client.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of application server chat/VoIP clients are configured to access functions of different chat/VoIP communication environments, wherein said functions include at least one of providing status information associated with a mobile UE, updating statuses of buddies, setting up sessions, and accepting sessions.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, via said service application, at least one of:

acting as an interworking unit for signalling between an application server chat/VoIP client and the UE chat/VoIP client;

coordinating at least one of input and output streams between an application server chat/VoIP client and the UE chat/VoIP client;

providing an application server chat/VoIP client access to services offered by the mobile telecommunications network;

reading and representing at the mobile UE in a single Graphical User Interface (GUI) statuses from different application chat/VoIP clients, and

selecting which application server chat/VoIP client to use when setting up a chat/VoIP session from a mobile UE.

9. An application server for providing at least one of chat and Voice over Internet Protocol (chat/VoIP) services to a mobile User Equipment (UE) in a mobile telecommunications network, wherein the application server comprises communications equipment and processing equipment, wherein the processing equipment is configured to:

execute a chat/VoIP service application,

connect said chat/VoIP service application to said UE chat/VoIP client via said communications equipment and said mobile telecommunications network,

execute a plurality of application server chat/VoIP clients at the application server that are configured to access a plurality of different chat/VoIP communication environments operated by a plurality of different chat/VoIP service providers,

connect, via said communications equipment, said chat/VoIP service application to one or more of the plurality of application server chat/VoIP clients at the application server to thereby enable said UE chat/VoIP client to access different chat/VoIP communication environments via said UE chat/VoIP client,

wherein each application server chat/VoIP client is configured to emulate the UE chat/VoIP client over a link to a respective one of the chat/VoIP communication environments, when that environment is accessed.

10. The application server according to claim 9, wherein said processing equipment and said communications equipment are configured to support Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signalling in an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS).

11. The application server according to claim 9, further comprising storage equipment that is configured to interface said processing equipment and that is accessible, via said communications equipment, to the UE chat/VoIP client for defining and storing a local nickname or identity in association with a unique nickname or identity used in at least one of said plurality of different chat/VoIP communication environments.

12. The application server according to claim 9, wherein said processing equipment is configured to communicate with the UE chat/VoIP client via privileged use of the mobile telecommunications network.

13. The application server according to claim 9, wherein the different chat/VoIP communication environments comprise proprietary chat/VoIP communication environments.

14. The application server according to claim 9, wherein the processing equipment is configured to:

connect said chat/VoIP service application to said UE chat/VoIP client via privileged use of said mobile telecommunications network, said privileged use providing guaranteed quality of service for chat/VoIP communication over said mobile telecommunications network, and

connect said chat/VoIP service application to one or more of the plurality of application server chat/VoIP clients, to thereby enable the UE chat/VoIP client to access different chat/VoIP communication environments via said privileged use of the mobile telecommunications network.

15. A mobile User Equipment (UE) configured to operate in a mobile telecommunications network, said mobile UE comprising input and output equipment, communications equipment, and processing equipment, wherein said processing equipment is configured to execute a UE chat/VoIP client and is further configured, via said input and output equipment, said communications equipment, and said UE chat/VoIP client, to:

access the chat/VoIP services of one or more of a plurality of different chat/VoIP communication environments by connecting the UE chat/VoIP client, via said mobile telecommunications network, to an application server that emulates the UE chat/VoIP client over each link between the application server and an accessed chat/VoIP communication environment, and

represent Graphical User Interfaces of the plurality of different chat/VoIP communication environments.

16. The mobile UE according to claim 15, wherein the processing equipment, via the UE chat/VoIP client and the input and output equipment, is configured to provide a single Graphical User Interface for the plurality of different chat/VoIP communication environments.

17. The mobile UE according to claim 15, wherein the UE further comprises a local database connected to the processing equipment for storing and retrieving records comprising nicknames corresponding to nicknames used in the different chat/VoIP communication environments.

18. The mobile UE according to claim 15, wherein said UE chat/VoIP processing equipment and communication equipment support IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signalling.

19. The mobile UE according to claim 15, wherein the different chat/VoIP communication environments comprise proprietary chat/VoIP communication environments.

20. The mobile UE according to claim 15, wherein the processing equipment is configured to connect the UE chat/VoIP client to the application server via privileged use of said mobile telecommunications network, said privileged use providing guaranteed quality of service for chat/VoIP communication over said mobile telecommunications network, to thereby enable the UE chat/VoIP client to access different chat/VoIP communication environments via said privileged use of the mobile telecommunications network.