Associated device discovery in IMS networks

• US 9,468,033 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2011
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aylus Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aylus Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Naqvi, Shamim A., Dorbala, Prasad S., Wong, Ellis L., Ganmukhi, Mahesh N.
• Primary Examiner(s): HEIBER, SHANTELL LAKETA
• Application Number:
  US13/276,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20120036248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,819 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/146 Markers for unambiguous identification of a particular session, e.g. session cookie or URL-encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/123 where the packet-switched network is an Internet Protocol Multimedia System-type network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/53 based on regulatory allocation policies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

A method of associating multiple user endpoints (UEs) with a single IMS session in an IMS network having a serving node for controlling at least one IMS session for a user and at least a first access network for providing access to UEs. The method involves associating a first UE with the user and with an IMS session; discovering a second UE in a proximity of the first UE; discovering information about the second UE; communicating the information about the second UE to the serving node; the serving node utilizing computer-implemented policy logic to determine whether to associate the second UE with the user and the IMS session; and if the policy logic determines that the second UE is to be associated, the serving node associating the second UE with the IMS session while retaining the association with the first UE.

Claims

1. A method for a mobile device to act as a switch between a cellular network and a Personal Area Network (PAN) proximate to the mobile device, the method comprising:

the mobile device,

sensing a plurality of devices proximate to the mobile device;

creating the PAN for the plurality of devices proximate to the mobile device using a local network;

creating a cellular network session;

using both the local network and the cellular network session, to provide a gateway between the cellular network and the plurality of devices in the PAN; and

controlling the PAN for the plurality of devices,

wherein, during the cellular network session, the mobile device is the only device visible to or directly addressable by the cellular network, and the plurality of devices access the cellular network through the mobile device while the mobile device simultaneously maintains a voice call over a circuit switched network with which the mobile device communicates without use of any of the plurality of device as an intervening devices, wherein the mobile device invites a Media server (MS) or an Application server (AS) into the session.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the PAN allows the mobile device to discover other user endpoints in the PAN.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the PAN comprises:

information broadcast from other mobile devices;

messages from other mobile devices;

polling and interrogating of other mobile devices;

RFID technologies; and

connections to other mobile devices through fixed links.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellular network is unaware of the mobile device inviting the MS/AS into the session.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device discovers a second mobile device within the PAN.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the mobile device terminates a signaling protocol from the MS and the AS and starts a new signaling session with the second mobile device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the new signaling session comprises a different signaling protocol from the prior signaling protocol.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the session initiated by the mobile device with the second mobile device may be terminated by the mobile device based on a user command or policy logic triggered by new sensory information becoming available to the mobile device via the PAN.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the mobile device discovers a third mobile device in the PAN.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the mobile device associates the third mobile device with a new session between the mobile device and the third mobile device, irrespective of the session between the mobile device and the second mobile device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the mobile device utilizes the third mobile device to render content from the MS/AS instead of the second mobile device.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the mobile device negotiates capabilities with the second mobile device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the mobile device requests the MS and a Media Resource Function (MRF) to provide content in a format suitable for the second mobile device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the mobile device re-formats the content received from the MS to a format that is suitable for the second mobile device and stores the re-formatted content in memory on the mobile device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the mobile device delivers the stored content to the second mobile device.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein an association of the second mobile device with the mobile device is not known to the network or the MS, and is known to the mobile device.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein, based on information from the negotiation with the second mobile device or from policy logic, the mobile device requests the MS/AS to re-format content to meet the capabilities of the second mobile device.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein, based on information from the negotiation with the second mobile device or from policy logic, the mobile device re-formats content and delivers it to the second mobile device for rendering.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device creates the PAN for at least one of the plurality of devices proximate to the mobile device.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the invited MS or AS provides content to the mobile device and the content is stored in memory on the mobile device.

21. A mobile device configured to act as a switch in a session with a cellular network comprising:

a transceiver to communicate with the cellular network; and

logic stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium configured to perform the following functions;

sense a plurality of devices proximate to the mobile device;

create the PAN for the plurality of devices proximate to the mobile device using a local network;

create a cellular network session;

use both the local network and the cellular network session, to provide a gateway between the cellular network and the plurality of devices in the PAN; and

control the PAN for the plurality of devices,

invite a Mediaserver (MS) or an Application server (AS) into the cellular network session,

wherein, during the cellular network session, the mobile device is the only device visible to or directly addressable by the cellular network, and the plurality of devices access the cellular network through the mobile device while the mobile device simultaneously maintains a voice call over a circuit switched network with which the mobile device communicates without use of any of the plurality of devices as an intervening device.

22. The mobile device of claim 21, wherein the PAN allows the mobile device to discover other user endpoints in the PAN.

23. The mobile device of claim 22, wherein the PAN comprises:

information broadcast from other mobile devices;

messages from other mobile devices;

polling and interrogating of other mobile devices;

RFID technologies; and

connections to other mobile devices through fixed links.

24. The mobile device of claim 21 comprising logic to discover a second mobile device within the PAN.

25. The mobile device of claim 24 comprising logic to terminate a signaling protocol from the MS and the AS and start a new signaling session with the second mobile device.

26. The mobile device of claim 25, wherein the new signaling session comprises a different signaling protocol from the prior signaling protocol.

27. The mobile device of claim 25 comprising logic to discover a third mobile device in the PAN.

28. The mobile device of claim 27 comprising logic to associate the third mobile device with a new session between the mobile device and the third mobile device, irrespective of the session between the mobile device and the second mobile device.

29. The mobile device of claim 28, wherein the mobile device utilizes the third mobile device to render content from the MS/AS instead of the mobile device.

30. The mobile device of claim 21, wherein the PAN is created for at least one of the plurality of devices proximate to the mobile device.

31. The mobile device of claim 21, wherein the invited MS or AS provides content to the mobile device and the content is stored on the mobile device.