Lucent Technologies Inc.

Alcatel Lucent

Alcatel-lucent USA Inc.

Other

Eric Harold Henrikson

Donna Michaels Sand

Yigang Cai

Chinmei Chen Lee

E-Ling Lou

Tienyu Chiu

Bharat H Patel

Lynell Earline Cannell

Richard P Ejzak

Chung-Zin Liu

Stinson Samuel Mathai

Anne Yin-Fee Lee

Penny Lynne Bright

Hong Xie

Angelica T Remoquillo

Anita R Garvert

Terry D Chin

The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for resuming the evaluation of initial Filter Criteria (iFC) at a specific point. Two new parameters are defined for inclusion in the service logic of application servers and serving Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF) servers. The first parameter, an iFC index parameter, is a number which indicates an index to a current specific position in the iFC evaluation. The S-CSCF may insert the iFC index parameter into route headers of SIP messages that originate from the S-CSCF to the application servers. The second parameter, an iFC resume parameter, is based on the iFC index parameter or another number along with an original dialog identifier, which the application servers may insert into route headers of SIP messages that originate from the application servers to the S-CSCF to indicate a desire to resume operations at the specific position in the iFC evaluation.

Mechanism to resume filter criteria at a specific point

Communication networks and associated methods are disclosed that provide third party charging for SIP sessions. A communication network of the invention comprises a session control function (e.g., an IMS CSCF), a network node (e.g., an IMS application server), and a charging system. The session control function serves a SIP session initiated between a first and second party. The network node identifies a third party to charge for the session. The network node includes a third party identifier for the third party in a SIP message for the session, and transmits the SIP message to the session control function. The session control function generates a charging message, maps the third party identifier to the charging message, and transmits the charging message that includes the third party identifier to the charging system. The charging system then initiates charging of the session to the third party based on the third party identifier.

Third party charging for SIP sessions

A system for effecting conference calling in a telecommunication network includes: (a) a plurality of subscriber units coupled with the telecommunication network; and (b) a conference control unit coupled with the telecommunication network. The conference control unit responds to a request message from a requesting subscriber unit to effect coupling of a conference-set of subscriber units in a conference calling configuration. The conference control unit controls inclusion in the conference-set by respective subscriber units. The system may provide that the conference control unit provides and controls conferencing services for the conference-set of subscriber units.

System and method for effecting conference calling

The apparatus and method are fast network SIP/SDP (Session Initiation Protocol/Session Description Protocol) procedures for conference operations upon request from end user with optimization of network resources. The apparatus has an SIP/SDP based network controller that, upon a received request, joins first and second calls into a conference call with at least a third call. The SIP/SDP based network controller is structured to negotiate, allocate and re-configure network resources.

Fast network SIP/SDP procedures for conference operations upon request from end user with optimization of network resources

An apparatus in one example comprises a mobile cellular communication device that employs one or more of a plurality of radio technologies to support one or more communication sessions of a user over one or more of a plurality of radio networks. The plurality of radio technologies comprise a first radio technology and a second radio technology, wherein the first radio technology and the second radio technology comprise respective radio technologies that are not directly compatible. The one or more communication sessions comprise an active communication session of the user, wherein the active communication is associated with the mobile cellular communication device. The plurality of radio networks comprise a first radio network and a second radio network, wherein the first radio network employs the first radio technology, wherein the second radio network employs the second radio technology. Upon a handoff of the active communication session between the respective radio technologies that are not directly compatible of the first radio network and the second radio network, the mobile cellular communication device presents to the user one or more notifications of the handoff between the radio technologies that are not directly compatible.

Mobile cellular communication device presentation of user notification of active communication session handoff between radio technologies that are not directly compatible

One or more application server components serve to associate one or more digit strings with one or more numbers available to one party of one or more parties to a call and to impose one or more charges on the one or more numbers available to the one party to the call. Where the one party to the call employs an equipment that fails to support a P-Asserted-Identity header of the call, one application server component of the one or more application server components serves to: remove from the header of the call one digit string of the one or more digit strings available to the one party; insert into the P-Asserted-Identity header one number of the one or more numbers available to the one party associated with the one digit string; and to impose one charge of the one or more charges on the one number associated with the one digit string.

Apparatus and method for providing multiple line billing in telecommunications systems

Prepaid accounts are replenished during multimedia sessions using the prepaid accounts without interruption of the multimedia sessions. A prepay server monitors and adjusts prepaid account balances based on usage of communications resources as reported by elements of the communications network (). If a processor determines that an account balance is low, then a user terminal () is notified and a new session is intiated to permit the user to increase the account balance without interrupting the ongoing communications session.

Replenishment of prepaid accounts during multimedia sessions

In a multimedia communications system () that supports conference calls that include an audio portion and a video portion, a primary video image is selected from a plurality of video images based on an amount of audio data generated. The amount of audio data is determined by counting a number of audio packets or by counting an amount of audio samples in audio packets (). A dominant audio participant is selected if the difference in the amount of audio exceeds a predetermined threshold (). If the difference in the amount of audio does not exceed the predetermined threshold (), the dominant audio participant may be determined by comparing the loudness or volume for each audio participant (). The primary video image is selected to correspond to the dominant audio participant (). The primary video image remains constant for a predetermined period of time before the possibility to change ().

Mixing video signals for an audio and video multimedia conference call

In a multimedia communications system (), a conference establishment server coordinates the scheduling of a conference call. The server receives request for conference calls (). The request includes a list of participants and may include an indication of the resources necessary and any rules for the conference call. The request may indicate critical resources or participants that are required for the call. Based on the request, the server determines a conference time and notifies participants of the time (). Prior to conference time, participants are reminded of the time and automatically connected to the call. The server may check the status of users on the telecommunications network to determine availability. If a critical participant or resource is unavailable at conference time, the conference may be cancelled with notification to the participants.

Targeted and intelligent multimedia conference establishment services

The present invention provides a method and communication system for sending a data message from a called phone to a calling phone while maintaining an active communication between the called phone and a first phone. The calling phone sends a call request to the called phone while the called phone is involved in an active communication with the first phone. The called phone sends a data message to the calling phone in response to the call request. The data message is sent while maintaining an active call with the first phone, so that the first phone is not placed 'on hold'.

Method and system for sending a data message to a calling phone while communicating with a first phone

A method is disclosed for processing an International mobile Station Identifier (IMSI) which may be received in different formats into a common uniform binary format of two n-bit binary words for processing within a network element such as a Mobile Switch Center (MSC) or other switching system or device or other call processing apparatus.

IMSI conversion method

The present invention provides a method and communication system for sending a data response from a called phone to a calling phone in response to a call request from the calling phone. The calling phone sends a call request to the called phone. The call request is a request to establish a communication between the called phone and the calling phone on a call path. If the called phone decides not to answer the call request, the called phone can send a data message to the calling phone. If the calling phone is data-capable, the data message is sent directly to the calling phone. If the calling phone is not data-capable, the data message is sent to a server that converts the data message to a voice message and sends the voice message to the calling phone. The calling phone can send a message back to the called phone in response to the data message sent from the called phone. If the calling phone is not data-capable, the response message is sent to a server that converts the voice message to a data message and sends the data message to the called phone. If the calling phone is data capable, the calling phone sends the response data message directly to the called phone.

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Redmond, WA, United States of America

Eric Harold Henrikson