Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (publ)

Atc Technologies, Inc.

Optis Wireless Technology, LLC

Jan Dahl

Ove Karlsson

Jan Holm

Patrik Teppo

Anders Baer

David Khan

Ralf Keller

Magnus Hallenstål

Afshin Abtin

Robert Törnkvist

Andreas Anulf

Håkan Österlund

Håkan Karlsson

Jerker Mattias Zetterlund

Mikael Forsberg

Hans E Andersson

Hans Ake Lindgren

Hans Nordin

Ruth Guerra

Magnus Harnesk

Fredrik Tystad

Manuel Cardeno Triano

John Olsson

Nándor Vass

Leif Gustavsson

When a user equipment is roaming in a visited network, mid-call handover from VoWiFi to VoLTE is controlled by policies enforced in the user equipment and the home network. An inter-operator policy and a subscription policy are stored in the home network and a user equipment policy is stored in the user equipment. The roaming user equipment registers in a visited network. Later, when mid-call handover to VoLTE on the visited network is desired, and also permitted by its user equipment policy, the user equipment sends a request containing a call-specific identifier which the responsible network entity in the home network compares with the registered handover parameter having regard to the inter-operator and subscription policies. If compliance with the policies is found, then the mid-call handover is proceeded with.

Managing user equipment roaming status changes in a radio access network

A method of providing location-related charging information to a charging system associated with an IP Multimedia Subsystem, IMS, network, where the location-related charging information relates to a session or session initiation or an event involving at least two users. The method comprises, at a Charging Trigger Function, CTF, within the IMS network, receiving a Session Initiation Protocol, SIP, message from each of said users, each message containing a SIP header identifying a location of the sending user. Location information of each user is added to a charging message sent from the CTF to said charging system, location information being, or being derived from, the content of the SIP header received from the user or being derived from that SIP header.

Provision of location information in an IP Multimedia Subsystem network

A method of notifying one or more network nodes in a communications network, comprising an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem, IMS, of a change in RAT used by a user equipment for a communications session, the method comprising at a CSCF prior to set-up of the communications session, indicating by the CSCF to a PCRF that the CSCF requires RAT change notifications for the user equipment, providing a capability indication by the CSCF to the one or more network nodes that the CSCF supports RAT change notifications and receiving from at least one of the one or more network nodes a requirement indication, which indicates that the network node requires RAT change notifications. The method further comprises on receipt of a RAT change notification by the CSCF propagating the RAT change notification to each of the nodes from which a requirement indication has been received.

Notifying changes in radio access technology

A node for use in a telecommunication network. The apparatus comprises a service session handler for establishing and controlling service sessions on behalf of end users served by the telecommunications network, and a charging generation point for generating charging data for established sessions involving served users as originating users and for reporting that charging data to a network charging system. The apparatus further comprises a signalling message handler for receiving, in respect of a given service session between an originating and a terminating user, a signalling message sent by or on behalf of the terminating user, the signalling message containing cost apportionment data apportioning costs between the originating and terminating users, the signalling message handler being configured to pass that cost apportionment data to the charging generation point. The charging generation point is further configured to apply the cost apportionment data to the generation of charging data so that the charging data reflects the required cost apportionment.

Methods and apparatus for allocating service costs in a telecommunications network

The invention provides a method of handling SIP messages in an IMS core network. The method comprises receiving at a first network entity, a first SIP message that includes an identification of a served user to which the first SIP message relates. The first IMS network entity is in the served user's home network. The first SIP message is forwarded as a second SIP message to a second network entity in the served user's home IMS core network. The second SIP message includes a P-Served-User, PSU, header identifying the served user.

Extending SIP P-served user header over IMS interfaces

A method of communication between two nodes providing online charging functionalities in an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network is described, wherein a first node is configured to operate as a Charging Triggering Function (CTF) and wherein a second node is configured to operate as an Online Charging Service (OCS). The method may alleviate drawbacks stemming from low availability of the OCS.

Method of communication between IMS nodes

Apparatus for use within an IP Multimedia Subsystem network and comprising a receiver for receiving for a given user a charging type defining whether the user is a pre-paid user and or a post-paid user. The apparatus further comprises a Charging Triggering Function, CTF, entity for sending accounting information messages relating to said user to an Online Charging Function over an Ro interface or to a Charging Data Function over an Rf interface, and for including with the accounting information messages said charging type.

Charging decisions in an IP multimedia subsystem

A method is provided for use in an IP Multimedia Subsystem, IMS, in which a session control protocol (such as the Session Initiation Protocol, SIP) is used to establish and manage sessions within the IMS. The method comprises using session control protocol messages (such as Session Initiation Protocol messages) to carry node-specific charging information, where the charging information is required for charging purposes at a charging control system of the IMS. A private header part (such as a P-Charging-Vector header) of the session control messages may be used to carry the node-specific charging information. The node-specific charging information may comprise charging data and at least one of: an indication of the type of the charging data; a name or identifier of the node, allowing the node to update charging data which relates to the node and which is carried by a session control message received by the node; and an indication of the version of the charging data, a different version indication being used to indicate different charging data; node name; version number; data name; and value. At least one session control protocol message may be used to carry node-specific charging information relating to a plurality of different nodes.

Method and apparatus for use in an IP multimedia subsystem

Apparatus for use within an IP Multimedia Subsystem, IMS, network to handle Session Initiation Protocol, SIP, messages. The apparatus comprises a receiver for receiving a SIP message from a peer IMS node, and a SIP message inspector for inspecting a P-Charging-Vector, PCV, header within a received SIP message in order to detect the presence within the PCV header of a parameter and associated handling determinator. The apparatus further comprises a SIP message handler for determining, on the basis of a handling determinator and without reference to said associated parameter, an action or actions to be applied to said parameter and associated handling determinator.

Charging information transfer in the IMS

Apparatus configured to operate as a network element within an IMS to provide services to a subscriber. The apparatus comprises a receiver for receiving charging function information for the subscriber provided by a subscriber profile server, the charging function information including an indication of a plurality of IMS network element types that may be used to provide services to the subscriber and, for each of the plurality of IMS network element types, specifying whether an IMS network element of that type should send charging information for the subscriber to an offline charging function and whether an IMS network of that type should send charging information for the subscriber to an online charging function. The apparatus further comprises a processor for determining whether the IMS network element should send charging information for the subscriber to an offline charging function and whether the IMS network should send charging information for the subscriber to an online charging function and a transmitter for sending charging information to any of an offline charging function accordingly.

Method and apparatus for use in a communications network

The present invention relates to a Push to talk Over Cellular [PoC] Server for providing PoC communication services in mobile radio communications system, the PoC Server being arranged to perform at least one Controlling PoC Function for a PoC Session between PoC Clients in mobile terminals. The PoC Server is characterized in that it is arranged to: receive a first information indicating the PoC Session priority order for the PoC Session for each of the PoC Clients participating in the PoC Session; receive a second information, if any one of the PoC Clients is also participating in other simultaneous PoC Sessions, indicating the PoC Session priority order for the other simultaneous PoC Sessions for each of the PoC Clients participating in the other simultaneous PoC Sessions; store the first and second information for enabling control of the transmission of Media in the PoC Session based on the first and second information. The present invention also relates to a method, a mobile terminal comprising a PoC Client and a method thereof, a mobile radio communications system and a computer program product.

PoC server and a mobile terminal comprising a PoC client for providing PoC communication services

The present invention related to a Push to talk Over Cellular (PoC) Server for providing PoC communication services in communications system, the PoC Server being arranged to simultaneously perform a first PoC Session between a first PoC Client and at least a second PoC Client, and at least one second PoC Session between the first PoC Client and at least a third PoC Client in accordance with a priority setting. The Push to talk Over Cellular (PoC) Server is characterized in that it is further arranged to: receive, from said at least second PoC Client, a first information indicating that a user of said at least second PoC Client wants to alert the user of said first PoC Client about relevant Media being shared in said first PoC Session; or receive, from said at least third PoC Client, a second information indicating that a user of said at least third PoC Client wants to alert the user of said first PoC Client about relevant Media being shared in said at least second PoC Session; and if the received information is a notification, forward said received information to said first PoC Client; or if the received information is an override message, change said priority setting for said first and/or said at least second PoC Sessions associated with said first PoC Client in accordance with said override message. The present invention also relates to a method for providing PoC communication services, a mobile terminal comprising a PoC Client and methods thereof, a communications system and a computer program product.

Growing community of inventors

Älvsjö, Sweden

Jan Dahl