Apple Inc.

Nortel Networks Corporation

Roy Sells

Michael Leeder

Walter Bruce Galt

James Bartoszewicz

The present invention provides a call/session control function in an Internet Protocol multimedia subsystem capable of providing enhanced filtering to select multimedia services to invoke upon processing a signaling message. In addition to analyzing internal information contained within the signaling message, external information can be used to identify multimedia services to invoke and when those multimedia services should be invoked. Upon receiving a signaling message, filtering criteria to apply for the signaling message is accessed. The filtering criteria define rules for invoking multimedia services. These rules will take into consideration external information, which is not found within the signaling message. The external information may relate to the date, time, presence information, location information, user information, group information, or network information. The external information may change dynamically, wherein different multimedia services may be invoked with the same signaling message if the external information changes.

Enhanced filtering for an IP multimedia subsystem

The present invention provides a call/session control function for an Internet Protocol multimedia subsystem where a service template may be invoked in lieu of a single multimedia service. The service template identifies a number of multimedia services and associated logic for invoking the multimedia services, once the service template is invoked. In operation, a signaling message is received and appropriate filtering criteria are retrieved for the signaling message. Filtering criteria define a set of rules identifying any multimedia services that need to be invoked in light of receiving the signaling message. The filtering criteria will identify a service template, and perhaps other multimedia services to invoke directly. If a service template is invoked, the service template is obtained and the logic controlling invocation of the associated multimedia services is applied to effect invocation of the multimedia services.

Service templates for an IP multimedia subsystem

A method and apparatus in a communications system for routing a call. A call to a subscriber is received. Call routing information is identified for the subscriber. Responsive to identifying call routing information for the subscriber. A determination is then made as to whether a function has been selected for routing the call. Responsive to a determination that a function has been selected for routing the call, the call is routed using a sequence of destinations associated with the function. Responsive to an absence of a determination that the function has been selected for routing the call, the call is routed using a call routing scheduled based on time. Destinations to which calls are actually completed are monitored and the sequence in which destinations are selected and the sequence of destinations may be altered depending on the call completions made to destinations within the sequence of destinations.

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Nepean, Canada

Roy Sells