Alcatel Lucent

Lucent Technologies Inc.

Alcatel-lucent USA Inc.

Sound View Innovations, LLC

Shiyan Hua

Yigang Cai

Ahmed N Zaki

Michael Rudolph

Ruth S Gayde

Wafaa Gobba

Wing H Huen

IMS networks and methods are disclosed for authenticating a communication device and a user of the communication device. When a communication device attempts to register with an IMS network, the IMS network receives a register message from the device that includes device authentication information, such as a public or private identifier for the device. The IMS network processes the device authentication information to authenticate the communication device. The IMS network also receives user authentication information from the device, such as a password. The IMS network processes the user authentication information to authenticate the user of the device. The device and the user are both authenticated by the IMS network. Authentication of the user may also occur when originating a session or terminating a session over the IMS network with the device.

Authenticating a communication device and a user of the communication device in an IMS network

IMS networks, subscriber databases, and methods are disclosed for providing AoC services in IMS networks. The subscriber database is provisioned with AoC indicators for IMS users that subscribe to AoC services. An S-CSCF in an IMS network receives a first register message from an IMS user, and transmits a second register message to the subscriber database. In response to the second register message, the subscriber database identifies an AoC indicator for the IMS user that is registering, inserts the AoC indicator in a third register message, and transmits the third register message to the S-CSCF. The S-CSCF then stores the AoC indicator for the IMS user. If a signaling message is received for a session involving the IMS user, then the S-CSCF will forward the AoC indicator for the IMS user to an AoC application server, which collects the appropriate AoC information and provides the information to the IMS user.

Advice of charging (AoC) services in IMS networks

IMS networks and methods are disclosed for providing supplemental content to a user of a communication device during registration. When a communication device attempts to register with an IMS network, the IMS network receives a register request message from the communication device, and processes the register request message to register the communication device. The IMS network also identifies supplemental content to provide to the communication device, such as account information, weather content, news, location information, advertisements, etc. The IMS network generates a register response message, and embeds or otherwise includes the supplemental content in the register response message. The IMS network then transmits the register response message to the communication device. Responsive to receiving the register response message, the communication device identifies the supplemental content in the register response message, and provides the supplemental content to the user.

Providing supplemental content to an IMS user during registration

Communication networks and associated methods are disclosed that provide a content sharing service through multimedia ringback tones. The communication network comprises a network node and a multimedia ringback system. The network node receives a call from a calling party to a subscriber of the content sharing service, and routes the call to the multimedia ringback system. The multimedia ringback system identifies a multimedia ringback tone for the call where the multimedia ringback tone includes a message prompting the calling party to share content of the subscriber, and provides the multimedia ringback tone to the calling party. The multimedia ringback system then receives a request for the content indicated in the multimedia ringback tone from the calling party, and initiates the transfer of the content to the calling party responsive to the request.

Content sharing through multimedia ringback tones

IMS networks, text message systems, and methods are disclosed for delivering text messages to IMS wireline phones. A text message system of an IMS network receives a text message intended for the IMS wireline phone. The text message system identifies capability data for an IMS wireline phone that indicates the capability of the IMS wireline phone for handling text messages. The text message system processes the capability data for the IMS wireline phone to determine if the IMS wireline phone is capable of handling text messages. If the IMS wireline phone is not capable of handling text messages, then the text message system appends the text message to a caller ID header of an IMS signaling message, and forwards the IMS signaling message to the IMS wireline phone to display the text message on a caller ID unit associated with the IMS wireline phone.

Delivery of text messages to wireline phones through caller ID functionalities

Communication networks and methods are disclosed for providing offline charging in a 3GPP network for sessions over a wireless local area network (WLAN) access network. A AAA server in the 3GPP network provides offline charging messages for a session to an offline charging system. If a data flow is established during the session, such as streaming video, then a packet data network gateway provides offline charging messages for the data flow to the offline charging system. The AAA server and the packet data network gateway share charging identifiers so that one or both are able to include the charging identifier for the session and the charging identifier for the data flow in an offline charging message. This allows the offline charging system to effectively correlate CDRs for the session with CDRs for the data flow occurring during the session.

Offline charging for sessions over a 3GPP network and a WLAN access network

IMS networks and methods are disclosed for authorizing financial transactions. Credit card information, debit card information, and other purchasing data may be consolidated into an IMS device for conducting financial transactions, such as the purchasing of items from a merchant. Before a financial transaction can be completed, an IMS device transmits transaction data for the financial transaction to the IMS network. The IMS network then processes predefined purchasing rules to determine whether or not the financial transaction is authorized. If the financial transaction is authorized, then the IMS network transmits a confirmation message to the IMS device indicating that the financial transaction is authorized. If the financial transaction is not authorized, then the IMS network transmits a cancel message to the IMS device indicating that the financial transaction is not authorized.

IMS device operable for financial transaction authorization and ID cards display

IMS networks and methods are disclosed for providing business-related content to wireless devices that are located within a business. For a business that has a WLAN, wireless devices within range of the wireless access point of the business receive an identifier for the wireless access point. The wireless devices then register with the IMS network using the access point ID. Through the access point ID, the IMS network identifies an application server that is associated with the business. The application server may then initiate sessions with the wireless devices, and transmit business-related content to the wireless devices while they are within range of the wireless access point of the business.

IMS networks providing business-related content to wireless devices

Communication networks and methods are disclosed that synchronize call feature data between an IMS network and a legacy network, such as a cellular network. An IMS subscriber server (e.g., a Home Subscriber Server (HSS)) is notified of changes to feature data for a call feature (e.g., call forwarding, call waiting, etc) in the IMS network. Responsive to the notification, the IMS subscriber server updates a legacy subscriber server (e.g., a Home Location Register (HLR)) in the legacy network based on the change to the feature data. Similarly, the IMS subscriber server identifies changes to feature data for a call feature in the legacy network. Responsive to the change, the IMS subscriber server notifies one or more application servers in the IMS network of the change to the feature data. Through the IMS subscriber server, feature data for call features is synchronized between the IMS network and the legacy network.

Synchronizing call feature data between an IMS network and a legacy network

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for providing customized cost allocations for telecommunications session in an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network. A Home Subscriber Service stores data describing the policies and rules for allocating charges requested by a particular customer. The charge message sent to charge control system is the product of the charges for the telecommunications session and the policies and rules for allocating charges. Advantageously, this arrangement permits each customer to specify a preferred charge allocation arrangement.

Allocation of internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) charges

Communication networks and methods are disclosed for sharing charging information between a home IMS network and a visited IMS network. If a signaling message for a session is received in the visited IMS network, the visited IMS network assigns a visited charging identifier (e.g., ICID), and shares the visited charging identifier with the home IMS network through signaling messages. Similarly, the home IMS network assigns a home charging identifier, and shares the home charging identifier with the visited IMS network through signaling messages. When CDRs are generated in the home IMS network and the visited IMS network, the networks include the home charging identifier and the visited charging identifier in the CDRs so that billing systems may more easily correlate the CDRs from the different IMS networks.

Charging for roaming users in IMS networks

Phonebook systems and associated methods are disclosed that provide a mechanism for protecting private information of a contact from being published in a network-based phonebook. A typical network-based phonebook service allows subscribers to set up network-based phonebooks, where each phonebook includes one or more contacts and associated contact information. Before contact information for a contact is included in a network-based phonebook for a subscriber, a phonebook system identifies privacy criteria for the contact. The privacy criteria may be predefined by the contact, predefined by the service provider, or predefined by another entity. The phonebook system then processes the privacy criteria to identify the contact information for the contact that is authorized to be included in the network-based phonebook. The processing system may then include the authorized contact information in the network-based phonebook, and block the unauthorized contact information from being included in the network-based phonebook.

Privacy protection in network-based phonebooks

A technique and system are provided to allow home subscriber servers (HSSs) to retrieve a subscriber's dynamic location/state information from a legacy home location register (HLR). For example, a mobile application part (MAP) operation ATI (AnyTimeInterrogation) messaging technique may be used by the home subscriber server (HSS) to query the legacy home location register (HLR) and obtain the requested location/state information.

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Lisle, IL, United States of America

Shiyan Hua