Abstract: A mechanism to handle Public Service Identities identifying services in a network when a given Public Service Identity (PSI) belongs to a range of Public Service Identities defined as a ‘Wildcard PSI’ range. An enhanced Home Subscriber Server, serving entity, and routing entity, all co-operating to carry out the invention by handling an identifier of the ‘Wildcard PSI’ range, which includes the given Public Service Identity, the ‘Wildcard PSI’ range being associated with a common service profile to be applied for services identified by those Public Service Identities belonging to the ‘Wildcard PSI’ range.

Abstract: A home subscriber server (HSS) and method are described herein for supporting an emergency telecommunication service (e.g., Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS)). In one embodiment, the HSS and the method are adapted to selectively provide telecommunication access to subscribers of an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) by associating different user priority values with different network condition statuses, where a network condition status may be a congestion level or a disaster relief emergency status.

Abstract: The present invention is aimed to provide a more flexible data structure where any IMPU, even those of the SIP URI type, may be shared by more than one IRS in order to simplify the registration of an IMPU for users of a Fixed-Mobile Convergent network. To this end, there is provided a flexible data structure wherein a number n of IMPUs of a user may be distributed in a number m of Implicit Registration Sets, wherein a given IMPU may be shared by more than one IRS, each IRS is associated with an access condition, and the explicit registration of said given IMPU under a given access condition triggers the implicit registration of those IMPUs in the IRS associated with said access condition, while the registration status of IMPUs in any other IRS remain unchanged.

Abstract: The present invention is aimed to provide means and methods for recovery of an IP Multimedia Subsystem ‘IMS’ where a Home Subscriber Server ‘HSS’ holding subscriber data for subscribers of the IMS has suffered a restart. A first method of recovery is applied after detecting a HSS restart, and as receiving a registration from a given subscriber or an invitation to communicate with a given subscriber from another subscriber. A second method of recovery is applied after detecting a HSS restart, and as receiving a request from a given subscriber at a S-CSCF previously assigned for serving the given subscriber in the IMS.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus facilitate recovery of an IMS in which an S-CSCF has suffered a restart (after a failure, software upgrade, or other reasons). One or more of first and second methods comprise submitting, from the S-CSCF towards a HSS, contact data required by the S-CSCF to contact a given subscriber, or to contact a proxy server through which the subscriber is accessible; storing the contact data at the HSS; and providing from the HSS towards an IMS entity, which may be previously assigned S-CSCF or a new S-CSCF, contact information elements selectable from the contact data.

Abstract: A Home Subscriber Server for handling IP Multimedia Subsystem subscriptions comprises means for maintaining associations between public user identities and Service Profiles, where two or more public user identities can be associated with a common Service Profile, and means for identifying to a network node all public user identities that are associated with a common Service Profile.

Abstract: A Home Subscriber Server for handling IP Multimedia Subsystem subscriptions comprises means for maintaining associations between public user identities and Service Profiles, where two or more public user identities can be associated with a common Service Profile, and means for identifying to a network node all public user identities that are associated with a common Service Profile.

Abstract: A home subscriber server (HSS) and method are described herein for supporting an emergency telecommunication service (e.g., Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS)). In one embodiment, the HSS and the method are adapted to selectively provide telecommunication access to subscribers of an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) by associating different user priority values with different network condition statuses, where a network condition status may be a congestion level or a disaster relief emergency status.

Abstract: A method is provided for facilitating recovery from the failure of a P-CSCF within an IP multimedia Subsystem network. A gateway, such as a GGSN, monitors signals arriving at the gateway from the P-CSCF and provides an indication if the monitored signals become unacceptable, for example because of an interruption in the signals. The gateway responds by signalling the unavailability of the P-CSCF to user equipment, which was associated with the P-CSCF during a previous registration with the IMS network. In response, for example, the user equipment affected by the failure may request re-registration with the IMS network using a different available P-CSCF.

Abstract: The present invention is aimed to provide means and methods for recovery of the IMS where an S-CSCF has suffered a restart after a failure, software upgrade or other reasons. To this end, the present invention provides for a first method to be applied in a HSS holding subscriber data for subscribers of the IMS and a second method to be applied in a S-CSCF selected for serving a given subscriber, upon restart of a S-CSCF assigned for serving a given subscriber. Both first and second methods cooperating to submit from the S-CSCF towards the HSS contact data required by the S-CSCF to contact the given subscriber, or to contact a proxy server where the subscriber is accessible through; storing the contact data at the HSS; and providing from the HSS towards an IMS entity, which may be the previously assigned S-CSCF or a new S-CSCF, contact information elements selectable from the contact data.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for use by an Interrogating Call/Session Control Function (I-CSCF) of an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). In the method, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message is received by the I-CSCF, which the I-CSCF attempts to forward to a Serving Call/Session Control Function (S-CSCF) of the IMS assigned to provide services to a user. If the attempt is determined to have failed, the I-CSCF sends a message to a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) of the IMS to request capabilities information for selecting a S-CSCF, the request message also providing first information relating to the status of the assigned S-CSCF. On receipt of the capabilities information at the I-CSCF from the HSS, the I-CSCF selects a replacement S-CSCF to provide services to the user. Related methods are also disclosed for use by the HSS and S-CSCF.

Abstract: The present invention is aimed to provide a more flexible data structure where any IMPU, even those of the SIP URI type, may be shared by more than one IRS in order to simplify the registration of an IMPU for users of a Fixed-Mobile Convergent network. To this end, there is provided a flexible data structure wherein a number n of IMPUs of a user may be distributed in a number m of Implicit Registration Sets, wherein a given IMPU may be shared by more than one IRS, each IRS is associated with an access condition, and the explicit registration of said given IMPU under a given access condition triggers the implicit registration of those IMPUs in the IRS associated with said access condition, whilst the registration status of IMPUs in any other IRS remain unchanged.

Abstract: The present invention is aimed to provide means and methods for recovery of an IP Multimedia Subsystem ‘IMS’ where a Home Subscriber Server ‘HSS’ holding subscriber data for subscribers of the IMS has suffered a restart. A first method of recovery is applied after detecting a HSS restart, and as receiving a registration from a given subscriber or an invitation to communicate with a given subscriber from another subscriber. A second method of recovery is applied after detecting a HSS restart, and as receiving a request from a given subscriber at a S-CSCF previously assigned for serving the given subscriber in the IMS.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of setting up a call from an originating user in an internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) network. The originating user provides a signalling message containing an originating identifier of the user to a first node of the network. According to the method, a first node of the network receives the signalling message. The first node performs a verification on whether the originating identifier is associated with a wildcard identifier, wherein the wildcard identifier identifies a plurality of identifiers which are entitled to using a group service. If the originating identifier is associated with a wildcard identifier, the first node forwards the wildcard identifier and the originating identifier to a further node for setting up the call.

Abstract: The present invention is aimed to provide a simplified mechanism to handle Public Service Identities identifying services in a network when a given Public Service Identity (PSI) belongs to a range of Public Service Identities defined as a so-called “Wildcard PSI” range. Therefore, the present invention provides a new method, a new central entity in the network, and enhanced Home Subscriber Server, serving entity, and routing entity, all co-operating to carry out different embodiments for the invention by handling an identifier of the ? Wildcard PSI’ range, which includes the given Public Service Identity, the ? wildcard PSI’ range being associated with a common service profile to be applied for services identified by those Public Service Identities belonging to the “Wildcard PSI” range.

Abstract: A Home Subscriber Server for handling IP Multimedia Subsystem subscriptions comprises means for maintaining associations between public user identities and Service Profiles, where two or more public user identities can be associated with a common Service Profile, and means for identifying to a network node all public user identities that are associated with a common Service Profile.