Apparatus, methods, and computer programs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022131911-A1
Application number	US-202117507146-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 21, 2021
Priority date	Oct 23, 2020
Publication date	Apr 28, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

There is provided an apparatus for a Proxy Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF), the apparatus being arranged to send a first registration request to a network repository function for registering the P-CSCF with the network repository function, the first registration request comprising at least one first identifier for the P-CSCF over an interface between the P-CSCF and a user equipment.

First claim

1 . An apparatus for a Proxy Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF), the apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code, said at least one memory and computer program code being configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform:
sending a first registration request to a network repository function for registering the P-CSCF with the network repository function, the first registration request comprising at least one first identifier for the P-CSCF over an interface between the P-CSCF and a user equipment.

2 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform sending a second registration request to the network repository function, wherein the second registration request comprises at least one second identifier for the P-CSCF for use by network functions in a core network comprising the network repository function.

3 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first registration request is comprised within the second registration request, and wherein the at least one first identifier is different from the at least one second identifier.

4 . An apparatus for a network repository function, the apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code, said at least one memory and computer program code being configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform:
receiving a first registration request from a Proxy Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF), the first registration request comprising at least one first identifier for the P-CSCF over an interface between the P-CSCF and a user equipment; and
registering the P-CSCF using the at least one first identifier.

5 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform receiving a second registration request to the network repository function, wherein the second registration request comprises at least one second identifier for the P-CSCF for use by network functions in a core network comprising the network repository function.

6 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the first registration request is comprised within the second registration request, and wherein the at least one first identifier is different from the at least one second identifier.

7 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform:
receiving a discovery request for a P-CSCF from a session management function on behalf of a user equipment; and providing the at least one first identifier to the session management function in response to the discovery request.

8 . An apparatus for a session management function, comprising:
at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code, said at least one memory and computer program code being configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform:
receiving, from a network repository function, a profile for at least one Proxy Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF);
selecting at least one first identifier for the P-CSCF over an interface between the P-CSCF and a user equipment; and
providing the selected at least one first identifier to the user equipment.

9 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the profile comprises at least one second identifier for the P-CSCF for use by network functions in a core network comprising the network repository function.

10 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the at least one first identifier is different from the at least one second identifier.

11 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform sending a request to the network repository function to be notified when a change is made to the profile at the network repository function.

12 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform sending a request to the network repository function for identifying at least one P-CSCF for facilitating provision of a service to the user equipment.

13 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one first identifier comprises at least one of a fully qualified domain name, an IPv6 address, and an IPv4 address.

14 . A method for an apparatus for a Proxy Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF), the method comprising:
sending a first registration request to a network repository function for registering the P-CSCF with the network repository function, the first registration request comprising at least one first identifier for the P-CSCF over an interface between the P-CSCF and a user equipment.

15 . A method for an apparatus for a network repository function, the method comprising:
receiving a first registration request from a Proxy Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF), the first registration request comprising at least one first identifier for the P-CSCF over an interface between the P-CSCF and a user equipment; and registering the P-CSCF using the at least one first identifier.

16 . A method for an apparatus for a session management function, the method comprising:
receiving from a network repository function a profile for at least one Proxy Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF); selecting at least one first identifier for the P-CSCF over an interface between the P-CSCF and a user equipment; and providing the selected at least one first identifier to the user equipment.

17 . A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, said program comprising computer program code which, when run on an apparatus for a session management function, causes the apparatus to perform:
receiving from a network repository function a profile for at least one Proxy Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF); selecting at least one first identifier for the P-CSCF over an interface between the P-CSCF and a user equipment; and providing the selected at least one first identifier to the user equipment.

18 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the at least one first identifier comprises at least one of a fully qualified domain name, an IPv6 address, and an IPv4 address.

19 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the at least one first identifier comprises at least one of a fully qualified domain name, an IPv6 address, and an IPv4 address.

Assignees

• Nokia Solutions & Networks Oy

Inventors

• Das Prashanti
• Landais Bruno

Classifications

• H04W60/00 Primary

  Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration · CPC title

• H04L65/1045

  Proxies, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP] · CPC title

• H04L65/1073 Primary

  Registration or de-registration · CPC title

• H04W48/16

  Discovering, processing access restriction or access information · CPC title

• H04L65/1016 Primary

  IP multimedia subsystem [IMS] · CPC title