Method and apparatus for binding of a user-based public identity to a shared device in an internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS)-based communication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9516620-B1
Application number	US-201514980585-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 28, 2015
Priority date	Dec 28, 2015
Publication date	Dec 6, 2016
Grant date	Dec 6, 2016

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses bind a user's IMS public identity to, and unbind it from, a mobile device (MD) shared among multiple users. In binding the user's IMS public identity, a message is received from the MD, which message comprises a shared service authorization access token that is associated with a shared service and that comprises an identifier of a user of the MD. The message further comprises a default public identity of the MD. Based on the user identifier and the default public identity, the user is determined to be authorized to use the MD for the shared service. In response to the determination, a public identity of the user is obtained and mapped to the MD to bind a private identity and a public identity of the MD and the public identity of the user, and a user subscription database is instructed to update the user's service subscription information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for binding a user's Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) public identity to a mobile device that is shared among a plurality of users, the method comprising:
receiving, by an infrastructure element from a mobile device, a message comprising a shared service authorization access token that is associated with a shared service, wherein the shared service authorization access token comprises an identifier of a user of the mobile device and wherein the message further comprises a default public identity of the mobile device;
based on the identifier of the user and the default public identity of the mobile device, determining that the user is authorized to use the mobile device for the shared service;
in response to determining that the user is authorized to use the mobile device for the shared service, obtaining a public identity of the user;
mapping the public identity of the user to the mobile device to bind a private identity and a public identity of the mobile device and public identity of the user;
instructing a user subscription database to update the user's service subscription information; and
registering the mobile device with an IMS using the public identity of the mobile device and the public identity of the user.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising updating the user's service subscription information by binding a public identity of the mobile device and the private identity of the mobile device to the public identity of the user.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to updating the user's service subscription information in the user subscription database, conveying the public identity of the user to the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein updating comprises creating a new subscription for the user and the mobile device in the user subscription database and wherein the method further comprises:
deregistering an old subscription for the mobile device in the user subscription database.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the public identity of the user comprises a plurality of public identities of the user.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to updating the user's subscription information in the user subscription database, receiving a subscription from the mobile device, using the public identity of the mobile device, to a shared device service.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shared device service is a service provided by an application built into the HSS.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shared device service is a service provided by an application server external to IMS and HSS.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shared service is an IMS Application Service.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein registering comprises:
deregistering the mobile device with the MS; and
subsequent to deregistering the mobile device, registering the mobile device with the IMS using the public identity of the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to registering the mobile device with the IMS, informing the mobile device that the mobile device is registered with the IMS.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
automatically triggering a deregistration of the mobile device upon expiration of a predetermined period of time, wherein deregistration comprises an unbinding of the public identity of the mobile device and the private identity of the mobile device from the public identity of the user.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein access to the shared service is only for a limited period of time and wherein the method further comprises:
notifying the mobile device of an impending expiration of access to the shared service; and
in response to notifying the mobile device of the impending expiration, receiving, from the mobile device, a re-authorization of the binding of the public identity of the mobile device and the private identity of the mobile device to the public identity of the user.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shared device service is an IMS service provided by the IMS and wherein the method further comprises:
automatically triggering a deregistration of the mobile device in response to one or more of a powering down of the mobile device and a deregistration of the mobile device from the IMS system.

15. A method for unbinding a user's Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) public identity from a mobile device that is shared among a plurality of users, the method comprising:
determining, by an infrastructure device, that a log off event has occurred at the mobile device, wherein a public identity of a user is associated with a mobile device identifier of the mobile device;
in response to determining that the log off event has occurred:
updating the user's subscription information in the user subscription database, wherein updating comprises unbinding the public identity of the mobile device and the private identity of the mobile device from the public identifier of the user;
instructing the mobile device to remove the public identity of the user from the mobile device by notifying the mobile device of a deregistration of the public identity and the private identity of the mobile device and the public identity of the user; and
clearing a registration state of the mobile device with an IMS using the public identity of the mobile device and the public identity of the user;

receiving, from the mobile device, a request to re-register with the IMS; and
in response to receiving the request, registering the private identity of the mobile device and the public identity of the mobile device, while not further registering the public identity of the user.

16. An apparatus that is capable of binding a user's Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) public identity to a mobile device that is shared among a plurality of users, the apparatus comprising:
a shared device provisioning server comprising:
user subscription database;
a processor; and
an at least one memory device that is configured to store a set of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the following functions:
receive, from a mobile device, a message comprising a shared service authorization access token that is associated with a shared service, wherein the shared service authorization access token comprises an identifier of a user of the mobile device and wherein the message further comprises a default public identity of the mobile device;
based on the identifier of the user and the default public identity of the mobile device, determine that the user is authorized to use the mobile device for the shared service;
in response to determining that the user is authorized to use the mobile device for the shared service, obtain a public identity of the user;
map the public identity of the user to the mobile device to bind a private identity and a public identity of the mobile device and public identity of the user;
instruct the user subscription database to update the user's service subscription information by binding the private identity and the public identity of the mobile device to the public identity of the user; and
register the mobile device with an IMS using the public identity of the mobile device and the public identity of the user.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the user subscription database is configured to update the user's service subscription information by creating a new subscription for the user and the mobile device and wherein the user subscr

Assignees

• Motorola Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Upp Steven D
• Upp Karen M

Classifications

• H04L65/1016

  IP multimedia subsystem [IMS] · CPC title

• H04W12/06

  Authentication · CPC title

• H04L65/1073 Primary

  Registration or de-registration · CPC title

• H04W8/18

  Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data · CPC title

• H04W8/26

  Network addressing or numbering for mobility support · CPC title