System, apparatus and method for updating communication services

Abstract

A system for updating communication services includes user equipment configured to communicate using a first communication service standard and a second communication service standard, a subscriber database, an application server, and a network device. The network device detects an update trigger corresponding to a user equipment, requests that the user equipment discontinue using the first communication service standard, and flags the user equipment as updated by communicating with the application server and the subscriber database, The network device also receives a communication from the user equipment and determines whether the communication corresponds to the first communication service standard or the second communication service standard. If the communication corresponds to the first communication service standard the network device communicates an error message to the user equipment. However, if the communication corresponds to a second communication service standard, the network device processes the communication.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a communication unit configured to receive a user equipment updated message corresponding to the user equipment; and   an update unit configured to change an update status corresponding to a user equipment in accordance with the user equipment updated message,   wherein the update status corresponds to a first communication standard and a second communication standard used by the user equipment.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the communication unit is further configured to communication the update status corresponding to the user device in response to a request for the update status of the user device. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus, comprising:
 receiving means for receiving a user equipment updated message corresponding to a user equipment; and   changing means for changing an update status corresponding to the user equipment in accordance with the user equipment updated message,   wherein the update status corresponds to a first communication standard and a second communication standard used by the user equipment.   
     
     
         4 . A method, comprising:
 receiving a user equipment updated message corresponding to a user equipment; and   changing an update status corresponding to the user equipment in accordance with the user equipment updated message,   wherein the update status corresponds to a first communication standard and a second communication standard used by the user equipment.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 communicating the update status corresponding to the user device in response to a request for the update status of the user device.   
     
     
         6 . A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium, the computer program configured to control a processor to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a user equipment updated message corresponding to a user equipment; and   changing an update status corresponding to the user equipment in accordance with the user equipment updated message,   wherein the update status corresponds to a first communication standard and a second communication standard used by the user equipment.   
     
     
         7 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a receiver configured to receive a communication corresponding to a user equipment and a first communication service standard;   a querying unit configured to query a subscriber database to determine whether the user equipment has been updated in accordance with a second communication service standard; and   a transmitter configured to send an error message to a network device when the user equipment has been updated according to the second communication service standard.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the first communication service standard comprises a global system for mobile communication service standard and the second communication service standard comprises an interne protocol multimedia system service standard. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus, comprising:
 receiving means for receiving a communication corresponding to a user equipment and a first communication service standard;   querying means for querying a subscriber database to determine whether the user equipment has been updated in accordance with a second communication service standard; and   sending means for sending an error message to a network device when the user equipment has been updated according to the second communication service standard.   
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 receiving a communication corresponding to a user equipment and a first communication service standard;   querying a subscriber database to determine whether the user equipment has been updated in accordance with a second communication service standard; and   sending an error message to a network device when the user equipment has been updated according to the second communication service standard.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first communication service standard comprises a global system for mobile communication service standard and the second communication service standard comprises an internet protocol multimedia system service standard. 
     
     
         12 . A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium, the computer program configured to control a processor to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a communication corresponding to a user equipment and a first communication service standard;   querying a subscriber database to determine whether the user equipment has been updated in accordance with a second communication service standard; and   sending an error message to a network device when the user equipment has been updated according to the second communication service standard.