SIP-based user mobility providing apparatus and method

Abstract

Disclosed are an SIP-based user mobility service providing apparatus and method using user position information obtained by a sensing apparatus. When a user enters a specific region, a gateway including a sensing management module carries out SIP registration for several terminals existing in the specific region in place of user agents of the terminals. The sensing management module transmits an SIP registration message to an SIP proxy server and notifies the terminals of the completion of SIP registration. Then, the user receives a call using the same kind of a terminal as a specific terminal previously set on the basis of a user's preferences among the terminals in the specific region.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An SIP (Session Initiation protocol)-based user mobility service providing apparatus that is connected to an SIP-based IP multimedia service network in an environment where various communication infrastructures coexist and transmits an SIP message to an SIP terminal and an SIP proxy server through a gateway to provide a mobile user with an SIP service, comprising:
 a sensing part that detects an event that the user enters a specific region or goes out of the specific region based on signals from at least one marker, to obtain a position of the user; and   a sensing management module that receives information on the position of the user in the specific region from the sensing part and carries out SIP registration for terminals in the specific region when it is confirmed that the user, enters the specific region and carries out SIP cancellation of SIP registration for terminals in the specific region when it is confirmed that the user goes out of the specific region.   
     
     
       2. The SIP-based user mobility service providing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the specific terminal has the same capability as that of a terminal selected on the basis of a predetermined terminal priority order depending on a user's preferences among the several of terminals existing in the specific region. 
     
     
       3. The SIP-based user mobility service providing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one marker transmits specific information in the signals in response to the user's position, and the sensing part includes a receiver that receives signals with the specific information from the at least one marker to detect the event that the user enters the specific region or goes out of the specific region and transmits the detected information to the sensing management unit. 
     
     
       4. The SIP-based user mobility service providing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sensing management module is mounted in the gateway. 
     
     
       5. The SIP-based user mobility service providing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sensing management module is constructed in a separate machine having computing capability. 
     
     
       6. The SIP-based user mobility service providing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sensing management module comprises:
 an interface unit for communicating with the receiver of the sensing unit, the SIP proxy server, the SIP terminal, and an operator terminal that manages the receiver of the sensing unit and controls the sensing management unit;   an information managing unit that manages the user information and information on the terminals in the specific region; and   an SIP service supporting unit that carries out SIP registration for the each terminals existing in the specific region and notification of the completion of SIP registration such that the user is provided with the SIP service.   
     
     
       7. The SIP-based user mobility service providing apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the operator terminal determines a range of the specific region on the basis of a marker detection allowable limit of the receiver. 
     
     
       8. The SIP-based user mobility service providing apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the operator terminal determines a marker monitoring period to determine whether the user exists in the specific region. 
     
     
       9. The SIP-based user mobility service providing apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the sensing management module further comprises a user authentication unit that determines whether the user in the specific region uses the several terminals existing in the specific region and whether the user subscribes to an SIP service provider. 
     
     
       10. The SIP-based user mobility service providing apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the sensing management module further comprises a management information database for storing SIP registration related information including the user information and the information on the terminals in the specific region. 
     
     
       11. The SIP-based user mobility service providing apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the information managing unit comprises:
 a user/marker mapping manager for managing mapping information of an ID of the at least one marker and a URI (uniform resource identifier) of the user;   a terminal information manager for managing the information on the terminals existing in the specific region; and   an active user manager for managing active information of the user in the specific region.   
     
     
       12. The SIP-based user mobility service providing apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the SIP service supporting unit comprises:
 an SIP user registration/cancellation proxy unit that generates an SIP registration message for each of the several terminals in the specific region according to the SIP registration related information and transmits the SIP registration message to the SIP proxy server to perform SIP registration; and   an SIP user registration/cancellation notifying unit that notifies the SIP terminal of the completion of SIP user registration when SIP registration has been completed through the SIP user registration/cancellation proxy unit.   
     
     
       13. The SIP-based user mobility service providing apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the interface unit comprises:
 a sensing receiver interface that provides an interface for transmitting information on the result of the detection of the event that the user enters the specific region or goes out of the region from the sensing part to the sensing management module;   an SIP proxy server interface that provides an interface for transmitting the SIP registration message for each of the terminals to the SIP proxy server;   an SIP terminal interface that provides an interface for transmitting the SIP registration completion notification to the SIP terminal; and   an operator interface that provides an interface for operating and controlling the sensing management module by the operator terminal.   
     
     
       14. An SIP-based user mobility service providing method using an SIP (session initiation protocol)-based user mobility providing apparatus that is connected to an SIP-based IP multimedia service network in an environment where various communication infrastructures coexist, and transmits an SIP message to an SIP terminal and an SIP proxy server through a gateway to provide a mobile user with an SIP service, comprising:
 a) converting each terminals existing in a specific region to an available state when a user who is authorized to use the SIP service enters the specific region; and   b) receiving a call using a specific terminal having the same capability as that of a terminal previously set on the basis of a user's preferences among the several terminals in the available state,   
       wherein converting each terminal further comprises:
 detecting an event that the user enters the specific region based on signals from at least one marker; 
 generating an SIP registration message for terminals in the specific region and transmitting the SIP registration message to the SIP proxy server to carry out SIP registration when it is confirmed that the user enters the specific region; and 
 generating an SIP deregistration message for the terminals in the specific region and transmitting the SIP deregistration message to the SIP proxy server, to carry out cancellation of SIP registration when it is confirmed that the user goes out of the specific region. 
 
     
     
       15. The SIP-based user mobility service providing method as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising performing user authentication for determining whether the user is authorized to use the terminals existing in the specific region and whether the user is authorized to use the SIP service when the user enters the specific region before the converting the each terminals existing in the specific region to the available state when the user who is authorized to use the SIP service enters the specific region. 
     
     
       16. The SIP-based user mobility service providing method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein step a) further comprises periodically confirming whether the user exists in the specific region after the notifying the SIP terminal of the completion of SIP registration when SIP registration has been completed. 
     
     
       17. An SIP (Session Initiation Protocol)-based user mobility service providing apparatus that is connected to an SIP-based IP multimedia service network, comprising:
 a receiver to receive a signal from a portable device to detect that the portable device enters a specific region or goes out of the specific region; and   a management unit to receive information related to the portable device based on the signal, and to carry out registration using a first SIP message for a terminal in the specific region when the portable device enters the specific region, and to carry out deregistration using a second SIP message for the terminal in the specific region when the portable device goes out of the specific region.   
     
     
       18. The SIP-based user mobility service providing apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the specific region is determined on the basis of an area where the receiver recognizes the signal from the portable device. 
     
     
       19. The SIP-based user mobility service providing apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the portable device has a small size and low power consumption. 
     
     
       20. The SIP-based user mobility service providing apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the management unit selects the terminal for a communication session. 
     
     
       21. The SIP-based user mobility service providing apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the management unit comprises:
 an interface unit to communicate with the receiver, an SIP proxy server, the terminal, and an operator terminal that manages the receiver and controls the management unit;   an information managing unit to manage user information and information on the terminal in the specific region; and   an SIP service supporting unit to carry out the registration for the terminal in the specific region and notification of the completion of the registration.   
     
     
       22. The SIP-based user mobility service providing apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the operator terminal determines a range of the specific region on the basis of an area where the receiver recognizes the signal from the portable device. 
     
     
       23. The SIP-based user mobility service providing apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the management unit further comprises a user authentication unit to determine whether a user corresponding to the portable device is authorized to use the terminal in the specific region. 
     
     
       24. The SIP-based user mobility service providing apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the management unit further comprises a management information database to store registration related information including the user information and the information on the terminal in the specific region. 
     
     
       25. The SIP-based user mobility service providing apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the information managing unit comprises:
 a user/portable device mapping manager to map specific information of the portable device with a URI (uniform resource identifier) of a user;   a terminal information manager to manage the information on the terminal in the specific region; and   an active user manager to manage active information of the user in the specific region.   
     
     
       26. The SIP-based user mobility service providing apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the SIP service supporting unit comprises:
 an SIP user registration/cancellation proxy unit to generate the first SIP message for the registration of the terminal in the specific region according to the registration related information and to transmit the first SIP message for the registration to the SIP proxy server to perform the registration; and   an SIP user registration/cancellation notifying unit to notify the terminal of the completion of the registration when the registration has been completed through the SIP user registration/cancellation proxy unit.   
     
     
       27. The SIP-based user mobility service providing apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the interface unit comprises:
 a sensing receiver interface to provide an interface for transmitting information, when the portable device enters the specific region or goes out of the region, from the receiver to the management unit;   an SIP proxy server interface to provide an interface for transmitting the first SIP message for the registration of the terminal to the SIP proxy server;   an SIP terminal interface to provide an interface for transmitting the registration completion notification to the terminal; and   an operator interface to provide an interface for operating and controlling the management unit by the operator terminal.   
     
     
       28. An SIP-based user mobility service providing method using an SIP (session initiation protocol)-based user mobility providing apparatus that is connected to an SIP-based IP multimedia service network, comprising:
 receiving a signal from a portable device at a receiver to detect that the portable device enters a specific region or goes out of the specific region;   receiving information related to the portable device based on the signal from the receiver at a management unit; and   performing, by the management unit, registration using a first SIP message for a terminal in the specific region when the portable device enters the specific region;   wherein the management unit performs deregistration using a second SIP message for the terminal in the specific region when the portable device goes out of the specific region.   
     
     
       29. The SIP-based user mobility service providing method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the specific region is determined on the basis of an area where the receiver recognizes the signal from the portable device. 
     
     
       30. The SIP-based user mobility service providing method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the portable device has a small size and low power consumption. 
     
     
       31. The SIP-based user mobility service providing method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the management unit selects the terminal for a communication session. 
     
     
       32. The SIP-based user mobility service providing method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the management unit determines whether a user corresponding to the portable device is authorized to use the terminal in the specific region. 
     
     
       33. An SIP-based user mobility service providing method using an SIP (session initiation protocol)-based user mobility providing apparatus that is connected to an SIP-based IP multimedia service network, comprising:
 converting a terminal in a specific region to an available state or an unavailable state on the basis of a detection that a portable device enters the specific region or exits the specific region; and   receiving a call using the terminal for a communication session,   wherein converting the terminal to the available state further comprises:   detecting that the portable device enters the specific region based on a signal from the portable device;   generating a first SIP message for registration of the terminal in the specific region and transmitting the first SIP message to an SIP proxy server to carry out the registration if the portable device enters the specific region;   wherein converting the terminal to the unavailable state further comprises:   detecting that the portable device exits the specific region based on a signal from the portable device;   generating a second SIP message for deregistration of the terminal in the specific region and transmitting the second SIP message for deregistration to the SIP proxy server to carry out deregistration if the portable device exits the specific region.   
     
     
       34. The SIP-based user mobility service providing method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the specific region is determined on the basis of an area where the receiver recognizes the signal from the portable device. 
     
     
       35. The SIP-based user mobility service providing method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the portable device has a small size and low power consumption. 
     
     
       36. The SIP-based user mobility service providing method as claimed in claim 33, further comprising:
 performing user authentication for determining whether a user corresponding to the portable device is authorized to use the terminal in the specific region when the user enters the specific region before the converting the terminal in the specific region to the available state.