IMS reregistration method and system therefor

Abstract

A method and system in which upon occurrence of a P-CSCF failure, a network sends an IMS reregistration request message to a UE. An S-CSCF or an AS monitors a P-CSCF to detect occurrence of a failure in the P-CSCF. Upon detecting the occurrence of a P-CSCF failure, the S-CSCF or the AS sends a request message for IMS reregistration to the UEs being served by the failed P-CSCF. In this manner, the UE can continuously receive the service even though a failure occurs in the P-CSCF.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for performing Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) reregistration of a User Equipment (UE), the method comprising:
 assigning one of a plurality of Proxy-Call Session Control Functions (P-CSCFs) to a UE that has requested IMS registration; 
 monitoring occurrence of a failure in the multiple P-CSCFs; and 
 upon detecting occurrence of a failure from at least one of the multiple P-CSCFs as a result of the monitoring, notifying at least one of UEs being served by the failed P-CSCF to perform IMS reregistration. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring comprises:
 monitoring the P-CSCF by a Serving-Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF). 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the notifying comprises:
 upon detecting the occurrence of a failure of the P-CSCF, sending by the S-CSCF a failure occurrence notification message to an Application Server (AS); 
 transferring, by the S-CSCF, information on UEs being served by the failed P-CSCF to the AS; and 
 sending, by the AS, an IMS reregistration request message to the UEs. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the transferring information on UEs comprises:
 generating, by the AS, as many IMS reregistration request messages as a number of UEs being served by the failed P-CSCF, and sending the IMS reregistration request messages to a message server (SMS-AS); and 
 converting, by the SMS-AS, the IMS reregistration request message into a Short Message Service (SMS) format, and sending the SMS to the UEs. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the transferring information on UEs comprises:
 generating, by the AS, an IMS reregistration request message, and delivering the generated IMS reregistration request message to an SMS-AS along with a list of UEs that will receive the IMS reregistration request message; and 
 converting, by the SMS-AS, the IMS reregistration request message into an SMS format, and delivering the SMS to the UEs. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 before the monitoring, registering, by an AS, the P-CSCF serving a UE that has performed 3 rd  party registration; 
 wherein the monitoring comprises monitoring the P-CSCF by the AS. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the notifying comprises:
 sending, by the AS, an IMS reregistration request message to the UEs being served by the failed P-CSCF. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the notifying comprises:
 generating, by the AS, as many IMS reregistration request messages as a number of UEs being served by the failed P-CSCF, and delivering the generated IMS reregistration request message to an SMS-AS; and 
 converting, by the SMS-AS, the IMS reregistration request message into an SMS format, and sending the SMS to the UEs. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the notifying comprises:
 generating, by the AS, an IMS reregistration request message, and delivering the generated IMS reregistration request message to an SMS-AS along with a list of UEs that will receive the IMS reregistration request message; and 
 converting, by the SMS-AS, the IMS reregistration request message into an SMS format, and delivering the SMS to the UEs. 
 
     
     
       10. A method for performing Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) reregistration by a User Equipment (UE), the method comprising:
 receiving assignment of one of a plurality of Proxy-Call Session Control Functions (P-CSCFs) through IMS registration; 
 when a failure occurs in the assigned P-CSCF, receiving an IMS reregistration request message from an Application Server (AS); and 
 sending a request for IMS reregistration to a Serving-Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF), to be assigned a new P-CSCF. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the IMS reregistration request message is a Short Message Service (SMS) message. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the IMS reregistration request message is an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) message. 
     
     
       13. A system for supporting Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) reregistration of a User Equipment (UE), the system comprising:
 a Serving-Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF) for monitoring a Proxy-Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF) that serves the UE, to detect occurrence of a failure of the P-CSCF; and 
 an Application Server (AS) for receiving, from the S-CSCF, a failure occurrence notification message of the P-CSCF and information on UEs being served by the failed P-CSCF, and sending an IMS reregistration request message to the UEs. 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the AS generates as many IMS reregistration request messages as a number of UEs being served by the failed P-CSCF;
 wherein the system further comprises a message server (SMS-AS) for receiving the IMS reregistration request message from the AS, converting the received IMS reregistration request message into a Short Message Service (SMS) format, and sending the SMS to the UEs. 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the AS generates an IMS reregistration request message;
 wherein the system further comprises an SMS-AS for receiving the IMS reregistration request message from the AS along with a list of UEs that will receive the IMS reregistration request message, converting the IMS reregistration request message into an SMS format, and sending the SMS to the UEs. 
 
     
     
       16. A system for supporting Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) reregistration of a User Equipment (UE), the system comprising:
 a Proxy-Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF) for serving a UE that has performed 3 rd  party registration; and 
 an Application Server (AS) for, upon detecting occurrence of a failure of the P-CSCF, sending an IMS reregistration request message to UEs being served by the failed P-CSCF. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , wherein upon receiving the IMS reregistration request message, the UE performs a P-CSCF discovery process and performs IMS reregistration. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the AS generates as many IMS reregistration request message as a number of UEs being served by the failed P-CSCF;
 wherein the system further comprises a message server (SMS-AS) for receiving the IMS reregistration request message from the AS, converting the received IMS reregistration request message into an Short Message Service (SMS) format, and sending the SMS to the UEs. 
 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the AS generates an IMS reregistration request message;
 wherein the system further comprises an SMS-AS for receiving the IMS reregistration request message from the AS along with a list of UEs that will receive the IMS reregistration request message, converting the IMS reregistration request message into an SMS format, and sending the SMS to the UEs. 
 
     
     
       20. A method for supporting Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) registration of a User Equipment (UE), the method comprising:
 transmitting first information on an address of a Proxy-Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF) to the UE based on a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP);   monitoring if a failure occurs in the P-CSCF for which the UE performed an initial IMS registration based on the first information on the address of the P-CSCF; and   if the failure in the P-CSCF is detected, transmitting, to a plurality of UEs associated with the P-CSCF, through an entity other than a serving-Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF), second information indicating a request for an IMS reregistration.   
     
     
       21. The method of claim 20, further comprising transmitting information on an address of a new P-CSCF to at least one of the plurality of UEs, based on the DHCP. 
     
     
       22. The method of claim 21, wherein the address of the new P-CSCF is used for an initial IMS registration for the new P-CSCF. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim 20, further comprising receiving a new DHCP query requesting an address of a new P-CSCF from at least one of the plurality of UEs. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 23, wherein the address of the new P-CSCF is used for an initial IMS registration for the new P-CSCF. 
     
     
       25. A method for performing an Internet Protocol IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) registration by a User Equipment (UE), the method comprising:
 receiving first information on an address of a Proxy-Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF) from a network entity based on a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP);   performing an initial IMS registration for the P-CSCF based on the first information on the address of the P-CSCF;   receiving second information indicating a request for an IMS reregistration, from the network entity, through an entity other than a serving-Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF); and   performing an initial IMS registration for a new P-CSCF.   
     
     
       26. The method of claim 25, further comprising receiving information on an address of the new P-CSCF from the network entity. 
     
     
       27. The method of claim 26, wherein the address of the new P-CSCF is used for the initial IMS registration for the new P-CSCF. 
     
     
       28. The method of claim 25, further comprising transmitting a new DHCP query requesting an address of the new P-CSCF to the network entity. 
     
     
       29. The method of claim 28, wherein the address of the new P-CSCF is used for the initial IMS registration for the new P-CSCF. 
     
     
       30. A network for supporting an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) registration of a User Equipment (UE), the network apparatus comprising:
 a transceiver; and   a controller configured to transmit, via the transceiver, first information on an address of a Proxy-Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF) to the UE based on a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), monitor if a failure occurs in the P-CSCF for which the UE performed an initial IMS registration based on the first information on the address of the P-CSCF, and if the failure in to P-CSCF is detected, transmit, to a plurality of UEs associated with the P-CSCF, through an entity other than a serving-Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF), second information indicating a request for an IMS reregistration.   
     
     
       31. The network apparatus of claim 30, wherein the controller is further configured to transmit, via the transceiver, information on an address of a new P-CSCF to at least one of the plurality of UEs, based on the DHCP. 
     
     
       32. The network apparatus of claim 31, wherein the address of the new P-CSCF is used for an initial IMS registration for the new P-CSCF. 
     
     
       33. The network apparatus of claim 30, wherein the controller receives, via the transceiver, a new DHCP query requesting an address of a new P-CSCF from at least one of the plurality of UEs. 
     
     
       34. The network apparatus of claim 33, wherein the address of the new P-CSCF is used for an initial IMS registration for the new P-CSCF. 
     
     
       35. A User Equipment (UE) for performing an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) registration by a User Equipment (UE), the UE comprising:
 a transceiver; and   a controller configured to receive, via the transceiver, first information on an address of a Proxy-Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF) from a network entity based on a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), perform an initial IMS registration for the P-CSCF based on the first information on the address of the P-CSCF, receive second information indicating a request for an IMS reregistration, from the network entity, through an entity other than a serving-Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF), and perform an initial IMS registration for a new P-CSCF.   
     
     
       36. The UE of claim 35, wherein the controller is further configured to receive, via the transceiver information on an address of the new P-CSCF from the network entity. 
     
     
       37. The UE of claim 36, wherein the address of the new P-CSCF is used for the initial IMS registration for the new P-CSCF. 
     
     
       38. The UE of claim 35, wherein the controller transmits, via the transceiver, a new DHCP query requesting an address of the new P-CSCF to the network entity. 
     
     
       39. The UE of claim 38, wherein the address of the new P-CSCF is used for the initial IMS registration for the new P-CSCF.