Nova Patents
EP1772003B1

Method and system for retrieving network addresses in hybrid telecommunication networks

Abstract

This record has no abstract on file.

EP1772003B1, drawing sheet 1
Sheet 1 of 1

Term

Term ended

Expired 19 July 2025, 1.2 years ago.

  1. Priority
  2. Filed
  3. Granted
  4. Expired
  5. Today

43 claims: 35 independent, 8 dependent

  1. 1
    A method for retrieving a network address of a first User Equipment (1), within a telecommunication system comprising two or more networks (11, 12, 13), where the networks (11, 12, 13) are of different network types, where the two or more networks (11, 12, 13) are connected to at least the first User Equipment (1) having connections (1A, 1B, 1C), each associated with a network address, to two or more of the networks (11, 12, 13), wherein the method comprises the steps of:- sending via the network (11, 12, 13) of a first network type a request for retrieval of the network address of the first User Equipment (1), the network address being of a second network type, the first network type being different from the second network type;- receiving a reply comprising information regarding the requested network address of the first User Equipment (1), characterised in that, the request is sent to, and the reply is received from, the first User Equipment (1).
  2. 3
    The method according to any of claims 1 or 2, wherein the reply is received via the network of the second network type (11, 12, 13).
  3. 4
    The method according to any of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the reply is received via the network of a third network type (11, 12, 13).
  4. 5
    The method according to any of claims 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the request is sent, and the reply is received, by a second User Equipment (2) being connected to at least the same networks (11, 12, 13) where the first User Equipment (1) is connected to.
  5. 6
    The method according to any of claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein the request is sent, and the reply is received, by a network node (21, 22, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35) being connected to, or comprised by, at least one of the networks (11, 12) where the first User Equipment (1) is connected to.
  6. 7
    The method according to any of claims 5 or 6, wherein the first or the second User Equipment (1, 2) comprises a terminal with at least one connection (1A, 1B, 1C, 2A, 2B, 2C) to each connected network (11, 12, 13) where each of said connections has a network address such as a Dual Transfer Mode, DTM, terminal, a Global System for Mobile communications - General Packet Radio system, GSM-GPRS, terminal or a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System Multi Radio Access Bearer, UMTS Multi-RAB, terminal.
  7. 8
    The method according to any of claims 5, 6 or 7, wherein the first or the second User Equipment (1, 2) comprises two or more terminals where each of the terminals has at least one connection (1A, 1B, 1C, 2A, 2B, 2C) to each connected network (11, 12, 13) where each of said connections has a network address.
  8. 10
    The method according to any of claims 7, 8 or 9, wherein the terminal (1, 2) has a wire-line connection to the one or more networks (11, 12, 13) or a wireless connection to the one or more networks (11, 12, 13).
  9. 11
    The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the networks (11, 12, 13) and the associated network addresses are of Circuit Switched, CS, network type or Packet Switched, PS, network type.
  10. 13
    The method according to any of claims 11 or 12, wherein the request via the PS type network is sent or the reply received according to a PS protocol such as a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) protocol message.
  11. 14
    The method according to any of claims 11, 12 or 13, wherein the network address is a CS network address, such as a telephone subscriber number such as Mobile Station Integrated Services Digital Network, MSISDN, number, a Public Switched Telecommunications Network, PSTN, number, a Virtual Private Network, VPN, private number or a number according to a E.164 International Telecommunication Union, ITU, recommendation.
  12. 15
    The method according to any of claims 11, 12, 13 or 14, wherein the network address is a PS network address, such as a PS network identifier or number such as SIP Uniform Resource Indicator, URI, Local Area Network, LAN, Media Access Control, MAC, layer address such as an Ethernet MAC address, or Internet Protocol, IP, address.
  13. 16
    A method for retrieving a network address of a first User Equipment (1), within a telecommunication system comprising two or more networks (11, 12, 13), where the networks (11, 12, 13) are of different network types, where the two or more networks (11, 12, 13) are connected to at least the first User Equipment (1) having connections (1A, 1B, 1C), each associated with a network address, to two or more of the networks (11, 12, 13), wherein the method comprises the steps of:- receiving via the network (11, 12, 13) of a first network type a request for retrieval of the network address of the first User Equipment (1), the network address being of a second network type, the first network type being different from the second network type;- looking up the requested network address of the first User Equipment (1), and - sending a reply comprising the looked up network address of the first User Equipment (1), characterised in that the receiving-, looking up- and the sending steps are performed by the first User Equipment (1).
  14. 18
    The method according to any of claims 16 or 17, wherein the request is received from, and the reply is sent to, a second User Equipment (2) or a network node (21, 22, 31, 32, 33) being connected to, or comprised by, at least the same networks (11, 12, 13) where the first User Equipment (1) is connected to.
  15. 19
    The method according to any of claims 16, 17 or 18, wherein the looking up step comprises loading and executing an application at the first User Equipment.
  16. 20
    The method according to any of claims 16, 17, 18 or 19, wherein the first or the second User Equipment (1, 2) comprises a terminal with at least one connection to each connected network (11, 12, 13) where each of said connections has a network address, such as a Dual Transfer Mode, DTM, terminal, a Global System for Mobile communications - General Packet Radio System, GSM-GPRS, terminal or a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System Multi Radio Access Bearer, UMTS Multi-RAB, terminal.
  17. 21
    The method according to any of claims 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20, wherein the first or the second User Equipment (1, 2) comprises two or more terminals where each of the terminals has at least one connection to each connected network (11, 12, 13) where each of said connections has a network address.
  18. 22
    The method according to any of claims 20 or 21, wherein the terminals (1, 2) are arranged for deploying a communication session such as speech, audio, video, e-mail, text-messages or data, by means of a device such as a telephone, headset, Global System for Mobile communications, GSM, terminal, Advanced Mobile Phone System, AMPS, or Digital AMPS, D-AMPS, terminal, Digital Enhanced Cordless Telephony, DECT, terminal, Bluetooth terminal, Universal Mobile Telecommunication System, UMTS, terminal, video terminal, Personal Computer, PC, or workstation.
  19. 23
    The method according to any of claims 20, 21 or 22, wherein the terminal (1, 2) has a wire-line connection to the one or more networks (11, 12, 13) or a wireless connection to the one or more networks (11, 12, 13).
  20. 24
    The method according to any of claims 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 or 23, wherein the networks (11, 12, 13) and associated network addresses are of a different network type being a Circuit Switched, CS, type or a Packet Switched, PS, type.
  21. 26
    The method according to any of claims 24 or 25, wherein the request via the PS type network is received or the reply is sent according to a PS protocol such as the Session Initiation Protocol, SIP, protocol.
  22. 27
    The method according to any of claims 24, 25 or 26, wherein the network address is a CS network address, such as a telephone subscriber number such as Mobile Station Integrated Services Digital Network, MSISDN, number, a Public Switched Telecommunications Network, PSTN, number, or a Victual Private Network, VPN, private number, or a number according to a E.164 International Telecommunication Union, ITU, recommendation.
  23. 28
    The method according to any of claims 24, 25, 26 or 27, wherein the network address is a PS network address, such as a PS network identifier or number such as SIP Uniform Resource Indicator, URI, Local Area Network, LAN, Media Access Control, MAC, layer address such as an Ethernet MAC address, or Internet Protocol, IP, address.
  24. 29
    A network device (2, 21, 22, 31, 32, 33) for operating in a telecommunication system, the device (2, 21, 22, 31, 32, 33) being arranged for retrieving a network address of a first User Equipment (1), the system further comprising two or more networks (11, 12, 13), where the networks (11, 12, 13) are of different network types, where the networks (11, 12, 13) are connected to at least the first User Equipment (1) having connections (1A, 1B, 1C), each associated with a network address, to two or more of the networks (11, 12, 13), and where the device is connected to at least one of the networks (11, 12, 13), in common connected with the first User Equipment (1), by means of at least one connection (2A, 2B, 2C, 21A, 22A, 31A, 32A, 33A, 33B) wherein the device comprises an Input/Output unit, in cooperation with network interfaces representing the connections (2A, 2B, 2C, 21A, 22A, 31A, 32A, 33A, 33B), for sending via the network of a first network type (11, 12, 13) a request for retrieval of the network address of the first User Equipment (1) of a second network type and for receiving a reply comprising information regarding the requested network address of the first User Equipment (1), by means of the same or another network connection (2A, 2B, 2C, 21A, 22A, 31A, 32A, 33A, 33B) of the device, the first network type being different from the second network type, characterised in that the device is arranged for sending the request to, and receiving the reply from, the first User Equipment (1).
  25. 31
    The network device according to any of claims 29 or 30, wherein the device is represented by a second User Equipment (2) or a network node (21, 22, 31, 32, 33).
  26. 33
    The network device according to any of claims 31 or 32, wherein the second User Equipment (2) comprises two or more terminals where each of the terminals has at least one connection to each connected network (11, 12, 13) where each of said connections has a network address.
  27. 34
    The network device according to any of claims 32 or 33, wherein the terminal (2) is arranged for deploying a communication session such as speech, audio, video, e-mail, text-messages or data, by means of a device such as a telephone, headset, Global System for Mobile communications, GSM, terminal, Advanced Mobile Phone System, AMPS, or Digital AMPS, D-AMPS, terminal, Digital Enhanced Cordless Telephony, DECT, terminal, Bluetooth terminal, Universal Mobile Telecommunication System, UMTS, terminal, video terminal, Personal Computer, PC, or workstation.
  28. 35
    The network device according to any of claims 32, 33 or 34, wherein the terminal (2) has a wire-line connection to the one or more networks (11, 12, 13) or a wireless connection to the one or more networks (11, 12, 13).
  29. 36
    The network device according to any of claims 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 or 35, wherein the networks (11, 12, 13) and associated network addresses are of a different network type such as Circuit Switched, CS, type and/or Packet Switched, PS, type.
  30. 37
    A network device comprised by a telecommunication system, the device being arranged for providing a network address of a first User Equipment (1), the system further comprising two or more networks (11, 12, 13), where the networks (11, 12, 13) are of different network types, where the two or more networks (11, 12, 13) are connected to at least the first User Equipment (1) having connections (1A, 1B, 1C), each associated with a network address, to two or more of the networks (11, 12, 13), and wherein the device is connected to two or more of the networks by means of at least one connection (1A, 1B, 1C), wherein the device comprises a processing unit and an Input/Output, I/O, unit for receiving via the network (11, 12, 13) of a first network type a request for retrieval of the network address of a second network type of the first User Equipment (1), the first network type being different from the second network type, for looking up the requested network address of the first User Equipment and for sending a reply comprising the looked up network address of the first User Equipment, characterised in that the network device is the first User Equipment (1).
  31. 39
    The network device according to any of claims 37 or 38, wherein the first User Equipment (1) comprises a terminal, with at least one connection to each connected network (11, 12, 13) where each of said connections has a network address, such as a Dual Transfer Mode, DTM, terminal, a Global System for Mobile communications - General Packet Radio System, GSM-GPRS, terminal or a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System Multi Radio Access Bearer, UMTS Multi-RAB, terminal.
  32. 40
    The network device according to any of claims 37, 38 or 39, wherein the first User Equipment (1) comprises two or more terminals where each of the terminals has at least one connection to each connected network (11, 12, 13) where each of said connections has a network address.
  33. 41
    The network device according to any of claims 39 or 40, wherein the terminals are arranged for deploying a communication session such as speech, audio, video, or data, by means of a device such as a telephone, headset, Global System for Mobile communications, GSM, terminal, Advanced Mobile Phone System, AMPS, or Digital AMPS, D-AMPS, terminal, Digital Enhanced Cordless Telephony, DECT, terminal, Bluetooth terminal, Universal Mobile Telecommunication System, UMTS, terminal, video terminal, Personal Computer, PC, or workstation.
  34. 42
    The network device according to any of claims 39, 40 or 41, wherein the terminal (1) has a wire-line connection to at least one of the networks (11, 12, 13) or a wireless connection to at least one of the networks (11, 12, 13).
  35. 43
    The network device according to any of claims 37, 38, 39, 40, 41 or 42, wherein the networks (11, 12, 13) and associated network addresses are of a different network type such as Circuit Switched, CS, type and/or Packet Switched, PS, type.
Independent claims35