Application Server Service Identifier Removal for IMS Clarity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 3GPP IMS service architecture fails to accurately determine whether a communication session supports a requested service due to ambiguity in handling communication service identifiers by UEs and B2BUAs, leading to uncertainty about end-to-end service support.
Innovation Solution
An application server method that removes service identifiers for unsupported services from session requests and responses, ensuring that only supported service identifiers are maintained or added, thereby clarifying service support between UEs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If B2BUAs replace or add communication service identifiers in Accept-Contact and Contact headers, then service routing and policy application is improved, but UE ability to determine end-to-end service support deteriorates due to ambiguity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the service identifier handling logic from the B2BUA and places it in the UE. The UE autonomously determines whether to remove unsupported service identifiers from requests and responses, eliminating the ambiguity caused by B2BUA modifications. This extraction restores clear service support information while maintaining routing capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of B2BUAs modifying service identifiers and UEs trying to interpret the modifications, the patent inverts the approach: UEs actively manage service identifier removal based on their own capability assessments. This inversion clarifies the information flow and eliminates the ambiguity introduced by B2BUA replacements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If UEs add all supported service identifier values to Contact header, then service selection flexibility is improved, but service support determination accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by having each UE independently manage service identifiers based on its own capability assessment. Each UE removes unsupported service identifiers from requests and responses, creating locally accurate service support information while maintaining the ability to select from supported services.
3Loss of information
If service identifiers are maintained unmodified through the network, then information accuracy is improved, but service routing capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having UEs preemptively remove unsupported service identifiers from requests and responses before they traverse the network. This preliminary filtering ensures that only supported service identifiers are transmitted, maintaining information accuracy while enabling proper service routing for supported services.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method in an application server. A request for initiating a communication session is received, and responsive to the request including a first service identifier pertaining to a service not supported by the application server, the first service identifier is removed from the request. A response to the request is received, and responsive to having removed the first service identifier from the request and the response including a second service identifier pertaining to the same service as the first service identifier, the second service identifier is removed from the response.