IMS Session Service Control Channel Addition
Solution Overview
Problem
The establishment and association of a service control channel with a CS bearer signaling channel in IMS sessions are time-consuming and resource-intensive, especially when IMS services are not initially invoked during voice calls, leading to delayed call setup and unnecessary resource usage.
Innovation Solution
The IMS session is established without initially associating a service control signaling channel, allowing a CS bearer path to be set up using a CS access network, and a service control signaling channel is added only when IMS services are required, using public service identities (PSIs) to route signaling messages through an IMS continuity control function (ICCF) for facilitating service control signaling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a service control channel is established and associated with the CS bearer signaling channel during IMS session establishment, then IMS services can be controlled, but call setup time increases and resources are consumed unnecessarily for basic voice calls
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by establishing the service control channel association only when IMS services are actually invoked, rather than during initial session establishment. The system prepares the capability to add the service control channel later, but delays the actual establishment until needed, thus avoiding unnecessary time consumption for basic voice calls while ensuring IMS service control capability is available when required.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the service control channel association optional and dynamic rather than static and mandatory. The service control channel can be added or removed based on whether IMS services are invoked during the session, allowing the system to adapt its structure to the actual service requirements and optimize performance accordingly.
2Reliability
If a service control channel is established and associated with the CS bearer signaling channel during IMS session establishment, then IMS services can be controlled, but system resources are consumed unnecessarily for basic voice calls
Solution Approach 1:
The system delays the establishment of the service control channel association until IMS services are actually invoked, rather than creating it during initial session setup. This preliminary action approach ensures that system resources are not consumed for establishing and maintaining the service control channel when it is not needed for basic voice calls, while still ensuring the capability is available when IMS services are required.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of service control channel association from a fixed state to a conditional state. The association parameter is set to false initially for basic voice calls and can be changed to true when IMS services are invoked, allowing the system to optimize resource usage by adjusting this parameter based on actual service requirements rather than maintaining a constant resource-intensive state.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the service control channel is established separately from the bearer path setup, then flexibility is improved, but the complexity of managing multiple channels increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the service control channel establishment from the mandatory session setup process, making it a separate optional operation. By taking out the service control channel creation from the initial bearer path establishment, the system gains flexibility to add or omit it based on service requirements, while the complexity is managed by only establishing the separate channel when actually needed rather than always.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universality by designing the system to handle both cases (with and without service control channel) through a unified architecture. The same bearer path establishment process works for both basic voice calls and IMS services, with the service control channel being an optional additional component that can be added when needed, making the system versatile without requiring completely different processes for different service types.
Data Source
AI summary
For an IMS session that employs a CS bearer path that supports a local user element for at least a portion of the overall bearer path, the present invention provides for establishing and using the IMS session without providing a service control signaling channel when the IMS session is initially established. After the IMS session is established and supporting communications between the local and remote user elements, a service control signaling channel for the local user element may be established and associated with the IMS session to facilitate IMS services requiring service control signaling. Before or when a service is invoked, the local user element, the network, or an agent thereof may establish the service control signaling channel wherein the IMS will associate the service control signaling channel with the current IMS session and employ service control signaling over the service control signaling channel to facilitate IMS services.