SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INDICATING CALLEE PREFERENCES

1 . A method of communicating callee device preferences to a network, comprising:

transmitting a first device identification, the first device identification at least one of identifying the callee device and describing a capability of the callee device;

encoding a caller capabilities pattern into a first session initiation protocol (SIP) message, the caller capabilities pattern describing an attribute of a candidate caller device;

encoding an action pattern into the first SIP message, the action pattern defining an action, the network being configured to take the action, the action pattern being associated with the caller capabilities pattern; and

transmitting the first SIP message to the network.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the first SIP message to the network includes transmitting the first SIP message to at least one of a serving call session control function (S-CSCF), proxy CSCF (P-CSCF), Media Gateway Controller Function (MGCF) and an application server (AS).

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein encoding an action pattern into the first SIP message includes encoding the action pattern into at least one of an Accept-Contact header and a Reject-Contact header of the first SIP message.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the action pattern includes at least one of a reject directive, a redirect directive, and a proxy-directive.

5 . The method of claim 1 , including:

modifying the first SIP message to include a preference-record header, the preference-record header having a stale value;

transmitting the modified first SIP message to the network;

encoding at least one of a second caller capabilities pattern and a second action pattern into a second SIP message;

transmitting the second SIP message to the network.

6 . A method of receiving callee device preferences, comprising:

receiving a first device identification, the first device identification at least one of identifying a callee device and describing a capability of the callee device;

receiving a first session initiation protocol (SIP) message, the first SIP message including:

a caller capabilities pattern encoded into the first SIP message, the caller capabilities pattern describing an attribute of a candidate caller device, and

an action pattern encoded into the first SIP message, the action pattern defining an action, the action pattern being associated with the caller capabilities pattern; and

using the caller capabilities pattern and the action pattern to process requests directed to the first device.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the first SIP message is received by at least one of a serving call session control function (S-CSCF), proxy CSCF (P-CSCF), Media Gateway Controller Function (MGCF) and an application server (AS).

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the action pattern is encoded into at least one of an Accept-Contact header and a Reject-Contact header of the first SIP message.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the action pattern includes at least one of a reject directive, a redirect directive, and a proxy-directive.

10 . The method of claim 6 , including:

receiving a modified first SIP message, the modified first SIP message including a preference-record header, the preference-record header having a stale value;

receiving a second SIP message, the second SIP message including at least one of a second caller capabilities pattern and a second action pattern; and

using the at least one of the second caller capabilities pattern and the second action pattern to process requests directed to the first device.

11 . The method of claim 6 , wherein using the caller capabilities pattern and the action pattern to process requests directed to the first device includes:

receiving a call or session request from a caller device;

comparing an attribute of the caller device to the caller capabilities pattern; and

when the attribute of the caller device matches the caller capabilities pattern, processing the call or session request of the caller device by taking an action defined in the action pattern.

12 . A user equipment, comprising:

a processor, the processor being configured to:

transmit a first device identification, the first device identification at least one of identifying a callee device and describing a capability of the callee device;

encode a caller capabilities pattern into a first session initiation protocol (SIP) message, the caller capabilities pattern describing an attribute of a candidate caller device;

encode an action pattern into the first SIP message, the action pattern defining an action, the action pattern being associated with the caller capabilities pattern; and

transmit the first SIP message to a network.

13 . The user equipment of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to transmit the first SIP message to at least one of a serving call session control function (S-CSCF), proxy CSCF (P-CSCF), Media Gateway Controller Function (MGCF) and an application server (AS).

14 . The user equipment of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to encode the action pattern into at least one of an Accept-Contact header and a Reject-Contact header of the first SIP message.

15 . The user equipment of claim 12 , wherein the action pattern includes at least one of a reject directive, a redirect directive, and a proxy-directive.

16 . The user equipment of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to:

modify the first SIP message to include a preference-record header, the preference-record header having a stale value;

transmit the modified first SIP message to the network;

encode at least one of a second caller capabilities pattern and a second action pattern into a second SIP message;

transmit the second SIP message to the network.

17 . A network component, comprising:

a processor, the processor being configured to:

receive a first device identification, the first device identification at least one of identifying a callee device and describing a capability of the callee device;

receive a first session initiation protocol (SIP) message, the first SIP message including:

a caller capabilities pattern encoded into the first SIP message, the caller capabilities pattern describing an attribute of a candidate caller device, and

an action pattern encoded into the first SIP message, the action pattern defining an action, the action pattern being associated with the caller capabilities pattern; and

use the caller capabilities pattern and the action pattern to process requests directed to the first device.

18 . The network component of claim 17 , wherein the first SIP message is received by at least one of a serving call session control function (S-CSCF), proxy CSCF (P-CSCF), Media Gateway Controller Function (MGCF) and an application server (AS).

19 . The network component of claim 17 , wherein the action pattern is encoded into at least one of an Accept-Contact header and a Reject-Contact header of the first SIP message.

20 . The network component of claim 17 , wherein the action pattern includes at least one of a reject directive, a redirect directive, and a proxy-directive.

21 . The network component of claim 17 , wherein the processor is configured to:

receive a modified first SIP message, the modified first SIP message including a preference-record header, the preference-record header having a stale value;

receive a second SIP message, the second SIP message including at least one of a second caller capabilities pattern and a second action pattern; and

use the at least one of the second caller capabilities pattern and the second action pattern to process requests directed to the first device.

22 . The network component of claim 17 , wherein the processor is configured to:

receive a call or session request from a caller device;

compare an attribute of the caller device to the caller capabilities pattern; and

when the attribute of the caller device matches the caller capabilities pattern, process the call or session request of the caller device by taking an action defined in the action pattern.