System and method for network assisted multi-line registration in an IMS network

1. A computer-implemented method of registering a single user equipment (UE) device with multiple identities on an Internet protocol multimedia system (IMS) network, the method comprising:

receiving a registration request, via a communications network, from the UE device, the registration request associated with a first identity;

performing a first registration of the first identity with the IMS network;

determining success of the first registration request;

obtaining at least one additional identity, that is associated with the first identity, from a data repository associated with a home IMS domain, the home IMS domain identified in the IMS network as associated with the first identity;

performing a second registration for the at least one additional identity with the IMS network;

creating a response message indicating a success status of the first registration and the second registration;

transmitting the response message toward the UE device via the communications network; and

facilitating a use of the UE device as associated with the first identity and the at least one additional identity concurrently on the IMS network, wherein facilitating the use of the UE device comprises allowing the UE device to receive calls from a plurality of phone numbers, each of the plurality associated with a single one of multiple identities concurrently on the IMS network.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one additional identity comprises two additional identities such that the UE device is concurrently associated with three identities.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the three identities are associated with a first line phone number representing a high priority number, a second line phone number representing a medium priority number, and a third line phone number representing a low priority number with each of the first, second, and third line phone numbers being different from each other.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the IMS network represents a subset of the communications network.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first registration and second registration are performed by a multi back to back (MB2B) module logically positioned between a proxy call session control function (P-CSCF) and an interrogating and/or servicing call session control function (I/S-CSCF) of the IMS network.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the P-CSCF is in a different IMS domain than the I/S-CSCF.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the P-CSCF is located in a visited IMS domain and each of the MB2B module and I/S-CSCF are located in a home IMS domain with a Home Subscriber Server (HSS).

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein first registration request and the second registration request are each session initiation protocol (SIP) registration requests.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions stored thereon, that when executed by one or more processing units, cause the one or more processing units to perform a method of providing a multiline capability for a single user equipment (UE) device in an Internet protocol multimedia system (IMS) network, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium is used to configure an existing component of the IMS network to provide MB2B functionality, the method comprising:

receiving a registration request, via a communications network, from the UE device, the registration request associated with a first identity;

performing a first registration of the first identity with the IMS network;

determining success of the first registration request;

obtaining at least one additional identity, that is associated with the first identity, from a data repository associated with a home IMS domain, the home IMS domain identified in the IMS network as associated with the first identity;

performing a second registration for the at least one additional identity with the IMS network;

creating a response message indicating a success status of the first registration and the second registration;

transmitting the response message toward the UE device via the communications network; and

facilitating a use of the UE device as associated with the first identity and the at least one additional identity concurrently on the IMS network.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the at least one additional identity comprises two additional identities such that the UE device is associated with three identities concurrently.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein facilitating the use of the UE device comprises allowing the UE device to receive calls from a plurality of phone numbers, each of the plurality of phone numbers associated with a single one of multiple identities concurrently on the IMS network.

12. A computer system, comprising:

a network communications interface;

a memory; and

one or more processing units, communicatively coupled to the memory and the network communications interface, wherein the memory stores instructions, that when executed by the one or more processing units, cause the one or more processing units to provide a multi back to back (MB2B) function to support multi-line capability on a single user equipment (UE) device of an Internet protocol multimedia system (IMS) network, the MB2B function configured to:

receive a registration request, via a communications network, from the UE device, the registration request associated with a first identity;

perform a first registration of the first identity with the IMS network;

determine success of the first registration request;

obtain at least one additional identity, that is associated with the first identity, from a data repository associated with a home IMS domain, the home IMS domain identified in the IMS network as associated with the first identity;

perform a second registration for the at least one additional identity with the IMS network, wherein the first registration and second registration are performed by a multi back to back (MB2B) module logically positioned between a proxy call session control function (P-CSCF) and an interrogating and/or servicing call session control function (I/S-CSCF) of the IMS network the P-CSCF being in a different IMS domain than the I/S-CSCF;

create a response message indicating a success status of the first registration and the second registration;

transmit the response message toward the UE device via the communications network; and

facilitate a use of the UE device as associated with the first identity and the at least one additional identity concurrently on the IMS network.

13. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one additional identity comprises two additional identities such that the UE device is associated with three identities concurrently.

14. The computer system of claim 13 , wherein the three identities are associated with a first line phone number representing a high priority number, a second line phone number representing a medium priority number, and a third line phone number representing a low priority number with each of the first, second, and third line phone numbers being different from each other.

15. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the IMS network represents a subset of the communications network.

16. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the P-CSCF is located in a visited IMS domain and each of the MB2B module and I/S-CSCF are located in a home IMS domain with a Home Subscriber Server (HSS).