Management of application server-related user data

1. A method for the management of Application Server (AS)-related user data stored in a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), said method comprising:

a request for said management of AS-related user data, referred to as a management request, received at said HSS, is validated by at least one IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) AS before being executed at said HSS, wherein said IMS AS comprises a validating AS;

wherein information is exchanged between said HSS and said at least one IMS AS, for said validation of said management request.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

upon reception of said management request, said HSS sending to said validating AS, a request referred to as a validation request for validation of said management request,

upon reception of a validation response including a validation result from said validating AS, said HSS acting according to said validation result.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

said HSS using a subscription/notification mechanism over an Sh interlace for subscriptions to receive notifications for validation requests and notifications of validation requests.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

configuring said HSS with information indicating subscription of said validating AS to receive notifications for validation requests.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

said HSS notifying said validating AS of a validation request using a Push Notification Request (PNR) over an Sh interface.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said data include Repository Data stored in said HSS per User Identity and Service Indication.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein said User Identity is carried in the IE User Identity of said Sh-SNR, said Service Indication is carried in the IE Service Indication of said Sh-SNR, and said information indicating that said validating AS subscribes to receive said notifications is carried in a specific IE of a Push Notification Request (PNR) over an Sh interface (Sh-PNR).

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein information configured at said HSS and indicating subscription of said validating AS to receive notifications for validation requests for a Service Indication include said Service Indication, information identifying said AS, and information indicating a range of User Identities having subscribed with said Service Indication.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

said HSS notifying said validating AS having subscribed to receive notifications for validation requests for a User Identity and a Service Indication, of a validation request, by sending to said validating AS an Sh-PNR carrying said User Identity, said Service Indication, user data contained in a received management request, and information indicating that validation is requested.

10. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

said HSS notifying said validating AS having subscribed to receive notifications for validation requests for a Service Indication, of a validation request, by sending to said validating AS an Sh-PNR carrying said Service Indication, a User Identity carried in a received management request, and information indicating that validation is requested.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein said information indicating that validation is requested is carried in the IE Service Indication of said Sh-PNR, said Service Indication is carried in the IE User Identity of said Sh-PNR, and said User Identity is carried in the IE Service Data of said Sh-PNR.

12. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising :

said HSS notifying said validating AS whose subscription to receive notifications for validation requests for a Service Indication and a range of User Identities is configured at HSS, of a validation request for said service Indication and for a User Identity in said range, by sending to said validating AS an Sh-PNR carrying said User Identity, said Service Indication, and information indicating that validation is requested.

13. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said User Identity is carried in the IE User Identity of said Sh-PNR, said Service Indication is carried in the IE Service Indication of said Sh-PNR, and said information indicating that validation is requested is carried in a specific IE of said Sh-PNR.

14. A Home Subscriber Server (HSS) comprising a processor and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the HSS to perform the method according to claim 1 .

15. A method for the management of Application Server (AS)-related user data stored in a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), said method comprising:

a request for said management of AS-related user data, referred to as a management request, received from said HSS, is validated by at least one IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) AS before being executed at said HSS, wherein said IMS AS comprises a validating AS;

said at least one IMS AS exchanging information with said HSS for said validation of said management request.

16. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising:

upon reception of a request referred to as a validation request from said HSS, said validating AS performing said validation and returning a response, referred to as validation response, to HSS, including a validation result.

17. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising:

said validating AS subscribing to receive notifications for validation requests using Subscribe Notifications Request (SNR) over an Sh interface.

18. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising:

said validating AS subscribing to receive notifications for validation requests for a User Identity and a Service Indication by sending to said HSS an Sh-SNR carrying said User Identity, said Service Indication, and information indicating that said validating AS subscribes to receive said notifications.

19. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising:

said validating AS subscribing to receive notifications for validation requests for a Service Indication by sending to said HSS an Sh-SNR carrying said Service Indication and information indicating that said AS can be used for said validation.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein said information indicating that said AS can be used for said validation is carried in the IE Service Indication of said Sh-SNR, and said Service Indication is carried in the IE User Identity of said Sh-SNR;

upon receiving an Sh-PNR, said validating AS downloading from HSS user data contained in a received management request, using User Data Request (UDR) over Sh interface.

21. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising:

said validating AS sending a validation response to said HSS using a Push Notification Answer (PNA) over an Sh interface.

22. An IMS Application Server (AS) comprising a processor and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the IMS AS to perform the method according to claim 15 .