Simplified method for IMS registration in the event of emergency calls
Simplification of IMS registration in the event of emergency calls is made possible by apparatuses and a method for setting up an emergency-call connection from a terminal to an IMS via a network visited by the terminal, where, if the terminal is already registered in the IMS, setup of an emergency-call connection dispenses with IMS registration of the terminal in the IMS for this emergency-call connection if a comparison between a network identification for the visited network, of which the terminal was notified when it registered in the visited network, and a network identification for the terminal's home network reveals a match between these network identifications.
1. A method, comprising:
receiving, at a terminal, a network identifier of a visited network, the network identifier of the visited network notified to the terminal when the terminal is registered in the visited network;
comparing the received network identifier of the visited network with a network identifier of a home network of the terminal; and
setting up an emergency call connection, wherein an IP multimedia subsystem registration of the terminal in an IP multimedia subsystem for the emergency call connection is dispensed with when the terminal is already registered in the IP multimedia subsystem and the comparing reveals a match between the network identifiers.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a match between the network identifiers specifies that the terminal or a mobile radio subscriber identity module located therein is located in its home network.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising, when the comparison reveals a match of the network identifiers, transmitting the emergency call via an IP multimedia subsystem registration which already exists.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the comparison is made in the terminal.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the network identifier comprises at least one of a mobile country code and a mobile network code.
6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the network is one of a cellular mobile radio network, a wireless local area network, a WIMAX network and a fixed network.
7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the network identifier of the visited mobile radio network is conveyed to the terminal during the authentication of the terminal to the visited mobile radio network.
8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a proxy call state control function of a mobile radio network sends the network identifier of the network, in which the proxy call state control function is located itself, to the terminal in a response to an IP multimedia subsystem registration request of the terminal, whereupon the terminal, when it recognizes that the visited network is not the home network, determines by a network identifier obtained from the proxy call state control function during the registration, whether the proxy call state control function is also located in the mobile radio network visited by the terminal, in which case, when the emergency call connection is set up, a special IP multimedia subsystem registration of the terminal in the IP multimedia subsystem is dispensed with for the emergency call connection and the terminal sets up a session initiation protocol session for the emergency call connection, whereas otherwise, when the emergency call connection is set up, the special IP multimedia subsystem registration of the terminal in the IP multimedia subsystem is first effected for the emergency call connection before the session initiation protocol session is set up for the emergency call connection.
9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein for the emergency call connection, the session initiation protocol session is set up by an “SIP INVITE” message.
10. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, if the proxy call state control function is not capable of dealing with emergency calls, the proxy call state control function sends back related information to the terminal in a response to a registration request by this terminal, and the terminal then takes the related information into consideration in the decision of whether it must perform a special emergency call registration or not.
11. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein if the network comprises one of a general packet radio service and a universal mobile telecommunications system access system, setting-up of a separate packet data protocol context can be dispensed together with the IP multimedia subsystem registration of the terminal in the IP multimedia subsystem for the emergency call connection.
12. A terminal, comprising:
receiving means for receiving a network identifier of a visited network notified to the terminal when the terminal is registered in the visited network;
comparison means for comparing the received network identifier of the visited network with a network identifier of a home network of the terminal; and
connection means for setting-up the emergency call connection, wherein an IP multimedia subsystem registration of the terminal in the IP multimedia subsystem for the emergency call connection is dispensed with when the terminal is already registered in the IP multimedia subsystem and the comparison means reveals a match between the network identifiers.
13. A terminal, comprising:
a receiver configured to receive a network identifier of a visited network notified to the terminal when the terminal is registered in the visited network;
a comparator configured to compare the received network identifier of the visited network with a network identifier of a home network of the terminal; and
a connection unit configured to set up an emergency call connection wherein an IP multimedia subsystem registration of the terminal in an IP multimedia subsystem for the emergency call connection is dispensed with when the terminal is already registered in the IP multimedia subsystem and the comparator reveals a match between the network identifiers.
14. A terminal according to claim 13 , wherein the connection unit is configured to set up the emergency connection over an already existing IP multimedia subsystem registration if the comparator reveals a match between the network identifiers.
15. A terminal according to claim 13 , wherein the network identifier of the visited network is received during an authentication of the terminal with the visited network.
16. A terminal according to claim 13 , further comprising:
a subscriber identify module card configured to store the identifier of the home network of the device.
17. A terminal according to claim 13 , wherein the receiver is configured to receive a network identifier which comprises at least one of a mobile country code and a mobile network code.
18. A terminal according to claim 13 , wherein the receiver is configured to receive a network identifier from the visited network, wherein the visited network comprises one of a cellular network, a wireless local area network, a WIMAX network, and a fixed network.
19. A terminal according to claim 13 , wherein the network comprises one of a general packet radio service and a universal mobile telecommunications system access system and where setting-up of a separate packet data protocol context can be dispensed with together with the IP multimedia subsystem registration of the terminal in the IP multimedia subsystem for the emergency call connection.
20. A terminal according to claim 13 , wherein the network identifier is received from a proxy call state control function of a mobile radio network in a response to an IP multimedia subsystem registration request of the terminal identifying the network in which the proxy call state control function is located, said terminal further comprising:
a determiner configured to determine, when the visited network is not the home network, by the network identifier obtained from the proxy call state control function during the registration whether the proxy call state control function is also located in the mobile radio network visited by the terminal, in which case, when the emergency call connection is set-up, a special IP multimedia subsystem registration of the terminal in the IP multimedia subsystem is dispensed with for the emergency call connection and the terminal sets up a session initiation protocol session for the emergency call connection,
whereas otherwise, when the emergency call connection is set-up, the special IP multimedia subsystem registration of the terminal in the IP multimedia subsystem is first effected for the emergency call connection before the session initiation protocol session is set up for the emergency call connection.
21. A terminal according to claim 20 , further comprising:
a decision unit configured to decide if a special emergency call registration is needed or not, after receiving information from the proxy call state control function that the proxy call state control function is not able to handle the emergency call.