The use of radio communication systems through which to communicate is pervasive throughout modern society. In a radio communication system, at least part of the communication path that extends between a set of communication stations is defined upon a radio link. A radio link is defined upon the electromagnetic spectrum and, because a wireline connection is not required, use of the radio link frees the communications stations from the need for the wireline connection. As a result, improved communication mobility is provided. And, the use of a radio link permits communication stations to be positioned and used at locations at which wireline connections would be impractical.
A cellular communication system is an exemplary type of radio communication system and whose use is widespread throughout the world. Early-generation systems were used primarily for voice communication services and provided limited data services. Newer-generation, cellular communication systems provide for increasingly data-intensive data communication services. A user communicates in a cellular communication system through use, typically, of a mobile station that is placeable in communication connectivity with a network part of the communication system by way of a radio air interface.
Early-generation systems primarily relied upon circuit-switched communication techniques in which circuit-switched connections are provided for the effectuation of communications between communication stations of the communication system. With the development and deployment of digital communication techniques, increasingly, provision is made for packet-switched communication connections to provide for packet-based communications between the communication stations. With continued evolution towards packet-switched communications, proposals have been set forth for packet-based communication networks and schemes. An IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) is a 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) and 3GPP2 (Third Generation Partnership Project 2) effort towards the definition of an all-IP (Internet Protocol)-based wireless network, intended to provide voice, data, signaling, and control communications and functionality.
Circuit-switched, cellular communication systems, however, sometimes provide the capability of transferring the identity of mobile equipment, i.e., a mobile station, to a database to permit checking to be performed thereon. The identity of the mobile equipment is expressed, e.g., in terms of an IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) value. Alternatively another Identity the IMEISV (International Mobile Equipment Identifier Software Version) can be used which includes the IMEI and also the software version of the equipment. The IMEI can be derived from the IMEISV. An operator of the cellular communication system is able, through a check, or other analysis made at, or in conjunction with, the database, to ascertain various information. An operator is able to determine, e.g., if the mobile equipment has been stolen, operates using unstable software, or any of various other information. For instance, the operator is further able to determine the capabilities of the mobile equipment.
A corresponding capability is not presently available in a system that is IMS-based that does not use cellular packet data systems like GPRS for access (e.g. a WLAN access system). That is to say, unlike a typical, circuit-switched system or one using GPRS, when a user, using a mobile equipment, accesses an IMS network, an operator of the system is unable correspondingly easily to obtain the same information about the mobile equipment.
An IMS network architecture is, in general, access-independent. The access technology used to transport messages, e.g., SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) messages, does not impact the functionality of the IMS network. In at least one existing, cellular communication system, the network database used by a system operator available for checking on information about the mobile equipment is an equipment identity register (EIR). In existing schemes, there simply is no defined way for the operator to provide for corresponding checking of the EIR, or an equivalent database node.
It is in light of this background information related to communications in an IMS-based, or other, cellular communication system that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.