The third generation partnership project (3GPP) has defined a relatively new concept known as IMS: IP (Internet Protocol)-based Multimedia Subsystem. The aim of IMS is to allow users such as mobile telephone network operators to provide services to their subscribers as efficiently and effectively as possible. For example, IMS architecture is directed to support the following types of communications: voice, video, instant messaging, “presence” (a user's availability for contact), location-based services, email and web.
Today, it is rather common for a user to be registered in a plurality of applications and consequently to operate in one or more networks (associated with the application being used). Users often have different user names in the various applications (typically defined in different formats) and they receive and send messages over a variety of wired and wireless networks via a variety of devices, such as desktop computers, wired phones, wireless devices (e.g., phones and personal digital assistants (“PDAs”)), and more.
Still, one of the problems associated with operating in such an environment is how to proceed towards seamless inter-application operation.
US 2006291483 describes a mobile telephone gateway and routing device (MPG) that is coupled through an electrical signaling transmission medium with a mobile telephone operative on a first communication network according to a certain communication protocol, and wherein this gateway enables adding communication capabilities through other network(s) in accordance with another protocol such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Also, several gateway applications are described to facilitate or support communication through the other network in accordance with mobile web protocols and technologies such as Mobile IP, mobile SIP, and mobile VoIP.
US 2007206563 discloses a mobile application gateway for connecting devices in a cellular network with individual networks, such as enterprise voice and data networks and/or residential networks.
Our co-pending application published under US 2008/0126510 describes a method for providing a user of a mobile telephone with an indication that a message has been sent to that user via an Internet-based application, irrespective of whether the user is currently actively connected to that application or not. By this method, the message addressed to the user is forwarded towards a first server at which a virtual client entity associated with the user has been previously created, determining whether the user is currently connected to the Internet-based application, and forwarding the message to the user. If the user is not currently connected to that Internet application, the message is stored and the user is provided with an indication of the stored message.
In our co-pending application published under US 2008/0005289 a method is disclosed for providing a user of a mobile telephone with a capability to use Internet-based applications. The user sends a request to be connected to an Internet-based application. The request is received by a first server, which in return is operative to establish a communication path that extends between the user's telephone device via the first server to a second server, at which the application resides. Next, a virtual client entity is created at the first server, and is operative to communicate with the both the telephone device and the application residing at the second server.