Method for placing call in voice call continuity and terminal and server thereof

Abstract

A method, server and terminal for providing a Voice Call Continuity (VCC) service, are discussed. According to an embodiment, the terminal includes a storage unit to store operator policy information and user preference information, the user preference information including domain selection information specifying a user-preferred domain to be used when originating the outgoing call from the terminal, the operator policy information including domain selection information specifying a network-preferred domain to be used when originating the outgoing call from the terminal; and a controller to perform a domain selection for the outgoing call based on the user preference information or the operator policy information, depending on precedence information.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating architecture of a network for providing a VCC service, in which the present invention can be implemented.

FIG. 2 is a view illustrating a signal path of an outgoing call over a CS domain in a VCC service according to the background art.

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a signal path of an outgoing call over an IMS domain in a VCC service according to the background art.

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a signal path of an incoming call over a CS domain in a VCC service according to the background art.

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating a signal path of an incoming call over an IMS domain in a VCC service according to the background art.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing a VCC service according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a signal flowchart illustrating different methods for storing user preferences in a network in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a signal flowchart illustrating a method for transmitting operator policy for outgoing calls to a UE in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a signal flowchart illustrating a procedure of placing incoming calls after selecting a domain in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a terminal in which the present invention is implemented.

Claims

1. A method for providing an incoming call directed to a terminal in a voice call continuity (VCC) service, the method comprising: storing, in a VCC application server, operator policy information and user preference information, the user preference information including domain selection information specifying a user-preferred domain to be used when transmitting the incoming call to the terminal, the operator policy information including domain selection information specifying a network-preferred domain to be used when transmitting the incoming call to the terminal; andperforming, by the VCC application server, a domain selection for the incoming call based on the user preference information or the operator policy information, depending on precedence information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing step is implemented by a Domain Selection Function of the VCC application server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing step includes: selecting, by the VCC application server, one of a circuit-switched (CS) domain and an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) domain for the incoming call based on the domain selection information of the user preference information, if the precedence information indicates that the domain selection information in the user preference information has a higher priority than the domain selection information in the operator policy information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing step includes: selecting, by the VCC application server, one of a circuit-switched (CS) domain and an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) domain for the incoming call based on the domain selection information of the operator policy information, if the priority information indicates the domain selection information in the operator policy information has a higher priority than the domain selection information in the user preference information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing step includes: receiving, by the VCC application server, the user preference information including the domain selection information from the terminal for storage in the VCC application server.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the domain selection information of the user preference information received by the VCC application server is initially input by a user at the terminal side.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the receiving step is performed using a V3 interface.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the V3 interface is a Ut interface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing step includes: setting, by a user, the domain selection information of the user preference information in the VCC application server, by using a device other than the terminal, for storage in the VCC application server.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: transmitting the user preference information including the domain selection information from the VCC application server to the terminal for storage in the terminal.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the transmitting step is performed using a V3 interface.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the V3 interface is a Device Management.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing step includes: receiving, by the VCC application server, a query regarding a user's preference of a domain from the terminal; andretrieving, by the VCC application server, the domain selection information of the user preference information for storage in the VCC application server in response to the received query.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: transmitting the user preference information including the retrieved domain selection information from the VCC application server to the terminal for storage in the terminal.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting the incoming call to the terminal over the selected domain.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the precedence information is included in the operator policy information.

17. A method for providing an outgoing call originating from a terminal subscribed to a voice call continuity (VCC) service, the method comprising: storing, in the terminal, operator policy information and user preference information, the user preference information including domain selection information specifying a user-preferred domain to be used when originating the outgoing call from the terminal, the operator policy information including domain selection information specifying a network-preferred domain to be used when originating the outgoing call from the terminal; andperforming, by the terminal, a domain selection for the outgoing call based on the user preference information or the operator policy information, depending on precedence information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the precedence information is included in the operator policy information.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the performing step includes: selecting, by the terminal, one of a circuit-switched (CS) domain and an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) domain for the outgoing call based on the domain selection information of the user preference information, if the precedence information indicates that the domain selection information in the user preference information has a higher priority than the domain selection information in the operator policy information.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the performing step includes: selecting, by the terminal, one of a circuit-switched (CS) domain and an IP multimedia (IMS) domain for the outgoing call based on the domain selection information of the operator policy information, if the precedence information indicates the domain selection information in the operator policy information has a higher priority than the domain selection information in the user preference information.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the storing step includes: transmitting the operator policy information including the domain selection information from a VCC application server to the terminal for storage in the terminal.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the domain selection information of the operator policy information transmitted in the transmitting step is retrieved from the VCC application server or an external entity.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the transmitting step is performed using a V3 interface.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the storing step includes: receiving, by a VCC application server, a query regarding a network's preference of a domain from the terminal; andretrieving, by the VCC application server, the domain selection information of the operator policy information for storage in the VCC application server in response to the received query.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising: transmitting the operator policy information including the retrieved domain selection information from the VCC application server to the terminal for storage in the terminal.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the transmitting step is performed using a V3 interface.

27. The method of claim 17, further comprising: transmitting the outgoing call from the terminal over the selected domain.

28. A device for providing service continuity and selecting a domain for an incoming call directed to a terminal in the service, the device comprising: a storage unit to store therein operator policy information and user preference information, the user preference information including domain selection information specifying a user-preferred domain to be used when transmitting the incoming call to the terminal, the operator policy information including domain selection information specifying a network-preferred domain to be used when transmitting the incoming call to the terminal; anda domain selection function unit to perform a domain selection for the incoming call based on the user preference information or the operator policy information, depending on precedence information.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the precedence information is included in the operator policy information.

30. The device of claim 28, wherein the domain selection function unit selects one of a circuit-switched (CS) domain and an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) domain for the incoming call based on the domain selection information of the user preference information, if the precedence information indicates that the domain selection information in the user preference information has a higher priority than the domain selection information in the operator policy information.

31. The device of claim 28, wherein the domain selection function unit selects one of a circuit-switched (CS) domain and an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) domain for the incoming call based on the domain selection information of the operator policy information, if the precedence information indicates the domain selection information in the operator policy information has a higher priority than the domain selection information in the user preference information.

32. The device of claim 28, further comprising: a Ut interface unit to receive from the terminal the user preference information including the domain selection information set by a user, for storage in the storage unit.

33. The device of claim 28, further comprising: a receiver to receive the user preference information including the domain selection information set by a user using an apparatus other than the terminal, for storage in the storage unit.

34. The device of claim 33, further comprising: a Device Management unit to transmit the user preference information including the set domain selection information from the device to the terminal for storage in the terminal.

35. A terminal for providing service continuity and selecting a domain for an outgoing call originating from the terminal in the service, the terminal comprising: a storage unit to store operator policy information and user preference information, the user preference information including domain selection information specifying a user-preferred domain to be used when originating the outgoing call from the terminal, the operator policy information including domain selection information specifying a network-preferred domain to be used when originating the outgoing call from the terminal; anda controller to perform a domain selection for the outgoing call based on the user preference information or the operator policy information, depending on precedence information.

36. The terminal of claim 35, wherein the precedence information is included in the operator policy information.

37. The terminal of claim 35, wherein the controller selects one of a circuit switched (CS) domain and an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) domain for the outgoing call based on the domain selection information of the user preference information, if the precedence information indicates that the domain selection information in the user preference information has a higher priority than the domain selection information in the operator policy information.

38. The terminal of claim 35, wherein the controller selects one of a circuit switched (CS) domain and an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) domain for the outgoing call based on the domain selection information of the operator policy information, if the precedence information indicates the domain selection information in the operator policy information has a higher priority than the domain selection information in the user preference information.

39. The terminal of claim 35, wherein the storing unit receives, from a voice call continuity (VCC) application server, the operator policy information including the domain selection information.

40. The terminal of claim 39, wherein the terminal receives the operator policy information including the domain selection information from the VCC application server through a V3 interface.

41. The terminal of claim 35, wherein the controller transmits a query regarding a network's preference of a domain to a voice call continuity (VCC) application server, and receives the operator policy information including the domain selection information from the VCC application server for storage in the terminal.

42. The terminal of claim 41, wherein the controller receives the operator policy information including the domain selection information from the VCC application server using a V3 interface.

43. The terminal of claim 35, wherein the controller transmits the outgoing call over the selected domain.

44. A method of providing continuity in a call service in a system including a network server and a terminal, comprising: receiving precedence information which indicates a priority between operator policy information and user preference information;examining the precedence information when a domain transfer is requested for a call;selecting, by the network server or the terminal, a domain for the domain transfer based on the operator information or the user preference information, depending on the precedence information; andtransmitting the call over the selected domain.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the operator policy information includes network-preferred domain selection information indicating a domain preferred by the network server, and the user preference information includes user-preferred domain selection information indicating a domain preferred by a user of the terminal.