Method and Apparatus for Enabling Discovery Within a Home Network

Abstract

A method and Home IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) Gateway for enabling a non-IMS enabled device within a home network to discover the availability of the Home IMS Gateway. The Home IMS Gateway is interposed at a control plane between a remote network and the non-IMS enabled device. The Home IMS Gateway sends an advertisement message to the non-IMS enabled device advertising the availability of services on the remote network via the Home IMS Gateway.

1 . A method of enabling a device that is not IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) enabled to detect the availability of a Home IMS Gateway, the method comprising the steps of:
 interposing a Home IMS Gateway at a control plane between a remote network and the non-IMS enabled device; and   sending an advertisement message to the non-IMS enabled device, said advertisement message advertising the availability via the Home IMS Gateway of services on the remote network.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein a service on said remote network is a Session Initiation Protocol service. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein a service on said remote network is an IMS service. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said advertisement message uses Universal Plug and Play protocol. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of sending the advertising message includes sending said advertisement message periodically over a Local Area Network. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1  further comprising the steps of:
 storing at least one address at a database on a Local Area Network, said address corresponding to a Uniform Resource Identifier identifying an IMS device or service; and   sending said address to said non-IMS enabled device.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6  wherein the database is disposed at the Home IMS Gateway. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1  further comprising the step of registering the advertisement message at the non-IMS enabled device. 
     
     
         9 . A Home IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) Gateway comprising:
 a first interface for communicating with a remote network;   a second interface for communicating with a non-IMS enabled device; and   means for sending an advertisement message to the non-IMS enabled device, the advertisement message advertising the availability via the Home IMS Gateway of services on the remote network.   
     
     
         10 . A method for alerting a device that is not IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) enabled to the availability of an IMS network, the method comprising:
 automatically advertising to the non-IMS device, the availability of devices or services via a Home IMS Gateway on the IMS network.