Providing supplemental content to an ims user during registration

Abstract

IMS networks and methods are disclosed for providing supplemental content to a user of a communication device during registration. When a communication device attempts to register with an IMS network, the IMS network receives a register request message from the communication device, and processes the register request message to register the communication device. The IMS network also identifies supplemental content to provide to the communication device, such as account information, weather content, news, location information, advertisements, etc. The IMS network generates a register response message, and embeds or otherwise includes the supplemental content in the register response message. The IMS network then transmits the register response message to the communication device. Responsive to receiving the register response message, the communication device identifies the supplemental content in the register response message, and provides the supplemental content to the user.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a registration server for a network;   the registration server configured to receive a register request from a mobile device to register with the network, and to automatically provide supplemental content to the mobile device during the registration process for presentation of the supplemental content to an end user.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the registration server is configured to identify the supplemental content responsive to receiving the register request from the mobile device, to embed the supplemental content in a register response, and to transmit the register response to the mobile device. 
 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein:
 the registration server is configured to process a subscriber profile for the end user to identify the supplemental content requested by the end user during the registration process. 
 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein:
 the registration server is configured to process the register request to identify content criteria defining a type of supplemental content requested by the end user during the registration process, and to identify the supplemental content based on the content criteria. 
 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the supplemental content comprises a prepaid account balance for the end user. 
 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the supplemental content comprises postpaid usage for the end user during a present month. 
 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the register request comprises a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message. 
 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the registration server is implemented in a Home Subscriber Server (HSS). 
 
     
     
         9 . A method of registering a mobile device with a network, the method comprising:
 receiving, in a registration server of the network, a register request from the mobile device to register with the network; and   automatically providing supplemental content to the mobile device during the registration process for presentation of the supplemental content to an end user.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein automatically providing the supplemental content to the mobile device comprises:
 identifying the supplemental content responsive to receiving the register request from the mobile device; 
 embedding the supplemental content in a register response; and 
 transmitting the register response to the mobile device. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein identifying the supplemental content comprises:
 processing a subscriber profile for the end user to identify the supplemental content requested by the end user during the registration process. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein identifying the supplemental content comprises:
 processing the register request to identify content criteria defining a type of supplemental content requested by the end user during the registration process; and 
 identifying the supplemental content based on the content criteria. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9  wherein:
 the supplemental content comprises a prepaid account balance for the end user. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9  wherein:
 the supplemental content comprises postpaid usage for the end user during a present month. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9  wherein:
 the register request comprises a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message. 
 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus comprising:
 a mobile device configured to register with a network, the mobile device comprising:
 a processing system configured to transmit a register request to a registration server of the network through a network interface, and to receive a register response from the registration server that includes supplemental content embedded by the registration server; 
 the processing system is configured to provide the supplemental content to an end user through a user interface. 
   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein:
 the processing system is configured to filter the supplemental content based on filter criteria, and to provide the filtered supplemental content to the end user through the user interface. 
 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein:
 the processing system is configured to provide a portion of the supplemental content to the end user based on the filter criteria. 
 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein:
 the processing system is configured to control a duration of time that the supplemental content is provided to the end user. 
 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein:
 the processing system is configured to provide an alert when the supplemental content is first provided to the end user.