WO2017168302A1

WO2017168302A1 - System and methods for providing at least one service to a user device through a multimedia gateway

Info

Publication number: WO2017168302A1
Application number: PCT/IB2017/051731
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rao Shreyas Sudheendra; Shankar Jayaraman; Anurag Somani; Bharathkumar REDDY M
Original assignee: Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited
Priority date: 2016-03-29
Filing date: 2017-03-27
Publication date: 2017-10-05
Also published as: CN108702320B; CN108702320A; ZA201805232B

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to prioritisation and profiling for a plurality of user devices, multiparty call and call transfer service though a multimedia gateway [110]. In one embodiment, a method is disclosed, comprising: enabling a registration of the at least one of the plurality of user devices [110A, 110B, 110C, 110D, 110E, 160] with the multimedia gateway [HO], facilitating one of the at least one of the plurality of user devices [110A, 110B, 110C, 110D, 110E, 160] and at least one third-party user device [150] to define a prioritization scheme, wherein the prioritization scheme comprises at least one custom rule to define at least one of a user device priority and a service priority at the multimedia gateway; and sequentially providing the at least one service to the at least one of the plurality of user devices [110A, 110B, 110C, 110D, 110E, 160] based on the prioritization scheme by the multimedia gateway [110].

Description

SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING AT LEAST ONE SERVICE TO A USER DEVICE THROUGH

A MULTIMEDIA GATEWAY

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to communication systems. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to prioritisation and profiling of services with respect to multiple devices.

BACKGROUND

Currently, with the advancement in licensed networks (for e.g. GMS, EDGE, HSPA, LTE) and unlicensed networks (Wi-Fi, UMA, DECT, Bluetooth, Zigbee, RFID) of various wireless technologies, the wireless network operators provide communication services to multiple user devices by sharing network resources available in both the licensed network and in the unlicensed network. However, in order to provide such services to the multiple user devices, fibre to home (i.e. FTTx) service plays a critical role.

A home gateway is a device that connects the multiple user devices to a broadband delivery network provided by service operators. As a part of the wireless service operators network, the home gateway supports remote control, detection and configuration of the multiple user devices. Also, the FTTx service is connected to the home gateway and provides high-speed internet (HSI), media applications and home voice services. Further, the home gateway provides wireless and wired multimedia services to the user. Furthermore, with internet- protocol networks capturing the market by offering rich communication services (RCS) to the multiple user devices, the current technologies are targeted toward a home or an office environment where multiple user devices are connected to the home gateway to offer an internet-protocol multimedia service (IMS) service.

At present, in the home environment when the IP Multimedia service on the home gateway receives an IMS session call or RCS based request, the session or the request cannot be forwarded to all the user devices associated with the home gateway. In specific, the IMS session call is not received simultaneously on all the multiple user devices associated with the home gateway. In addition to this, there is no mechanism exists where everyone can pick up the call at their convenience from their respective places in the wireless ecosystem connected to the FLN. Furthermore, adding any other user device to a conference call is not possible using the home gateway and even the priorities of the multiple user devices cannot be set in order to facilitate conflicts. In addition to above mentioned problems, the home gateway cannot configure a particular IMS call from a specific number for only a set of user devices.

Accordingly, existing technologies do not solve the problems related to connecting multiple user devices to the home gateway and profiling as well as prioritizing multiple user devices to provide priority based communication services to multiple user devices.

SUMMARY

This section is provided to introduce certain objects and aspects of the present disclosure in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify the key features or the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Embodiments of the present disclosure may relate to a method for providing at least one service to at least one of a plurality of user devices, the method being performed by a multimedia gateway, the method comprising: enabling a registration of the at least one of the plurality of user devices with the multimedia gateway, facilitating one of the at least one of the plurality of user devices and at least one third-party user device to define a prioritization scheme. The prioritization scheme comprises at least one custom rule to define at least one of a user device priority and a service priority at the multimedia gateway. Further, the user device priority corresponds to a priority of the at least one of the plurality of user devices to which the at least one service is transmitted, and the service priority corresponds to a priority of the at least one service provided to the at least one user device. And, sequentially providing the at least one service to the at least one of the plurality of user devices based on the prioritization scheme by the multimedia gateway.

Embodiments of the present disclosure may further relate to a multimedia gateway system for providing at least one service to at least one of a plurality of user devices, the multimedia gateway comprising: a module configured to enable a registration of the at least one of the plurality of user devices with the multimedia gateway and a prioritizer module configured to facilitate one of the at least one of the plurality of user devices and at least one third-party user device to define a prioritization scheme. The prioritization scheme comprises at least one custom rule to define at least one of a user device priority and a service priority at the multimedia gateway. Further, the user device priority corresponds to a priority of the at least one of the plurality of user devices to which the at least one service is transmitted and the service priority corresponds to a priority of the at least one service provided to the at least one user device, and sequentially provide the at least one service to the at least one of the plurality of user devices based on the prioritization scheme by the multimedia gateway. A storage module configured to store the user device priority and the service priority for plurality of user devices.

Further, embodiments of the present disclosure may also relate to a method for establishing a multiparty call between at least three devices, the method being performed by a multimedia gateway, the method comprising: establishing a first connection between a first user device and a third-party device via the multimedia gateway, wherein the third-party device is not registered with the multimedia gateway; enabling the first user device to establish a second connection between the first user device and a second user device via the multimedia gateway, wherein the first user device selects the second user device from a list of user devices registered with the multimedia gateway; receiving at least one parameter from the first user device, wherein the at least one parameter is related to the second connection; and establishing the multi-party call by merging the first connection and the second connection via the multimedia gateway based on the at least one parameter. Moreover, the embodiments of the present disclosure may also relate to a method for transferring an ongoing call between a first user device and a third-party device, the method being performed by a multimedia gateway, the method comprising: establishing a first connection between the first user device and the third-party device via the multimedia gateway, wherein the third-party device is not registered with the multimedia gateway; enabling the first user device to transmit a transfer request for establishing a second connection between the third-party device and a second user device via the multimedia gateway, wherein the first user device selects the second user device from a list of user devices registered with the multimedia gateway; and receiving at least one parameter from the first user device, wherein the at least one parameter is related to the first connection; and transferring the on-going call from the first user device to the second user device through the second connection based on the at least one parameter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the disclosed methods and systems in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different drawings. Components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Some drawings may indicate the components using block diagrams and may not represent the internal circuitry of each component. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that disclosure of such drawings includes disclosure of electrical components or circuitry commonly used to implement such components.

FIG.l illustrates a detailed system architecture [100] for providing at least one service to at least one user device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG.2 illustrates an exemplary method flow diagram [200] for providing at least one service to at least one user device, in accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG.3 illustrates an exemplary signaling flow diagram [300] for providing at least one service to at least one user device, in accordance with the first embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG.4 illustrates an exemplary signaling flow diagram [400] for providing at least one service to at least one user device, in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG.5 illustrates an exemplary signaling flow diagram [500] comprising modifying a prioritization scheme for the multiple user devices at the multimedia gateway [110], in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG.6 illustrates an exemplary method flow diagram [600] for establishing a multi-party call between multiple user devices at the multimedia gateway [110], in accordance with a third embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG.7 illustrates an exemplary signaling flow diagram [700] for establishing the multi-party call between multiple user devices at the multimedia gateway [110], in accordance with the third embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG.8 illustrates an exemplary method flow diagram [800] for providing a call transfer service to the multiple user devices via the multimedia gateway [110] in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG.9 illustrates an exemplary signaling flow diagram [900] for providing the call transfer services to the multiple user devices via the multimedia gateway [110] in accordance with the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, various specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent, however, that embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. Several features described hereafter can each be used independently of one another or with any combination of other features. An individual feature may not address any of the problems discussed above or might address only one of the problems discussed above. Some of the problems discussed above might not be fully addressed by any of the features described herein. Example embodiments of the present disclosure are described below, as illustrated in various drawings in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different drawings. Embodiments of the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for enabling a user device to define a prioritization scheme and enabling a multimedia gateway for providing at least one service to one or more user devices based on a prioritization scheme. Further, an embodiment may relate to a method and system that enables the multimedia gateway to establish a multi-party call between the user device and a third-party device, wherein the user device is registered with the multimedia gateway and the third-party device is not registered with the multimedia gateway.

The present disclosure also encompasses a method and a system that enables the multimedia gateway to transfer a call between the user device and the third-party device, wherein the at least one user device is registered with the multimedia gateway and the third-party device is not registered with the multimedia gateway.

The multimedia gateway as used herein may include, but are not limited to, an internet protocol multimedia subsystem gateway, a router, and an agent and any hardware-software combination which may be obvious to a person skilled in the art. The user device and the third-party device as used herein may include, but are not limited to, a mobile phone, a tablet, a phablet, a laptop, a desktop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a plain old telephone service device and any such device obvious to a person skilled in the art. Further, the user device and the third-party device may comprise an input means such as a keyboard, an operating system, a memory unit, a display interface, etc.

The at least one service as used herein may include, but are not limited to, an audio call service, a video call, a video conference call service, an audio conference call service, a call transferring/forwarding services, an internet protocol multimedia service, a voice over internet protocol service, and a rich communication service and any such service obvious to a person skilled in the art.

As illustrated in FIG.l, the present disclosure illustrates a detailed system architecture [100] for providing at least one service to at least one user device [110A, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160], the system [100] comprising: a multimedia gateway [110], multiple user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160], a third-party device [150], a gateway configuration server [120], a IP multimedia core [130], and a device configuration server [140]. The multimedia gateway [110] further comprises, but not limited to, a media multiplexer and conference server [112], a storage [114], a processor [116], a multimedia gateway subsystem [118], a multimedia gateway stack [122], a media/signal converter [124], a registered jack interface [126], a registration module [128], a prioritizer module [132], and a platform interface [134]. The details of the multimedia gateway [110] components are explained below. The multimedia gateway [110] is connected to the gateway configuration server [120], the IP multimedia core [130], the device configuration server [140], and other components using an IP network. Further, the device configuration server [140] issues a fixed line number (FLN) to the multimedia gateway [110] (i.e. a unique identifier of the IMS Multimedia services) through a protocol. In a preferred embodiment, the protocol may be TR.069 protocol. Then, the multimedia gateway [110] fetches configuration data for the assigned FLN from the gateway configuration server [120]. Using the fetched configuration data, the multimedia gateway [110] registers with the IP multimedia core [130] to provide at least one service to the at least one user device [110A, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160]. Further, the present disclosure encompasses to facilitate the at least one user device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] through a web portal for availing the at least one service on the at least one user device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160]. When the at least one user device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] is connected to the multimedia gateway [110] through at least one of a wired interface and a wireless interface, the at least one user device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] fetches the configuration data from the multimedia gateway [110] and register with the multimedia gateway [110] as a multimedia services capable client. Moreover, the configuration data fetched by the multimedia gateway [110] ensures that all the user device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] connected to the multimedia gateway [110] share the same unique identifier of the IMS Multimedia services.

In a preferred embodiment, the multiple user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE] are connected to the multimedia gateway [110] through the platform interface [134] and at least one user device [160] is connected to the multimedia gateway [110] through the registered jack interface [126].

The wireless interface as used herein may include, but are not limited to, a cellular radio access technology, a Bluetooth interface, a Zigbee interface, an infrared interface and any such interface obvious to a person skilled in the art. The wired interface as used herein may include, but are not limited to, an Ethernet cable, a registered jack cable and any such interface obvious to a person skilled in the art.

The configuration data as used herein may include, but are not limited to, a unique identifier for the at least one user device [110A, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160], the assigned unique identifier for IP Multimedia services to avail at least one service and any such identifier obvious to a person skilled in the art.

The present disclosure also encompasses a registration module [128], present in the multimedia gateway [110], may be configured to enable at least one user device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] to register with the multimedia gateway [110] for availing at least one service. The at least one device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] using the web portal, registers with the multimedia gateway [110]. Once the at least one device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] registers with the multimedia gateway [110], the multimedia gateway [110] provides at least one service to the at least one device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160]. The multimedia gateway [110] provides at least one of a unique token based on a device identifier and a generic identifier (i.e. user-alias) to each registered user devices to identify the at least one device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] and authenticate the at least one device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] on availing the at least one service.

The multimedia gateway subsystem [118] is the core component of the multimedia gateway [110] and may be configured for handling the at least one service session, configuration data related to the at least one service, signalling between the at least one user device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] and the multimedia gateway [110], and media transcoding. Further, the multimedia gateway subsystem [118] may also be configured for handling media stream conversion and video frames integration from many to one user devices.

The prioritizer module [132] may be configured to handle all the priority and profiling related information of the at least one user device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160]. The priority and profiling related information of the at least one user device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] may be configured by at least one of the at least one user device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] registered with the multimedia gateway [110] and may also be configured by the third-party device [150] which may not be registered with the multimedia gateway [110]. Also, the third-party device [150] may configure the priority and profiling related information through the multimedia gateway [120]. Further, a device that sets priority for the at least one user device [110A, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] for availing the at least one service is an administrator that has sole permissions to set rules to the prioritizer module [132]. The details for setting the priority for the at least one user device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] is explained herein below.

The platform interface [134] and multimedia gateway stack [122] may be configured to handle chat session between multiple user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE], address book of at least one user device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE], group chat between multiple user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE], presence status of the at least one user device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE], calls and capabilities of each session and content share.

The media multiplexer and conference server [112] may be configured to convert the digital information flowing from the IP multimedia core [130] to analog information and providing the analog information to the at least one device [160].

The registered jack interface [214] may be configured to provide an interface between the POTS device [114] and the multimedia gateway [110].

The multimedia gateway stack [122] may be configured to register with the multimedia gateway [110] on behalf of the at least one device [160] and provides the at least one service to the at least one device [160]. The media/signal converter [124] may be configured to multiplex all/partial of the video and audio stream coming from the at least one user device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160].

The storage [114] may be configured to store and maintain the information regarding the at least one user device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] and the at least one service provided to them. The storage [114] may include, but is not limited to, a volatile memory, non-volatile memory, a remote storage, a cloud storage, high-speed random access memory and/or nonvolatile memory, such as one or more magnetic disk storage devices, one or more optical storage devices, and/or flash memory (e.g., NAND, NOR) or a combination thereof. The processor [116] as used herein may include, but is not limited to, processor or set of processors configured to perform operations, such as, for example, a microprocessor, a multi- core microprocessor, a digital signal processor, a collection of electronic circuits, or a combination thereof.

The modules and/or components discussed may be present in the form of a hardware or a software for performing functions as described herein. The connections between each module and/or component shown in the figures are exemplary and may be connected in other possible ways.

As illustrated in FIG.2, the present disclosure encompasses an exemplary method [200] for providing at least one service to the at least one user device [110A, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160]. The following includes detailed steps involved in providing at least one service to the at least one user device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160], wherein the method step initiates at step 202.

At step 204, the multimedia gateway [110] enables registration of the at least one of the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160]. The at least one of the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] may get registered with the multimedia gateway [110] through the web portal and identifying the at least one of the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] to the multimedia gateway [110].

At step 206, the multimedia gateway [110] facilitates one of the at least one of the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] and the at least third-party user device [150] to define a prioritization scheme. In particular, the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] may be registered with the multimedia gateway [110] and the third-party user device [150] may be the devices not registered with the multimedia gateway [110]. In an exemplary embodiment, the prioritization scheme may be elaborated though the below Table 1.1 for one of at least one of the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] and the at least one third-party user device [150] :

2 Individual 1 HOD

3 Group 3 HOB HOC HOE

Table 1.1

As seen in the above defined prioritization scheme, user devices [HOA] and [160] may be set at a first priority for receiving at least one service by the multimedia gateway [110]. Further, the first priority defined here is a group type where more than one device is set at priority in a group. Further, the user device [HOD] may be set at a second priority for receiving at least one service by the multimedia gateway [110]. Further, the second priority defined here is an individual type where only one device is set at priority. Then, user devices [HOB, HOC, and HOE] may be set at a third priority for receiving at least one service by the multimedia gateway [110]. Further, the third priority defined here is again a group type where more than one device is set at priority in a group. Moreover, based on priority sequence as defined in the prioritization scheme, both the user devices HOA and 160 may simultaneously receive the at least one service initially, then the user device HOD may receive the at least one service after the user devices HOA and 114 stop receiving the at least one service and then, at last, all of the user devices HOB, HOC, and HOE may receive the at least one service simultaneously after the user device HOD stops receiving the at least one service.

The prioritization scheme also includes profiling of the at least one of the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160]. The profiling of the at least one of the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] comprises storing information associated with the at least one of the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160]. The information may be personal information like name, date of birth of the person associated with the at least one device.

At step 208, the multimedia gateway [110] sequentially provides the at least one service to the at least one of the plurality of user devices based on the prioritization scheme defined by one of at least one of the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] and the at least one third-party user device [150]. Then, the method [200] may end at step 210. Further, the at least one service may be provided to the user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] by the multimedia gateway based on a predefined grouping of the plurality of user devices, wherein the grouping may be based on the prioritization scheme assigned to the at least one device. As illustrated in FIG.3, the present disclosure encompasses a signalling flow diagram [300] for providing at least one service to at least one of the plurality of user devices [110A, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160], in accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure. With reference to the above defined prioritization scheme, the signalling flow initiates at step 302 by the IP multimedia core [130] sending a call invitation to the multimedia gateway [110].

At step 304, the multimedia gateway [110], based on the defined prioritization scheme, may send the call invitation to the at least one user device [160] and at step 308, the at least one user device [160] may start ringing and acknowledging the ringing to the multimedia gateway [110] which may, in turn, send the ring acknowledgment to the IP multimedia core [130], at step 406.

At step 310, the multimedia gateway [110], based on the defined prioritization scheme, may send the call invitation to the user device [110A] simultaneously and at step 312, the user device [110A] may starts ringing simultaneously and acknowledging the ringing to the multimedia gateway [110].

At step 314, both the user devices [110A, 160] may start ringing simultaneously as per the first priority set in the above prioritization scheme.

At step 316, user device [110A] may accept the call invitation from the multimedia gateway [110] and at step 418, the user device [110A] may send an acknowledgment for the acceptance of the call invitation to the multimedia gateway [110].

At step 320, the multimedia gateway [110] may stop or cancel the call ringing with the at least one user device [160] after receiving the acknowledgment for the acceptance of the call invitation from the user device [110A]. At step 322, the at least one user device [160] may send an acknowledgment to the multimedia gateway [110] to stop or cancel the call ringing with the at least one user device [160]. At step 324, the multimedia gateway [110] may be provided at least one service to the user device [110A] as the user device [110A] accepts the call invitation.

As illustrated in FIG.4, the present disclosure encompasses a signalling flow diagram [400] for providing at least one service to at least one user device [110A, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160], in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure. With reference to the above defined prioritization scheme, the signalling flow initiates at step 402 by the IP multimedia core [130] may be sending a call invitation to the multimedia gateway [110]. At step 404 and step 406, the multimedia gateway [110] may send a call invitation to the user devices [110A, 160] and, in turn, the user devices [110A, 160] acknowledging the ringing to the multimedia gateway [110].

At step 408, both the user devices [HOA, 160] may start ringing simultaneously as per the first priority set in the above prioritization scheme.

At step 410 and step 412, the multimedia gateway [110] may cancel or stop the ringing of the user devices [HOA, 160] when the user devices [HOA, 160] do not pick up the call before a predetermined amount of time. In a preferred embodiment, the predetermined amount of time may be defined as 30 seconds after which the multimedia gateway [110] may cancel or stop the ringing of the user devices [HOA, 160].

At step 414, as per the second priority set in the above prioritization scheme, the multimedia gateway [110] may send a call invitation to the user device [HOD] and the user device [HOD] acknowledges the ringing to the multimedia gateway [110].

At step 416, the user device [HOD] does not pick up the call before the predetermined amount of time. At step 418, the multimedia gateway [110] may cancel or stop the ringing of the user device [HOD] when the user device [HOD] does not pick up the call before the predetermined amount of time. At step 420, step 422 & step 424, as per the third priority set in the above prioritization scheme, the multimedia gateway [110] may send a call invitation to the user devices [HOB, HOC, & HOE] and the user devices [HOB, HOC, & HOE] acknowledging the ringing to the multimedia gateway [110].

At step 426, the user devices [HOB, HOC, & HOE] may start ringing simultaneously as per the third priority set in the above prioritization scheme.

At step 428, the user device [HOE] may accept the call invitation and at step 430, the user device [HOE] may send an acknowledgement for accepting the call invitation to the multimedia gateway [110].

At step 430 & step 432, the multimedia gateway [110] may cancel or stop the ringing of the user devices [HOB, HOC] when the user device [HOE] accepts the call invitation.

At step 434, the multimedia gateway [110] may be provided at least one service to the user device [HOE] as the user device [HOE] accepts the call invitation.

As illustrated in FIG.5, the present disclosure illustrates an exemplary signalling flow diagram [500] for modifying the prioritization scheme for the at least one device at the multimedia gateway [110]. With reference to the above defined prioritization scheme, the signalling flow initiates at step 502 by the gateway configuration server [120] may be sending configuration data of the at least one user device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] to the multimedia gateway [110].

At step 504, the user device [HOA] may send a request to access a prioritizing and profiling scheme of at least one user device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] with the multimedia gateway [110]. In alternative embodiment, the user devices [HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 114] and the third-party user device [150] may send a request to access a prioritizing and profiling scheme to the multimedia gateway [110] which, in turn, may provide access to the list based on authentication. Moreover, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the multimedia gateway [110] may provide access to the user device [HOA] through at least one web-portal. The at least one user device [HOA] may self-authorize and access prioritizing and profiling scheme for registered user devices [HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 114] with the multimedia gateway [110]. Further, the at least one user device [HOA] may modify the groups/users and the priority associated with registered user devices. The modification made by the at least one user device [HOA] may be pushed by the gateway configuration server [120] to the multimedia gateway [HO], so that the multimedia gateway [110] may apply the modified prioritizing and profiling scheme for at least one service.

In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the multimedia gateway [110] may enable the web portal at the at least one user device [HOA] to fetch the modified prioritizing and profiling scheme from the multimedia gateway [110]. If the at least one user device [HOA] edits the prioritizing and profiling scheme at the multimedia gateway [110], the information may get updated in the gateway configuration server [120].

At step 506, the multimedia gateway [110] may provide access to the user device [HOA] for accessing the prioritizing and profiling scheme of at least one user device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160].

At step 508, the user device [HOA] may start modifying the prioritizing and profiling scheme of at least one user device [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] and may send the modified prioritizing and profiling scheme to the multimedia gateway [110] once the modifications to the prioritizing and profiling scheme gets completed.

At step 510, the multimedia gateway [110] when receives the modified prioritizing and profiling scheme, the multimedia gateway [110] may send the modified prioritizing and profiling scheme to the gateway configuration server [120].

At step 512, the gateway configuration server [120] may send a one-time password to an alternative mobile number [650] of the registered user device [HOA]. At step 514, the user device [HOA] may receive the one-time password on the alternative mobile number [550] and may send the one-time password to the multimedia gateway [110] by entering the received one-time password at the at least one user device [HOA]. At step 516, the multimedia gateway [110] may further transmit the one-time password to the gateway configuration server [120] for performing authentication based on the one-time password. At step 518, the one-time password provided by the user device [110A] may get verified by a server [530] to ensure that authenticated and registered user devices may modify the prioritizing and profiling scheme. The server [530] may match the one-time password provided by the user device with the one-time password received on the alternative mobile number. If the one-time password provided by the user device [110A] matches with the one-time password received on the alternative mobile number, the server [530] verifies the user device [110A] as authenticated user. Otherwise, the server [530] disables the user device [110A] to for modify the prioritizing and profiling scheme.

At step 520, gateway configuration server [120] may provide acknowledgement to the multimedia gateway [110], based on the matching the one-time password provided by the user device with the one-time password received on the alternative mobile number, for modifying the prioritizing and profiling scheme based on the verification performed by the server [530]. The modifications made to the prioritizing and profiling scheme may be stored at the storage [114].

At step 522, the multimedia gateway [110] may in turn provide acknowledgement to the user device [110A] for modifying the prioritizing and profiling scheme based on the verification performed by the server [530]. The server [530] may or may not be a part of the multimedia gateway [110]. In a preferred embodiment, the server [530] may be a third-party server for authenticating registered user devices.

The modifications to the prioritizing and profiling scheme as used herein may include, but are not limited to, adding at least one new user device to the list, deleting the at least one user device to the list [110A, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160], changing priority assigned to the one user device, grouping of different devices at different priority level and any such modifications obvious to a person skilled in the art. As illustrated in FIG.6, the present disclosure encompasses an exemplary method flow diagram [600] for establishing a multi-party call between multiple user devices at the multimedia gateway [110], in accordance with a third embodiment of the present disclosure. The method flow initiates at step 602.

At step 604, the multimedia gateway [110] may establish a first connection between at least first user device [110A] and the third-party device [150] via the multimedia gateway. The connection may be established by sending a connection request from the at least first user device [110A].

At step 606, the multimedia gateway [110] may enable the at least first user device [110A] to establish a second connection between the at least first user device [110A] and at least second user device [HOB]. The multimedia gateway [110] may further enable the user device [110A] to select any user device from a list of registered user devices [HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] for establish the second connection. The list of registered user devices [HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] is accessed by the user device [HOA] by at least one web-portal at least one user device [110A].

At step 608, the multimedia gateway [110] may receive at least one parameter from the at least first user device [HOA]. In an embodiment, the at least one parameter may be one of a reference identifier for the second connection and a session identifier associated with the second connection.

At step 610, the multimedia gateway [110] may establishing the multi-party call by merging the first connection and the second connection based on the at least one parameter. Then, the method [600] may end at step 612.

As illustrated in FIG.7, the present disclosure encompasses a signalling flow diagram [700] for establishing the multi-party call between multiple user devices at the multimedia gateway [HO], in accordance with the third embodiment of the present disclosure. The signalling flow diagram [700] initiates at step 702 by establishing a multi-party call between the at least one device [HOA] and the third-party device [150] via the multimedia gateway [110]. At step 704, the user device [IIOA] may send a request to the multimedia gateway [110] for adding user device [HOB] to the multi-party call. The user device [110A] may select any user device from a list of registered user devices [HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] for adding to the multi-party call. The list of registered user devices [HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] is accessed by the user device [110A] by the at least one web-portal at least one user device [HOA].

At step 706, the multimedia gateway [110] may send an acknowledgement for receiving the request from the user device [HOA] for adding user device [HOB] to the multi-party call. At step 708A and 708B, the multimedia gateway [110] may put the multi-party call between the at least one device [HOA] and the multimedia gateway [110] on hold. Further, the multimedia gateway [110] may also put the multi-party call between the multimedia gateway [110] and the third-party device [150] on hold.

At step 710, the multimedia gateway [110] may enable the user device [HOA] to establish a connection between the user device [HOA] and the user device [HOB]. The user device [HOA] may transmit a request to the user device [HOB] via the multimedia gateway [110] for establishing the connection. As a result, the multimedia gateway [110] may establish the connection between the user device [HOA] and the user device [HOB].

At step 712, the multimedia gateway [110] may put the connection between the user device [HOA] and the user device [HOB], on hold. This is done to enable the user device [HOA] to communicate with the media multiplexer and conference server [112], at step 714. At step 716, the multimedia gateway [110] may receive at least one parameter from the at least first user device [HOA]. In an embodiment, the at least one parameter may be one of a reference identifier for the connection between the user device [HOA] and the user device [HOB] and a session identifier associated with the connection between the user device [HOA] and the user device [HOB].

At step 718, the media multiplexer and conference server [112] may receive at least one parameter, related to the connection between the user device [HOA] and the user device [HOB], from the multimedia gateway [110]. At step 720, the media multiplexer and conference server [112] may communicate with the user device [HOB] based on the at least one parameter and further, may send a notification to the user device [110A] for communicating with the user device [HOB]. At step 722, based on the notification received from the media multiplexer and conference server [112], the user device [110A] may disconnect the connection between the user device [110A] and the user device [HOB].

At 724, the user device [110A] may resume the call on hold with the third-party device (150).

At 726, the multimedia gateway [110] may now establish the multi-party call between the user device [110A], the user device [HOB] and the third-party device (150).

As illustrated in FIG.8, the present disclosure encompasses an exemplary method flow diagram [800] for providing a call transfer service to the multiple user devices via the multimedia gateway [110], in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. The method flow initiates at step 802.

At step 804, the multimedia gateway [110] may establish a first connection between at least first user device [110A] and the third-party device [150] via the multimedia gateway. The first connection may be established by sending a connection request from the at least first user device [110A]. The connection may be established by sending a connection request from the at least first user device [110A]. At step 806, the multimedia gateway [110] may enable the at least first user device [110A] to transmit a transfer request for establishing a second connection between the third-party device [150] and at least second user device [HOB].

At step 808, the multimedia gateway [110] may receive at least one parameter from the at least first user device [110A]. In an embodiment, the at least one parameter may be one of a reference identifier for the first connection and a session identifier associated with the first connection. At step 810, the multimedia gateway [110] may transfer the on-going call from the at least first user device [110A] to the at least second user device [HOB] through the second connection based on the at least one parameter. Then, the method [800] may end at step 812. As illustrated in FIG.9, the present disclosure encompasses a signalling flow diagram [900] for providing the call transfer service to the multiple user devices via the multimedia gateway [110], in accordance with the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. The signalling flow diagram [900] initiates at step 902 by the IP multimedia core [130] may establish a call between the user device [110A] and the third-party device [150].

At step 904, the user device [110A] may provide an acknowledgement to the third-party device [150] via multimedia gateway [110]. Alternatively, the third-party device [150] may provide an acknowledgement to the user device [110A] through the multimedia gateway [110]. At step 906, the user device [110A] may send a transfer request to the multimedia gateway [110] for transferring the call, established between the user device [110A] and the third-party device [150], from the user device [110A] to the user device [HOB]. The user device [110A] may select any user device from a list of registered user devices [HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] for transferring the call from the user device [HOA] to the user device [HOB]. The list of registered user devices [HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] is accessed by the user device [HOA] by the at least one web-portal at the at least one user device [HOA].

At step 908, the multimedia gateway [110] may provide an acknowledgement to the user device [HOA] for receiving the transfer request to transfer the call from the user device [HOA] to the user device [HOB].

At step 910, the multimedia gateway [110] may receive at least one parameter from the at least first user device [HOA]. In an embodiment, the at least one parameter may be one of a reference identifier for the call established between the user device [HOA] and the third-party device [150] and a session identifier associated with the call established between the user device [HOA] and the third-party device [150]. At step 912, the multimedia gateway [110] may provide an acknowledgement to the user device [110A] for receiving the at least one parameter for the call established between the user device [110A] and the third-party device [150]. At step 914, the multimedia gateway [110] may put the call established between the user device [110A] and the third-party device [150] on hold.

At step 916, the multimedia gateway [110] may communicate with the user device [HOB] to establish a connection with the user device [HOB].

At step 918, on establishing the connection with the user device [HOB], the user device [HOB] may provide an acknowledgement to the multimedia gateway [110]. Alternatively, the multimedia gateway [110] may provide an acknowledgement to the user device [HOB]. At step 920, the user device [110A] may disconnect the call or connection with the multimedia gateway [110].

At step 922, once the user device [110A] disconnects the call with the multimedia gateway [110], the multimedia gateway [110] may resume the call with the third-party device [150].

At step 924, on resuming the call with the third-party device [150], the third-party device [150] may provide an acknowledgement to the multimedia gateway [110]. Alternatively, the multimedia gateway [110] may provide an acknowledgement to the third-party device [150]. At step 926, the multimedia gateway [110] establishes a call and/or connection between the user device [HOB] and the third-party device [150].

Although, the present disclosure has been described with respect to the example cited above where the only the first, second and the third priority has been defined for the user devices [110A, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] however, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present disclosure is also applicable in scenarios where the unlimited number priority can be defined for n number of user devices. Though a limited number of the user devices [110A, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160], prioritization scheme, the multimedia gateway [HO], and the link/connection/calls/requests/interfaces/communication, have been shown in the figures; however, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the system [100] of the present disclosure encompasses any number and varied types of the entities/elements such as user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160], prioritization scheme, the multimedia gateway

[110], and the link/connection/calls/requests/interfaces/communication.

While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the disclosed embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles of the present disclosure. These and other changes in the embodiments of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, whereby it is to be understood that the foregoing descriptive matter to be implemented is illustrative and non-limiting.

Claims

A method for providing at least one service to at least one of a plurality of user devices [110A, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160], the method being performed by a multimedia gateway [110], the method comprising:

- enabling a registration of the at least one of the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] with the multimedia gateway [110];

- facilitating one of the at least one of the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB,

HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] and at least one third-party user device [150] to define a prioritization scheme, wherein

the prioritization scheme comprises at least one custom rule to define at least one of a user device priority and a service priority at the multimedia gateway,

the user device priority corresponds to a priority of the at least one of the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] to which the at least one service is transmitted, and

the service priority corresponds to a priority of the at least one service provided to the at least one user device; and

- sequentially providing the at least one service to the at least one of the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] based on the prioritization scheme by the multimedia gateway [110].

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one service comprises at least one of an audio call service, a video call service, a video conference call service, an audio conference call service, a call transferring/forwarding service, an internet protocol multimedia services, a voice over internet protocol service, and a rich communication service.

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] comprises at least one of a smart device, a mobile device, a desktop, a laptop, a tablet, a personal digital assistance, a plain old telephone service device, any communication device, and a combination thereof.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multimedia gateway [110] comprises at least one of an internet protocol multimedia subsystem gateway, a router, and an agent. 5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of user devices [110A, HOB,

HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] is connected to the multimedia gateway [110] by at least one of a wireless interface and a wired interface.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multimedia gateway [110] transmits at least one configuration data to the at least one of the plurality of user devices [110A,

HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160].

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the configuration data comprises at least one unique identifier for the at least one of the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160].

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 5, wherein the wireless interface comprises at least one of a cellular radio access technology, a bluetooth interface, a zigbee interface, and an infrared interface.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 5, wherein the wired interface comprises at least one of an ethernet cable, and a registered jack cable,

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the registration of the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] at the multimedia gateway [110] further comprising step of providing at least one of a unique identifier and a generic identifier to authenticate the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160].

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the facilitation of one of the at least one of the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] and the at least one third-party user device [150] further comprising: - providing an access to one of the at least one of the plurality of user devices [110A, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] and the at least one third-party user device via a web interface;

- authenticating and enabling one of the at least one of the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] and the at least one third-party user device [150] to access a list of a registered user devices with the multimedia gateway [110], wherein

the registered user devices are the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] registered with the multimedia gateway [110]; and

- enabling one of the at least one of the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] and the at least one third-party user device [150] to one of modify and retain the at least one custom rule to set at least one of the user device priority and the service priority for the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160].

12. A multimedia gateway system [110] for providing at least one service to at least one of a plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160], the multimedia gateway [110] comprising:

- a module configured to:

enable a registration of the at least one of the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] with the multimedia gateway [110]; and

- a prioritizer module configured to:

facilitate one of the at least one of the plurality of user devices [HOA, HOB,

the prioritization scheme comprises at least one custom rule to define at least one of a user device priority and a service priority at the multimedia gateway [110],

the user device priority corresponds to a priority of the at least one of the plurality of user devices to which the at least one service is transmitted, and the service priority corresponds to a priority of the at least one service provided to the at least one user device,

sequentially provide the at least one service to the at least one of the plurality of user devices [110A, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] based on the prioritization scheme by the multimedia gateway [110]; and

- a storage module configured to:

store the user device priority and the service priority for the plurality of user devices [110A, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160].

13. A method for establishing a multiparty call between at least three devices, the method being performed by a multimedia gateway [110], the method comprising:

- establishing a first connection between a first user device [HOA] and a third- party device [150] via the multimedia gateway [110], wherein

the third-party device [150] is not registered with the multimedia gateway;

- enabling the first user device [HOA] to establish a second connection between the first user device [HOA] and a second user device [HOB] via the multimedia gateway [110], wherein the first user device [HOA] selects the second user device [HOB] from a list of user devices registered [HOA, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] with the multimedia gateway [110];

- receiving at least one parameter from the first user device [HOA], wherein the at least one parameter is related to the second connection; and

- establishing the multi-party call by merging the first connection and the second connection via the multimedia gateway [110] based on the at least one parameter.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising holding the first connection before establishing the second connection.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising holding the second connection before establishing the multi-party call.

16. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the multi-party call comprises at least one of an audio call and a video call.

17. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first connection and the second connection comprises at least one of an air interface, a Bluetooth interface, a zigbee interface, and an infrared interface.

18. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the at least one parameter comprises at least one of a reference identifier for the second connection, and a session identifier for the second connection.

19. A method for transferring an ongoing call between a first user device [110A] and a third-party device [150], the method being performed by a multimedia gateway [110], the method comprising:

- establishing a first connection between the first user device [110A] and the third- party device [150] via the multimedia gateway [110], wherein

the third-party device [150] is not registered with the multimedia gateway [110];

- enabling the first user device [110A] to transmit a transfer request for establishing a second connection between the third-party device [150] and a second user device [HOB] via the multimedia gateway [110], wherein the first user device [110A] selects the second user device [HOB] from a list of user devices registered [110A, HOB, HOC, HOD, HOE, 160] with the multimedia gateway [110]; and

- receiving at least one parameter from the first user device [HOA], wherein the at least one parameter is related to the first connection; and

- transferring the on-going call from the first user device [HOA] to the second user device [HOB] through the second connection based on the at least one parameter.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the on-going call comprises at least one of an audio call and a video call.