How To Create An End User Experience With Ecson Multimedia Communication Suite

Transcription

1 Delivering the optimal end-user experience: Ericsson Multimedia Communication Suite Cristina Badulescu, Nancy Greene, Åke Gustafsson, Carlos Jaramillo, Marc Leclerc, Peter Postmus, Guillermo Saavedra and Martin Servant Ericsson s Multimedia Communication Suite (MCS) is a horizontal business solution which gives network operators the platforms and mechanisms they need to create an end-user experience that simplifies the discovery of, access to, and usage of new network services, facilitating a much higher level of customization and integration of services with terminal capabilities while hiding the complexities of doing so from end-users. Introduction The past few years have seen a huge increase in the use of mobile communications. Today, more than 50% of all the people living on this planet have access to mobile telephony service. And an ever-increasing array of devices, such as cameras and music players, are being integrated into mobile phones. Likewise, the use of mobile broadband is spreading to include laptop computers, mobile internet devices, and other consumer electronic devices. In many countries, an entire generation of digital natives has grown up with mobile phones and the internet. To them, always connected is the norm, multitasking is easy, and technology is for the using. Digital natives demand interaction with the services and media they consume, and they want to share practically every facet of their lives with friends both near and far in a growing TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS AAB ADC AP API CAB CPM DB DM EMG HTTP IARI ICS ICSI IM IMA IMPS IMS IMS-M IT J2ME JSR 52 Active address book Automatic device configuration Aggregation proxy Application programming interface Converged address book Converged IP messaging Database Device management Enriched messaging gateway Hypertext transport protocol IMS application reference identifier IMS Common System IMS communication service identifier Instant message/instant messaging IMS multi-access Instant messaging and presence server IP Multimedia Subsystem IMS messaging Information technology Java Micro Edition Java specification request network of real-world and online communities. These developments are putting new demands on the telecommunications industry. As the use of mobile communications increases and expands, users become less homogeneous in outlook and habits, and require greater customization and a wider array of services. At the same time, as more services and functions are being packed into mobile devices, the user interfaces become increasingly complex, to the point of being significant barriers to the adoption of new services. This translates into greater complexity and costs for network operators who deploy new services and networks. The challenge, then, lies in giving end-users more services and functionality while also making it easier for them to adapt to and use expanded capabilities. The Multimedia Communication Suite, MAC Multi-adaptation center MCS Multimedia Communication Suite MIEP Mobile internet-enabling proxy MMS Multimedia messaging service MSRP Message session relay protocol NNI Network-to-network interface OMA Open Mobile Alliance PGM Presence group and data management RCS Rich Communication Suite SIMPLE SIP for instant messaging and presence-leveraging extensions SIP Session initiation protocol SMS Short message service SSO Single sign-on SyncML Synchronization markup language V Value-added service VoIP Voice over IP XCAP XML configuration access protocol XDMS XML document management server XML Extensible markup language XMPP Extensible messaging and presence protocol Ericsson s response to this challenge, gives network operators the platforms and mechanisms they need to create an end-user experience that simplifies the discovery of, access to, and usage of new network services. It both facilitates a much higher level of customization and integration of services with terminal capabilities and hides the complexities of doing so from end-users. MCS is a horizontal business solution that gives operators a tool for crafting an end-user experience that maximizes the uptake of new commercial offerings; protects existing revenue streams; and provides a much richer set of options to support branding strategies. Central to the MCS user experience is the MCS client, which employs the new IP Multi media Subsystem (IMS) application programming interface (API) on choice feature phones. The MCS client integrates with the terminal s native address book to give users a familiar starting point for using services. This lowers the barrier to initial uptake and further reduces long-term UI complexity. Using the MCS client contact list, endusers can select the people with whom they want to communicate, see which communication options are available for these people, and select the options they want. The client also enables users to perform a variety of actions while they are communicating for example, they can invite additional participants as well as transfer or share objects and applications. Figure 1 illustrates the concept of starting from the address book (center) and moving outward. MCS solution The MCS solution integrates Ericsson s IMS solutions with native phone features. Clients in the solution apply to everything from sophisticated smartphones to ordinary telephones and personal computers. Users may even have multiple clients or phones linked via a single subscription. MCS clients that belong to the same subscription share data by storing it in the network: the presence group and data management (PGM) node stores subscription lists via an extensible markup language document management server (XDMS); the active address book (AAB) handles personal cards, privacy settings, authorization lists and updates; and Ericsson Review No. 2, 2008

2 Figure 1 MCS facilitates enriched end-user communication. the IMS messaging (IMS-M) node manages chat and messaging sessions. Network-based services permit interworking between native and IMS services. Many feature phones are not currently equipped to handle voice-over-ip (VoIP) calls. As a consequence, the MCS solution employs IMS multi-access (IMA) and the media gateways of Ericsson s IMS Common System (ICS) to provide interworking between circuitswitched and VoIP calls. The ICS solution also supports forking and session transfer. For single-shot messaging, MCS clients can, depending on client type and associated capabilities, use native messaging or Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) Instant Message (IM) pager-mode messaging. This way, users merely choose to communicate with one another they need not specify the actual network address. There is a wide array of short message service (SMS), multimedia messaging service (MMS) and services with which MCS users can exchange messages. Chat messaging is offered via IMS pager-mode messaging or IMS session-mode messaging using the message session relay protocol (MSRP) in IMS-M. The choice is transparent to users and does not affect how the chat history is presented. The enriched messaging gateway (EMG) and IMS-M solution permit network-based interworking between message classes, allowing messages to be delivered in an optimum way. The EMG solution also facilitates interworking with other messaging communities, such as Google Talk, and instant messaging and presence service (IMPS). Single sign-on (SSO) authentication is provided via the ICS solution, PGM aggregation proxy (AP) and mobile internet-enabling proxy (MIEP). Network access is negotiated via the session initiation protocol (SIP), hypertext transport protocol (HTTP), extensible markup language configuration access protocol (XCAP) or the synchronization markup language (SyncML). An automatic device configuration (ADC) solution manages client version, configuration, and profile data. ADC pushes data to mobile terminals using OMA devicemanagement (DM) methods. Phones and fixed clients that do not support OMA device management can employ a client-pull mechanism that asks the client to request and verify the most recent version. As stated above, the address book in the MCS client is the starting point for communication. It enables users to see other users and their services through a separate personal card for each user. The address book is backed up by a network-based service. In the MCS solution, the client publishes its status to subscribing users via the PGM presence server. The user MCS client is aware, via client-profile provisioning (by means of OMA device management), of the services to which the user has subscribed. And the network operator can align the capabilities published and presented in the user interface with the user s subscriptions. When a new service is introduced, the user can see which other users have this service. This increases uptake and usage of newly introduced services because everybody can see who has access to the service. The feature also promotes viral marketing. Users can introduce new services to other users by sending a message, a promotion, or by gifting a subscription. Users who discover an unknown service can readily obtain information about it and subscribe to it. Main architectural drivers To a large extent, the MCS architecture is client-driven, which brings existing and new services into an integrated end-user experience. Ericsson Review No. 2,

3 Browser Games MCS application client, voice, AAB, messaging Management Service layer Portal Content EMM EMA OSS Standard services and IMS Voice mail IMS standard client Address book MMS AAB P- CSC CSC PGM SMS MRD SMS MIEP CUDB MMS MS IMS HTTP Multi-access edge MGC MT PoC IMSM IMPS G Figure 2 Functional architecture of the Multimedia Communication Suite (MCS). Devices and premises network ireline/wireless access Transport and aggregation N-SEG A-SEG MG MRP XMPP G Automatic device configuration The MCS client configuration is automated, both for the initial configuration and for all additional configurations as new services are added. Client application plug-in framework with service announcement and discovery The set of services available to end-users is dynamic and can easily be extended by downloading new applications. The client announces all new services that support the presence function. New services are registered and invoked via the IMS communication service identifier (ICSI) and IMS application reference identifier (IARI) in SIP signaling. Common portal and SSO For ease of access to web content, all web servers in the solution have been integrated in the portal to give web clients a cohesive end-user experience. An essential part of this solution is support of the single sign-on (SSO) concept after users have identified themselves either implicitly, via a trusted access network, or explicitly, by providing login credentials. Common data storage To ease the burden on the client, the network architecture strives to have a single access 54 point for all user data. Three different types of user data have been identified: common media store for stateless unstructured data (for example, a photo album); common message store for stateful structured data (read/unread/delivered/etc.). All messages are stored, regardless of message type; and common user database (DB) for the user profile. Subscription to data updates User data that has been shared with and stored by another user is not static. Data management permits subscriptions to share information, enabling automatic updates that ensure the validity of data. Data sharing based on privacy preferences User-generated data can be shared (completely or partially) with authorized users, either automatically or on request. This feature adds a social or community factor to the ubiquitous access and storage capabilities already offered. Standard protocol interfaces in the reference points Standard protocol interfaces in architecture reference points make it easy to integrate additional products and to support multi vendor product scenarios. Fixed and mobile network convergence By supporting multiple client terminals for any given user, the network architecture facilitates fixed and mobile network convergence. This is achieved through reliance on the IMS infrastructure of a single public address tied to multiple devices and on network-based storage of user data. Interworking with internet communities The network architecture accommodates the inclusion of gateways for interconnecting with internet communities via their network-to-network interfaces (NNI) for example, Google Talk via XMPP (extensible messaging and presence protocol) and IMPS via SIP/SIMPLE (SIP for instant messaging and presence-leveraging extensions). Other common network functions In general, the MCS architecture will drive a horizontalization of the products in the solution. This may need to be addressed in standards, implementation, or at the time of deployment. Ericsson Review No. 2, 2008

4 Target architecture Figure 2 depicts an MCS deployment scenario whose feature set provides rich presence, active address book, dynamic addition of new applications, one-to-one as well as one-to-many chat, Google interworking, IMPS interworking, multiplayer gaming, file sharing, web portal for self-management, personal data storage, push to talk, and VoIP (fixed and mobile). Standards OMA CPM The OMA standardization group is driving a work item for converged IP messaging (CPM) whose scope covers multiple user experiences converged in one conversation. CPM also includes multimedia group communication; multiple device environment; multiple CPM addresses; seamless interworking between a CPM user and a user of a non-cpm communication service; value-added service (V) application messaging; network-based storage (common repository); converged address book (CAB); and absence service. OMA CAB The OMA CAB is a new enabler (currently in the requirements phase of standardization). Ericsson is an active driver of OMA CAB standardization, which means its solution will be aligned with all existing and future standards. RCS Ericsson s MCS is also aligned with the Rich Communication Suite (RCS) initiative, which a group of like-minded players in the industry formed to accelerate the adoption of mobile applications and services that provide an interoperable, convergent, rich communication experience. New Ericsson products in MCS The sections below describe some of the new product offerings that will be introduced with Ericsson s MCS business solution. Active address book The active address book (AAB) application gives users a perpetually up-to-date address book. Users can access it and the personal cards of all MCS-enabled devices. Users set authorization rules that control the sharing of personal cards with others. Additional features that spice up the AAB service include searches, automatic matching of contacts, and notifications to new AAB users. A personal card can represent multiple personas. Users may thus publish personal information in manageable entities that reflect different end-user profiles for example, work-related information, home-related information, or interests-related information (Figure 3). The MCS client provides AAB servicerelated functionality on the terminal as well as dynamic information (for instance, presence status) obtained via OMA-specified client-server models, such as OMA XDM and OMA presence. The AAB architecture consists of the SynchML server, AAB MAC, AAB server, and AAB XDMS (Figure 4). SyncML server The SyncML server synchronizes the address books in user terminals. Contacts personal cards are XML documents stored in AAB XDMS and exchanged by the AAB server. AAB multi-adaptation center The AAB multi-adaptation center (MAC) component facilitates the transfer of AAB data between the SyncML server and the AAB server for example, address book updates. It can also import, export, and synchronize services to and from other types of address book applications. AAB XDMS The AAB XCAP document management server (XDMS) manages and stores the XML documents handled by the AAB. Name Phone Mobile Nickname City Figure 3 Data structure of the active address book (AAB) personal card. Home persona Name Home phone Home Personal nickname ork persona Name ork phone ork mobile ork City Gaming persona Gamers nickname City Privacy levels access Private list Public Group list Ericsson Review No. 2,

5 Figure 4 Architecture of the active address book (AAB). Also, subject to authorization rules, it allows users or servers to subscribe to changes in other users personal cards. In addition, it notifies users of changes and conflicts based on service provider- or user-defined preferences. The AAB XML documents handled by the AAB XDMS include AAB persona-based authorization document; AAB user preferences; and personal cards. Use case: Basic AAB subscribe and notify On the originating side, on behalf of address book owners, the AAB server triggers and refreshes subscription updates to contacts personal cards. On the terminating side, the AAB server receives the subscriptions, applies authorization rules, and issues notifications when changes have been made to content in authorized personal cards. This method (Figure 5) significantly reduces the flow of synchronization data over the air interface, because users solely receive updates in their address books. MCS feature phone client The MCS client is built on the Java Micro Edition (J2ME) platform. Feature phone vendors may use an associated set of Java specification request (JSR) APIs to enable the MCS client to access a terminal s native and network capabilities (Figure 6). Figure 5 Signaling flow for subscribe-and-notify personal cards use case. 56 IMS service stack on feature phone The IMS stack provides standardized IMS protocols and procedures and the OMA IM media that is needed to enable IMS-related services. The IMS stack (in the terminal) provides the following IMS-compliant procedures and media: IMS registration early IMS security (SSO); framed media session control enabled by SIP INVITE and MSRP media; pager-mode message enabled by SIP MESSAGE; file transfer enabled by MSRP within a SIP session; publish enabled by PUBLISH procedure; subscription enabled by SUBSCRIBE procedure; and notify enabled by NOTIFY procedure. Practical example The following example illustrates the impact of the MCS solution on the end-user Ericsson Review No. 2, 2008

6 experience. Alice downloads and installs a chess game. She then has the option of inviting any of her contacts to play. What is more, she can see which of her contacts have already installed the application. Bob for example has not yet installed chess on his handset although he can see that Alice has it. Alice may invite Bob to play even though she knows he doesn t yet have the service. In this case, Bob must either follow the prompt to download the game or reject Alice s invitation. Without the MCS solution, this example scenario would require multiple separate actions by Alice and Bob. For instance, they would each have to discover the chess service, download it, subscribe to it, inform each other that they have the service, and agree on a time to play. Conclusion MCS gives network operators an efficient, well-integrated approach to building the optimal end-user experience as people use more services and the capabilities of their mobile devices. MCS makes it possible to launch more applications and services faster and at lower cost; to deliver new value to end-users that leverage incremental capabilities in IMS networks. It also simplifies user interfaces; to maximize new service uptake and reduce marketing costs via viral marketing practices; to maximize the ability to leverage existing enablers and protect revenue streams via combinational services; to tap into economies of scale and the reuse that comes from IMS and network convergence; and to harness the enormous creative potential of information technology (IT) and enterprise developer bases in order to expand revenue opportunities. Figure 6 Simplified MCS client and native application modules. TRADEMARKS Java is a trademark or registered trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Ericsson Review No. 2,