Patent ID: 8549155
Filing Date: 2013-10-01
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of accessing a home device in a private network from a remote device when located outside said private network, wherein the private network includes a plurality of home devices, a home IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) gateway connected to an external IMS network for controlling multimedia services, and a residential gateway for transporting data and media to and from the home devices, the method comprising the following steps executed in the remote device: sending a session invite message directed to the home IMS gateway over the IMS network, wherein the session invite message does not include an identification of a selected home device; receiving connection parameters of the residential gateway in the private network from the home IMS gateway in response to said session invite message, wherein said connection parameters are associated with a proxy function in the home IMS gateway configured to provide home device information for the plurality of home devices; establishing a Virtual Private Network (VPN) tunnel with the proxy function; obtaining the home device information for the plurality of home devices from the proxy function utilizing the VPN tunnel; sending a selection of a selected home device to the home IMS gateway; and using the VPN tunnel to communicate media with said selected home device.