Ericsson and Siemens have submitted JSR-281: IMS Services API to the Java Community Process (JCP). According to the JSR, the IMS Services API: >
is intended to enable application programmers to easily write applications that can integrate with the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). The specification will expose IMS functionality through high-level APIs in an integrated and consistent way. The API hides IMS implementation details to the maximum extent.The API abstracts the underlying technology and at the same time provides the developers with maximum flexibility. This approach secures conformance to IMS related standards and at the same time gives developers possibility to focus on the functionality of the services and not on the IMS technology implementation details. In this way IMS domain will be revealed to the broad J2ME developer community and will encourage faster adoption of the IMS services provided by the wireless networks.
At least three types of functionality will be supported by the API : high-level IMS functionality , Push to Talk over Cellular (PoC) services and Group List Management (GLM) services. The IMS part of the API defines a set of high-level functions enabling J2ME applications to access IMS services, e.g.:
- Support for IMS registration
- Support for co-location of multiple IMS Services
- Use of IMS service sessions (based on SIP sessions)
- Use of media connections
- Use of presence and group list management functionality
- High level support for SDP according to RFC 2327
The PoC part of the API is a high-level abstraction of the complex features provided by the PoC service, thus allowing for application programmers to write applications that make use of these features without having to deal with underlying details. The API allows for initiation, management and termination of PoC sessions with individual participants as well as pre-defined groups of participants. Furthermore it can be used to dynamically modify multiple PoC sessions in terms of adding or removing participants. The API provides support for control of talk bursts and operation of multiple simultaneous PoC sessions. The API facilitates integration of PoC functionality in arbitrary applications (e.g. multi-player games). The GLM part of the API is a high level abstraction to handle group, access and contact lists for arbitrary applications in an easy and straight forward way.
The IMS Services API allows application developers for mobile devices to easily utilize the IMS functionality without requiring knowledge of the underlying SIP and IMS implementation details. By direct support of the service bundling concept, the API supports one of the strengths of the IMS. The IMS Services API facilitates application developers to avoid violations of SIP and IMS conventions. In particular, the authentication mechanism used, is completely hidden from the application. As the user of the API does not have to be involved, the security risks associated with application level handling of authentication tokens is minimized.
Comments are due by April 8.