Method and apparatus for coordinating quality of service requirements for media flows in a multimedia session with IP bearer services

• US 20020062379A1
• Filed: 11/05/2001
• Published: 05/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Williams, Brian C., Oyama, Johnson, Widegren, Ina B., Tan, Thian J.
• Application Number:
  US09/985,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20020062379A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/57 for integrated multimedia messaging subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8016 based on quality of service [QoS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8228 Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/204 UMTS; GPRS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/208 IMS, i.e. Integrated Multimedia messaging Subsystem
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7414 QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7833 Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 : Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

To set up a multimedia session involving a mobile terminal, a session packet access bearer is established between the mobile terminal and an access point to a packet data network by way of a radio access network. The access point is coupled to a multimedia system that provides multimedia session services. Using the session packet access bearer, a multimedia session involving the mobile terminal is initiated that includes a plurality of media data streams. Media packet access bearers between the mobile terminal and the access point are established. Media binding information is used to associate that multimedia session and each media data stream to one of the media packet access bearers used to transport a corresponding one of the media data streams between the mobile terminal and the access point. The media binding information may be used in a variety of ways to set up and control the multimedia session and the media packet access bearers.

Claims

1. A method for use in setting up a multimedia session involving a mobile terminal and an access point to a packet data network by way of a radio access network, the access point being coupled to a multimedia system that provides multimedia session services, comprising:

initiating a multimedia session involving the mobile terminal that includes a plurality of media data streams;

establishing a plurality of media packet access bearers between the mobile terminal and the access point; and

using media binding information to associate each media data stream in the session to a corresponding media packet access bearers, each of the media packet access bearers transporting its corresponding media data stream between the mobile terminal and the access point.

2. The method in claim 1, wherein the media binding information enables individual control at a session level of each media packet access bearer in the multimedia session.

3. The method in claim 1, wherein multiple media data streams share a same media packet access bearer and multiple media binding information elements corresponding to each of the multiple media data streams are associated with the shared media packet access bearer.

4. The method in claim 1, wherein the media binding information for each media data stream is associated with quality of service information for the corresponding media data stream, and wherein the quality of service may be different for each one of the media data streams in the multimedia session.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the absence of media binding information in a packet access bearer setup message to determine that a packet access bearer is a general packet access bearer, and

using the presence of media binding information in a packet access bearer message to determine that a packet access bearer is associated with a specific media stream in a multimedia session.

6. The method in claim 1, further comprising:

using the media binding information to authorize permissible quality of service for each one of the packet access bearers transporting the media data streams in the multimedia session,

wherein the quality of service may be different for each one of the packet access bearers.

7. The method in claim 1, further comprising:

using the media binding information to identify the session and each media data stream in the session; and

obtaining session-related rules to apply to each packet access bearer transporting a corresponding one of the media data streams; and

obtaining media data stream-related rules to apply to each packet access bearer transporting a corresponding one of the media data streams.

8. The method in claim 7, further comprising:

using one or more of the obtained rules to apply one or more filters for traffic received over each packet access bearer transporting the media data streams.

9. The method in claim 1, further comprising:

using the media binding information to identify the session and obtain session-related data, and

using the session-related data to reserve quality of service (QoS) resources for each of the media data streams in the session between the access point and a remote user over the packet data network.

10. The method in claim 1, further comprising:

using the media binding information to identify the session and obtain session-related data, and using the session-related data to identify one or more nodes and one or more networks involved in transporting one of the media data streams along a path between the access point through the packet data network to the remote user; and

determining if resources are available to support a quality of service request for the one media data stream along the path;

if the requested resources are available for the one media data stream, admitting the one media data stream to use the packet data network along the path; and

if the requested resources are not available, rejecting use of the requested resources for the one media data stream.

11. The method in claim 1, wherein if one of the media data streams in the multimedia session is modified, modifying the media binding information associating each media data stream to a corresponding one of the media packet access bearers.

12. The method in claim 1, wherein if one of the media packet access bearers is modified, using the media binding information to authorize permissible quality of service for the modified media packet access bearer transporting one of the media data streams in the multimedia session.

14. The method in claim 13, wherein multiple media data streams share a same media GPRS bearer and multiple media binding information elements corresponding to each of the multiple media data steams are associated with the shared media GPRS bearer.

15. The method in claim 13, wherein the mobile terminal provides the media binding information to a GPRS Gateway Support Node (GGSN) in a signaling message associated with a corresponding GPRS bearer, and the GGSN uses the media binding information to facilitate interworking to one or more packet data networks coupled to the GPRS network.

16. The method in claim 15, wherein the GGSN uses the media binding information to identify the session and to obtain session-related data.

17. The method in claim 16, wherein the GGSN uses the session-related data to reserve Internet Protocol (IP) level resources for each of the media data streams in the session from the GGSN to the remote host.

18. The method in claim 17, wherein the IP level resources from the GGSN to the remote host are reserved using a resource reservation protocol (RSVP), and wherein the GGSN functions as an RSVP proxy for the mobile terminal using the session-related data to formulate RSVP bearer requests for each media data stream in the session.

19. The method in claim 17, wherein the multimedia system includes a call service control server which provides session information to a policy controller associated with the call service control server, and wherein the policy controller establishes policies for the session.

20. The method in claim 15, wherein a requested media GPRS bearer is established as a new media GPRS bearer or by modifying an already-established media GPRS bearer.

21. The method in claim 20, wherein a message to request a media GPRS bearer includes an activate secondary PDP context request message and a create PDP context request message, each of these PDP context request messages including the media binding information as a PDP configuration option (PCO).

22. The method in claim 20, wherein a message to request a media GPRS bearer includes a modify PDP context request message and an update PDP context request message, each of these PDP context request messages including the media binding information as a PDP configuration option (PCO).

23. The method in claim 15, further comprising:

the GGSN detecting in a request message the media binding information, and in response, requesting policy information related to the session from the policy controller using the media binding information.

24. The method in claim 23, further comprising:

the policy controller returning to the GGSN the policy information related to the session using the media binding information.

25. The method in claim 24, further comprising:

the GGSN enforcing the policy established by the policy information using the media binding information.

26. The method in claim 25, wherein the GGSN functions as a resource reservation protocol (RSVP) proxy for the mobile terminal to reserve resources for the session between the GGSN and the remote host using the media binding information.

27. The method in claim 21, further comprising:

confirming establishment of a PDP context for each media stream in the session between the GGSN and the mobile terminal.

28. The method in claim 21, further comprising:

the GGSN using the media binding information to authorize permissible parameters associated with each one of the GPRS bearers defined by its corresponding PDP context to transport one of the media data streams in the multimedia session.

29. The method in claim 21, further comprising:

the GGSN using the session related data to perform admission control for each one of the GPRS bearers defined by its corresponding PDP context to transport one of the media streams in the multimedia session.

30. The method in claim 13, wherein if one of the media data streams in the multimedia session is modified, modifying the media binding information associating that media data stream to a corresponding one of the GPRS bearer.

31. The method in claim 13, wherein if one of the GPRS bearers is modified, using the associated media binding information to identify the session and to obtain modified session-related data to be applied to the modified GPRS bearer transporting one of the media data streams in the multimedia session.

32. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

the GGSN using the absence of media binding information in the signaling message associated with a particular GPRS bearer to determine that the GPRS bearer is a general GPRS bearer not associated with a multimedia session or the presence of media binding information in the signaling message associated with a particular GPRS bearer to determine that a PDP context is associated with one of the media data streams of a multimedia session.

33. The method in claim 15, wherein the GGSN uses the session information to enhance interworking between protocols used between the GGSN and the mobile terminal and the GGSN and the remote host.

35. The method in claim 34, wherein a GPRS Gateway Support Node (GGSN) uses the media binding information to assist in reserving quality of service resources for each media data stream from the GGSN to the remote host.

36. The method in claim 35, wherein quality of service for each media data stream in the session from the mobile terminal to the GGSN are reserved using the PDP context messages and quality of service resources for each media data stream from the GGSN to the remote host are reserved using an Internet-based protocol.

37. The method in claim 36, wherein the Internet-based protocol is the resource reservation protocol (RSVP).

38. The method in claim 36, wherein the Internet-based protocol is the Differentiated Services (DiffServ) protocol.

39. The method in claim 35, wherein the GGSN uses the media binding information to support policy enforcement.

40. The method in claim 35, wherein the GGSN uses the media binding information to access a policy controller in the multimedia system and obtain from the policy controller quality of service and policy enforcement information for each media data stream in the session.

13. A method for use in setting up a multimedia session involving a mobile terminal capable of communicating with a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, the GPRS network being coupled to a radio access network and to a multimedia system that provides multimedia session services, comprising:

the mobile terminal requesting a multimedia session with a remote host using the multimedia system, the multimedia session including a plurality of media data streams;

generating media binding information for each of the plurality of media data streams;

requesting a media GPRS bearer for each media data stream and associating the media binding information to each media GPRS bearer; and

transporting the media data streams using corresponding ones of the media GPRS bearers.

34. A method for use in establishing a multimedia session involving a mobile terminal capable of communicating with a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, the GPRS network being coupled to a radio access network and to a multimedia system that provides multimedia session services, comprising:

initiating a multimedia session between the mobile terminal and a remote host using a call service control server in the multimedia system, the multimedia session including a plurality of media data streams;

generating media binding information associating each one of the media data streams to the multimedia session; and

forwarding the media binding information in a PDP context activation or modification message for each of the media data streams to bind each of the media PDP contexts to a corresponding one of the media data streams in the multimedia session.

41. A mobile terminal comprising electronic circuitry capable of communicating with an access point to a packet data network by way of a radio access network, the access point being coupled to a multimedia system that provides multimedia session services, the mobile terminal being configured to perform the following tasks:

initiate a multimedia session that includes a plurality of media data streams;

assist in establishing a plurality of media packet access bearers to the access point for transporting corresponding ones of the media data streams between the mobile terminal and the access point; and

use media binding information to associate each media data stream in the session to one of the media packet access bearers.

42. The mobile terminal in claim 41, wherein the media binding information for each media data stream is associated with quality of service information for the corresponding media data stream, and wherein the quality of service may be different for each one of the media data streams in the multimedia session.

43. The mobile terminal in claim 42, wherein the quality of service information and media binding information are included in signaling used to set up the session.

44. The mobile terminal in claim 41, wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to include the media binding information in one or more a PDP context activation, creation, modification, or update request message to the access point, each of the messages including the media binding information as a PDP configuration option (PCO).

45. The mobile terminal in claim 44, wherein the PDP context activation message is an activate PDP context request message or an activate secondary PDP context request message.

46. The mobile terminal in claim 44, wherein a media binding field in the PCO has a variable length.

47. The mobile terminal in claim 44, wherein the PDP context creation message is a create PDP context request message.

48. The mobile terminal in claim 44, wherein the PDP context modification message is a modify PDP context request message.

49. The mobile terminal in claim 44, wherein the PDP context update message is an update PDP context request message.

50. A computer generated data signal embodied in an electrical signal for use in a GPRS/UMTS network comprising:

a PDP context activation, creation, modification, or update message for establishing or updating a multimedia session between a mobile terminal and a remote host, the PDP context activation, creation, modification, or update message having plural fields of information including a PDP configuration options (PCO) field that includes media binding information associating each media data stream in the multimedia session with a GPRS data packet bearer.

51. The computer generated data signal in claim 50, wherein the media binding field in the PCO for storing the media binding information has a variable length.

52. The computer generated data signal in claim 50, wherein the PDP context activation message is an activate secondary PDP context request message.

53. The computer generated data signal in claim 50, wherein the PDP context activation message is an activate PDP context request message.

54. A packet data network access point coupled to a radio access network and a multimedia system for providing services in a multimedia session between a mobile terminal and a remote host comprising electronic circuitry configured to perform the following tasks:

in response to a multimedia session request from the mobile terminal, assist in establishing a multimedia session with a plurality of media data streams including establishing a plurality of media packet access bearers between the mobile terminal and the access point, where the media packet access bearers transport corresponding ones of the media data streams between the mobile terminal and the access point, and

use media binding information to associate each media data stream in the session to one of the media packet access bearers.

55. The access point in claim 54, wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to assist in setting up and enforcing quality of service for each packet access bearer using the media binding information.

56. The access point in claim 54, wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to detect the absence of media binding information in a packet access bearer setup message to determine that a packet access bearer is a general packet access bearer, and to detect the presence of media binding information in a packet access bearer message to determine that a packet data bearer is associated with a multimedia session.

57. The access point in claim 56, wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to use the media binding information to identify the session and each media data stream in the session and to obtain rules to apply to each packet access bearer transporting a corresponding one of the media data streams.

58. The access point in claim 57, wherein the rules include session-related rules and media data stream-related rules.

59. The access point in claim 57, wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to use one or more of the obtained rules to apply one or more filters for the traffic received over each packet access bearer transporting the media data streams.

60. The access point in claim 54, wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to use the media binding information to obtain information related to the multimedia session and each media data stream and use the obtained information to reserve quality of service (QoS) resources for each of the media data streams in the session between the access point to the packet data network and a remote user.

61. The access point in claim 60, wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to use the obtained information to identify one or more nodes and one or more networks involved in transporting one of the media data streams along a path between the access point through the packet data network to the remote user and to determine if resources are available to support a quality of service request for the one media data stream along the path,

wherein if the requested resources are available for the one media data stream, the one media data stream is admitted to use the packet data network along the path, and if the requested resources are not available, use of the requested resources for the one media data stream is rejected.

62. The access point in claim 60, wherein the access point is a GPRS Gateway Support Node (GGSN) in a GPRS network, the GGSN being configured to use the media binding information to facilitate interworking to one or more packet data networks coupled to the GPRS network.

63. The access point in claim 62, wherein the GGSN is configured to use the media binding information to identify the session and to obtain session-related data.

64. The access point in claim 63, wherein the GGSN is configured to use the session-related data to reserve Internet Protocol (IP) level resources for each of the media data streams in the session from the GGSN to the remote host.

65. The access point in claim 64, wherein the IP level resources from the GGSN to the remote host are reserved using a resource reservation protocol (RSVP), and wherein the GGSN is configured to function as an RSVP proxy for the mobile terminal using the session-related data to formulate RSVP bearer requests for each media data stream in the session.

66. The access point in claim 62, wherein the GGSN is configured to detect media binding information in a PDP context request or modification message, and in response, to request from a policy controller policy information related to the session using the media binding information.

67. The access point in claim 66, wherein the GGSN is configured to receive policy information related to the session by the media binding information and to enforce the policy using the media binding information.

68. The access point in claim 62, wherein the GGSN is configured to use the absence of media binding information in the signaling message associated with a particular GPRS bearer to determine that the GPRS bearer is a general GPRS bearer not to be associated with a multimedia session or the presence of media binding information in the signaling message associated with a particular GPRS bearer to determine that a PDP context is associated with one of the media data streams of the multimedia session.

69. The access point in claim 68, wherein the GGSN is configured to use the media binding information to authorize permissible parameters associated with each one of the GPRS bearers defined by its corresponding PDP context to transport one of the media data streams in the multimedia session.

70. The access point in claim 62, wherein the GGSN is configured to use the session related data to perform admission control for each one of the GPRS bearers using the media binding information.

71. The access point in claim 62, wherein the GGSN is configured to enhance interworking between protocols used between the GGSN and the mobile terminal and between the GGSN and the remote host using the media binding information.

72. The access point in claim 62, wherein the GGSN is configured to receive a request from the multimedia system that the GGSN function as a resource reservation protocol proxy on behalf of the mobile terminal for the session, and wherein the GGSN is configured to act as the requested resource reservation protocol proxy for the session.

73. The access point in claim 62 wherein the multimedia system generates the media binding information from a session identifier and a media portion of a session setup message and uses the media binding information to communication with the GGSN for the session.

74. The access point in claim 54, wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to individually control at a session level each GPRS bearer in the multimedia session.