Method and apparatus for using the voice over internet protocol to handoff call connections
First Claim
1. An apparatus for conducting communication operations between a first mobile switching center and a second mobile switching center, comprising:
- a first Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) gateway in electronic communication with the first mobile switching center and an Internet Protocol (IP) network; and
a second VoIP gateway in electronic communication with the second mobile switching center and the IP network, wherein the first VoIP gateway receives voice audio from the first mobile switching center and the second VoIP gateway receives voice audio from the second mobile switching center, and wherein the first VoIP gateway converts the voice audio received from the first mobile switching center into a first VoIP-formatted audio for communicating speech information from the first mobile switching center to the second mobile switching center, and wherein the second VoIP gateway converts the voice audio received from the second mobile switching center into a second VoIP-formatted audio for communicating speech information from the second mobile switching center to the first mobile switching center.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) operations are utilized to substitute for the allocation of voice trunks in a conventional telecommunications network during intersystem handoff operations. A pair of VoIP gateways are in electronic communication with mobile switching centers. The VoIP gateways are connected by an Internet Protocol network. A determination is made that a handoff forward call connection operation should occur. A second VoIP gateway is allocated to the Target MSC, while a first VoIP gateway is allocated to the Serving MSC. A voice path is then completed using voice channels between the VoIP gateways and the MSCs, to allow the mobile station communication to be handed off from the Serving MSC to the Target MSC. Formatting and recovery of the voice audio signals occurs within the VoIP gateways as they are sent to and received from, respectively, the MSCs.
42 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An apparatus for conducting communication operations between a first mobile switching center and a second mobile switching center, comprising:
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a first Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) gateway in electronic communication with the first mobile switching center and an Internet Protocol (IP) network; and
a second VoIP gateway in electronic communication with the second mobile switching center and the IP network, wherein the first VoIP gateway receives voice audio from the first mobile switching center and the second VoIP gateway receives voice audio from the second mobile switching center, and wherein the first VoIP gateway converts the voice audio received from the first mobile switching center into a first VoIP-formatted audio for communicating speech information from the first mobile switching center to the second mobile switching center, and wherein the second VoIP gateway converts the voice audio received from the second mobile switching center into a second VoIP-formatted audio for communicating speech information from the second mobile switching center to the first mobile switching center. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of providing VoIP formatted communications during an inter-exchange handoff operation within a telecommunications network including a Target MSC (TMSC) having a designated channel, and a Mobile Station (MS) served by a Serving MSC (SMSC), wherein a handoff forward call connection operation occurs from the SMSC to the TMSC, comprising the steps of:
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determining that the handoff forward call connection operation from the SMSC to the TMSC should occur;
allocating a first VoIP gateway to the SMSC;
allocating a second VoIP gateway including an IP identification address to the TMSC;
completing a second voice path between the designated channel and the second VoIP gateway; and
completing a first voice path between the SMSC and the first VoIP gateway, wherein the first VoIP gateway is in electronic communication with the second VoIP gateway. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of providing Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) operations during an inter-exchange handoff forward with path minimization call connection operation within a telecommunications network including an Anchor MSC (AMSC), a Target MSC (TMSC) having a designated channel, and a Mobile Station (MS) served by a Serving MSC (SMSC), wherein the AMSC uses a first VoIP gateway to communicate with an internet protocol (IP) network, the SMSC uses a second VoIP gateway to communicate with the IP network, and the TMSC uses a third VoIP gateway to communicate with the IP network, and wherein the handoff forward with path minimization call connection operation occurs from the AMSC to the TMSC, comprising the steps of:
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determining that a handoff forward call connection operation to the TMSC should occur;
verifying that path minimization is supported by the AMSC;
allocating the first VoIP gateway to the AMSC;
allocating the third VoIP gateway including an IP identification address to the TMSC;
storing the IP identification address in the AMSC;
completing a voice path between the designated channel and the third VoIP gateway, wherein the first VoIP gateway is in electronic communication with the third VoIP gateway; and
directing the SMSC to release the second VoIP gateway. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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14. An apparatus utilizing a first and second Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) gateway in electronic communication with an Internet Protocol (IP) network to substitute for the allocation of voice trunks within a telecommunications network, comprising:
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a first mobile switching center in electronic communication with the first VoIP gateway; and
a second mobile switching center in electronic communication with the second VoIP gateway, wherein the first and second VoIP gateways receive voice audio from the first and second mobile switching centers, wherein the first VoIP gateway converts the voice audio from the first mobile switching center into a first VoIP-formatted audio for communicating speech information from the first mobile switching center to the second mobile switching center, and wherein the second VoIP gateway converts the voice audio from the second mobile switching center into a second VoIP-formatted audio for communicating speech information from the second mobile switching center to the first mobile switching center.
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Specification