Method and device for the transmission of data in a packet-oriented data network

• US 20030048855A1
• Filed: 09/09/2002
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Klaghofer, Karl, Totzke, Jurgen, Muller, Harald, Muller, Heribert
• Granted Patent: US 7,227,922 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/259
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1235 where one of the core networks is a wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 Interworking of session control protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

Method of transmission of data between at least two communication devices which are connected together over a data network. The communication devices are respectively connected to a coding device and the sent data are source- and channel-coded by a coding method respectively furnished within the coding devices. The data are converted within a converting device connected to the data network.

Claims

1. A method for the transmission of multimedia data between at least two communication devices which are connected together over a data network, each of the communication devices having an associated coding device and an associated decoding device connected thereto, comprising:

performing source- and channel-coding on multimedia data to be sent, using a coding method furnished within the coding device associated with the communication device sending the multimedia data;

performing inverse source- and channel-coding on multimedia data received, using a decoding method furnished within the decoding associated with the communications device receiving the multimedia data;

transmitting and receiving coded multimedia data using an associated transmitting and receiving device arranged between the data network and the coding and decoding devices; and

when there is a connection setup which cannot be implemented due to incompatible coding and decoding methods;

transmitting the multimedia data from the transmitting and receiving device associated with the first communication device to a converting device provided in the data network,

converting the multimedia data within the converting device to thereby form converted multimedia data, and

transmitting the converted multimedia data to the transmitting and receiving device associated with the second communication device.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a connection setup which cannot be implemented due to incompatible coding and decoding methods, using a monitoring device arranged within a control device, and

sending a first identification from the monitoring device to a signaling device arranged within the control device, the first connection indicating incompatibility;

sending a signal for polling the decoding method furnished within the decoding device associated with the second communication device, the signal being sent by the signaling device;

transmitting a second identification from the second communication device to the control device in dependence on the decoding method furnished within the decoding device associated with the second communication device;

sending a third identification from the control device, the coding method of the first communication device being identified with the third identification, the third identification being sent to the converting device; and

converting the multimedia data within the converting device in dependence on the second and third identifications.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a connection setup which cannot be implemented due to incompatible coding and decoding methods, using a monitoring device arranged within the converting device, and

sending a first identification from the monitoring device to a signaling device arranged within the converting device, the first connection indicating incompatibility;

sending a signal for polling the decoding method furnished within the decoding device associated with the second communication device, the signal being sent by the signaling device;

sending a second identification to the converting device from the second communication device in dependence on the decoding method furnished within the decoding device associated with the second communication device;

characterizing the coding method of the first communication device within the converting device using a third identification; and

converting the multimedia data within the converting device in dependence on the second and third identifications.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the multimedia data to be converted is supplied to a decoding device which is arranged within the converting device and which performs a decoding of the coded multimedia data according to the second identification;

the decoded data is supplied to a coding device which is arranged within the converting device and which performs a coding of the multimedia data according to the third identification; and

the coded multimedia data is transmitted to the transmitting and receiving device associated with the second communication device.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the conversion within the coding and decoding devices in the converting device is performed by an algorithm executed on a digital signal processor.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein

the data network is a communication system according to the H.323 standard for the transmission of voice over IP data, and

the control device is an H.323 gatekeeper.

7. A method according to claim 2, wherein

the data network is a multimedia communication system, and

the control device is an SIP proxy.

8. A method according to claim 2, wherein the converting device is controlled by the control device by the H.248/MEGACO protocol or the MGCP protocol.

9. A method according to claim 3, wherein

the multimedia data to be converted is supplied to a decoding device which is arranged within the converting device and which performs a decoding of the coded multimedia data according to the second identification;

the decoded data is supplied to a coding device which is arranged within the converting device and which performs a coding of the multimedia data according to the third identification; and

the coded multimedia data is transmitted to the transmitting and receiving device associated with the second communication device.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the conversion within the coding and decoding devices in the converting device is performed by an algorithm executed on a digital signal processor.

13. The method according to claim 2, wherein the second identification is sent from the second communication device to the control device, the control device forwarding the second identification to the converting device.

14. The method according to claim 2, wherein the control device is part of the first communication device.

11. A control device to control conversion of multimedia data in a system having first and second communication devices operating using different coding and decoding methods, comprising:

a monitoring device to identify with a first identification a connection setup rejected due to incompatible coding and decoding methods,

a signaling device to signal for a polling of the decoding method of the second communication device, and

a transmitting and receiving device to transmit an identification in dependence on the coding method of the first communication device and the decoding method of the second communication device.

12. A converting device to convert multimedia data in a system having first and second communication devices operating using different coding and decoding methods, comprising:

a database to contain plural algorithms for decoding/coding multimedia data;

a receiving device to receive coded multimedia data from the first communication device;

a processor to decode the multimedia data according to the coding and decoding method of the first communication device and to code the multimedia data according to the coding and decoding method of the second communication device; and

a transmitting device to transmit the multimedia data after coding, to the second communication device.