Methods and system for fast session establishment between equipment using H.324 and related telecommunications protocols

• US 20040174817A1
• Filed: 12/09/2003
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Dilithium Networks, Macchina Pty Incorporated
• Inventors: Jack, David, Wong, Albert, Myers, David, Jongbloed, Robert, Southeren, Craig, Jabri, Marwan A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,139,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• 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 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2066 Call type detection of indication, e.g. voice or fax, mobile of fixed, PSTN or IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/20 hybrid systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/563 User guidance or feature selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 Interworking of session control protocols

Abstract

Methods of establishing multimedia telecommunication (a multimedia “call”) between equipment (“terminals”). More particularly, the invention provides methods for reducing the time required to establish calls between terminals that implement the ITU-T H.324 Recommendation and other Standards and Recommendations derived from or related to this such as the 3G-324M recommendation developed and adopted by the Third Generation Partnership Projects (3GPP and 3GPP2). More specifically, it relates to (i) a method and apparatus for concatenating the H.245 messages that are required to pass between the terminals at the start of the call to establish the capabilities of both terminals and agree on the type and format of media and data to be exchanged (ii) a method and apparatus for using non-standard H.245 messages or standard H.245 messages with non-standard fields to accelerate such establishment and (iii) a method and apparatus of informing each terminal of the capabilities of the other and proposing the type and format of media and data to be exchanged by means of any user-defined fields that are inserted in the call signaling protocol that is used for bearer establishment prior to the start of the H.324 stage of the call.

Claims

1. A method of initiating a call between users with reduced call set-up times using one or more telecommunication networks, the method being provided between at least a pair of H.324-like terminals coupled to the one or more telecommunication networks, the method comprising:

providing one or more preferences for a call associated with a first terminal and a second terminal, the one or more preferences being associated with an initial mode of operation for the call between the first terminal and the second terminal;

processing the one or more preferences as a Custom Message;

embedding the Custom Message in a predetermined field of a call initiation message;

transferring the Custom Message from the first terminal to the second terminal through a telecommunication network using call signaling;

processing the Custom Message by the second terminal;

transferring a Custom Response Message by the second terminal using a call signaling response message to indicate to the first terminal the initial mode of operation; and

exchanging information between the first terminal and the second terminal after the initial mode of operation has been established.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the information comprises voice and video.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more preferences is associated with an ITU-T ASN.1custom message.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more preferences is coded using a modulated signal.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first terminal is an H.324-like gateway.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the second terminal is an H.324-like gateway.

7. A method of initiating a call between users with reduced call set-up times using one or more telecommunication networks, the method being provided between at least a pair of H.324-like terminals coupled to the one or more telecommunication networks, the method comprising:

transmitting a call signaling message from a first terminal to a second terminal through a telecommunication network to initiate a call;

establishing a bearer channel between the first terminal and the second terminal once the call signaling message has been received by the second terminal;

determining a common mobile level for operation;

providing one or more custom Non-Standard H.245 messages or custom Non-Standard Standard fields in standard messages, the one or more custom H.245 messages or custom Non-Standard fields being associated with one or more set up parameters for an initial predetermined mode of operation;

transmitting the one or more custom Non-Standard H.245 messages or custom Non-Standard fields in standard messages from the first terminal to the second terminal;

transmitting a custom Non-Standard response message associated with the one or more custom Non-Standard H.245 messages or custom Non-Standard fields from the second terminal to the first terminal;

processing the one or more custom H.245 messages or custom Non-Standard fields during a predetermined time period; and

establishing the initial predetermined mode of operation between the first terminal and the second terminal through the bearer channel based upon at least one or more of the custom H.245 messages or custom Non-Standard fields.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the one or more custom Non-Standard H.245 messages are represented themselves as one or more Non-Standard Capabilities embedded in a H.245 terminal capability set request message.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein one or more user preferences, either coded or explicit, are provided in one of the custom Non-Standard H.245 messages.

10. A method of initiating a call between users with reduced call set-up times using one or more telecommunication networks, the method being provided between at least a pair of H.324-like terminals coupled to the one or more telecommunication networks, the method comprising:

transmitting a call signaling message from a first terminal to a second terminal through a telecommunication network to initiate a call;

establishing a bearer channel between the first terminal and the second terminal once the call signaling message has been received by the second terminal;

determining a common mobile level;

determining two or more H.245 messages associated with set up parameters for an initial predetermined mode of operation;

concatenating the two or more H.245 messages into one SRP command frame according to a predetermined size of the SRP command frame;

transmitting the SRP command frame including the two or more H.245 messages from the first terminal to the second terminal through a telecommunication network;

transmitting an SRP acknowledge message by the second terminal once the SRP command frame has been received by the second terminal;

processing at least the two or more H.245 messages during a predetermined time period; and

establishing the initial predetermined mode of operation between the first terminal and the second terminal through the bearer channel.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the mobile level detection is performed according to at least one selected from the group consisting of H.324 baseline also known as mobile level 0, mobile level 1 also known as ITU-T H.223 annex A, mobile level 2 also known as ITU-T H.223 annex B, and mobile level 3 also known as ITU-T H.223 annex C.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising transmitting another SRP command frame including two or more H.245 messages only after the SRP acknowledge message has been received by the first terminal.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the reduced call set up time is at least 50% relative to a standard sequential exchange of the individual H.245 messages.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the H.245 messages includes one or more that are selected from terminal capability set request, master slave determination request, open logical channel requests, and multiplex table entry definitions requests.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the first terminal is a handset and the second terminal is an equipment providing a H.324-like termination other than a handset.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the first terminal is a handset and the second terminal is a handset.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the first terminal operates as a master and the second terminal operates as a slave once a predetermined criterion has been established.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein the predetermined criteria is associated with a first SRP command frame.

19. The method of claim 10 further comprising exchanging voice and video information between the first terminal and the second terminal after the initial predetermined mode has been established.

20. The method of claim 10 wherein concatenated two or more messages are encoded using a common syntax.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the common syntax is the ITU-T ASN.1PER (Packed Encoding Rules).

22. The method of claim 10 further comprising operating in an alternative normal mode if the concatenated two or more messages are not processed by the second terminal.

23. A computer-readable medium including instructions for initiating a call between users with reduced call set-up times using one or more telecommunication networks, the computer-readable medium being provided between at least a pair of H.324-like terminals coupled to the one or more telecommunication networks, the computer-readable medium comprising:

one or more instructions for providing one or more preferences for a call associated with a first terminal and a second terminal, the one or more preferences being associated with an initial mode of operation for the call between the first terminal and the second terminal;

one or more instructions for processing the one or more preferences as a Custom Message;

one or more instructions for embedding the Custom Message in a predetermined field of a call initiation message;

one or more instructions for transferring the Custom Message from the first terminal to the second terminal through a telecommunication network using call signaling;

one or more instructions for processing the Custom Message by the second terminal;

one or more instructions for transferring a Custom Response Message by the second terminal using a call signaling response message to indicate to the first terminal the initial mode of operation; and

one or more instructions for exchanging information between the first terminal and the second terminal after the initial mode of operation has been established.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23 wherein the information comprises voice and video.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 23 wherein the one or more preferences is associated with an ITU-T ASN.1 custom message.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 23 wherein the one or more preferences is coded using a modulated signal.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 23 wherein the first terminal is an H.324-like gateway.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 23 wherein the second terminal is an H.324-like gateway.

29. A computer-readable medium including instructions for initiating a call between users with reduced call set-up times using one or more telecommunication networks, the computer-readable medium being provided between at least a pair of H.324-like terminals coupled to the one or more telecommunication networks, the computer-readable medium comprising:

one or more instructions for transmitting a call signaling message from a first terminal to a second terminal through a telecommunication network to initiate a call;

one or more instructions for establishing a bearer channel between the first terminal and the second terminal once the call signaling message has been received by the second terminal;

one or more instructions for determining a common mobile level for operation;

one or more instructions for providing one or more custom Non-Standard H.245 messages or custom Non-Standard fields in standard messages, the one or more custom H.245 messages or custom Non-Standard fields being associated with one or more set up parameters for an initial predetermined mode of operation;

one or more instructions for transmitting the one or more custom Non-Standard H.245 messages or custom Non-Standard fields in standard messages from the first terminal to the second terminal;

one or more instructions for transmitting a custom Non-Standard response message associated with the one or more custom Non-Standard H.245 messages or custom Non-Standard fields from the second terminal to the first terminal;

one or more instructions for processing the one or more custom H.245 messages or custom Non-Standard fields during a predetermined time period; and

one or more instructions for establishing the initial predetermined mode of operation between the first terminal and the second terminal through the bearer channel based upon at least one or more of the custom H.245 messages or custom Non-Standard fields.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the one or more custom Non-Standard H.245 messages are represented themselves as one or more Non-Standard Capabilities embedded in a H.245 terminal capability set request message.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein one or more user preferences, either coded or explicit, are provided in one of the custom Non-Standard H.245 messages.

32. A computer-readable medium including instructions for initiating a call between users with reduced call set-up times using one or more telecommunication networks, the computer-readable medium being provided between at least a pair of H.324-like terminals coupled to the one or more telecommunication networks, the computer-readable medium comprising:

one or more instructions for transmitting a call signaling message from a first terminal to a second terminal through a telecommunication network to initiate a call;

one or more instructions for establishing a bearer channel between the first terminal and the second terminal once the call signaling message has been received by the second terminal;

one or more instructions for determining a common mobile level;

one or more instructions for determining two or more H.245 messages associated with set up parameters for an initial predetermined mode of operation;

one or more instructions for concatenating the two or more H.245 messages into one SRP command frame according to a predetermined size of the SRP command frame;

one or more instructions for transmitting the SRP command frame including the two or more H.245 messages from the first terminal to the second terminal through a telecommunication network;

one or more instructions for transmitting an SRP acknowledge message by the second terminal once the SRP command frame has been received by the second terminal;

one or more instructions for processing at least the two or more H.245 messages during a predetermined time period; and

one or more instructions for establishing the initial predetermined mode of operation between the first terminal and the second terminal through the bearer channel.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 wherein the mobile level detection is performed according to at least one selected from the group consisting of H.324 baseline also known as mobile level 0, mobile level 1 also known as ITU-T H.223 annex A, mobile level 2 also known as ITU-T H.223 annex B, and mobile level 3 also known as ITU-T H.223 annex C.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 wherein the reduced call set up time is at least 50% relative to a standard sequential exchange of the individual H.245 messages.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 wherein the H.245 messages includes one or more that are selected from terminal capability set request, master slave determination request, open logical channel requests, and multiplex table entry definitions requests.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 wherein the first terminal is a handset and the second terminal is an equipment providing a H.324-like termination other than a handset.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 wherein the first terminal is a handset and the second terminal is a handset.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 wherein the first terminal operates as a master and the second terminal operates as a slave once a predetermined criterion has been established.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 wherein the predetermined criteria is associated with a first SRP command frame.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 further comprising exchanging voice and video information between the first terminal and the second terminal after the initial predetermined mode has been established.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 wherein concatenated two or more messages are encoded using a common syntax.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 42 wherein the common syntax is the ITU-T ASN.1 PER (Packed Encoding Rules).

44. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 further comprising operating in an alternative normal mode if the concatenated two or more messages are not processed by the second terminal.

34. The computer-readable medium of 32 further comprising transmitting another SRP command frame including two or more H.245 messages only after the SRP acknowledge message has been received by the first terminal.