Method and apparatus for processing calls in a core packet network using a half-call model

• US 20040264455A1
• Filed: 06/27/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Tao, Xin
• Application Number:
  US10/609,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20040264455A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1245 where a network other than PSTN/ISDN interconnects two PSTN/ISDN networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1255 where the switching fabric and the switching logic are decomposed such as in Media Gateway Control

Abstract

A method and apparatus for processing calls in a core packet network using a half-call model are provided. The invention is directed to the processing of calls within the core packet network of a mobile switching center (MSC) by dividing the call into two half-calls—an originating half-call and a terminating half-call. This technique allows for flexibility in implementation.

Claims

1. A method for processing calls in a voice over packet system, the system including a call controller having control modules, a plurality of media gateways, an ingress channel, an egress channel and a core packet network, the method comprising:

receiving a call having call content, originating information, and terminating information on the ingress channel;

establishing an originating half call context for the call based on the originating information;

controlling the originating half call context for the call by a first control module of the call controller;

instructing a second control module of the call controller to establish a terminating half call context for the call;

establishing the terminating half call context for the call based on the terminating information;

controlling the terminating half call context for the call by the second module;

transmitting the call content from the originating context to the terminating context based on the controlling of each call context by the first and second control modules; and

,

transmitting the call content out of the system on the egress channel.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the establishing of the originating half call context includes establishing the originating half call context within a media gateway.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the establishing of the terminating half call context includes establishing the terminating half call context within a media gateway.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the call content on the ingress channel is in one of time-division multiplexed (TDM) format and packet format.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the call content on the egress channel is in one of time-division multiplexed (TDM) format and packet format.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the call content is in packet format during the transmitting from the originating call context to the terminating call context.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the originating half call context resides in a first media gateway and the terminating half call context resides in a second media gateway.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the originating half call context resides in a media gateway and the terminating half call context resides in the same media gateway.

9. An apparatus for processing calls in a voice over packet system, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a call having call content;

means for establishing an originating half call context for the call;

means for controlling the originating half call context for the call;

means for establishing a terminating half call context for the call;

means for controlling the terminating half call context for the call;

means for transmitting the call content from the originating half call context to the terminating half call context based on the means for controlling; and

,

means for transmitting the call content out of the system on the egress channel.

10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein means for establishing an originating half call context is a media gateway.

11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the means for controlling the originating half call context is the call controller.

12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the means for establishing the terminating half call context is a media gateway.

13. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the originating half call context resides in a media gateway.

14. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the terminating half call context resides in a media gateway.

15. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the means for transmitting the call content from the originating context to the terminating context is a media gateway.

16. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the means for transmitting the call content out of the system is a media gateway.

17. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the originating half call context resides in a first media gateway and the terminating half call context resides in a second media gateway.

18. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the originating half call context resides in a media gateway and the terminating half call context resides in the same media gateway.

19. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9 further comprising additional call contexts to allow for monitoring of the call.