Method and system for controlling access bearer in a real-time data service

• US 20050141471A1
• Filed: 04/20/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Marjelund, Pekka, Vuorinen, Petri J., Virtanen, Terhi Tuulikki, Jaakkola, Jukka K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,539,160 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/342
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2416 Real-time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/02 Hybrid access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states

Abstract

A radio access network (RNC) assigns for a real-time media session a real-time access bearer that can be shifted between a dedicated channel state and a common channel state. The assignment is made in response to receiving an access bearer assignment message indicating that the real-time media session requires a real-time access bearer of that type. The media activity of the real-time access bearer is then monitored, and the access bearer shifts to the common channel state upon detecting media inactivity during the dedicated channel state, and shifts to the dedicated channel state upon detecting media activity during the common channel state.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an access bearer during a real-time media session, comprising:

establishing a real-time media session between user equipment and a second party via an access network and a packet switched core network;

indicating to the access network that the real-time media session requires a real-time access bearer that can be shifted between a dedicated channel state and a common channel state;

assigning to the real-time media session the real-time access bearer that can be shifted between the dedicated channel state and the common channel state;

monitoring media activity of the real-time access bearer;

moving the real-time access bearer to the common channel state upon detecting media inactivity during the dedicated channel state; and

moving the real-time access bearer to the dedicated channel state upon detecting media activity during the common channel state.

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

detecting at least one of the activity and the inactivity of the real-time access bearer based on at least one of;

a status of an uplink connection buffer in the user equipment, a status of one of an uplink and a downlink connection buffer in the access network, a status of one of an uplink and a downlink connection buffer of the second party in the access network, traffic volume related signalling received from one of the user equipment and the second partyand a capacity request from the user equipment.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the real-time media session comprises a packet-mode voice call with a push-to-talk functionality, and the method further comprising:

providing data from a speech coder to the uplink connection buffer in the user equipment when one of voice activity is detected and a push-to-talk switch is activated;

ceasing data from the speech coder to the uplink connection buffer in the user equipment when one of voice inactivity is detected and the push-to-talk switch is deactivated.

4. A method according to claim 1, comprising:

sending dummy data from the radio access network towards the second party upon initiating a transition of the real-time bearer from the common channel state to the dedicated channel state and before receiving data from the user equipment, to thereby advance a state transition of a connection leg of the second party.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the real-time access bearer comprises a real-time radio access bearer.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising indicating a type of the required real-time radio access bearer by means of an information element in a radio access assignment message transmitted from the core network to the access network.

7. A method according to claim 1, comprising controlling at least one of the inactivity detection and the transition from the dedicated channel state to the common channel state with at least one timer in one of the user equipment and the access network.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the real-time media service is one of a push-to-talk over a cellular and a corresponding packet mode-voice communication service of a client-server type.

28. A communication system embodying the method according to claim 1.

9. User equipment for a communication system, comprising:

means for establishing a real-time media session between user equipment and a second party via an access network and a packet switched core network;

means for moving a real-time access bearer assigned to the real-time media session between a dedicated channel state and a common channel state under control of the access network;

an uplink connection buffer;

means for monitoring a status of the uplink connection buffer;

means for indicating the status of the uplink connection buffer to the radio access network at least during the dedicated channel state; and

means for sending a capacity request to the radio access network when there is data in the uplink communication buffer during the common channel state, to thereby cause a transition to the dedicated channel state.

10. User equipment according to claim 9, further comprising:

a voice activity detector;

a push-to-talk switch; and

a speech coder that provides data to the uplink connection buffer when the push-to-talk switch is activated, and

said speech coder ceasing to provide data to the uplink connection buffer when the push-to-talk switch is activated and the voice activity detector detects a silent period of at least a predetermined duration.

11. User equipment according to claim 10, comprising at least one timer measuring the predetermined duration.

12. User equipment according to claim 9, wherein the real-time access bearer comprises at least one radio access bearer of one of a streaming and a conversational type.

13. The user equipment according to claim 9, wherein the real-time media service is one of a push-to-talk over a cellular and a corresponding packet-mode voice communication service of a client-server type, and wherein the user equipment comprises a packet-mode voice communication client.

14. The user equipment according to claim 9, wherein the packet-mode voice communication client comprises a Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) client.

15. The user equipment according to claim 9, wherein the user equipment is configured for a radio access network of a wideband code division multiple access type.

30. A communication system comprising user equipment according to claim 10.

16. A network controller for an access network, wherein

the network controller is configured to receive an access bearer assignment message requesting to assign a radio access bearer for a real-time media session that is being established between user equipment and a second party via the access network and a packet switched core network, said message indicating that the real-time media session requires a real-time access bearer that can be shifted between a dedicated channel state and a common channel state,

the network controller is configured to assign to the real-time media session a real-time access bearer that can be shifted between a dedicated channel state and a common channel state,

the network controller is configured to monitor media activity of the real-time access bearer,

the network controller is configured to shift the access bearer to the common channel state upon detecting media inactivity during the dedicated channel state, and

the network controller is configured to shift the access bearer to the dedicated channel state upon detecting the media activity during the common channel state.

17. A network controller according to claim 16, wherein the network controller is configured to detect at least one of the activity or the inactivity of the real-time access bearer based on at least one of:

a status of an uplink connection buffer in the user equipment, a status of one of an uplink and a downlink connection buffer in the access network, a status of one of an uplink and a downlink connection buffer of the second party in the access network, traffic volume related signalling received from one of the user equipment and the second partyand a capacity request from the user equipment.

18. A network controller according to claim 17, wherein the network controller is configured to send dummy data from the radio access network towards the second party upon initiating a transition of the real-time bearer from the common channel state to the dedicated channel state and before receiving data from the user equipment, to thereby advance a state transition of a connection leg of the second party.

19. A network controller according to claim 16, further comprising at least one timer that controls one of the inactivity detection and the transition from the dedicated channel state to the common channel state.

20. A network controller according to claim 16, wherein said access bearer assignment message is received from the core network and comprises an information element indicating a type of the required real-time access bearer.

21. A network controller according to claim 16, wherein the access network comprises a radio access network, and the real-time access bearer comprises a real-time radio access bearer.

22. A network controller according to claim 16, wherein the real-time media service is one of a push-to-talk over a cellular and a corresponding packet mode-voice communication service of a client-server type.

23. A network controller according to claim 16, wherein the real-time access bearer comprises at least one radio access bearer of one of a streaming and a conversational type.

24. A network controller according to claim 16, wherein the access network comprises a radio access network of a wideband code division multiple access type.

29. An access network comprising a network controller according to claim 16.

25. A packet switched core network, wherein

said core network is configured to establish a real-time media session with user equipment via an access network and a packet switched core network,

said core network is configured to send an access bearer assignment message to said access network, said message requesting to assign an access bearer for the real-time media session, said message further indicating that the real-time media session requires a real-time access bearer that can be shifted between a dedicated channel state and a common channel state.

26. A packet switched core network according to claim 25, wherein the real-time media service is one of a push-to-talk over a cellular and a corresponding packet mode-voice communication service of a client-server type.

27. A packet switched core network according to claim 25, wherein the real-time access bearer comprises at least one radio access bearer of one of a streaming and a conversational type in a radio access network of a wideband code division multiple access type.