Method for efficient bearer traffic routing in a communication system

• US 20050180389A1
• Filed: 02/17/2004
• Published: 08/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hallin, Thomas G., Albal, Nandakishore A., Armbruster, Peter J., Schaefer, Bradley R., Xenakis, George
• Granted Patent: US 7,742,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/351
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A method for routing bearer traffic (70′) between 3G networks (32, 42) and 2G networks (12, 22) and vice versa uses voice signaling gateways (VSGW)(14, 24, 34, 44). The method determines a VSGW nearest the calling party (11). The nearest VSGW directly routes (86) the bearer traffic through the inter-network (50) to the called party (31) and avoids the “tromboning” effect of always sending bearer traffic to the called party'"'"'s home location.

Claims

1. In a communication system a method for routing bearer traffic between a 3G network and a 2G network, the method for routing bearer traffic comprising the steps of:

determining by a first network a local gateway in proximity to a calling party;

sending the bearer traffic by the first network to the local gateway; and

directly routing the bearer traffic to a second network in proximity to a called party.

2. In a communication system, the method for routing bearer traffic as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is further included a step of determining a location of the called party.

3. In a communication system, the method for routing bearer traffic as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first network includes the 2G network currently serving the calling party.

4. In a communication system, the method for routing bearer traffic as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second network includes the 3G network currently serving the called party.

5. In a communication system, the method for routing bearer traffic as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first network includes the 3G network currently serving the calling party.

6. In a communication system, the method for routing bearer traffic as claimed in claim 5, wherein the second network includes the 2G network currently serving the called party.

7. In a communication system, the method for routing bearer traffic as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of directly routing the bearer traffic includes a step of inhibiting transmission of the bearer traffic to a home gateway, if the calling party is roaming.

8. In a communication system, the method for routing bearer traffic as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is further included a step of routing the bearer traffic from the local gateway through an inter-connect network between the first and second networks to the called party.

9. A method for routing bearer traffic between a first network and a second network, the method for routing bearer traffic comprising the steps of:

determining by the first network a local gateway in proximity to a calling party; and

directly routing the bearer traffic to the second network in proximity to a called party.

10. The method for routing bearer traffic as claimed in claim 9, wherein there is further included a step of sending the bearer traffic by the first network to the local gateway.

11. The method for routing bearer traffic as claimed in claim 9, wherein the step of directly routing the bearer traffic includes a step of inhibiting transmission of the bearer traffic to a home gateway, if the calling party is roaming.

12. The method for routing bearer traffic as claimed in claim 9, wherein there is further included a step of determining a location of the called party.

13. The method for routing bearer traffic as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first network includes a 2G network currently serving the calling party.

14. The method for routing bearer traffic as claimed in claim 13, wherein the second network includes a 3G network currently serving the called party.

15. The method for routing bearer traffic as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first network includes a 3G network currently serving the calling party.

16. The method for routing bearer traffic as claimed in claim 15, wherein the second network includes a 2G network currently serving the called party.

17. The method for routing bearer traffic as claimed in claim 9, wherein there is further included a step of routing the bearer traffic from the local gateway through an inter-connect network between the first and second networks to the called party.

18. A method for routing bearer traffic between a first network and a second network, the method for routing bearer traffic comprising the steps of:

if a calling party is roaming, determining by the first network a local gateway in proximity to the calling party;

sending the bearer traffic by the first network to the local gateway; and

determining a location of a called party.

19. The method for routing bearer traffic as claimed in claim 18, wherein there is further included a step of directly routing the bearer traffic from the local gateway to the second network in proximity to the called party.

20. The method for routing bearer traffic as claimed in claim 19, wherein the step of directly routing includes a step of routing the bearer traffic from the local gateway through an inter-connect network between the first and second networks to the called party.