Apparatus and method for efficiently supporting VoIP in a wireless communication system

• US 20060034340A1
• Filed: 08/12/2004
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Ma, Lin, Pi, Zhouyue, Rong, Zhigang, Liu, Zhigang, Greer, Steven Craig
• Granted Patent: US 7,911,945 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/521
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation

Abstract

The present invention concerns methods for efficiently supporting Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) on the Forward Packet Data Channel (F-PDCH) in CDMA 2000 1xEV-DV systems. Active speech in VoIP is encoded using, for example enhanced variable rate codec (EVRC), which produces 171, 80 and 16 bits per 20 ms of speech for Rate 1, Rate 1/2 and Rate 1/8, respectively. However, about 60% of the time a user is inactive during a speech session, so an inordinate amount of system bandwidth is comprised of rate 1/8 VoIP packets. In one embodiment of the present invention the apparatus of the present invention identifies the Rate 1/8 voice frame packets and discards them. In another embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus of the present invention identifies the Rate 1/8 voice frame packets and selects some of them for further transmission. In both embodiments the efficiency of channel utilization is increased since the amount of channel band width used to communicate relatively little information, e.g., gaps of silence, is decreased.

Claims

1. A method for use in wireless telecommunications systems supporting voice over internet protocol (VoIP) service, the method comprising:

receiving VoIP packets wherein at least one VoIP packet encodes background noise that occurs during speech;

identifying the at least one VoIP packet that encodes background noise; and

discarding the at least one VoIP packet.

2. A method for use in a wireless telecommunications system supporting voice over internet protocol service, the method comprising:

receiving VoIP packets wherein a portion of the VoIP packets encode background noise that occurs during speech;

identifying the VoIP packets encoding background noise;

retaining some of the VoIP packets encoding background noise; and

discarding the remaining VoIP packets encoding background noise.

3. In a cdma wireless telecommunications system supporting voice over internet protocol service a packet data serving node comprising:

a system for receiving VoIP packets wherein a portion of the VoIP packets encode background noise that occurs during speech;

an identification system for identifying which VoIP packets encode background noise; and

a system for discarding the VoIP packets encoding background noise.

4. In a cdma wireless telecommunications system supporting voice over internet protocol service a packet data serving node comprising:

a system for receiving VoIP packets wherein a portion of the VoIP packets encode background noise that occurs during speech;

an identification system for identifying which VoIP packets encode background noise; and

a system for retaining some of the VoIP packets encoding background noise and for discarding the remaining VoIP packets encoding background noise.

5. In a cdma wireless telecommunications system supporting voice over internet protocol service a packet data serving node and a packet control function, wherein:

the packet data serving node comprises;

a system for receiving VoIP packets wherein a portion of the VoIP packets encode background noise that occurs during speech;

a header compression system for compressing the headers of the VoIP packets; and

a VoIP packet forwarding system for forwarding the VoIP packets with compressed headers to the packet control function; and

wherein;

the packet control function comprises;

a system for receiving VoIP packets from the packet data serving node;

an identification system for identifying which VoIP packets encode background noise; and

a system for discarding the VoIP packets encoding background noise.

6. In a cdma wireless telecommunications system supporting voice over internet protocol service a packet data serving node and a packet control function, wherein:

the packet data serving node comprises;

a system for receiving VoIP packets wherein a portion of the VoIP packets encode background noise that occur during speech;

a header compression system for compressing the headers of the VoIP packets; and

a VoIP packet forwarding system for forwarding the VoIP packets with compressed headers to the packet control function; and

wherein;

the packet control function comprises;

a system for receiving VoIP packets from the packet data serving node;

an identification system for identifying which VoIP packets encode background noise; and

a system for retaining some of the VoIP packets encoding background noise and for discarding the remaining VoIP packets encoding background noise.

7. A method for use in wireless telecommunications systems supporting voice over internet protocol service, the method comprising:

receiving VoIP packets encoded using an enhanced variable rate codec at the packet data serving node, wherein the VoIP packets comprise at least rate 1, 1/2 and 1/8 packets, and wherein the rate 1/8 packets encode background noise associated with speech;

identifying the rate 1/8 voice frame packets; and

discarding the rate 1/8 voice frame packets.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

performing header compression on the rate 1 and 1/2 packets; and

transmitting the rate 1 and 1/2 packets to the packet control function.

9. A method for use in wireless telecommunications systems supporting voice over internet protocol service, the method comprising:

receiving VoIP packets encoded using an enhanced variable rate codec at the packet data serving node, wherein the VoIP packets comprise at least rate 1, 1/2 and 1/8 packets, and wherein the rate 1/8 packets encode background noise associated with speech;

identifying the rate 1/8 voice frame packets;

retaining some rate 1/8 voice frame packets; and

discarding the remaining rate 1/8 voice frame packets.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

performing header compression on the rate 1 and ±

2 packets, and the retained rate 1/8 packets; and

transmitting the rate 1, 1/2 and 1/8 packets to the packet control function.

11. A method for use in wireless telecommunications systems supporting voice over internet protocol service, the method comprising:

receiving VoIP packets encoded using an enhanced variable rate codec at the packet data serving node, wherein the VoIP packets comprise at least rate 1, 1/2 and 1/8 packets, and wherein the rate 1/8 packets encode background noise associated with speech;

performing header compression on the rate 1, 1/2 and 1/8 packets;

transmitting the rate 1, 1/2 and 1/8 packets to the packet control function;

receiving the VoIP packets at the packet control function;

identifying the rate 1/8 packets; and

discarding the rate 1/8 packets.

12. A method for use in wireless telecommunications systems supporting voice over internet protocol service, the method comprising:

receiving VoIP packets encoded using the enhanced variable rate codec at the packet data serving node, wherein the VoIP packets comprise at least rate 1, 1/2 and 1/8 packets, and wherein the rate 1/8 packets encode background noise associated with speech;

performing header compression on the rate 1, 1/2 and 1/8 packets;

transmitting the rate 1, 1/2 and 1/8 packets to the packet control function;

receiving the VoIP packets at the packet control function;

identifying the rate 1/8 packets;

retaining some rate 1/8 voice frame packets; and

discarding the remaining rate 1/8 voice frame packets.

13. In a cdma wireless communications system supporting voice over internet protocol service a packet data serving node comprising:

a system for receiving VoIP packets encoded using an enhanced variable rate codec comprising at least rate 1, 1/2 and 1/8 packets, wherein the rate 1/8 packets encode background noise associated with speech;

an identification system for identifying which packets correspond to rate 1/8 packets; and

a system for discarding rate 1/8 packets.

14. The packet data serving node of claim 13 further comprising:

a system for performing header compression on the rate 1 and 1/2 packets.

15. The packet data serving node of claim 14 further comprising:

a forwarding system for forwarding the rate 1 and 1/2 packets with compressed headers to a packet control function of the cdma wireless system.

16. In a cdma wireless communications system supporting voice over internet protocol service a packet data serving node comprising:

a system for receiving VoIP packets encoded using an enhanced variable rate codec comprising rate 1, 1/2 and 1/8 packets, wherein the rate 1/8 packets encode background noise associated with speech;

an identification system for identifying which packets correspond to rate 1/8 packets; and

a system for retaining some rate 1/8 packets and discarding the remaining rate 1/8 packets.

17. The packet data serving node of claim 16 further comprising:

a system for performing header compression on the rate 1, 1/2 and retained 1/8 packets.

18. The packet data serving node of claim 17 further comprising:

a forwarding system for forwarding the rate 1, 1/2 and retained rate 1/8 packets with compressed headers to a packet control function of the cdma wireless communications system.

19. In a cdma wireless communications system supporting voice over internet protocol service a packet data serving node and a packet control function,

wherein the packet data serving node further comprises:

a system for receiving VoIP packets encoded using an enhanced variable rate codec comprising rate 1, 1/2 and 1/8 packets, wherein the rate 1/8 packets encode background noise associated with speech;

a system for performing header compression on the rate 1, 1/2 and 1/8 packets;

a forwarding system for forwarding the rate 1, 1/2 and 1/8 packets with compressed headers to the packet control function of the cdma wireless system; and

wherein the packet control function further comprises;

an identification system for identifying which packets correspond to rate 1/8 packets; and

a system for discarding rate 1/8 packets.

20. In a cdma wireless communications system supporting voice over internet protocol service a packet data serving node and a packet control function,

wherein the packet data serving node further comprises:

a system for receiving VoIP packets encoded using an enhanced variable rate codec comprising rate 1, 1/2 and 1/8 packets, wherein the rate 1/8 packets encode background noise associated with speech;

a system for performing header compression on the rate 1, 1/2 and 1/8 packets;

a forwarding system for forwarding the rate 1, 1/2 and 1/8 packets with compressed headers to the packet control function of the cdma wireless system; and

wherein the packet control function further comprises;

an identification system for identifying which packets correspond to rate 1/8 packets; and

a system for retaining some rate 1/8 voice frame packets and discarding the remaining rate 1/8 voice frame packets.

21. In a cdma wireless communication system supporting voice over internet protocol service a packet control function comprising:

a system for receiving VoIP packets encoded using an enhanced variable rate codec comprising rate 1, 1/2 and 1/8 packets, wherein the rate 1/8 packets encode background noise associated with speech;

an identification system for identifying which packets correspond to rate 1/8 packets; and

a system for discarding rate 1/8 packets.

22. In a cdma wireless communication system supporting voice over internet protocol service a packet control function comprising:

a system for receiving VoIP packets encoded using an enhanced variable rate codec comprising rate 1, 1/2 and 1/8 packets, wherein the rate 1/8 packets encode background noise associated with speech;

an identification system for identifying which packets correspond to rate 1/8 packets; and

a system for retaining some rate 1/8 voice frame packets and discarding the remaining rate 1/8 voice frame packets.

23. A signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by one or more digital processing apparatus to perform operations in a wireless telecommunications system for supporting voice over internet protocol, the operations comprising:

receiving VoIP packets at the packet data serving node, wherein at least one VoIP packet encode background noise associated with speech;

identifying the at least one VoIP packet encoding background noise; and

discarding the at least one VoIP packet.

24. The signal bearing medium of claim 23 further comprising:

performing header compression on the remaining VoIP packets; and

transmitting the remaining VoIP packets to the packet control function.

25. A signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by one or more digital processing apparatus to perform operations in a wireless telecommunications system for supporting voice over internet protocol, the operations comprising:

receiving VoIP packets at the packet data serving node, wherein a portion of the VoIP packets encode background noise associated with human speech;

identifying the VoIP packets encoding background noise;

retaining some VoIP packets encoding background noise; and

discarding the remaining VoIP packets encoding background noise.

26. The signal bearing medium of claim 25 further comprising:

performing header compression on the remaining VoIP packets; and

transmitting the remaining VoIP packets to the packet control function.

27. A signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by one or more digital processing apparatus to perform operations in a wireless telecommunications system for supporting voice over internet protocol, the operations comprising:

receiving VoIP packets at the packet data serving node, wherein at least one of the VoIP packets encode background noise associated with human speech;

performing header compression on the VoIP packets;

transmitting the VoIP packets to the packet control function;

receiving the VoIP packets at the packet control function;

identifying the at least one VoIP packet encoding background noise; and

discarding the at least one VoIP packets.

28. A signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by one or more digital processing apparatus to perform operations in a wireless telecommunications system for supporting voice over internet protocol, the operations comprising:

receiving VoIP packets at the packet data serving node, wherein a portion of the VoIP packets encode background noise associated with speech;

performing header compression on the VoIP packets;

transmitting the rate VoIP packets with compressed headers to the packet control function;

receiving the VoIP packets at the packet control function;

identifying the VoIP packets encoding background noise;

retaining some VoIP packets encoding background noise; and

discarding the remaining VoIP packets encoding background noise.

29. A wireless communications system supporting voice over internet protocol service comprising:

means for receiving packets encoding voice information, wherein a portion of the packets encode background noise associated with speech;

means for determining which voice packets encode background noise; and

means for discarding the packets which encode background noise.

30. A wireless communications system supporting voice over internet protocol service comprising:

means for receiving packets encoding voice information, wherein a portion of the packets encode background noise associated with speech;

means for determining which voice packets encode background noise;

means for retaining some the packets encoding background noise; and

means for discarding the remaining packets which encode gaps of background noise.

31. In a cdma wireless communication system supporting voice over internet protocol service a packet control function comprising:

a system for receiving VoIP packets wherein at least one VoIP packet encodes background noise associated with speech;

an identification system for identifying the at least one packet encoding background noise; and

a system for discarding the at least one packet.

32. In a cdma wireless communication system supporting voice over internet protocol service a packet control function comprising:

a system for receiving VoIP packets wherein a portion of the VoIP packets encode background noise associated with human speech;

an identification system for identifying which packets encode background noise; and

a system for retaining some VoIP packets encoding background noise and for discarding the remaining VoIP packets encoding background noise.