Session set-up for time-critical services

• US 20060045071A1
• Filed: 09/14/2004
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Stura, Marco, Kuure, Pekka, Vimpari, Markku, Rotsten, Kirsi
• Granted Patent: US 7,978,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/15 in relation to multipoint traffic arrangements for broadcast or multicast in data networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/801 Real time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/808 User-type aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/824 Applicable to portable or mobile terminals
• 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 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/327 in the session layer [OSI layer 5]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A session set-up for communicating data via a data network is disclosed. First, a session establishment between a communication apparatus and a serving entity is requested for a service from the serving entity supporting the service. Then, when a requirement of a user connection for the service is determined, an association with a data network for the service is activated via a core network.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus for communicating data via a data network, the communication apparatus comprising:

requesting means for requesting, for a service, a session establishment between a communication apparatus and a serving entity supporting the service, from the serving entity;

activating means for activating an association with a data network for the service via a core network; and

determining means for determining a requirement of a user connection for the service,

wherein the activating means is configured to activate the association with the data network for the service after a request of the session establishment by the requesting means when the requirement of the user connection for the service is determined by the determining means.

2. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determining means is configured to receive a communication request for the service from a user of the communication apparatus and to determine the requirement of the user connection based on the communication request.

3. A communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the requesting means is configured to request a session establishment for the service between the communication apparatus and at least one other communication apparatus upon receipt of the communication request by the determining means.

4. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving means for receiving a communication request for the service from the serving entity, and wherein the determining means is configured to determine the requirement of the user connection based on the communication request received by the receiving means.

5. A communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the communication request comprises an indication of an instant communication session with a user of the communication apparatus, and wherein the receiving means is configured to receive the indication of the instant communication session from the serving entity via the core network.

6. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising receiving means for receiving a session establishment indication indicating the session establishment for the service from the serving entity.

7. A communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the session establishment indication comprises a media authorization token.

8. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the requesting means is arranged to request the session establishment between the communication apparatus and the serving entity by using a primary Packet Data Protocol (PDP) context.

9. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the activating means is configured to activate the association with the data network by using a secondary Packet Data Protocol (PDP) context.

10. A serving entity for supporting a service for a communication apparatus for communicating data via a data network, the serving entity comprising:

receiving means for receiving a request for a session establishment for a service between a communication apparatus and a serving entity from the communication apparatus;

processing means for performing the session establishment for the service between the communication apparatus and the serving entity; and

sending means for sending a session establishment indication indicating the session establishment for the service between the communication apparatus and the serving entity towards the communication apparatus.

11. A serving entity according to claim 10, wherein the sending means is configured to send towards the communication apparatus a communication request for the service, the communication request comprising an indication of an instant communication session with a user of the communication apparatus.

12. A serving entity according to claim 10, wherein the serving entity comprises an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network including a Push to-talk over Cellular (PoC) application server.

13. A serving entity according to claim 10, wherein the serving entity comprises an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network including a Proxy-Call State Control Function (P-CSCF).

14. A network for communicating data between a communication apparatus and a data network in accordance with a service, the service being supported by a serving entity, the network being configured to store a session establishment indication indicating a session establishment between the communication apparatus and the serving entity for the service.

15. A network according to claim 14, configured to activate an association with the data network for the service based on the session establishment indication.

16. A network according to claim 14, wherein the network comprises a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network including a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN), providing access to a data network including the Internet.

17. A network system comprising:

a communication apparatus for communicating data via a data network, the communication apparatus including,

requesting means for requesting, for a service, a session establishment between the communication apparatus and a serving entity supporting the service, from the serving entity,

activating means for activating an association with a data network for the service via a core network, and

determining means for determining a requirement of a user connection for the service,

wherein the activating means is configured to activate the association with the data network for the service after a request of the session establishment by the requesting means when the requirement of the user connection for the service is determined by the determining means;

a serving entity for supporting the service for the communication apparatus for communicating data via the data network, the serving entity including,

receiving means for receiving the request for the session establishment for the service between the communication apparatus and the serving entity from the communication apparatus,

processing means for performing the session establishment for the service between the communication apparatus and the serving entity, and

sending means for sending a session establishment indication indicating the session establishment for the service between the communication apparatus and the serving entity towards the communication apparatus; and

a network for communicating the data between the communication apparatus and the data network in accordance with the service, the service being supported by the serving entity, the network being configured to store the session establishment indication indicating the session establishment between the communication apparatus and the serving entity for the service.

18. A communication method of communicating data via a data network, the communication method comprising:

a requesting step including requesting, for a service, a session establishment between a communication apparatus and a serving entity supporting the service, from the serving entity;

a determining step including determining a requirement of a user connection for the service; and

an activating step including activating an association with a data network for the service via a core network.

19. A method of supporting a service for a communication apparatus for communicating data via a data network, the method comprising:

a receiving step including receiving a request for a session establishment for a service between the communication apparatus and a serving entity from the communication apparatus;

a processing step including performing the session establishment for the service; and

a sending step including sending a session establishment indication indicating the session establishment for the service towards the communication apparatus.

20. A method of communicating data between a communication apparatus and a data network in accordance with a service, the service being supported by a serving entity, wherein a session establishment indication indicating a session establishment between the communication apparatus and the serving entity for the service is stored in a core network providing access to the data network.

21. A computer program product, comprising software code portions, said computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium and controlling a computer to execute a process comprising:

requesting, for a service, a session establishment between a communication apparatus and a serving entity supporting the service, from the serving entity;

determining a requirement of a user connection for the service; and

activating an association with a data network for the service via a core network.

23. The computer program product according to claim 21, wherein the computer program product is directly loadable into an internal memory of the computer.

22. A computer program product, the computer program product embodied on a computer-readable medium on which software code portions are stored, the computer-readable medium controlling a computer to execute a process comprising:

receiving a request for a session establishment for a service between the communication apparatus and a serving entity from the communication apparatus;

performing the session establishment for the service; and

sending a session establishment indication indicating the session establishment for the service towards the communication apparatus.

24. A communication apparatus for communicating data via a data network, the communication apparatus comprising:

a transceiver configured to request, for a service, a session establishment between the communication apparatus and a serving entity supporting the service, from the serving entity;

a controller configured to activate an association with a data network for the service via a core network; and

a processor configured to determine a requirement of a user connection for the service,

wherein the controller is further configured to activate the association with the data network for the service after a request of the session establishment by the transceiver when the requirement of the user connection for the service is determined by the processor.

25. A serving entity for supporting a service for a communication apparatus for communicating data via a data network, the serving entity comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a request for a session establishment for a service between the communication apparatus and the serving entity from the communication apparatus;

a processor configured to perform the session establishment for the service between the communication apparatus and the serving entity; and

a transmitter configured to send a session establishment indication indicating the session establishment for the service between the communication apparatus and the serving entity towards the communication apparatus.