Connection type handover of voice over internet protocol call based low-quality detection

• US 20060268848A1
• Filed: 12/12/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Larsson, Anders, Backstrom, Martin
• Application Number:
  US11/298,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20060268848A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/356
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/00 Packet switching elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1095 Inter-network session transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/121 Details of network access arrangements or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/06 Reselecting a communication resource in the serving access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality

Abstract

A telecommunications network comprises a base transceiver station node (28) and a packet control unit (PCU) 25. The base transceiver station node (28) serves, e.g., for providing radio transmission resources to a cell (C) for radio frequency communications. The packet control unit (PCU) 25 serves for allocating the radio transmission resources to respective voice over internet protocol (VoIP) calls handled as packet switched connections. In addition, for at least one VoIP call, the packet control unit (PCU) 25 is arranged for determining whether the at least one VoIP call should be changed from one connection type to another connection type, e.g., from a packet switched connection to a circuit switched connection. In an illustrated, example, non-limiting embodiment, the packet control unit (PCU) 25 determines whether the at least one VoIP call should be changed from a packet switched connection to a circuit switched connection by monitoring, in the telecommunications network, speech quality of packets comprising the at least one VoIP call. In accordance with the monitoring, the base station controller node is arranged for selectively requesting that the at least one VoIP call be changed from a packet switched connection to a circuit switched connection.

Claims

1. A method of operating a telecommunications network comprising:

allocating radio transmission resources of a cell to respective voice over internet protocol (VoIP) calls handled as packet switched connections;

monitoring quality for at least one VoIP call;

in accordance with the monitoring, requesting that the at least one VoIP call be changed from a packet switched connection to a circuit switched connection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of monitoring quality for the at least one VoIP call comprises monitoring in the telecommunications network a transfer speed of packets comprising the at least one VoIP call.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of monitoring quality further comprises monitoring a transfer speed in a buffer of the packets comprising the at least one VoIP.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the monitoring comprises determining when a utilized amount of the buffer exceeds a predetermined threshold.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the monitoring comprises determining when a variation of a utilized amount of the buffer exceeds a predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the buffer is a logical link control layer (LLC) buffer.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the buffer is a radio link control (RLC) buffer of a base station controller node.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the buffer is a buffer of a packet control unit.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of requesting that the at least one VoIP call be changed from a packet switched connection to a circuit switched connection comprises requesting a mobile station participating in the call to perform a packet-switch to circuit-switch handover and thereby reattach the call as a circuit switch call.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the voice over internet protocol (VoIP) calls are EDGE VoIP packet flows.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of monitoring quality comprises monitoring for a predetermined number of lost or damaged frames of the at least one VoIP call.

12. A method of operating a telecommunications network comprising:

allocating radio transmission resources of a cell to respective voice over internet protocol (VoIP) calls handled as packet switched connections;

for at least one VoIP call, monitoring a utilization level of a buffer of packets comprising the at least one VoIP call;

in accordance with the monitoring, selectively requesting that the at least one VoIP call be changed from a packet switched connection to a circuit switched connection.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the monitoring of the utilization level comprises determining when a utilized amount of the buffer exceeds a predetermined threshold.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the monitoring of the utilization level comprises determining when a variation of a utilized amount of the buffer exceeds a predetermined threshold.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the buffer is a logical link control layer (LLC) buffer.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the buffer is a radio link control (RLC) buffer.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the buffer is a buffer of a packet control unit.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of requesting that the at least one VoIP call be changed from a packet switched connection to a circuit switched connection comprises requesting a mobile station participating in the call to perform a packet-switch to circuit-switch handover and thereby reattach the call as a circuit switch call.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the voice over internet protocol (VoIP) calls are EDGE VoIP packet flows.

20. A telecommunications network comprising:

a base transceiver station node for providing radio transmission resources to a cell for radio frequency communications;

a packet control unit for allocating the radio transmission resources to respective voice over internet protocol (VoIP) calls handled as packet switched connections and which, for at least one VoIP call, is arranged

for monitoring in the telecommunications network of the at least one VoIP call and, in accordance with the monitoring,

for selectively requesting that the at least one VoIP call be changed from a packet switched connection to a circuit switched connection.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the packet control unit comprises a buffer, and wherein for monitoring the speech quality the packet control unit is arranged for monitoring a number of lost or damaged frames in the VoIP packet flow for the at least one VoIP call.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the packet control unit comprises a buffer, and wherein for monitoring the speech quality the packet control unit is arranged for monitoring a transfer speed in the buffer of the packets comprising the at least one VoIP.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the packet control unit is arranged for determining when a utilized amount of the buffer exceeds a predetermined threshold.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the packet control unit is arranged for determining when a variation of a utilized amount of the buffer exceeds a predetermined threshold.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the buffer is a logical link control layer (LLC) buffer.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the buffer is a radio link control (RLC) buffer.

27. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the voice over internet protocol (VoIP) calls are EDGE VoIP packet flows.

28. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the packet control unit is at least partially situated at a base station controller node.

29. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the packet control unit is at least partially situated at a base station node.

30. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the packet control unit is at least partially situated at a GPRS Support Node.

31. A telecommunications network comprising:

a base transceiver station node for providing radio transmission resources to a cell for radio frequency communications;

a packet control unit for allocating the radio transmission resources to respective voice over internet protocol (VoIP) calls handled as packet switched connections and which, for at least one VoIP call, is arranged

for monitoring a utilization level of a buffer of packets comprising the at least one VoIP call and, in accordance with the monitoring,

for selectively requesting that the at least one VoIP call be changed from a packet switched connection to a circuit switched connection.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the packet control unit is arranged for determining when a utilized amount of the buffer exceeds a predetermined threshold.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the packet control unit is arranged for determining when a variation of a utilized amount of the buffer exceeds a predetermined threshold.

34. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the buffer is a logical link control layer (LLC) buffer.

35. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the buffer is a radio link control (RLC) buffer.

36. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the voice over internet protocol (VoIP) calls are EDGE VoIP packet flows.

37. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the packet control unit is at least partially situated at a base station controller node.

38. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the packet control unit is at least partially situated at a base station node.

39. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the packet control unit is at least partially situated at a GPRS Support Node.