Method and Apparatus for Providing Specialized Applications in a Network

• US 20070291756A1
• Filed: 02/23/2005
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Akhtar, Haseeb, Caputo, Dan, Ahmad, Azeem, Provost, Curtis, Weisert, James, Bolen, Larry, Jacob, Carole
• Application Number:
  US10/590,624
• Publication Number:
  US 20070291756A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a method and apparatus is presented for identifying packet-based applications in a packet-based network. As such, the packet-based applications may receive specialized treatment.

Claims

1. A method of operating a packet network, comprising the steps of:

processing a message in a standardized interface, the message including an indicia; and

identifying a packet application in response to the indicia.

2. A method of operating a packet network, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the standardized interface is an A1 interface.

3. A method of operating a packet network, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the standardized interface is an A3 interface.

4. A method of operating a packet network, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the standardized interface is an A5 interface.

5. A method of operating a packet network, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the standardized interface is an A7 interface.

6. A method of operating a packet network, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the standardized interface is an A9 interface.

7. A method of operating a packet network, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the standardized interface is an A10 interface.

8. A method of operating a packet network, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the standardized interface is an A11 interface.

9. A method of operating a packet network, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the packet application is a control plane packet application.

10. A method of operating a packet network, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the packet application is a bearer packet application.

11. A method of operating a packet network, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the packet application is a push-to-talk packet application.

12. A method of operating a packet network, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the packet application is a Voice-over-IP packet application.

13. A method of operating a packet network, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the packet application is a delay-sensitive packet application.

14. A method of operating a packet network, comprising the steps of:

communicating an A10 message including a generic routing encapsulation header; and

identifying a type of message in response to the generic routing encapsulation header.

15. A method of operating a packet network, as set forth in claim 14, wherein the type of message is a control message.

16. A method of operating a packet network, as set forth in claim 14, wherein the type of message is a bearer message.

17. A method of identifying an application in a packet network, comprising the steps of:

identifying a user application;

formulating a message including a flag, the flag identifying the user application; and

communicating the message including the flag using a radio link protocol.

18. A method of identifying an application in a packet network, as set forth in claim 17, wherein the user application is a PTT application and the message is a PTT block of bits.

19. A method of operating a dormant MS, comprising the steps of:

receiving a signaling message;

identifying a packet-based application in response to receiving the signaling message; and

communicating the signaling message to a dormant MS using a short data burst.

20. A method of operating a dormant MS, as set forth in claim 19, wherein the method is performed in a PCF.

21. A method of operating network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a reverse SDB from a dormant MS; and

delivering the SDB to a PDSN using an A10 interface.