Local Switching In Radio Access Networks

• US 20080310404A1
• Filed: 05/27/2005
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aarhuskarishamn USA, Inc., Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Aarhuskarishamn USA, Inc.
• Inventors: Valme, Niclas, Waldau, Clemens
• Application Number:
  US11/914,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20080310404A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/353
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices

Abstract

The invention relates to a telecommunication system, to a local media gateway, to an MSC server, to a radio base station and to a radio network controller for set-up, release and control of local calls in the telecommunication system. The telecommunication system comprises a core network and at least a radio access network (10, 11, 12), an MSC server (18), a central media gateway (MGW) (20) having a point of interconnection to the public switched telecommunication network and at least a radio access gateway (25, 26, 27) to each respective radio access network. A characteristic feature o the invention is that it comprises at least a local MGW (22; 23; 24) provided with switch means and geographically separated from the central MGW. The radio access gateway and the MSC server are provided with control logic for set-up and release of local calls in the respective radio access networks using the local MGW as switch. The local MGW is located in each radio access gateway or in base stations or in a RBS aggregation site connected to a plurality of radio base stations. Thereby the two legs of a local call need not be transported all the way to the MSC. Instead they are interconnected in the local MGW or the RBS aggregation site, thereby reducing costs and trombone effects.

Claims

1. A telecommunication system comprising a core network and at least one radio access network (RAN), the telecommunication system comprising an MSC server, a central media gateway (MGW) having a point of interconnection to the public switched telecommunication network (PSTN), and at least a radio access gateway to each respective radio access network characterized by at least one local MGW provided with switch means and geographically separated from the central MGW, the radio access gateway and the MSC server being provided with control logic for set-up, maintenance and release of local calls in the respective radio access networks using the local MGW as a switch.

2. The telecommunication system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one local MGW is located in or co-located with each radio access gateway.

3. The telecommunication system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one local MGW is a RBS aggregation site connected to a plurality of radio base stations and providing switching of local calls originated or terminated by mobiles served by said plurality of radio base stations, said RBS aggregation site being located at an appropriate site with regard to the respective geographical locations of said plurality of radio base stations.

4. The telecommunication system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one local MGW is located in or co-located with each base station.

5. The telecommunication system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said radio access gateway is a base station controller in a GSM based RAN, a radio network controller (RNC) in a universal mobile telecommunication network (UTRAN), a base station controller (BSG) in a GSM/EDGE radio access network (GERAN) and any kind of 4G access points.

6. The telecommunication system in accordance with claim 3, wherein the RBS aggregation site is provided with means for set up, maintenance and tear-down of a call.

7. The telecommunication system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the local MGW optionally is provided with an interworking unit for handling circuit switched voice and data streams.

8. The telecommunication system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the local MGW optionally is provided with a PSTN interface.

9. The telecommunication system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the local MGW further is provided with any of the following means:

transcoders, tone senders, synchronization means, conference bridges, or combinations thereof, thereby providing a scalable local MGW.

10. The telecommunication system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the local MGW or the central MGW or both is/are provided with call transfer means for transfer of a call to the central MGW in case a call requires functionality not supported by the local MGW.

11. The telecommunication system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the MSC server is provided with means for selecting a local MGW among a plurality of local MGWs.

12. The telecommunication system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the central MGW is provided means for set up, maintenance and tear-down of a call.

13. A local media gateway (MGW), comprising:

means for switching of a local call between mobile stations located in a local area and in that it is has a connection to a MSC server for receiving instructions to switch said local call using said means and in that it is connected to a central MGW for handling a call between mobile stations located in said local area and mobile stations located outside said local area.

14. The local media gateway (MGW) in accordance with claim 13, further comprising call transfer means for transfer of a call to the central MGW in case a call requires functionality not supported by the local MGW.

15. The local media gateway (MGW) in accordance with claim 14, further comprising an interworking unit for handling circuit switched voice and data streams.

16. The local media gateway (MGW) in accordance with claim 14, further comprising any of the following means:

transcoders, tone senders, synchronization means, conference bridges, or combinations thereof, thereby providing a scalable local MGW.

17. An MSC server characterized in that it is provided with means for selecting a MGW for switching a mobile telephone call, which MGW is selected among a plurality of MGWs comprising at least one local MGW and at least one central MGW, wherein a local MGW is selected when the call is between mobile stations located in a local area and where a central MGW is selected when the call is between a mobile station located in said local area and a mobile station located outside said local area.

18. The MSC server in accordance with claim 17, further comprising control logic for set-up, and release of calls, said control logic controlling a MGW used as switch.