Method and apparatus for enabling multimedia calls using session initiation protocol

• US 6,438,114 B1
• Filed: 02/05/2001
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pecen, Mark, Womack, James E., Howell, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): HSU, ALPUS
• Application Number:
  US09/777,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20020105943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 370/270, 370/280, 370/328, 370/329, 370/338, 370/349, 370/389, 370/401, 370/410, 370/431, 370/438, 370/522, 455/442, 455/445, 455/450, 455/507, 455/509, 455/515, 455/517, 709/227, 709/230, 709/238
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/10 adapted for application session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14

Abstract

A communication system for exchanging session initiation protocol signaling messages between a user host associated with a wireless communication device, and a remote user host, through a network, and method therefor. A multiplexer module positioned within the wireless communication device multiplexes call control data, session initiation protocol commands, and packet data setup and status transmitted between the wireless communication device and the network. A control module located in the multiplexer determines whether a packet associated control channel has been set up, and, in response to the packet associated control channel not being set up, the multiplexer module utilizes a slow dedicated control channel for transmitting signaling associated with requesting a packet associated control channel for transmitting the session initiation protocol commands.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device exchanging session initiation protocol signaling messages with a network, comprising:

a multiplexer module multiplexing call control data and session initiation protocol commands transmitted between the wireless communication device and the network; and

a control module, positioned within the multiplexer module, determining whether a packet associated control channel has been set up, wherein, in response to the packet associated control channel not being set up, the multiplexer module utilizes a slow dedicated control channel for transmitting signaling associated with requesting a packet associated control channel for transmitting the session initiation protocol commands.

2. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein a user host is linked to the wireless communication device, the user host performing a multimedia call with a remote user host through the wireless communication device and the network.

3. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein a user host is positioned within the wireless communication device, the user host performing a multimedia call with a remote user host through the wireless communication device and the network.

4. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein, in response to the packet associated control channel being set up, packet data channels are utilized for transmission of a packet resource request and a packet resource assignment message associated with setting up the packet associated control channel.

5. The communication device of claim 1, further comprising:

a downstream multiplexer multiplexing and passing the session initiation protocol commands to the control module; and

an upstream multiplexer multiplexing the call control data and the session initiation protocol commands, passing the call control data to the control module, and passing the session initiation protocol commands to a user host.

6. The wireless communication system of claim 5, wherein, in response to the packet associated control channel not being set up, the slow dedicated control channel is utilized for transmission of a packet resource request and/or a packet resource assignment message, the packet resource request and the packet resource assignment message being associated with setting up the packet associated control channel.

7. The wireless communication system of claim 5, wherein, in response to the packet associated control channel not being set up, the slow dedicated control channel is utilized for transmission of a packet resource assignment message associated with setting up the packet associated control channel.

8. A method for setting up a session initiation protocol exchange between a wireless communication device and a network, comprising the steps of:

determining whether a packet associated control channel has been set up; and

transmitting, in response to the packet associated control channel not being set up, signaling for setting up the packet associated control channel, to enable transmission of messages associated with setting up the session initiation protocol exchange, wherein the signaling is transmitted along a slow dedicated control channel.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the signaling includes a packet resource request and a packet resource assignment message.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the signaling includes a packet resource assignment message.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of transmitting the signaling, in response to the packet associated control channel being set up, using a packet data channel.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of transmitting further comprises:

transmitting a first packet resource request and a first packet resource assignment message associated with setting up a first command transmitted between the wireless communication device and the network, the first command indicating the desire to set up the session initiation protocol exchange;

transmitting a second packet resource assignment message associated with setting up a second command transmitted between the wireless communication device and the network, the second command indicating the effectuation of the session initiation protocol exchange;

transmitting a second packet resource request and a third packet resource assignment message associated with setting up a third command transmitted between the wireless communication device and the network, the third command acknowledging the effectuation of the session initiation protocol exchange; and

transmitting a fourth packet resource assignment message associated with setting up a fourth command transmitted between the wireless communication device and the network, the fourth command completing the session initiation protocol exchange set up.

13. A communication system for exchanging session initiation protocol signaling messages between a user host associated with a wireless communication device and a remote user host through a network, the communication system comprising:

a first multiplexer module, positioned within the wireless communication device, multiplexing call control data received from the remote user host, and session initiation protocol commands transmitted between the user host and the remote user host;

a second multiplexer module, positioned within the network, multiplexing second call control data received from the user host, and session initiation protocol commands transmitted between the user host and the remote user host;

a server, positioned within the network, routing session initiation protocol commands transmitted to the network through the first multiplexer module, and routing session initiation protocol commands transmitted through the second multiplexer module to the wireless communication device, wherein the first and the second multiplexer modules utilize a slow dedicated control channel for requesting a packet associated control channel for transmission of the session initiation protocol commands.

14. The communication system of claim 13, wherein the first multiplexer module transmits a packet resource request and a packet resource assignment message, associated with setting up the packet associated control channel, along the slow dedicated control channel.

15. The communication system of claim 14, wherein the second multiplexer module transmits a packet resource assignment message, associated with setting up the packet associated control channel, along the slow dedicated control channel.

16. The communication system of claim 13, further comprising:

a first control module, positioned in the first multiplexer module, determining whether a packet associated control channel has been set up in response to receiving a session initiation protocol command from the user host; and

a second control module, positioned in the second multiplexer module, wherein, in response to the packet associated control channel not being set up, the first control modules utilizes the slow dedicated control channel for transmission of a packet resource request from the wireless communication device to the network, and wherein the second control module utilizes the slow dedicated control channel for transmission of a packet resource assignment message from the network to the wireless communication device, the packet resource request and the packet resource assignment message being associated with setting up the packet associated control channel.

17. The communication system of claim 16, wherein, in response to the packet associated control channel being set up, packet data channels are utilized for transmission of the packet resource request and the packet resource assignment message.

18. The communication system of claim 17, further comprising:

a first downstream multiplexer, positioned in the first multiplexer module, multiplexing and passing the session initiation protocol command received from the user host to the first control module;

a first upstream multiplexer, position in the first multiplexer module, multiplexing the call control data received from the remote user host and session initiation protocol commands transmitted from the network, and passing the call control data received from the remote user host to the first control module and passing the session initiation protocol commands transmitted from the network to the user host;

a second downstream multiplexer, positioned in the second multiplexer module, multiplexing and passing the session initiation protocol command received from the remote user host to the second control module; and

a second upstream multiplexer, position in the second multiplexer module, multiplexing the call control data received from the user host and session initiation protocol commands transmitted from the wireless communication device, and passing the call control data received from the user host to the second control module and passing the session initiation protocol commands transmitted from the wireless communication device to the remote user host.

19. The communication system of claim 18, wherein the user host is separate from and linked to the wireless communication device.

20. The communication system of claim 18, wherein the user host is positioned within the wireless communication device.

21. The communication system of claim 18, wherein the server is positioned outside the network.

22. The communication system of claim 18, wherein the first multiplexer module is positioned within the user host.

23. The communication system of claim 18, wherein the second multiplexer is positioned within the remote user host.