System and method for providing packet-switched telephony
First Claim
1. A switching control infrastructure within a telecommunications environment for providing distributed, packet-switched management of call setup, mobility, and data transfer for a mobile terminal, wherein said telecommunications environment includes a bearer plane for establishing an end-to-end user data interface and a control signaling plane consisting of a media control subplane and a call control subplane, said switching control infrastructure comprising:
- a radio access network (RAN) including an air-interface transceiver in communication with said mobile terminal; and
a packet-switched core network of nodes including;
a wireless access gateway (WAG) providing bearer-path connectivity within said bearer plane between said RAN and said core network;
a wireless mobility server (WMS) operating within said control signaling plane for controlling said bearer-path connectivity within said WAG; and
a packet-switching backbone network providing packet-switched communication transport facilities of said bearer plane and said control plane within said core network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved method and system for providing packet-switched management of switching and handoff functions for a mobile terminal during call setup and user communication phases of a telecommunication session. A radio access network (RAN) including an air-interface base station in communication with the mobile terminal is in communicative contact with a packet-switched core network comprised of a plurality nodes which provide functionality that is equivalent to that of a network of Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs) and Visitor Location Registers (VLRs). A packet-switching backbone network provides communication transport facilities within the core network. Within the core network is a wireless access gateway (WAG) having media channels that provide an interface between the RAN and the core network. An Anchor Packet Gateway (APG) extends the bearer path from the WAG, and hides mobility between WAGs during the user communication phase. A wireless mobility server (WMS) in communicative contact with the WAG and APG serves as a media gateway controller for the WAG and APG, controlling connectivity of the media channels within the WAG and APG. A PSTN Trunking Media Gateway (PTMG) provides connectivity between the core network and the PSTN. A Call Server (CS) in communicative contact with the PTMG and WMS serves as a media gateway controller for the PTMG and WMS, where the WMS presents the appearance of a media gateway to the CS, but in fact functions as a media gateway controller for the WAG and APG. The CS and WMS together present the appearance of a single MSC/VLR to the public cellular or PCS network.
209 Citations
54 Claims
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1. A switching control infrastructure within a telecommunications environment for providing distributed, packet-switched management of call setup, mobility, and data transfer for a mobile terminal, wherein said telecommunications environment includes a bearer plane for establishing an end-to-end user data interface and a control signaling plane consisting of a media control subplane and a call control subplane, said switching control infrastructure comprising:
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a radio access network (RAN) including an air-interface transceiver in communication with said mobile terminal; and
a packet-switched core network of nodes including;
a wireless access gateway (WAG) providing bearer-path connectivity within said bearer plane between said RAN and said core network;
a wireless mobility server (WMS) operating within said control signaling plane for controlling said bearer-path connectivity within said WAG; and
a packet-switching backbone network providing packet-switched communication transport facilities of said bearer plane and said control plane within said core network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
a RAN channel termination for providing bearer-path connectivity between said RAN and said WAG; and
a packet-switched channel termination for providing bearer-path connectivity between said WAG and said packet-switching backbone network.
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6. The switching control infrastructure of claim 5, wherein said WAG further comprises a media gateway providing data connectivity and interworking between said RAN channel and said packet-switched channel.
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7. The switching control infrastructure of claim 1, wherein said core network further comprises a terminal proxy (TP) providing communicative contact between said RAN and said WMS within said control signaling plane, and wherein said TP comprises a signaling gateway for exchanging RF-technology-specific signaling protocols with said RAN and RF-technology-independent signaling protocols with said WMS.
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8. The switching control infrastructure of claim 7, wherein said WMS together with said TP present the appearance of a mobile switching center (MSC) to said RAN within said control signaling plane.
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9. The switching control infrastructure of claim 1, wherein said telecommunications environment includes a public cellular network, and wherein said core network further comprises a Signaling System 7 (SS7) signaling gateway (SSG) providing communicative contact between said WMS and said public cellular network within said control signaling plane.
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10. The switching control infrastructure of claim 9, wherein said WMS together with said SSG present the appearance of a MSC/VLR to said public cellular network utilizing TCAP SS7 signaling.
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11. The switching control infrastructure of claim 10, wherein said TCAP SS7 signaling consists of either ANSI-41 signaling or GSM Mobile Application Part (MAP) signaling.
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12. The switching control infrastructure of claim 1, wherein said telecommunications environment further includes a public switched telephone network (PSTN), and wherein said core network further comprises:
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a PSTN trunking media gateway (PTMG) providing bearer-path connectivity between said PSTN and said core network; and
a call server (CS) in communicative contact with said PTMG for controlling said bearer-path connectivity within said PTMG.
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13. The switching control infrastructure of claim 12, wherein said CS comprises a media gateway controller for controlling bearer-path connectivity within said PTMG.
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14. The switching control infrastructure of claim 12, wherein said CS and said WMS divide call-control logic into CS call-control logic and WMS call-control logic.
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15. The switching control infrastructure of claim 14, wherein said WMS call-control logic includes all of said call control logic related to mobility and wireless-ness of said mobile terminal, and wherein said CS call control logic includes all of said call control logic related to call-control signaling to and from said CS.
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16. The switching control infrastructure of claim 12, wherein said CS call control logic is derived from a Class-5 switch which provides line services within said PSTN, such that said CS may provide line services to said mobile terminal.
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17. The switching control infrastructure of claim 12, wherein said PTMG comprises:
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a PSTN channel termination for providing bearer-path connectivity between said PSTN and said PTMG; and
a packet-switched channel termination for providing bearer-path connectivity between said PTMG and said packet-switching backbone network.
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18. The switching control infrastructure of claim 17, wherein said PTMG further comprises a media gateway providing data connectivity and interworking between said PSTN channel and said packet-switched channel.
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19. The switching control infrastructure of claim 1, wherein said core network further comprises:
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a media content server providing conferencing and announcements; and
an anchor packet gateway (APG) for terminating bearer-path channels from said WAG and either another WAG, said PTMG, or said media content server, within said bearer plane.
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20. The switching control infrastructure of claim 19, wherein said WMS operates within said media control subplane to control connectivity of said bearer path terminations within said APG.
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21. The switching control infrastructure of claim 19, wherein said APG further comprises a media gateway providing data connectivity and interworking between bearer path terminations.
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22. The switching control infrastructure of claim 1, wherein said packet-switching backbone network is an ATM-based backbone utilizing ATM cell switching for switching packets within said core network.
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23. The switching control infrastructure of claim 22, wherein said ATM-based backbone utilizes AAL1 or AAL2 as a bearer path transport mechanism.
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24. The switching control infrastructure of claim 1, wherein said packet-switching backbone network is an IP-based backbone utilizing IP routing for switching packets within said core network.
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25. The switching control infrastructure of claim 24, wherein said IP-based backbone utilizes Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) as a bearer path transport mechanism.
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26. The switching control infrastructure of claim 1, wherein said packet-switching backbone network is an ATM-or IP-based backbone utilizing Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) label switching for switching packets within said core network.
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27. A method for managing a telecommunication session for a mobile terminal within a distributed, packet-switched core network of nodes, wherein said telecommunications session includes a bearer plane for establishing an end-to-end user data connection and a control signaling plane consisting of a media control subplane and a call control subplane, and wherein said core network includes a packet-switching backbone network providing packet-switching communication transport facilities within said core network, and a wireless access gateway (WAG) providing bearer-path connectivity between a radio access network (RAN) and said core network, and an anchor packet gateway (APG) providing bearer-path connectivity between said WAG at least one of said nodes within said core network, said method comprising the steps of:
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terminating a RAN channel within said WAG, wherein said RAN channel provides bearer-path connectivity between said RAN and said WAG;
terminating a packet-switched channel within said WAG, wherein said packet-switched channel provides bearer-path connectivity between said WAG and said packet-switching backbone; and
mapping said RAN channel to said packet-switched channel within said WAG, such that said mobile telecommunication session is controlled within said core network. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
terminating a first packet-switched channel within said APG, wherein said first packet-switched channel provides bearer-path connectivity between said APG and said WAG; and
terminating a second packet-switched channel within said APG, wherein said second packet-switched channel provides bearer-path connectivity between said APG and at least one of said nodes within said core network.
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29. The method of claim 28, wherein said APG terminates bearer-path channels within said core network and a media content server providing conferencing and announcements, said method further comprising the step of utilizing said APG to hide the mobility of said mobile terminal within said bearer plane, between RAN domains served by different WAGS, from either said media content server or a media gateway involved in said telecommunications session.
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30. The method of claim 29, wherein said telecommunications session includes a mobile handoff involving two WAGs which serve different RAN domains, said method further comprising the step of utilizing said APG to support mobility of said mobile terminal within said bearer plane, by providing multicasting to said two WAGs during said handoff.
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31. The method of claim 28, wherein said core network further comprises a wireless mobility server (WMS) in communicative contact with said WAG, said method further comprising the steps of:
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exchanging call and media control signaling messages between said RAN and said WMS; and
controlling said bearer-path connectivity within said WAG in accordance with said exchanging step.
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32. The method of claim 31, wherein said controlling step further comprises the steps of:
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delivering a media gateway connection creation request from said WMS to said WAG; and
establishing a media gateway control protocol context which associates said RAN channel termination with said packet-switched channel termination, such that said WAG supports data transfer and format conversion between a RAN channel and said packet-switched core network.
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33. The method of claim 31, wherein said WMS is in communicative contact with said APG, said method further comprising the steps of:
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exchanging media control signaling messages between said APG and said WMS; and
controlling said bearer-path connectivity within said APG in accordance with said exchanging step.
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34. The method of claim 33, wherein said controlling step further comprises the steps of:
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delivering a media gateway connection creation request from said WMS to said APG; and
establishing a media gateway control protocol context which associates said first packet-switched channel termination with said second packet-switched channel termination, such that said APG supports data transfer between said WAG and at least one of said nodes within said core network.
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35. The method of claim 31, wherein said core network further comprises a call server (CS), and wherein call-control logic is divided between said WMS and said CS, such that said WMS contains all call-control logic related to terminal mobility and to wireless characteristic of said mobile terminal, and said CS contains all call-control logic related to call-control signaling to and from said CS, and wherein said method further comprises the step of utilizing said WMS to hide mobility and wireless characteristics of said mobile terminal from said CS on said call control subplane and said media control subplane.
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36. The method of claim 35, wherein said WMS comprises a call-control interface to said CS, and wherein said method further comprises the step of utilizing said call-control interface to said CS to hide mobility and wireless characteristics of said mobile terminal, such that said CS may be other that MSC-derived.
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37. The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of deriving said CS from a Class-5 switch which provides line services to users within a PSTN, such that said CS may offer said line services to said mobile terminal.
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38. The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of utilizing call redirection over said call-control interface, to hide mobility of said mobile terminal during attempts to terminate a call to said mobile terminal.
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39. The method of claim 35, further comprising the step of presenting said WMS as a media gateway to said CS within said media control subplane, while utilizing said WMS as a media gateway controller for said WAG and said APG, thereby hiding mobility of said mobile terminal from said CS on said media control subplane.
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40. The program product of claim 39, wherein said WMS comprises a call-control interface to said CS, and wherein said program product further comprises instruction means for utilizing said call-control interface to said CS to hide mobility of said mobile terminal, such that said CS may be other that MSC-derived.
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41. The program product of claim 40, wherein said CS is derived from a Class-5 switch which provides line services to users within a PSTN, said program product further comprising instruction means for offering said line services from said CS to said mobile terminal.
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42. The program product of claim 40, further comprising instruction means for utilizing call redirection over said call-control interface, to hide mobility of said mobile terminal during attempts to terminate a call to said mobile terminal.
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43. The method of claim 35, further comprising the steps of:
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utilizing inter-WMS signaling to achieve mobile termination where said mobile terminal has roamed into a domain of a WMS other than a WMS designated as a home WMS for said mobile terminal; and
utilizing inter-WMS signaling to support handoff, during a data transfer phase of said telecommunications session, between WAGs that are controlled by different WMSs.
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45. The program product of claim 41, further comprising:
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instruction means for terminating a first packet-switched channel within said APG, wherein said first packet-switched channel provides bearer-path connectivity between said APG and said WAG; and
instruction means for terminating a second packet-switched channel within said APG, wherein said second packet-switched channel provides bearer-path connectivity between said APG and at least one of said nodes within said core network.
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46. The program product of claim 42, wherein said APG terminates bearer-path channels within said core network and a media content server providing conferencing and announcements, said program product further comprising instruction means for utilizing said APG to hide the mobility of said mobile terminal within said bearer plane, between RAN domains served by different WAGs, from either said media content server or a media gateway involved in said telecommunications session.
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47. The program product of claim 43, wherein said telecommunications session includes a mobile handoff involving two WAGS which serve different RAN domains, said program product further comprising instruction means for utilizing said APG to support mobility of said mobile terminal within said bearer plane, by providing multicasting to said two WAGs during said handoff.
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48. The program product of claim 45, wherein said core network further comprises a wireless mobility server (WMS) in communicative contact with said WAG, said program product further comprising:
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instruction means for exchanging call and media control signaling messages between said RAN and said WMS; and
instruction means for controlling said bearer-path connectivity within said WAG in accordance with said exchanging step.
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49. The program product of claim 48, wherein said controlling step further comprises the steps of:
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instruction means for delivering a media gateway connection creation request from said WMS to said WAG; and
instruction means for establishing a media gateway control protocol context which associates said RAN channel termination with said packet-switched channel termination, such that said WAG supports data transfer and format conversion between a RAN channel and said packet-switched core network.
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50. The program product of claim 48, wherein said WMS is in communicative contact with said APG, said program product further comprising:
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instruction means for exchanging media control signaling messages between said APG and said WMS; and
instruction means for controlling said bearer-path connectivity within said APG in accordance with said exchanging step.
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51. The program product of claim 50, wherein said controlling step further comprises the steps of:
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instruction means for delivering a media gateway connection creation request from said WMS to said APG; and
instruction means for establishing a media gateway control protocol context which associates said first packet-switched channel termination with said second packet-switched channel termination, such that said APG supports data transfer between said WAG and at least one node within said core network.
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52. The program product of claim 48, wherein said core network further comprises a call server (CS), and wherein call-control logic is divided between said WMS and said CS, such that said WMS contains all call-control logic related to terminal mobility and wireless characteristic of said mobile terminal, and said CS contains all call-control logic related to call-control signaling to and from said CS, and wherein said program product further comprises instruction means for utilizing said WMS to hide mobility and wireless characteristics of said mobile terminal from said CS on said call control subplane and said media control subplane.
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53. The program product of claim 49, further comprising instruction means for presenting said WMS as a media gateway to said CS within said media control subplane, while utilizing said WMS as a media gateway controller for said WAG and said APG, thereby hiding mobility of said mobile terminal from said CS on said media control subplane.
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54. The program product of claim 49, further comprising:
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instruction means for utilizing inter-WMS signaling to achieve mobile termination where said mobile terminal has roamed into a domain of a WMS other than a WMS designated as a home WMS for said mobile terminal; and
instruction means for utilizing inter-WMS signaling to support handoff, during a data transfer phase of said telecommunications session, between WAGs that are controlled by different WMSs.
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44. A program product comprising computer readable storage media including program logic that causes control circuitry to execute program instructions for managing a telecommunication session for a mobile terminal within a distributed, packet-switched core network of nodes, wherein said telecommunications session includes a bearer plane for establishing an end-to-end user data connection and a control signaling plane consisting of a media control subplane and a call control subplane, and wherein said core network includes a packet-switching backbone network providing packet-switching communication transport facilities within said core network, and a wireless access gateway (WAG) providing bearer-path connectivity between a radio access network (RAN) and said core network, and an anchor packet gateway (APG) providing bearer-path connectivity between said WAG and said core network, wherein said program product further comprises:
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instruction means for terminating a RAN channel within said WAG, wherein said RAN channel provides bearer-path connectivity between said RAN and said WAG;
instruction means for terminating a packet-switched channel within said WAG, wherein said packet-switched channel provides bearer-path connectivity between said WAG and said packet-switching backbone; and
instruction means for mapping said RAN channel to said packet-switched channel within said WAG, such that said mobile telecommunication session is controlled within said core network.
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Specification