Reduced delay priority for comfort noise

• US 6,519,260 B1
• Filed: 03/17/1999
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Westberg, Lars, Galyas, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Persino, Raymond B.
• Application Number:
  US09/268,751
• Time in Patent Office: 1,427 Days
• Field of Search: 455/445, 455/466, 455/512, 370/389, 370/355, 370/349, 370/351, 370/352, 370/411, 370/444, 370/455, 370/493, 370/494, 370/495, 370/395, 370/42, 340/825.03, 340/825.5, 340/825.51, 340/825.52
• US Class Current: 370/395.42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/569 of the traffic information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]

Abstract

A system and method reduces the delay of speech processing over a packet-switched network in a discontinuous transmission system. According to exemplary embodiments, a base transceiver station assigns priority indicators to information received therein. When the information is speech or a first SID frame, a high priority indicator is assigned. When the information is a SID update frame, a low priority indicator is assigned. The information is transferred from the base transceiver station to a base station controller in an order determined by the priority indicators. As such, the delay in transferring and processing speech information is reduced.

Claims

1. A method for transferring packets in a discontinuous transmission system, said method comprising the steps of:

assigning packets which contain a first silence descriptor (SID) frame a high priority indication;

assigning packets containing silence descriptor (SID) update information a low priority indication; and

transferring packets in accordance with the priority indications.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said steps of assigning are performed by a transceiver.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of transferring is performed by a router.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

storing said packets, prior to said step of transferring, in a queue; and

determining an order of transfer of said packets based on said priority indications.

5. The method of claim 1 including the step of assigning packets containing speech information a high priority indication.

6. A system for transferring packets in a discontinuous transmission system, said system comprising:

means for assigning packets which contain a first silence descriptor (SID) frame a high priority indication;

means for assigning packets containing silence descriptor (SID) update information a low priority indication; and

means for transferring said packets in accordance with the priority indications.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said high and low priority indications are assigned by a transceiver.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein said means for transferring is a router.

9. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

a queue for storing said packets prior to transfer; and

means for determining an order of transfer of said packets based on said priority indications.

10. The system of claim 6 further comprising means for assigning packets containing speech information a high priority indication.

11. A method for prioritizing the transfer of packets in a discontinuous transmission system, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving information, said information including speech information, a first silence descriptor (SID) frame, and a silence descriptor (SID) update frame;

decoding said received information;

determining a priority of said received information;

assigning speech information or a first silence descriptor (SID) frame a high priority indication;

assigning a silence descriptor (SID)) update frame a low priority indication;

forming a packet containing said decoded information and an indication of said determined priority; and

transferring said packet in an order determined by said priority indication.

12. A transceiver comprising:

means for receiving information, said information including speech information, a first silence descriptor (SID) frame, and a silence descriptor (SID) update frame;

a decoder for decoding said information;

means for determining a priority of said information wherein said speech information and said first silence descriptor (SID) frame are assigned a high priority indication and said silence descriptor (SID) update frame is assigned a low priority indication; and

means for placing said decoded information into a packet, said packet containing an indication of said priority.

13. A method for processing information in a discontinuous transmission system, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving information, said information including speech information, a first silence descriptor (SID) frame and a silence descriptor (SID) update frame;

assigning a priority to said information based on an information type; and

processing said information in a high priority process when said information is speech information or said first silence descriptor (SID) frame and processing said information in a low priority process when said information is said silence descriptor (SID) update frame.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said high priority process and said low priority process are separate processes performed by a single transcoder.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said high priority process and said low priority process are individually performed by separate transcoders.

16. A system for processing information in a discontinuous transmission system, said system comprising:

at least one transceiver for receiving information, said information including speech information, a first silence descriptor (SID) frame and a silence descriptor (SID) update frame and assigning a priority to said information based on whether said information is speech information, a first silence descriptor (SID) frame or a silence descriptor (SID) update frame;

a router for routing said information in an order based on said priority; and

a transcoder for processing said information in a high priority process when said information is speech information or said first silence descriptor (SID) frame and processing said information in a low priority process when said information is said silence descriptor (SID) update frame.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said high priority process and said low priority process are separate processes.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein said transcoder is two transcoders, one for performing said high priority process and one for performing said low priority process.

19. A method for transmitting information in a radiocommunication environment, said method comprising the steps of:

assigning a priority indication to information at a base station controller based upon information type;

transferring said prioritized information to a base transceiver station;

transmitting said information to a mobile station in an order based on said priority indication;

wherein a higher priority indication is provided to speech and first silence descriptor (SID) information and a lower priority indication is provided to silence descriptor (SID) update information.

20. A system for transmitting information in a radiocommunication environment, said system comprising:

a base station controller for assigning a priority indication to information based upon information typo and transferring said information along with said priority indication; and

a base transceiver station for receiving said information and priority indication and transmitting said information to a mobile station in an order based on said priority indication;

wherein a higher priority indication is provided to speech and first silence descriptor (SID) information and a lower priority indication is provided to silence descriptor (SID) update information.