Method and system enabling communications between a switched telephone network and a wireless network

• US 6,724,801 B1
• Filed: 04/05/2000
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Sylvain, Dany D.
• Primary Examiner(s): VANDERPUYE, KENNETH N
• Application Number:
  US09/543,328
• Time in Patent Office: 1,476 Days
• Field of Search: 455/433, 370/328, 370/338, 370/352, 370/401
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/24 between backbone network devices

Abstract

A method and system enables communications between a switched telephone network and a wireless network comprising a plurality of Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs). Each MSC is connected by respective interfaces to a broadband packet network used for the transfer of bearer traffic between the MSCs, and controls wireless communications with a respective plurality of wireless transceivers. The switched telephone network and the wireless network are interconnected by at least one media gateway for conveying bearer traffic between the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network. The system comprises a location register and a call manager. The location register is adapted to store, in respect of each wireless transceiver, information identifying a respective current MSC controlling communications with the wireless transceiver. The call manager is adapted to: query the location register to obtain the information identifying the current MSC respecting the selected wireless transceiver; and enable a communications path across the broadband packet network between an inbound media gateway and the current MSC. The advantages include simplified routing, congestion reduction and reduced cost of infrastructure to support a rapidly expanding wireless subscriber base.

Claims

1. A system for enabling communications between a switched telephone network and a wireless network comprising a plurality of Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs) connected by respective media gateways to a broadband packet network used for the transfer of bearer traffic between the MSCs, each MSC controlling wireless communications with a respective plurality of wireless transceivers, the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network being interconnected by at least one media gateway for conveying bearer traffic between the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network, the system comprising:

a) a location register adapted to store, in respect of each wireless transceiver, information identifying an MSC controlling communications with the wireless transceiver; and

b) a call manager adapted to;

i) query the location register to obtain the information identifying controlling communications with a selected wireless transceiver; and

ii) enable a communications path through the broadband packet network between a media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network and the switched telephone network, and a media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network and the MSC.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the location register comprises a consolidated Home Location Register (HLR) containing information identifying an MSC controlling communications with each wireless transceiver served by the wireless network.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the location register is co-resident with the call manager.

4. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the location register is remote from the call manager.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the call manager is adapted to query the location register via at least one of the group of networks consisting of the broadband packet network and a Common Channel Signaling (CCSD network.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the location register comprises a plurality of Home Location Registers (HLRs), each HLR being associated with one or more MSCs and containing information related to predetermined ones of the wireless transceivers.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the call manager is adapted to:

a) select one of the plurality of HLRs; and

b) query the selected HLR via at least one of the group of networks consisting of the broadband packet network and a Common Channel Signaling (CCS) network.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7, wherein selection of the HLR is based on a received destination address identifying the selected wireless transceiver.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the call manager is connected to a Common Channel Signaling (CCS) network and has a point code to enable call setup messages to be addressed to the call manager to set up communications paths across the broadband packet network.

10. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the broadband packet network is an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network.

11. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the broadband packet network is an Internet Protocol (IP) network.

12. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the broadband packet network is a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network.

13. A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein for an inbound call destined for a selected wireless transceiver, the call manager is responsive to call setup messages to set up a communications path through the broadband packet network between a media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network and the switched telephone network, and a media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network and the MSC controlling communications with the selected wireless transceiver.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the call setup messages are Integrated Services Digital Network User Part (ISUP) messages that include information to identify the selected wireless transceiver.

15. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the call manager is adapted to query the location register using the information identifying the selected wireless transceiver to obtain information identifying the MSC controlling communications with the selected wireless transceiver.

16. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the call manager is further adapted to:

a) send a call set-up message including information identifying the selected wireless transceiver to the MSC controlling communications with the selected wireless transceiver, to enable completion of the call through to the selected wireless transceiver; and

b) send connection request messages to the media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network and the switched telephone network and the media gateway connecting the MSC to the broadband packet network, to set up a path through the broadband packet network between the two media gateways.

17. A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein for an outbound call originating from a wireless transceiver, the call manager is responsive to call setup messages to set up a communications path across the broadband packet network between the respective media gateway at the MSC controlling communications with the wireless transceiver and one of a plurality of media gateways connected to the switched telephone network.

18. A system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the call setup messages are ISUP messages including information identifying the MSC and a called number on the switched telephone network.

19. A system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the call manager is further adapted to:

a) select one of the plurality of media gateways as the media gateway to be used to service the call;

b) send connection request messages to the one of the plurality of media gateways connected to switched telephone network and to the media gateway at the MSC, to set up a path through the broadband packet network between the one media gateway connected to the switched telephone network and the media gateway at the MSC; and

c) send a call set-up message through a Common Channel Signaling (CCS) network to a switching system in the switched telephone network connected to the one media gateway, to setup a connection through the switched telephone network between the switching system and the destination address on the switched telephone network.

20. A system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the call manager is adapted to select the one of the plurality of media gateways on a basis of geographical proximity to a service switching point (SSP) in the switched telephone network serving the called number.

21. A method of enabling communications between a switched telephone network and a wireless network comprising a plurality of mobile switching centers (MSCs) connected by respective media gateways to a broadband packet network used for the transfer of bearer traffic between the MSCs, each MSC controlling wireless communications with a respective plurality of wireless transceivers, the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network being interconnected by at least one media gateway for conveying bearer traffic between the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a location register storing, in respect of each wireless transceiver, information identifying an MSC controlling communications with the wireless transceiver;

b) querying the location register to obtain the information identifying the MSC controlling communications with a selected wireless transceiver; and

c) enabling a communications path through the broadband packet network between a media gateway interconnecting the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network and a media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network and the MSC.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the location register comprises a consolidated Home Location Register (HLR) containing location information concerning each wireless transceiver.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the location register is queried via at least one of the group of networks consisting of the broadband packet network and a Common Channel Signaling (CCS) network.

24. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the location register comprises a plurality of Home Location Registers (HLRs), each HLR being associated with one or more MSCs and containing information identifying a respective current location of each one of a predetermined plurality of wireless transceivers.

25. A method as claimed in claim 22, further comprising the steps of:

a) selecting one of the plurality of HLRs; and

b) querying the selected HLR via at least one of the group of networks consisting of the broadband packet network and a Common Channel Signaling (CCS) network.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein selection of the HLR is based on received information identifying the selected wireless transceiver.

27. A method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising, for an inbound call destined for a selected wireless transceiver, the steps of:

a) receiving a call setup message from a Common Channel Signaling (CCS) network, the call setup message including information identifying the selected wireless transceiver;

b) sending a call set-up message including the information identifying the selected wireless transceiver to the MSC controlling communications with the selected wireless transceiver; and

c) sending connection request messages to the one media gateway interconnecting the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network, and the media gateway connected to the MSC controlling communications with the selected wireless transceiver to set up a communications path through the broadband packet network between the two media gateways.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27, wherein the location register is queried based on the information identifying the select wireless transceiver to obtain the information identifying the MSC controlling communications with the selected wireless transceiver.

29. A method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising, for an outbound call originating from a selected wireless transceiver, the steps of:

a) receiving a call setup message from a Common Channel Signaling (CCS) network, the call setup message including information identifying the MSC controlling communications with the selected wireless transceiver, and a destination address on the switched telephone network;

b) selecting one of the plurality of media gateways interconnecting the broadband packet network and the switched telephone network as the media gateway to service the call;

c) sending connection request messages to the selected media gateway and a media gateway connected to the MSC controlling communications with the selected wireless transceiver, to set up a communications path through the broadband packet network between the media gateways; and

d) sending a call set-up message over the CCS network including the destination address to a switching system connected to the selected one media gateway, to set up a connection through the switched telephone network between the switching system and the destination address on the switched telephone network.

30. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the one media gateway is selected from among the plurality of media gateways on a basis of geographical proximity to the destination address on the switched telephone network.