Method and apparatus for providing real-time packetized voice and data services over a wireless communication network

• US 6,879,581 B1
• Filed: 08/22/2000
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Leung, Nikolai K. N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUONG, DUC T
• Application Number:
  US09/643,363
• Time in Patent Office: 1,694 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/401, 370/465, 370/466, 370/320, 370/335, 370/342, 370/400, 370/441, 370/469, 370/470, 370/474, 370/479
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/04 Protocols for data compression, e.g. ROHC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/164 Adaptation or special uses of UDP protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/168 specially adapted for link layer protocols, e.g. asynchronous transfer mode [ATM], synchronous optical network [SONET] or point-to-point protocol [PPP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/169 Special adaptations of TCP, UDP or IP for interworking of IP based networks with other networks protocols for interworking, protocol conversion H04L69/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A novel method and apparatus for transmitting voice traffic and data traffic over a circuit-switched network and a packet-switched network are presented. A new service option is introduced that allows a circuit-switched network to strip off IP/UDP/RTP header information from an internet protocol packet that may or may not be carrying multimedia payloads. Selectively eliminating the reliability measures in the RLP layer allows the circuit-switched network to reduce the delay associated with data traffic, and thus satisfy the more stringent delay requirements of voice traffic.

Claims

1. A method for transporting real-time data over a packet-switched network and a circuit-switched network, comprising the steps of:

receiving an internet protocol (IP) packet from the packet-switched network at a designated point in the circuit-switched network;

generating a payload data packet;

aligning the payload data packet to a circuit-switched frame;

transporting the circuit-switched frame over-the-air to a wireless communication device;

extracting the payload data packet from the circuit-switched frame at the wireless communication device; and

generating a new IP packet from the payload data packet.

2. A method for transporting real-time data over a packet-switched network and a circuit-switched network, comprising the steps of:

receiving an internet protocol (IP) packet from the packet-switched network at a designated point in the circuit-switched network;

generating a payload data packet, wherein the step of generating the payload data packet comprises the steps of;

if the data in the internet protocol packet is intact, then compressing the internet protocol packet at the designated point to form a payload data packet; and

if the data in the internet protocol packet is corrupted, then generating a null frame as a payload data packet;

aligning the payload data packet to a circuit-switched frame;

transporting the circuit-switched frame over-the-air to a wireless communication device;

extracting the payload data packet from the circuit-switched frame at the wireless communication device; and

generating a new IP packet from the payload data packet.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of compressing the IP packet comprises the step of stripping off header information.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein if the null frame is the payload data packet, then the step of extracting the payload data packet comprises the step of interpolating a substitute for the null frame from at least one adjacent payload data packet.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein if the null frame is the payload data packet, then the step of extracting the payload data packet comprises the step of using a last non-null frame as the payload data packet.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of generating the new IP packet from the payload data packet comprises the step of adding new header information to the payload data packet.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein if the null frame is received, the step of generating the new IP packet from the payload data packet further comprises the steps of:

incrementing a radio transport protocol (RTP) sequence number if the null frame is received; and

including the incremented RTP sequence number in the new header information.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein a packet data serving node (PDSN) is the designated point, and the step of generating the payload packet is performed by the PDSN.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of generating the payload data packet is performed by a base station.

10. A method for transporting real-time data over a circuit-switched network and a packet-switched network, comprising the steps of:

receiving an internet protocol (IP) packet from an electronic device at a wireless communication device;

generating a payload data packet from the IP packet at the wireless communication device;

aligning the payload data packet to a circuit-switched frame;

transporting the circuit-switched frame over-the-air to a base station;

extracting the payload data packet from the circuit-switched frame; and

generating a new IP packet from the payload data packet.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of generating the new IP packet from the payload data packet is performed by the base station.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of generating the new IP packet from the payload data packet is performed by a packet data serving node (PDSN).

13. A base station for transporting packetized voice traffic and packetized data traffic over a wireless communication network, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage element coupled to the processor comprising an instruction set executable by the processor, wherein the instruction set comprise instructions for;

receiving an internet protocol (IP) packet;

compressing the IP packet to form a payload data packet;

aligning the payload data packet to a voice frame; and

transmitting the aligned voice frame to a wireless communication device

wherein the instructions are further for generating a null frame if the received IP packet is corrupt, wherein the null frame will carry the same Radio Transport Protocol (RTP) sequence number as the flawed IP packet and will be the payload data packet.

14. A packet data serving node (PDSN) for transporting of packetized voice traffic and packetized data traffic over a wireless communication network, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage element couple to the processor comprising an instruction set executable by the processor, wherein the instruction set comprise instructions for;

receiving an internet protocol (IP) packet;

compressing the IP packet to form a payload data packet;

aligning the payload data packet to a voice frame; and

transmitting the aligned voice frame to a base station

wherein the instructions are further for generating a null frame if the received IP packet is corrupted, wherein the null frame will carry the same Radio Transport Protocol (RTP) sequence number as the flawed IP packet and will be the payload data packet.

15. Apparatus for transporting real-time data over a packet-switched network and a circuit-switched network, comprising:

means for receiving an internet protocol (IP) packet from the packet-switched network at a designated point in the circuit-switched network;

means for generating a payload data packet;

means for aligning the payload data packet to a circuit-switched frame;

means for transporting the circuit-switched frame over-the-air to a wireless communication device;

means for extracting the payload data packet from the circuit-switched frame at the wireless communication device; and

means for generating a new IP packet from the payload data packet.

16. Apparatus for transporting real-time data over a circuit-switched network and a packet-switched network, comprising:

means for receiving an internet protocol (IP) packet from an electronic device at a wireless communication device;

means for generating a payload data packet from the IP packet at the wireless communication device;

means for aligning the payload data packet to a circuit-switched frame;

means for transporting the circuit-switched frame over-the-air to a base station;

means for extracting the payload data packet from the circuit-switched frame; and

means for generating a new IP packet from the payload data packet.