Method, apparatus and system for providing multiple quality of service classes to subscribers in a network

• US 6,909,719 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1999
• Issued: 06/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Optis Wireless Technology, LLC (Brevet Capital)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Petersson, Stefan, Reichelt, Martin, Sannero, Johan, Shakil, Nauman, Balachandran, Shri, Alperovich, Vladimir, Davidson, Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Dang
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEHRA, INDER P
• Application Number:
  US09/469,913
• Time in Patent Office: 2,008 Days
• Field of Search: 370/395.2, 370/395.21, 370/465, 370230-231, 370/235, 370/310, 370352-354, 370/395.1, 370/401, 370/395.42, 455/410, 455/403, 455/575
• US Class Current: 370/395.21
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/808 User-type aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/824 Applicable to portable or mobile terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/24 Negotiating SLA [Service Level Agreement]; Negotiating QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

The present invention provides a system, method and apparatus for providing multiple quality of service classes to subscribers in a network by determining a subscriber'"'"'s quality of service information by using a database containing quality of service information for each subscriber that has subscribed to one of the multiple quality of service classes, and storing the subscriber'"'"'s quality of service information in a visitor location register where the subscriber is currently registered.

Claims

1. A method of providing multiple quality of service classes to subscribers in a network, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a subscriber'"'"'s quality of service information by using a database containing quality of service information for each subscriber that has subscribed to one of the multiple quality of service classes;

storing the subscriber'"'"'s quality of service information in a visitor location register where the subscriber is currently registered; and

using the subscriber'"'"'s quality of service information stored in the visitor location register during a call setup to determine a call transmission quality;

for the subscriber,

wherein the call transmission quality corresponds to a default quality of service class when the subscriber is not listed in the database.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein each quality of service class provides a different transmission bandwidth.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein each quality of service class provides a different call routing priority.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein each quality of service class provides a different level of call security.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the network is a asynchronous transfer mode network.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the network is a mobile access network and the visitor location register is integrated in a mobile switching center.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the network is a satellite network and the visitor location register is integrated in a network control center.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the subscriber accesses the network with a mobile terminal.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the subscriber accesses the network through a fixed access terminal.

10. A method of providing multiple quality of service classes to subscribers in a network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an attach request at a visitor location register;

sending an update location request from the visitor location register to a database containing quality of service information for each subscriber that has subscribed to one of the multiple quality of service classes;

sending the update location request from the database to a home location register;

sending an update location result from the home location register to the database;

determining a subscriber'"'"'s quality of service information using the database;

modifying the update location result to include the subscriber'"'"'s quality of service information;

sending the modified update location result to the visitor location register;

storing the subscriber'"'"'s quality of service information in the visitor location register; and

using the subscriber'"'"'s quality of service information stored in the visitor location register during a call setup to determine a call transmission quality for the subscriber;

wherein the call transmission quality corresponds to a default quality of service class when the subscriber is not listed in the database.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein each quality of service class provides a different transmission bandwidth.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein each quality of service class provides a different call routing priority.

13. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein each quality of service class provides a different level of call security.

14. A method of providing multiple quality of service classes to subscribers in a network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an attach request at a visitor location register;

sending an update location request from the visitor location register to a database containing quality of service information for each subscriber that has subscribed to one of the multiple quality of service classes;

determining a subscriber'"'"'s quality of service information using the database;

sending a first message from the database to the visitor location register, wherein

the first message contains the subscriber'"'"'s quality of service information;

storing the subscriber'"'"'s quality of service information in the visitor location register;

sending a second message from the visitor location register to the database, wherein the second message acknowledges receipt of the first message;

sending the update location request from the database to a home location register;

sending the update location result to the visitor location register; and

using the subscriber'"'"'s quality of service information stored in the visitor location register during a call setup to determine a call transmission quality for the subscriber,

wherein the call transmission quality corresponds to a default quality of service class when the subscriber is not listed in the database.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein each quality of service class provides a different transmission bandwidth.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein each quality of service class provides a different call routing priority.

17. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein each quality of service class provides a different level of call security.