Method and system for guaranteeing quality of service for voice-over-IP services

• US 7,002,919 B1
• Filed: 08/16/2000
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: El-Sayed, Mohamed Lotfy
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsu, Alpus H.
• Application Number:
  US09/639,737
• Time in Patent Office: 2,015 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/353, 370/395.5, 370/395.52, 370/230, 370/395.2, 370/252, 370/356, 370/395.21, 370/395.41, 370/395.43, 370/395.64, 379/88.17
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/30 Routing of multiclass traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/50 using label swapping, e.g. multi-protocol label switch [MPLS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/502 Frame based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/15 in relation to multipoint traffic arrangements for broadcast or multicast in data networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2408 for supporting different services, e.g. a differentiated services [DiffServ] type of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2416 Real-time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/801 Real time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/808 User-type aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/822 Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/825 Involving tunnels, e.g. MPLS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0072 Speech codec negotiation H04L65/1069 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for providing voice communication over a packetized network in which quality of service is guaranteed for voice communications. The method involves identifying reserved paths within the network, such as multi-protocol label switching paths. When a call is made, the identified reserved paths are evaluated to determine whether each contains sufficient bandwidth for the requested voice communication. The effective bandwidth for the call is estimated based on the codec used for the call, the service class parameter set from the caller'"'"'s user profile, the time of day, and other parameters. A priority parameter is set for the requested voice communication, which may be based on the service class parameter, and is mapped to a specific Differentiated Service Code Point (DSCP) and 802.1p service class parameter. If the reserved path is determined to contain sufficient bandwidth, the requested voice communication is transmitted over the reserved path at the set priority. If the path does not contain sufficient bandwidth, an error message is sent to inform the caller that QoS can not be guaranteed for the call, and a decision is made whether the call should proceed nevertheless.

Claims

1. A method for providing voice communication over a network in which data is transferred in packets, the method comprising:

identifying a reserved path within the network;

when a voice communication is requested, determining whether the identified reserved path contains sufficient bandwidth for the requested voice communication, comprising estimating the bandwidth required for the requested voice communication based on one or more factors;

determining a service class parameter for the requested voice communication based on a profile of a user requesting the voice communication;

setting a priority parameter for the requested voice communication, including mapping the priority message to a differentiated service code point field and a user priority field; and

if the reserved path is determined to contain sufficient bandwidth, transmitting the requested voice communication over the reserved path at the set priority.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the service class parameter is performed based on a service level purchased by the user requesting the voice communication.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of estimating the bandwidth required for the requested voice communication comprises estimating the bandwidth based on the service class parameter.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of estimating the bandwidth required for the requested voice communication comprises estimating the bandwidth based further on one or more factors selected from the group consisting of a codec used in the reserved path, use of silence suppression, and time-of-day of the requested voice communication.

5. A method for providing voice communication over a network in which data is transferred in packets, the method comprising:

identifying a reserved path within the network;

when a voice communication is requested, determining whether the identified reserved path contains sufficient bandwidth for the requested voice communication;

setting a priority parameter for the requested voice communication;

sending a priority parameter message to a gateway in the network requesting the voice communication, including mapping the priority message to a differentiated service code point field and a user priority field; and

if the reserved path is determined to contain sufficient bandwidth, transmitting the requested voice communication over the reserved path at the set priority.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of transmitting the requested voice communication over the reserved path at the set priority comprises identifying the voice communication based on the differentiated service code point field and filtering the priority of the voice communication vis-à

-vis other packetized communication transmitted over the path based on the user priority field value.

7. A method for providing voice communication over a network in which data is transferred in packets, the method comprising:

identifying a reserved path within the network;

when a voice communication is requested, determining whether the identified reserved path contains sufficient bandwidth for the requested voice communication;

setting a priority parameter for the requested voice communications including mapping the priority message to a differentiated service code point field and a user priority field;

requesting a voice communication through a call setup process protocol that recognizes said priority parameter; and

if the reserved path is determined to contain sufficient bandwidth, transmitting the requested voice communication over the reserved path at the set priority.

8. A system for providing voice communication over a network in which data is transferred in packets, the system comprising:

first means for identifying a reserved path within the network;

second means for determining whether the identified reserved path contains sufficient bandwidth for a requested voice communication, comprising estimating means for estimating the bandwidth required for the requested voice communication based on one or more factors;

third means for determining a service class parameter for the requested voice communication based on a profile of a user requesting the voice communication;

fourth means for setting a priority parameter for the requested voice communication, including mapping the priority message to a differentiated service code point field and a user priority field; and

fifth means for transmitting the requested voice communication over the reserved path at the set priority if the reserved path is determined to contain sufficient bandwidth.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the means for estimating the bandwidth required for the requested voice communication comprises means for estimating the bandwidth based on the service class parameter.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for estimating the bandwidth required for the requested voice communication comprises means for estimating the bandwidth based further on one or more factors selected from the group consisting of a codec used in the reserved path, use of silence suppression, and time-of-day of the requested voice communication.

11. A system for providing voice communication over a network in which data is transferred in packets, the system comprising:

first means for identifying a reserved path within the network;

second means for determining whether the identified reserved path contains sufficient bandwidth for a requested voice communication;

third means for setting a priority parameter for the requested voice communication;

fourth means for sending a priority parameter message to a gateway in the network requesting the voice communication, including mapping the priority message to a differentiated service code point field and a user priority field; and

fifth means for transmitting the requested voice communication over the reserved path at the set priority if the reserved path is determined to contain sufficient bandwidth.