System and method for adaptively improving voice quality throughout a communication session

• US 7,046,636 B1
• Filed: 11/26/2001
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bell, Robert T., Khouri, Joseph F., Shaffer, Shmuel, Gleichauf, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boakye, Alexander O.
• Application Number:
  US09/996,097
• Time in Patent Office: 1,632 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/356, 370/401, 370/259, 370/390, 370/389, 370/235, 370/357, 370/471, 370/395.32
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport

Abstract

A method for adaptively improving voice quality during a communication session includes monitoring voice quality parameters associated with a communication session at one or more network components of a communication network. At least one of the network components is selected to perform packet replication, if a value of the voice quality parameters deviates from a predetermined range. In accordance with a particular embodiment, replicated packets are transmitted from the selected network component along an alternate communication path. In accordance with another embodiment, an improvement in performance associated with transmission of the replicated communication packets along the alternate communication path is assessed. Transmission of the replicated communication packets may be discontinued if the improvement is below a predetermined minimum.

Claims

1. A method for adaptively improving voice quality during a communication session, comprising:

monitoring voice quality parameters associated with a communication session at one or more network components along a primary communication path;

selecting at least one of the network components to perform packet replication, if a value of the voice quality parameters deviates from a predetermined range;

transmitting replicated packets from the selected at least one of the network components along an alternate communication path; and

discontinuing the transmission of packets along the primary communication path and continuing the transmission of replicated packets along the alternate communication path.

2. A method for adaptively improving voice quality during a communication session, comprising:

monitoring voice quality parameters associated with a communication session at one or more network components along a primary communication path;

selecting at least one of the network components to perform packet replication, if a value of the voice quality parameters deviates from a predetermined range;

transmitting replicated packets from the selected at least one of the network components along an alternate communication path; and

reserving bandwidth along the alternate communication path to accommodate the communication session if the bandwidth is available.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising discontinuing the transmission of packets along the alternate communication path if the bandwidth is not available.

4. A method for adaptively improving voice quality during a communication session, comprising:

monitoring voice quality parameters associated with a communication session at one or more network components along a primary communication path;

selecting at least one of the network components to perform packet replication, if a value of the voice quality parameters deviates from a predetermined range;

transmitting replicated packets from the selected at least one of the network components along an alternate communication path;

wherein the voice quality parameters are monitored periodically throughout the communication session; and

wherein the alternate communication path is dynamically selected to achieve a voice quality within the predetermined range, throughout the communication session.

5. A method for selecting one of a plurality of network components to perform packet replication during a communication session, comprising:

receiving a first plurality of communication packets of a communication session between two endpoints, the communication packets being transmitted along a primary communication path including a plurality of network components;

monitoring a performance parameter associated with the communication session at one of the two endpoints;

comparing values of the performance parameter monitored at the one of the two endpoints with a predetermined threshold value;

monitoring the performance parameter at at least one of the plurality of network components, if the performance parameter monitored at the one of the two endpoints is below the threshold value; and

selecting one or more of the plurality of network components to perform packet replication along an alternate communication path, based upon the performance parameter monitored at the at least one of the plurality of network components.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

replicating a second plurality of communication packets of the communication session at the one or more of the plurality of network components; and

transmitting the replicated communication packets along the alternate communication path.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising monitoring first and second voice qualities along the primary and replicated communication paths, respectively.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising discontinuing transmission of communication packets along the primary communication path if the second voice quality along the alternate communication path exceeds the first voice quality along the primary communication path.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising discontinuing transmission of communication packets along the alternate communication path if the first voice quality along the primary communication path exceeds the second voice quality along the alternate communication path.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

monitoring the performance parameter at more than one of the plurality of network components; and

reporting results of the performance parameter monitoring at the more than one of the plurality of network components to a voice quality system.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

assessing an improvement in performance associated with transmission of the replicated communication packets along the alternate communication path; and

discontinuing the transmission of the replicated communication packets along the alternate communication path, if the improvement in performance is below a predetermined minimum.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the more than one of the plurality of network components comprises the one of the two endpoints.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the more than one of the plurality of network components comprises a voice quality enhancement system.

14. The method of claim 5, wherein the performance parameter comprises jitter.

15. The method of claim 5, wherein the performance parameter comprises dropped packets.

16. The method of claim 5, wherein the performance parameter comprises echo.

17. The method of claim 5, wherein the performance parameter monitored at the one of the two endpoints comprises jitter, and wherein the one of the two endpoints also monitors at least one of dropped packets and echo.

18. The method of claim 5, wherein the performance parameter monitored at the at least one of the plurality of network components comprises jitter, dropped packets, or echo.

19. The method of claim 5, wherein the performance parameter monitored at the at least one of the plurality of network components comprises jitter, and wherein the at least one of the plurality of network components also monitors dropped packets and echo.

20. A system for adaptively improving voice quality during a communication session, comprising:

a plurality of network components being operable to receive and transmit communication packets associated with one or more communication sessions;

a voice quality system being operable to receive and analyze voice quality parameters associated with the one or more communication sessions, measured at one or more of the network components;

the voice quality system including a processor operable to analyze the voice quality parameters, and select at least one of the network components to perform packet replication if the voice quality parameters deviate from a predetermined range.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the voice quality system is further operable to select an alternate communication path for replicated communication packets, based upon the voice quality parameters measured at the one or more of the network components.

22. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

a memory module associated with the voice quality system;

the processor being operable to determine potential alternative communication paths having improved voice quality with respect to a communication path being used for the communication session; and

wherein the memory module is operable to store the potential alternative communication paths for use during the communication session.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the voice quality system further comprises a plurality of analyzers, each analyzer being operable to monitor the voice quality parameters at a respective one of the plurality of network components.

24. Logic encoded in media for selecting one of a plurality of network components to perform packet replication during a communication session, the logic operable to perform the following steps:

receive a first plurality of communication packets of a communication session between two endpoints, the packets being transmitted along a communication path including a plurality of network components;

monitor a performance parameter associated with the communication session at one of the two endpoints;

compare values of the performance parameter monitored at the one of the two endpoints, with a predetermined threshold value;

monitor the performance parameter at at least one of the plurality of network components, if the performance parameter monitored at the one of the two endpoints is below the threshold value; and

select one or more of the plurality of network components to perform packet replication along an alternate communication path, based upon the performance parameter monitored at the at least one of the plurality of network components.

25. The logic encoded in media of claim 24, wherein the logic is further operable to:

replicate a second plurality of communication packets of the communication session at the one or more of the plurality of network components; and

transmit the replicated communication packets along the alternate communication path.

26. The logic encoded in media of claim 24, wherein the logic is further operable to:

monitor the performance parameter at more than one of the plurality of network components; and

report results of the performance parameter monitoring at the more than one of the plurality of network components, to a voice quality system.

27. The logic encoded in media of claim 26, wherein the logic is further operable to:

assess an improvement in performance associated with transmission of the replicated communication packets along the alternate communication path; and

discontinue the transmission of the replicated communication packets along the alternative communication path, if the improvement in performance is below a predetermined minimum.

28. The logic encoded in media of claim 24, wherein the performance parameter is selected from the group consisting of jitter, dropped packets, and echo.

29. Logic encoded in media for adaptively improving voice quality during a communication session the logic operable to perform the following steps:

monitor voice quality parameters associated with a communication session at one or more network components of a communication network;

select at least one of the network components to perform packet replication if a value of the voice quality parameters deviates from a predetermined range;

transmit replicated packets from the selected at least one of the network components along an alternate communication path; and

wherein the alternate communication path is dynamically selected to achieve a voice quality value within the predetermined range, throughout the communication session.

30. The logic encoded in media of claim 29, wherein the voice quality parameters are monitored periodically throughout the communication session.

31. An apparatus for selecting one of a plurality of network components to perform packet replication during a communication session, comprising:

means for receiving a first plurality of communication packets of a communication session between two endpoints, and the communication packets being transmitted along a communication path including a plurality of network components;

means for monitoring a performance parameter associated with a communication session at one of the two endpoints;

means for comparing values of the performance parameter monitored at the one of the two endpoints with a predetermined threshold value;

means for monitoring the performance parameter at at least one of the plurality of network components if the performance parameter monitored at the one of the two endpoints deviates from the threshold value; and

means for selecting one or more of the plurality of network components to perform packet replication along an alternate communication path, based on the performance parameter monitored at the at least one of the plurality of network components.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising:

means for replicating a second plurality of communication packets of the communication session at the one or more of the plurality of network components; and

means for transmitting the replicated communication packets along the alternate communication path.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising:

monitoring the performance parameter at more than one of the plurality of network components; and

reporting results of the performance parameter monitoring at the more than one of the plurality of network components, to a voice quality system.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising:

means for assessing an improvement in performance associated with transmission of the replicated communication packets along the alternate communication path; and

means for discontinuing the transmission of replicated communication packets along the alternate communication path, if the improvement in performance is below a predetermined minimum value.

35. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the performance parameter is selected from the group consisting of jitter, dropped packets, and echo.

36. An apparatus for adaptively improving voice quality during a communication session, comprising:

means for monitoring voice quality parameters associated with a communication session at one or more network components of a communication network;

means for selecting at least one of a network components to perform packet replication, if a value of the voice quality parameters deviates from a predetermined range;

means for transmitting replicated packets from the selected at least one of the network components, along an alternate communication path; and

wherein the alternate communication path is dynamically selected to achieve a voice quality within the predetermined range, periodically throughout the communication session.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the voice quality parameters are monitored periodically throughout the communication session.