Method for vocoder selection based on loads in coverage areas of a wireless wide area network

• US 7,328,027 B1
• Filed: 05/11/2004
• Issued: 02/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Mangal, Manish
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller; Brandon J.
• Application Number:
  US10/842,795
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 455/445, 455/453, 455/560, 455/561, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/67.11, 455/450, 455/452.1, 370/336, 370/328
• US Class Current: 455/453
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0072 Speech codec negotiation H04L65/1069 takes precedence

Abstract

The load of a coverage area in a wireless wide area network can be used as a basis to determine which vocoder to use in establishing a call between a wireless device in that coverage area and a wireless device in a different coverage area. If the load of the coverage area is above a threshold, then a higher-compression vocoder may be used during the call for communications between the wireless device and an access point serving the wireless device in that coverage area. However, if the load of the coverage area is below the threshold, then a lower-compression vocoder may be used during the call for communications between the wireless device and the access point.

Claims

1. A method for a first mobile switching center associated with a first access point in a wireless wide area network to negotiate the use of vocoders in a call, the method comprising:

receiving a request to establish the call between a first wireless device served by the first access point and a second wireless device served by a second access point;

determining that the first wireless device supports first and second vocoders, wherein the first vocoder uses less bandwidth than the second vocoder;

determining that the second wireless device supports the second vocoder but not the first vocoder;

determining a current load of a coverage area of the first access point; and

based on the current load, selectively choosing between using the first and second vocoders for call traffic between the first access point and the first wireless device, wherein selectively choosing between using the first and second vocoders comprises using the first vocoder if the current load is above a preset threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selectively choosing between using the first and second vocoder comprises using the second vocoder if the current load is not above the preset threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the current load is not above the preset threshold and responsively using the second vocoder for call traffic between the first access point and the first wireless device; and

negotiating with a second mobile switching center associated with the second access point to establish the call with vocoder bypass.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the current load is above the preset threshold and responsively using the first vocoder for call traffic between the first access point and the first wireless device; and

negotiating with a second base station controller associated with the second access point to use the second vocoder for call traffic between the second access point and the second wireless device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising negotiating with a second mobile switching center to use the second vocoder for call traffic between first and second base station controllers associated with the first and second wireless devices respectively.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising negotiating with a second mobile switching center to use pulse code modulation for call traffic between first and second base station controllers associated with the first and second wireless device respectively.

7. A method for a first call establishment entity on a wireless wide area network to specify vocoder usage in a call between wireless devices, the method comprising:

receiving an indication to establish a call between a first wireless device and a second wireless device, wherein the first wireless device operates in a first coverage area of the wireless wide area network, and wherein the first call establishment entity participates in establishing calls for devices operating within the first coverage area;

receiving an indication of a plurality of vocoders that are supported by the first wireless device;

if a current network load of a first coverage area does not exceed a predetermined threshold, then providing to a second call establishment entity an indication of the plurality of vocoders that are supported by the first wireless device, wherein the second call establishment entity participates in establishing calls for devices operating in a second coverage area, and wherein the second wireless device operates in the second coverage area; and

if the current network load of the first coverage area exceeds the predetermined threshold, then providing to the second call establishment entity an indication of a vocoder that is supported by the first wireless device but is not supported by the second wireless device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first and second call establishment entities are first and second mobile switching centers.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of vocoders that are supported by the first wireless device includes a Selectable Mode Vocoder and an Enhanced Variable Rate Codec.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the vocoder that is supported by the first wireless device but is not supported by the second wireless device is a Selectable Mode Vocoder.