Redundancy mechanisms in a push-to-talk realtime cellular network

• US 7,664,493 B1
• Filed: 05/10/2006
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hoang, Hung D., Enzmann, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild; Joseph H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Huy D
• Application Number:
  US11/382,564
• Time in Patent Office: 1,378 Days
• Field of Search: 455/424, 455/423, 455/422.1, 455/445, 455/450
• US Class Current: 455/424
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13166 Fault prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13167 Redundant apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices

Abstract

Redundant mechanism in a push-to-talk (PTT) realtime architecture. Redundancy is provided in core delivery systems, which are employed for the emulation of “walkie-talkie” service with circuit switched duplex calls in the carrier network. The disclosed architecture provides for geographic and/or realtime mated redundancy. In one implementation, realtime redundancy is offered in an active-active scenario, although other scenarios are possible. Similarly, redundancy is provided in a roaming gateway implementation of the PTT network.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates data communication, comprising:

a first redundant core delivery system that processes and delivers data related to realtime voice over a cellular carrier; and

a second redundant core delivery system that interconnects to the first core delivery system such that stored data can be synchronized therebetween;

wherein the first and second core delivery systems are configured in an active-active configuration;

wherein if the first redundant core delivery system fails, services associated with the first redundant core delivery system are managed by the second redundant core delivery system such that if the first redundant core delivery system is restored after failure, the services associated with the first redundant core delivery system are automatically rerouted to the first redundant core delivery system from the second redundant core delivery system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the stored data exists in a first subscriber database of the first redundant core delivery system and a second subscriber database of the second redundant core delivery system.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first and second subscriber databases are synchronized.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein restoration of the first redundant core delivery system after failure thereof causes a first subscriber database associated therewith to automatically synchronize with a second subscriber database of the second redundant core delivery system.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising an artificial intelligence component that employs a probabilistic and/or statistical-based analysis to prognose or infer an action that a user desires to be automatically performed.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second redundant core delivery systems form a first mated pair.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a second mated pair of first and second redundant core delivery systems that interface to the first mated pair via a mated pair of STP (signal transfer point) units which operate according to SS7 (Signaling System 7) signaling architecture to control traffic distribution between the first and second mated pairs.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first and second mated pairs utilize two mated pairs of STP units which operate according to SS7 signaling architecture to control traffic distribution between the first and second mated pairs.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising at least one tandem switch that interfaces voice traffic to the first and second mated pairs.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first and second mated pairs are grouped as separate physical modules and configured in a redundant, active-active configuration.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the first and second mated pairs utilize an originating MSC (mobile switching center) to control traffic distribution between the first and second mated pairs.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the first and second mated pairs utilize both a mated pair of STP units and an MSC to control traffic distribution between the first and second mated pairs.

13. A system that facilitates data communication, comprising:

a first roaming gateway system for processing and delivery of data related to realtime voice over a cellular carrier; and

a second roaming gateway system interconnected to the first roaming gateway system in an active-active configuration such that the second roaming gateway system automatically handles the services of the first roaming gateway system when the first roaming gateway system fails;

wherein the first and second roaming gateway systems connect redundantly to a mated pair of gateway STP devices to control traffic distribution between the first and second roaming gateway systems.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the first and second roaming gateway systems include gateway tables that store a map from each incoming address to an outgoing address between different networks.

15. A method that facilitates data communication, comprising:

generating a first redundant core delivery system that processes and delivers data relating to realtime voice over a cellular carrier, wherein the data is stored in a first subscriber database of the first core redundant delivery system;

generating a second redundant core delivery system that interconnects to the first redundant core delivery system, the second redundant core delivery system comprises a second subscriber database of stored data;

interfacing both the first and second core delivery systems to each other;

configuring the first and second redundant core delivery systems in an active-active configuration;

synchronizing the first and second subscriber databases when both the first and second core delivery systems are operational;

identifying a failure in either the first core delivery system or second core delivery system, wherein if a failure of the first core delivery system is identified, re-routing services associated with the first core delivery system to the second core delivery system;

restoring the first core delivery system after failure thereof;

re-routing services from the second core delivery system back to the first core delivery system; and

re-synchronizing the first and second subscriber databases.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

configuring the first and second redundant core delivery systems to form a first mated pair;

generating a second mated pair of first and second redundant core delivery systems;

interfacing the first mated pair and second mated pair via a mated pair of STP (signal transfer point) units which operate according to SS7 (Signaling System

     7) signaling architecture.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

utilizing an originating MSC (mobile switching center) to control traffic distribution between the first and second mated pairs.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

utilizing the mated pair of STP units to control traffic distribution between the first and second mated pairs.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

utilizing the mated pair of STP units and an MSC (mobile switching center) to control traffic distribution between the first and second mated pairs.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

inferring a user desired action that a user desires to be automatically performed based upon a probabilistic and/or statistical-based analysis;

performing the user desired action automatically.