Prioritizing actions at a media gateway controller and a media gateway

• US 7,725,581 B1
• Filed: 09/25/2000
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Mecklin, Tomas
• Primary Examiner(s): BOUTAH, ALINA A
• Application Number:
  US10/110,481
• Time in Patent Office: 3,529 Days
• Field of Search: 709/226, 709/229, 709249-250, 709223-224, 709/238, 709/207, 370/401
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling

Abstract

A method of prioritizing actions at a gateway (1) to a bearer network (3), the gateway comprising a Media Gateway (7) which is responsible for establishing call connections over said bearer network (3) and a Media Gateway Controller (4) coupled to the Media Gateway. A signalling message is received at the Media Gateway Controller (4), which determines the priority of the message. The signalling message is converted into a Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) message including a parameter indicating the priority of the associated signalling message. The MGCP is then transferred to the Media Gateway (7) which acts upon the message in accordance with the indicated priority.

Claims

1. A method of prioritizing actions and/or connections at a gateway associated with a bearer network, the gateway comprising a Media Gateway which is responsible for establishing call connections over said bearer network and a Media Gateway Controller coupled to the Media Gateway, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a signalling message at the Media Gateway Controller;

determining the priority of the message at the Media Gateway Controller;

converting the signalling message into a Gateway Control Protocol (GCP) message;

including in the GCP message a parameter indicating the priority of the associated signalling message; and

transferring the GCP message to the Media Gateway and acting upon the message in accordance with the indicated priority.

2. A method according to claim 1, comprising exchanging call control messages between the Media Gateway Controller and a controller in a same or another network domain using a Bearer Independent Call Control (BICC) protocol or ISUP, respectively.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the signalling message received at the Media Gateway Controller is a Call Control Set-up message associated with the setting-up of a call connection, and the priority of the message determines whether a connection should be set up by the Media Controller across a bearer network ahead of a connection associated with a Call Control Set-up message previously received by the Media Gateway Controller.

4. A Media Gateway Controller arranged in use to control a Media Gateway which is responsible for establishing call connections over a bearer network, the Media Gateway Controller comprising:

an input for receiving a signalling message;

first processing means for determining the priority of the message; and

second processing means for converting the signalling message into a Gateway Control Protocol (GCP) message and for including in the GCP message a parameter indicating the priority of the associated signalling message or connection; and

transfer means for transferring the GCP message to the Media Gateway.

6. A Media Gateway Controller according to claim 4, wherein the signaling message received at the Media Gateway Controller is a Call Control Set-up message associated with the setting-up of a call connection, and the priority of the message determines whether a connection should be set up by the Media Controller across a bearer network ahead of a connection associated with a Call Control Set-up message previously received by the Media Gateway Controller.

5. A Media Gateway arranged in use to establish call connections over a bearer network, the Media Gateway comprising;

an input for receiving a Gateway Control Protocol (GCP) message from a Media Gateway Controller;

first processing means for identifying the priority level of the message from a priority parameter contained in the GCP message; and

second processing means for acting on the GCP message in accordance with the priority level.

7. A Media Gateway according to claim 5, wherein the signaling message received at the Media Gateway Controller is a Call Control Set-up message associated with the setting-up of a call connection, and the priority of the message determines whether a connection should be set up by the Media Controller across a bearer network ahead of a connection associated with a Call Control Set-up message previously received by the Media Gateway Controller.

8. A Media Gateway Controller arranged in use to control a Media Gateway which is responsible for establishing call connections over a bearer network, the Media Gateway Controller including electronic circuitry configured to:

receive a signaling message;

determine the priority of the message; and

convert the signaling message into a Gateway Control Protocol (GCP) message and include in the GCP message a parameter indicating the priority of the associated signaling message or connection; and

transfer the GCP message to the Media Gateway.

9. A Media Gateway Controller according to claim 8, wherein the signaling message received at the Media Gateway Controller is a Call Control Set-up message associated with the setting-up of a call connection, and the priority of the message determines whether a connection should be set up by the Media Controller across a bearer network ahead of a connection associated with a Call Control Set-up message previously received by the Media Gateway Controller.

10. A Media Gateway arranged in use to establish call connections over a bearer network, the Media Gateway comprising;

an input for receiving a Gateway Control Protocol (GCP) message from a Media Gateway Controller;

a first processor for identifying the priority level of the message from a priority parameter contained in the GCP message; and

a second processing for acting on the GCP message in accordance with the priority level.

11. A Media Gateway according to claim 10, wherein the signaling message received at the Media Gateway Controller is a Call Control Set-up message associated with the setting-up of a call connection, and the priority of the message determines whether a connection should be set up by the Media Controller across a bearer network ahead of a connection associated with a Call Control Set-up message previously received by the Media Gateway Controller.