Controlling service stream

• US 7,881,309 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2001
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Lindroos, Mika, Taivalantti, Vesa, Kovacs, Janos, Sarkama, Esa, Litkey, Krisztian, Pirhonen, Jouni
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo; Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yuen; Kan
• Application Number:
  US10/416,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20040028062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,374 Days
• Field of Search: 358/434, 358/468, 370/241, 370/338, 370/348, 370/351, 370/352, 370/353, 370/356, 370/395.52, 370/390, 370/392, 370/395.21, 370/229, 370/230, 370/235, 370/328, 370/400, 370/401, 370/252, 370/253, 455/63.1, 725/86, 725/87, 725/93
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/20 Negotiating bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

When a service is provided in a service stream between end devices controlling the service stream by using first protocol, there is also a need to control the service stream in the network via which the service stream is or is to be transmitted. The service stream is controlled in the network by utilizing first protocol messages which are separated (204) from other traffic transmitted in the network.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

controlling an on-demand-service between a first and a second end device by using a first protocol, a first protocol message having a destination address indicating the first or the second end device, wherein controlling comprises managing bandwidth;

selecting a correct first end device among at least two first end devices during service set-up;

causing delivery of the service to a second end device from the correct first end device in a service stream via a network;

receiving first protocol messages separated from other traffic received from the network;

controlling the service stream in the transmitting network by using the separated first protocol messages;

causing the first protocol messages used in controlling the service stream to be forwarded towards the respective destination addresses of the messages;

causing traffic other than the first protocol message to pass toward the respective destination address;

recognizing the first protocol message relating to on-demand-service stream set-up;

determining requested resources indicated in the first protocol message;

determining resources available in the network;

allocating network resources to the on-demand-service stream based on the requested and available resources; and

modifying the requested network resources indicated in the first protocol message before forwarding the message, when the allocated resources are not the same as the requested resources.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a service gateway configured to control service streams in the network; and

circulating the first protocol messages via the service gateway.

3. A system, comprising:

at least two first end devices configured to provide an on-demand-service in a service stream;

a second end device configured to receive the service;

a first protocol used by the end devices to control the service stream, a first protocol message having a destination address indicating the first or the second end device; and

a network via which the service stream is transmitted, wherein the network comprises a service gateway configured to select a correct first end device among the at least two first end devices during service set-up, and control an on-demand-service by managing bandwidth,

a router configured to separate the first protocol messages from traffic received via the network and to forward the first protocol messages to the service gateway, the router being further configured to pass traffic other than first control packets toward the respective destination address; and

the service gateway being further configured to;

process the received first protocol messages in order to control the service stream in the network and after processing a first protocol message, to forward it towards its destination address;

recognize the first protocol message relating to on-demand-service stream set-up;

determine requested resources indicated in the first protocol message;

determine resources available in the network;

allocate network resources to the on-demand-service stream based on the requested and available resources; and

modify the requested network resources indicated in the first protocol message before forwarding the message, when the allocated resources are not the same as the requested resources.

4. A network, comprising:

a service gateway configured to process first protocol messages used by a first end device and a second end device to control an on-demand service provided in a service stream between the first end device and the second end device in the network, the first protocol messages having a destination address indicating the first or the second end device, and to select a correct first end device among at least two first end devices during service set-up, wherein the controlling comprises managing bandwidth; and

a router configured to receive traffic from a network, to separate the first protocol messages from, the received traffic and to forward the first protocol messages to the service gateway, the router being further configured to pass traffic other than first control packets toward the respective destination address,

wherein the service gateway is further configured to;

forward the first protocol messages used in controlling the service stream toward the respective destination address of the messages;

recognize the first protocol message relating to on-demand-service stream set-up;

determine requested resources indicated in the first protocol message;

determine resources available in the network;

allocate network resources to the on-demand-service stream based on the requested and available resources; and

modify the requested network resources indicated in the first protocol message before forwarding the message, when the allocated resources are not the same as the requested resources.

5. The network of claim 4, wherein the service gateway is configured to process the first protocol messages according to message type.

6. The network of claim 5, wherein the service gateway is configured to pass those first protocol messages that do not relate to said service stream and to collect log information on messages relating to said service stream.

7. The network of claim 4, wherein the service gateway is further configured to allocate network resources to the service stream based on requested resources indicated in the first control message and based on the network load.

8. The network of claim 4, wherein the router and the service gateway are located in a same physical network node.

9. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including instructions, the at least one memory and the instructions configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

control an on-demand-service provided in a service stream via a network by using first protocol messages used to control the service between end devices, the first protocol messages having a destination address indicating the first or the second end device, wherein the controlling comprises managing bandwidth;

select a correct first end device among at least two first end devices during service set-up;

cause delivery of the service to a second end device from the correct first end device in a service stream via a network;

receive first protocol messages separated from other traffic received from the network;

control the service stream in the transmitting network by using the separated first Protocol messages;

cause the first protocol messages used in controlling the service stream to be forwarded towards the respective destination addresses of the messages;

cause traffic other than the first protocol message to pass toward the respective destination address;

recognize the first protocol message relating to on-demand-service stream set-up;

determine requested resources indicated in the first protocol message;

determine resources available in the network;

allocate network resources to the on-demand-service stream based on the requested and available resources; and

modify the requested network resources indicated in the first protocol message before forwarding the message, when the allocated resources are not the same as the requested resources.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to authenticate an end device during service stream set-up.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to allocate network resources for the service stream based on requested resources indicated in the first protocol message and based on the network load.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to allocate network resources for the service stream based on the subscriber profile of a subscriber requesting the service.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to collect charging information based on first protocol messages.

14. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with, the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

separate, from traffic received via a network, first control packets used to control an on-demand-service between a first and a second end device, the first control packets having a destination address indicating the first or the second end device and the first protocol packets being streaming protocol packets, the controlling comprising managing bandwidth;

cause the first control packets to be forwarded according to routing instructions defined for the first control packets regardless of the destination address of the first control packets; and

cause traffic other than the first control packets to pass toward a respective destination address;

wherein the routine instructions defined for the first control packets are configured to cause least one of first control packets, which is not received from a service gateway function, to be forwarded to the service gateway function and cause the at least one first control packet received from the service gateway function to be forwarded towards its destination address.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the apparatus is an edge element for transmitting traffic from and to a network.

16. A method, comprising:

separating, from traffic received via a network, first control packets used to control an on-demand-service between a first and a second end device, the first control packets having a destination address indicating the first or the second end device and the first protocol packets being streaming protocol packets, wherein controlling comprises managing bandwidth;

causing the first control packets to be forwarded according to routing instructions defined for the first control packets regardless of the destination address of the first control packets; and

causing traffic other than the first control packets to pass toward a respective destination address;

wherein the routing instructions defined for the first control packets are configured to cause first control packets that are not received from a service gateway function to be forwarded to the service gateway function, and causing first control packets that are received from the service gateway function to be forwarded towards its destination address.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the routing instructions defined for the first control packets are configured to cause a first control packet, which is not received from a service gateway function, to be forwarded to the service gateway function and causing a first control packet received from the service gateway function to be forwarded towards its destination address.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, encoded with instructions that, when executed on a computer, perform a process, the process comprising:

separating, from traffic received via a network, first control packets used to control an on-demand-service between a first and a second end device, the first control packets having a destination address indicating the first or the second end device and the first protocol packets being streaming protocol packets, wherein controlling comprises managing bandwidth;

causing the first control packets to be forwarded according to routing instructions defined for the first control packets regardless of the destination address of the first control packets;

causing traffic other than the first control packets to pass toward a respective destination address; and

wherein the routing instructions defined for the first control packets are configured to cause first control packets that are not received from a service gateway function to be forwarded to the service gateway function, and causing first control packets that are received from the service gateway function be forwarded towards its destination address.