Session quality information collection and correlation

• US 7,924,741 B1
• Filed: 08/17/2005
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Oliva, Stephen Arthur, Wells, Anthony C
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferris; Derrick W
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROCKMAN, ANGEL T
• Application Number:
  US11/205,807
• Time in Patent Office: 2,064 Days
• Field of Search: 370/392, 370/328, 370/254
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS

Abstract

A communication system for collecting and correlating quality information for a session over a path between an origination node and a destination node, the communication system comprising a quality processing system configured to transmit a first subscribe message identifying a first device, and the first device configured to receive the first subscribe message, process first traffic for the session to determine first quality information, and transmit a first quality message indicating the first quality information to the quality processing system responsive to the first subscribe message.

Claims

1. A communication system for collecting and correlating quality information for sessions over a path between an origination node and a destination node, the communication system comprising:

a quality processing system configured to transmit a first subscribe message in a first protocol to a registration system, wherein the first subscribe message requests the registration system to inform the quality processing system of any new device registrations;

the registration system configured to receive a first registration notification message in the first protocol from a first device to register the first device and transmit a first registration identification message in the first protocol identifying the first device responsive to the first subscribe message;

the quality processing system further configured to transmit a second subscribe message in the first protocol to the first device, wherein the second subscribe message requests the first device to provide the quality processing system with session quality information related to sessions the first device will participate on; and

the first device configured to receive the second subscribe message, process first traffic for a session to determine first quality information, wherein the first quality information is determined from first quality information messages generated in a second protocol, and transmit a first quality message in the first protocol indicating the first quality information to the quality processing system responsive to the second subscribe message, wherein the first quality message contains the first quality information determined from the first quality information messages.

2. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the first protocol comprises a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and wherein the second protocol comprises a Real-time Transport Control Protocol (RTCP).

3. The communication system of claim 1 further comprising a second device wherein the registration system is further configured to receive a second registration notification message in the first protocol from the second device to register the second device and transmit a second registration identification message in the first protocol identifying the second device responsive to the first subscribe message;

the quality processing system is further configured to transmit a third subscribe message in the first protocol to the second device, wherein the third subscribe message requests the second device to provide the quality processing system with session quality information related to sessions the second device will participate on; and

wherein the second device is configured to receive the third subscribe message, process second traffic for the session to determine second quality information, wherein the second quality information is determined via second quality information messages in the second protocol, and transmit a second quality message in the first protocol indicating the second quality information to the quality processing system responsive to the third subscribe message, wherein the second quality message contains the second quality information determined from the second quality information messages.

4. The communication system of claim 3 wherein the first device comprises the origination node, wherein the second device comprises the destination node, wherein the first protocol comprises a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and wherein the second protocol comprises a Real-time Transport Control Protocol (RTCP).

5. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the first device comprises an intermediate node of the path.

6. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the first device comprises a voice over packet enabled end device and wherein the session comprises a voice over packet session.

7. A method of operating a communication system for collecting and correlating quality information for sessions over a path between an origination node and a destination node, the method comprising:

in a quality processing system, transmitting a first subscribe message in a first protocol to a registration system, wherein the first subscribe message requests the registration system to inform the quality processing system of any new device registrations;

in the registration system, receiving a first registration notification message in the first protocol from a first device to register the first device and transmit a first registration identification message in the first protocol identifying the first device responsive to the first subscribe message;

in the quality processing system, transmitting a second subscribe message in the first protocol to the first device, wherein the second subscribe message requests the first device to provide the quality processing system with session quality information related to sessions the first device will participate on; and

in the first device, receiving the second subscribe message, processing first traffic for a session to determine first quality information, wherein the first quality information is determined from first quality information messages generated in a second protocol, and transmitting a first quality message in the first protocol indicating the first quality information to the quality processing system responsive to the second subscribe message, wherein the first quality message contains the first quality information determined from the first quality information messages.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first protocol comprises a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and wherein the second protocol comprises a Real-time Transport Control Protocol (RTCP).

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising, in the registration system, receiving a second registration notification message in the first protocol from a second device to register the second device and transmitting a second registration identification message in the first protocol identifying the second device responsive to the first subscribe message, in the quality processing system, transmitting a third subscribe message in the first protocol to the second device, wherein the third subscribe message requests the second device to provide the quality processing system with session quality information related to sessions the second device will participate on, and, in the second device, receiving the third subscribe message, processing second traffic for the session to determine second quality information, wherein the second quality information is determined via second quality information messages in the second protocol, and transmitting a second quality message in the first protocol indicating the second quality information to the quality processing system responsive to the third subscribe message, wherein the second quality message contains the second quality information determined from the second quality information messages.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first device comprises the origination node, wherein the second device comprises the destination node, wherein the first protocol comprises a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and wherein the second protocol comprises a Real-time Transport Control Protocol (RTCP).

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the first device comprises an intermediate node of the path.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the first device comprises a voice over packet enabled end device and wherein the session comprises a voice over packet session.

13. A quality processing system for collecting and correlating quality information for sessions over a path between an origination node and a destination node, the quality system comprising:

a processing system; and

an interface;

wherein the processing system is configured to generate a first subscribe message in a first protocol identifying a registration system, wherein the first subscribe message requests the registration system to inform the processing system of any new device registrations;

wherein the interface is configured to transmit the first subscribe message to the registration system and receive a registration identification message in the first protocol from the registration system identifying a first device;

wherein the processing system is further configured to process the registration identification message to generate a second subscribe message in the first protocol identifying the first device wherein the second subscribe message requests the first device to provide the quality processing system with session quality information related to sessions the first device will participate on;

wherein the interface is further configured to transmit the second subscribe message to the first device, and receive a first quality message in the first protocol indicating first quality information transmitted by the first device responsive to the second subscribe message wherein the first device processes first quality information messages generated in a second protocol to determine the first quality information.

14. The quality processing system of claim 13 wherein the first device comprises the origination node.

15. The quality processing system of claim 13 wherein the first device comprises an intermediate node of the path.

16. The quality processing system of claim 13 wherein the first device comprises a voice over packet enabled end device and wherein the sessions comprises a voice over packet session.

17. The communication system of claim 13 wherein the first protocol comprises a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and wherein the second protocol comprises a Real-time Transport Control Protocol (RTCP).

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with computer instructions which when executed cause the computer to perform a method of operating a quality processing system for collecting and correlating quality information for sessions over a path between an origination node and a destination node, the method comprising:

generating a first subscribe message in a first protocol identifying a registration system, wherein the first subscribe message requests the registration system to inform the processing system of any new device registrations, transmitting the first subscribe message to the registration system and receive a registration identification message in the first protocol from the registration system identifying a first device, processing the registration identification message to generate a second subscribe message in the first protocol identifying the first device, wherein the second subscribe message requests the first device to provide the quality processing system with session quality information related to sessions the first device will participate on, transmitting the second subscribe message to the first device, and receiving a first quality message in the first protocol indicating first quality information transmitted by the first device responsive to the second subscribe message wherein the first device processes first quality information messages generated in a second protocol to determine the first quality information.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 wherein the first protocol comprises a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and wherein the second protocol comprises a Real-time Transport Control Protocol (RTCP).