Method and system for signaling traffic and media types within a communications network switching system

• US 7,957,348 B1
• Filed: 04/20/2005
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ribbon Communications Operating Company, Inc. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kineto Wireless Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gallagher, Michael D., Markovic, Milan, Goel, Puneet
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid; Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lai; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US11/110,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20110149838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,239 Days
• Field of Search: 455450-453, 455/552.1, 455436-439, 455/553.1, 455/426.1, 370431-433
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0066 of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/22 Manipulation of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

Signaling regarding traffic and media types within a communications network control system is described. In one embodiment, the invention includes receiving an assignment request message from a call server of a communications network, the assignment request message including a description of a bearer connection between a subscriber and the communications network, sending a channel activation request to the subscriber, the channel activation request including at least a portion of the description of the bearer connection between the subscriber and the communications network, receiving connection information about a channel activated by the subscriber in response to the channel activation request, and sending the connection information to the call server to allow the call server to modify the bearer connection.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a network controller of a first communication network that communicatively couples at least one service region of the first communication network to a licensed wireless second communication network, a description of a bearer connection from a call server of the second communication network, the bearer connection to be established between the second communication network and a subscriber device;

sending the description of the bearer connection from the network controller to the subscriber device to allow the subscriber device to establish the bearer connection through the network controller to the second communication network;

receiving, at the network controller, connection information about the established bearer connection from the subscriber device;

sending the connection information from the network controller to the call server to allow the call server to modify the bearer connection;

before the bearer connection is modified by the call server, forwarding RTP packets in only one direction at the network controller from the subscriber device to a media gateway of the second communication network; and

after the bearer connection is modified by the call server, forwarding RTP packets at the network controller (i) from the subscriber device to the media gateway and (ii) from the media gateway to the subscriber device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the bearer connection is a VoIP connection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the description of the bearer connection comprises an RTP port number and an IP address of the media gateway of the second communication network.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the connection information about the established bearer connection comprises an RTP port number and an IP address of the subscriber device.

5. A method comprising:

receiving, at a network controller of a first communication network that communicatively couples at least one service region of the first communication network to a licensed wireless second communication network, a message from a call server of the second communication network, the message comprising a request for modification of an established bearer connection between the second communication network and a subscriber device through the network controller;

sending a request from the network controller to the subscriber device to modify the bearer connection based on the message from the call server;

when the subscriber device is able to modify the bearer connection, passing traffic packets through the network controller between the subscriber device and a mobile switching center (MSC) of the second communication network over the modified bearer connection; and

when the subscriber device is unable to modify the bearer connection, maintaining the bearer connection using an IP address and a UDP port associated with the bearer connection.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising sending an acknowledgment from the subscriber device to the network controller in response to the request to modify the bearer connection.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the modification of the bearer connection comprises applying RTP Redundancy.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein when the subscriber device is unable to modify the bearer connection, the acknowledgment comprises an indication that the subscriber device is unable to handle the requested modification.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein modification of the established bearer connection comprises modification to at least one of the IP address and UDP port associated with the bearer connection.

10. For a network controller of a first communication network that communicatively couples at least one service region of the first communication network to a licensed wireless second communication network, a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program for execution by the network controller, the computer program storing sets of instructions for:

receiving a message from a call server of the second communication network, the message comprising a request for modification of an established bearer connection between the second communication network and a subscriber device through the network controller;

sending a request to the subscriber device to modify the bearer connection based on the message from the call server;

passing traffic packets through the network controller between the subscriber device and a mobile switching center (MSC) of the second communication network over the modified bearer connection when the subscriber device is able to modify the bearer connection; and

clearing an ongoing call on the established connection when the subscriber device is unable to modify the bearer connection.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the computer program further comprises a set of instructions for sending an acknowledgment from the subscriber device to the network controller in response to the request to modify the bearer connection.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein when the subscriber device is unable to modify the bearer connection, the acknowledgment comprises an indication that the subscriber device is unable to handle the requested modification.