Method and apparatus for improving network performance in a communication system

• US 8,224,336 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2010
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Small, David, Roll, Jonathan H., Ou, Canhui Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mitchell, Nathan
• Application Number:
  US12/876,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20100331002A1
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 370/336, 370/338, 370/351, 370/389, 370/400, 370/401, 455436-445
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/083 for increasing network speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5041 characterised by the time relationship between creation and deployment of a service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/087 Jitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/121 by minimising delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices

Abstract

A method and apparatus is disclosed for improving network performance in a communication system. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to group a plurality of wireless base terminals (WBTs) into first and second groups that share at least one common WBT and select a resultant communication path for the at least one common WBT to a mobile telephone switching office based on differential delays associated with alternative communication paths for combinations of WBTs in at least one of the first and second groups. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

grouping a plurality of wireless base terminals into first and second groups that share at least one common wireless base terminal;

provisioning at least one network element of a communication system to establish a resultant communication path between the at least one common wireless base terminal and a mobile telephone switching office based on differential delays associated with alternative communication paths for one or more other wireless base terminals in the first and second groups; and

wherein the one or more other wireless base terminals are combinations of wireless base terminals in the first and second groups, and wherein the at least one network element comprises at least one router.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more other wireless base terminals are combinations of wireless base terminals in the first and second groups, and wherein the at least one network element comprises at least one router.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising determining the alternative communication paths based on a distance between the one or more other wireless base terminals and the mobile telephone switching office.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising selecting the resultant communication path based on path delays calculated for at least a portion of the alternative communication paths.

5. The method of claim 4, comprising selecting the resultant communication path based on distortions calculated for at least a portion of the alternative communication paths.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising selecting for each wireless base terminal in a select one of the first and second groups a communication path to the mobile telephone switching office based on the differential delays, path delays, and distortions associated with alternative communication paths to the mobile telephone switching office for combinations of wireless base terminals in the select one of the first and second groups.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the distortions comprise jitter.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer instructions for:

grouping a plurality of wireless base terminals into first and second groups that share at least one common wireless base terminal; and

selecting a resultant communication path for the at least one common wireless base terminal to a mobile telephone switching office based on performance parameters associated with alternative communication paths for combinations of wireless base terminals in the first and second groups.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the performance parameters comprise differential delays.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the performance parameters comprise jitter.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the performance parameters comprise path delays.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the performance parameters comprise path delays, jitter and differential delays.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, comprising computer instructions for selecting for each wireless base terminal in a select one of the first and second groups a communication path to the MTSO based on at least one of differential delays, path delays and distortions associated with alternative communication paths to the mobile telephone switching office for combinations of wireless base terminals in the select one of the first and second groups.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, comprising computer instructions for provisioning a plurality of network elements with the communication path for each wireless base terminal in the select one of the first and second groups to exchange messages with the mobile telephone switching office.

15. A server comprising a controller programmed to:

group a plurality of wireless base terminals (WBTs) into first and second groups that share at least one common wireless base terminal; and

select a resultant communication path for the at least one common wireless base terminal to a mobile telephone switching office based on differential delays associated with alternative communication paths for combinations of wireless base terminals in at least one of the first and second groups.

16. The server of claim 15, wherein the controller is programmed to select for each wireless base terminal in a select one of the first and second groups a communication path to the mobile telephone switching office based on at least one of differential delays, path delays and distortions associated with alternative communication paths to the mobile telephone switching office for combinations of wireless base terminals in the select one of the first and second groups.

17. The server of claim 16, wherein the controller is programmed to provision a plurality of network elements with the communication path for each wireless base terminal in the select one of the first and second groups to exchange messages with the mobile telephone switching office.

18. The server of claim 15, wherein the controller is programmed to determine the alternative communication paths based on distances between at least a portion of the plurality of wireless base terminals and the mobile telephone switching office.

19. The server of claim 15, wherein the controller is programmed to select the resultant communication path based on path delays calculated for at least a portion of the alternative communication paths.

20. The server of claim 15, wherein the controller is programmed to select the resultant communication path based on distortions calculated for at least a portion of the alternative communication paths.