Method for optimizing the transmission resources by local loopback in a mobile radio communication cellular network, network and local adapters thereof

• US 8,301,131 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2007
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cell & Sat
• Original Assignee: Cell & Sat
• Inventors: De Jaeger, Bogéna, Mouly, Michel, Verhulst, Didier
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Danh
• Application Number:
  US12/282,803
• Publication Number:
  US 20090215455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,059 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/445, 455/422.1, 455/550.1, 379/121.01
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/14 WLL [Wireless Local Loop]; RLL [Radio Local Loop]

Abstract

A method for transmitting data in a mobile radio communication cellular network, wherein setting up, maintaining and terminating a data communication channel between a caller and a called party located in the cellular network are implemented by the exchanges of signaling messages. A caller and/or a called party each is located in a local zone of the cellular network. The method includes: a first detecting phase if the caller and the called party of the communication are located in the same local zone of the cellular network, according to a detection strategy including a step of analyzing all or a portion of the signaling messages; and then triggering a local loopback operation of all or a portion of the data exchanged between the caller and the called party, in the case where the detecting phase confirms the local nature of the communication between the caller and the called party.

Claims

1. Method of transmitting data in a mobile radio communication cellular network, wherein:

setting up, maintaining and terminating a data communication channel between a caller and a called party located in said cellular network are implemented by exchanges of signalling messages,

a caller and/or a called party each being located in a local zone of said cellular network,

the method comprises;

a first detecting phase if the caller and the called party of said communication are located in the same local zone of said cellular network, according to a detection strategy including a step of analysing all or a portion of said signalling messages by a adapter device located upstream of at least one base station of the cellular network and downstream of a base station controller; and

a second phase of triggering a local loopback operation of all or a portion of data exchanged between the caller and the called party, in a case where said detecting phase confirms a local nature of said communication between the caller and the called party.

2. Method of transmitting as set forth in claim 1, wherein said local loopback operation is implemented by the device implementing the step of analyzing all or a portion of said signalling messages or another device located upstream of the at least one base station of the cellular network and downstream of the base station controller.

3. Method of transmitting as set forth in claim 1, wherein said local zone is defined by the coverage area downstream of said base station, or of a set of said base stations.

4. Method of transmitting as set forth in claim 1, said base station being controlled by said base station controller among a plurality of base stations controllers and said base station(s) being connected with said base station controller(s) via a connecting network, wherein said local loopback comprises carrying all or a portion of the data exchanged between the caller and the called party without transiting by said base station controllers.

5. Method of transmitting as set forth in claim 4

said connecting network including at least one link of the radio with shared resources type between said base station(s) and said base station controller(s),

wherein said local zone is defined by a zone located downstream of a connection point with said link of the radio with shared resources type.

6. Method of transmitting as set forth in claim 1, the succession of said signalling messages forming signalling flows, wherein said detection strategy includes a step of injecting into said signalling flow of at least one piece of tracking data in the local zone of said caller party and/or said called party,

and comprises recognising said tracking data in the local zone of the other of said parties.

7. Method of transmitting as set forth in claim 6 wherein said tracking data is constituted by at least one piece of data representative of said local zone, and/or a marker specific to a call within calls in progress in said local zone.

8. Method of transmitting as set forth in claim 6, wherein said signalling messages are compliant with the GSM standard and said tracking data is encoded in a User-User field of a CONNECT message or of a SETUP message.

9. Method of transmitting as set forth in claim 1, wherein said detecting phase comprises a prior step of detecting a time correlation between emission and reception of predetermined signalling messages.

10. Method of transmitting as set forth in claim 9 wherein said predetermined signalling messages belong to the group comprising:

departing SETUP and PAGING messages;

arriving CONNECT and departing CONNECT messages.

11. Method of transmitting as set forth in claim 9, wherein said detection strategy is accomplished in two periods:

implementation in a first period of time of said step of detecting the time correlation between the transmissions of predetermined signalling messages;

implementation in a second period of time of the step of injecting said tracking data if and only if a time correlation has been detected.

12. Method of transmitting as set forth in claim 1, the traffic channel of the communication carrying data with a real-time constraint, such as a flow of speech,

wherein said detection strategy includes a direct analysing phase of said data with a real-time constraint.

13. Method of transmitting as set forth in claim 12, said data including a flow of speech, wherein said analysing phase of the speech flow comprises an additional step of injecting into said flow of speech a signal of the DTMF type in the local zone of one of said caller or called parties and of recognising said tracking data in the local zone of the other of said parties.

14. Method of transmitting as set forth in claim 12, said data including a flow of speech, and said cellular network being compliant with the GSM standard, wherein said step of analysing the flow of speech is implemented after a Transcoder Free Operation (TFO) mode has been activated.

15. Method of transmitting as set forth in claim 14, the TFO mode being activated, wherein said step of direct analysis comprises a phase of injecting at least one piece of specific information into the flow of speech in order to accelerate detection of the identity between the two flows in relation to a simple comparison of the speech.

16. Method of transmitting as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second phase of triggering a loopback operation comprises a preliminary phase of storing in a memory buffer of the data coming from said correspondent, in such a way as to ensure continuity in the flow of said data to be transmitted.

17. Method of transmitting as set forth in claim 1, wherein the method comprises the following additional steps:

searching for, detecting and analysing in said signalling messages data indicating a displacement of said called party and/or said correspondent, during communication.

adaptation of the communication channels according to a result of said step of searching, detecting and analysing.

18. Method of transmitting as set forth in claim 17, wherein said information indicating a displacement is constituted by a signalling message indicating characteristics of a new cell of said cellular network between said called party and/or said called party in displacement.

19. Method of transmitting as set forth in claim 18, wherein said signalling messages are compliant with the GSM standard, and said message comprises a HANDOVER_COMMAND message.

20. Method of transmitting as set forth in claim 17, wherein said step of adapting comprises the phases of:

adapting the loopback if the result of the analysis of said information indicating a displacement indicates that said caller and/or said called party is changing cells while still remaining in said loopback zone;

stopping the said loopback operation if the result of the analysis of said information indicating a displacement indicates that said caller and/or said called party are leaving the loopback zone.

21. Method of transmitting according to claim 1, wherein all or a portion of said data exchanged between said called party and said caller, located in said loopback zone, is transmitted directly to the other party via loopback and to at least one of said base station controllers.

22. Method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first detecting phase is implemented in a first device located in a central portion of the network, and said second phase of triggering a local loopback operation is implemented in a second device located in said local zone of said cellular network under command of said first device.

23. Cellular network comprising:

means for setting up, maintaining and terminating a data communication channel between a caller and a called party located in said cellular network implemented by exchanges of signalling messages,

a caller and/or a called party each being located in a local zone of said cellular network,

means for implementing the following phases;

a first detecting phase if the caller and the called party of said communication are located in the same local zone of said cellular network, according to a detection strategy including a step of analysing all or a portion of said signalling messages by a device located upstream of at least one base station of the cellular network and downstream of a base station controller;

a second phase of triggering a local loopback operation of all or a portion of data exchanged between the caller and the called party, in a case where said detecting phase confirms a local nature of said communication between the caller and the called party.

24. Cellular network as set forth in claim 23, wherein each base station, called BTS, or each set of BTSs connected to the same transmission equipment to base station controllers, called BSC, in the network is equipped with a local adapter equipment comprising:

means for detecting a need for loopback;

means for carrying out a loopback operation;

means for detecting a need for removing the loopback;

means for carrying out an operation for removing the loopback,

at least one of said means for implementing at least a step of the first and/or second phases.

25. Cellular network as set forth claim 24 and comprising the at least one base station controlled by the base station controller, called a BSC, and a network infrastructure with which said BSC is in connection,

said network infrastructure including at least one link of the radio with shared resources type to connect said base station(s) to their control BSC.

26. Cellular network as set forth in claim 24 and comprising the at least one base station controlled by the base station controller, called BSC, and a network infrastructure with which said BSC is in connection,

said network infrastructure including at least one link of the IP type to connect said base station(s) to their control BSC.

27. Cellular network as set forth in claim 23, wherein

each local zone constituted of a base station, called a BTS, or of a set of BTSs connected to the same transmission equipment to the BSCs, is equipped with a local adapter device;

and,

the network comprises a central optimising device,

and wherein;

said central optimising device has means of detecting a need for loopback and/or removal of a loopback in one of said local zones;

the optimising device comprises means of issuing a command for loopback and/or removing a loopback to any adapter device located in a local zone wherein the optimising device has detected said need for loopback and/or removal of loopback;

each one of said adapter devices has means of carrying out a loopback operation or of removing the loopback under control of a loopback or loopback removal command respectively.

28. Local detector equipment located in a cellular network which comprises:

means for setting up, maintaining and terminating a data communication channel between a caller and a called party located in said cellular network implemented by exchanges of signalling messages, a caller and/or a called party each being located in a local zone of said cellular network,

wherein said local detector equipment comprises means for detecting if the caller and the called party of said communication are located in the same local zone of said cellular network, according to a detection strategy including means for analysing all or a portion of said signalling messages, the local detector equipment being located upstream of at least one base station of the cellular network and downstream of a base station controller.

29. Local adapter equipment located in a cellular network which comprises:

means for setting up, maintaining and terminating a data communication channel between a caller and a called party located in said cellular network implemented by exchanges of signalling messages, a caller and/or a called party each being located in a local zone of said cellular network,

wherein said local adapter equipment comprises means for triggering a local loopback operation of all or a portion of data exchanged between the caller and the called party, in a case where a local detector equipment confirms a local nature of said communication between the caller and the called party, the local adapter equipment being located upstream of at least one base station of the cellular network and downstream of a base station controller.