Method and apparatus for providing a configurable quality of service threshold for voice over internet protocol

• US 7,515,583 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2004
• Issued: 04/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Genband US LLC (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Kamani, Sejal, Coverdale, Paul, Kwong, Ben, Wong, Chi
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan; Tri H
• Application Number:
  US10/810,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20040179515A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,838 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370400-401, 370230-235, 3703955-39553, 379/88.17, 37926501-26506, 379/900, 709223-226, 709238-244, 709/249
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/64 Hybrid switching systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6472 Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6475 N-ISDN, Public Switched Telephone Network [PSTN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6481 Speech, voice
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/125 by balancing the load, e.g. traffic engineering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2416 Real-time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/283 in response to processing delays, e.g. caused by jitter or round trip time [RTT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/801 Real time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/822 Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/829 Topology based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 : A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 : Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13109 : Initializing, personal profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 : Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13148 : Maximum profit routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13166 : Fault prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13167 : Redundant apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0016 : Arrangements providing connection between exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 : Traffic distributors

Abstract

A method of connecting a telephone call through one of a plurality of networks where one of the plurality of networks is an internet protocol network is provided. A first factor for an acceptable quality of service level is received from a user. A second factor responsive to the quality of service for the internet protocol network is determined. The telephone call is connected through the internet protocol network if the second factor is greater than the first factor, otherwise, the telephone call is connected through one of the plurality of networks other than the internet protocol network.

Claims

1. A method of connecting a telephone call from a user through one of a plurality of networks where one of the plurality of networks is an internet protocol network, comprising:

determining a destination of the telephone call;

setting a first transmission factor and a first reception factor according to a predetermined minimum quality of service level requirement based on the destination of the telephone call;

receiving a second transmission factor and receiving a second reception factor responsive to the quality of service provided by the internet protocol network; and

connecting the telephone call through the internet protocol network if the second transmission factor is greater than the first transmission factor and the second reception factor is greater than the first reception factor, otherwise, connecting the telephone call through one of the plurality of networks other than the internet protocol network.

2. A method of connecting a telephone call through one of a plurality of networks where one of the plurality of networks is an internet protocol network, comprising:

receiving a threshold value;

calculating a rating factor for the internet protocol network by subtracting a first value and a second value from a constant value,

where the first value is 0 if the total one-way delay is less than 100 milliseconds, and, otherwise, the first value is calculated according to the following equation, in which Ta is the total one-way delay;

3. The method of claim 2 where the received threshold value is responsive to a destination of the telephone call.

4. The method of claim 2 where:

receiving the threshold value further comprises receiving a transmission threshold value and a reception threshold value;

calculating the rating factor further comprises calculating a transmission rating factor and calculating a reception rating factor; and

connecting the telephone call further comprises connecting the telephone call through the internet protocol network if the transmission rating factor is greater than the transmission threshold value and the reception rating factor is greater than the reception threshold value, otherwise, connecting the telephone call through one of the plurality of networks other than the internet protocol network.

5. The method of claim 2 where receiving the threshold value further comprises receiving a desired quality level from a user, and producing a threshold value responsive to the desired quality level.

6. The method of claim 5 where the desired quality level is chosen from a plurality of quality levels comprising a first quality level and a second quality level where the first quality level is a higher level of quality than the second quality level.

7. The method of claim 6 where the threshold value is at least seventy-five percent of a maximum threshold value if the desired quality level is the first quality level, and a value between fifty-five percent and seventy-five percent of the maximum threshold value if the desired quality level is the second quality level.

8. The method of claim 7 where the plurality of quality levels further comprises a third quality level of a lower level of quality than the second quality level and where the threshold value is a value between thirty-five percent and fifty-five percent of the maximum threshold value if the desired quality level is the third quality level.

9. The method of claim 8 where the plurality of quality levels further comprises a fourth quality level of a lower level of quality than the third quality level and where the telephone call is always connected through the internet protocol network if the desired quality level is the fourth quality level.

10. The method of claim 2 where the constant value is about 94.

11. An apparatus for routing a telephone call from a user received on a line, through one of a plurality of networks where one of the plurality of networks is an internet protocol network, comprising:

a control connected to the line that sets a first transmission factor and a first reception factor according to a predetermined minimum quality of service level requirement based on the destination of the telephone call;

a network monitor connected to the internet protocol network, that generates a second transmission factor and a second reception factor responsive to the quality of service provided by the internet protocol network;

a comparator connected to the user control and the network monitor, that compares the first transmission factor to the second transmission factor and the first reception factor to the second reception factor; and

a switch connected to the comparator, the line, and the plurality of networks, that connects the line to the internet protocol network if the second transmission factor is greater than the first transmission factor and the second reception factor is greater than the first reception factor, otherwise, to one of the plurality of networks other than the internet protocol network.

12. An apparatus for routing a telephone call received on a line, through one of a plurality of networks where one of the plurality of networks is an internet protocol network, comprising:

a control that receives a threshold value;

a network monitor connected to the internet protocol network, that calculates a rating factor for the internet protocol network by subtracting a first value and a second value from a constant value,

where the first value is 0 if the total one-way delay is less than 100 milliseconds, and, otherwise, the first value is calculated according to the following equation, in which Ta is the total one-way delay;

13. The apparatus of claim 12, where the received threshold value is responsive to a destination of the telephone call.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, where:

the control further receives a transmission threshold value and a reception threshold value;

the network monitor further calculates a transmission rating factor and calculating a reception rating factor; and

the switch further connects the telephone call through the internet protocol network if the transmission rating factor is greater than the transmission threshold value and the reception rating factor is greater than the reception threshold value, otherwise, connecting the telephone call through one of the plurality of networks other than the internet protocol network.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, where the control further receives a desired quality level from a user, and producing a threshold value responsive to the desired quality level.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, where the desired quality level is chosen from a plurality of quality levels comprising a first quality level and a second quality level where the first quality level is a higher level of quality than the second quality level.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, where the threshold value is at least seventy-five percent of a maximum threshold value if the desired quality level is the first quality level, and a value between fifty-five percent and seventy-five percent of the maximum threshold value if the desired quality level is the second quality level.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, where the plurality of quality levels further comprises a third quality level of a lower level of quality than the second quality level and where the threshold value is a value between thirty-five percent and fifty-five percent of the maximum threshold value if the desired quality level is the third quality level.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, where the plurality of quality levels farther comprises a fourth quality level of a lower level of quality than the third quality level and where the telephone call is always connected through the internet protocol network if the desired quality level is the fourth quality level.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, where the constant value is about 94.

21. A method of connecting a telephone call from a user through one of a plurality of networks where one of the plurality of networks is an internet protocol network, comprising:

receiving a first transmission factor from the user to set a minimum transmission quality of service level;

receiving a first reception factor from the user to set a minimum reception quality of service level;

receiving a second transmission factor responsive to the transmission quality of service provided by the internet protocol network;

receiving a second reception factor responsive to the reception quality of service provided by the internet protocol network; and

connecting the telephone call through the internet protocol network if the second transmission factor is greater than the first transmission factor and the second reception factor is greater than the first reception factor, otherwise, connecting the telephone call through one of the plurality of networks other than the internet protocol network.

22. The method of claim 21, where the first transmission factor and the first reception factor are responsive to a destination of the telephone call.

23. The method of claim 21, where the first transmission factor and the first reception factor are chosen from a plurality of subjective quality of service levels.

24. An apparatus for routing a telephone call from a user received on a line, through one of a plurality of networks where one of the plurality of networks is an internet protocol network, comprising:

a user control that receives a first transmission factor from the user to set a minimum transmission quality of service level, and receives a first reception factor from the user to set a minimum reception quality of service level;

a network transmission monitor connected to the internet protocol network, that generates a second transmission factor responsive to the transmission quality of service provided by the internet protocol network;

a network reception monitor connected to the internet protocol network, that generates a second reception factor responsive to the reception quality of service provided by the internet protocol network;

a comparator connected to the user control and the network monitor, that compares the first factor to the second factor; and

a switch connected to the comparator, the line, and the plurality of networks, that connects the line to the internet protocol network if the second transmission factor is greater than the first transmission factor and the second reception factor is greater than the first reception factor, otherwise, to one of the plurality of networks other than the internet protocol network.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, where the first factor is responsive to a destination of the telephone call.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, where the first factor is chosen from a plurality of subjective quality of service levels.