Method and apparatus for negotiating bearer control parameters using property sets

• US 7,826,384 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2001
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Watson, Mark M., Scoggins, Shwu-Yan Chang
• Primary Examiner(s): HSU, ALPUS
• Application Number:
  US10/275,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20030227908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,469 Days
• Field of Search: 370/400, 370/389, 370/252, 370/254, 370/395, 370/352, 370/395.2, 709/227, 709/228
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6456 Channel and bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6481 Speech, voice
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6486 Signalling Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for negotiating bearer control parameters using property sets. A property set is a specific set of default parameters or “properties” to be used for a given bearer channel type in an integrated node. Property set information can be passed between integrated nodes (301, 302) in a multimedia packet network (305). In many cases, a parameter negotiation can be completed quickly after the originating node sends a setup message including a list of one or more property sets and one or more requested parameters. In all cases, the bearer type and bearer parameters are determined based on capabilities of the originating and terminating nodes. The invention provides a way for existing signaling links using bearer independent call control (BICC), or session initiation protocol (SIP), or H.245, or similar protocols with a way to negotiate more bearer types and parameters without significantly increasing the bandwidth needed for the negotiation, or requiring nodes to be provisioned.

Claims

1. In an originating node in a packet network, a method of negotiating bearer control parameters comprising the steps of:

sending a setup message to a terminating node, the setup message including a list of one or more property sets having a list of names of property sets for specific bearer channel types within a capability of a node and one or more requested parameters used for a session connection, where the one or more requested parameters are for at least one of the one or more property sets;

receiving an acceptance message from the terminating node specifying a selected property set and a parameter of the one or more requested parameters; and

sending a response to the acceptance message to the terminating node.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the response is a connection acknowledgement message.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the response is a connection negotiation message including at least one modified parameter, and further comprising the step of receiving a connection acknowledgement message from the terminating node.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the response is a connection rejection message.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the response is a connection negotiation message including at least one modified parameter, and further comprising the step of receiving a connection rejection message from the terminating node.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the one or more requested parameters for at least one of the one or more property sets is optional.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein there is more than one optional parameter and the optional parameters are placed in order of preference.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the response is a connection negotiation message including at least one optional parameter and further comprising the step of receiving a connection acknowledgement message from the terminating node.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the response is a connection negotiation message including at least one optional parameter and further comprising the step of receiving a connection rejection message from the terminating node.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein all the messages are formatted according to a bearer independent call control (BICC) protocol.

11. In a terminating node in a packet network, a method of negotiating bearer control parameters comprising the steps of:

receiving a setup message from an originating node, the setup message including a list of one or more property sets having a list of names of property sets for specific bearer channel types within a capability of a node and one or more requested parameters used for a session connection, where the one or more requested parameters are for at least one of the one or more property sets;

sending a negotiation message specifying a selected property set and a parameter to the originating node; and

receiving a response to the negotiation message from the originating node.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the response is a connection acknowledgement message.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the response is a connection negotiation message including at least one modified parameter, and further comprising the step of sending a connection acknowledgement message to the originating node.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the response is a connection rejection message.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein all the messages are formatted according to a bearer independent call control (BICC) protocol.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the response is a connection negotiation message including at least one modified parameter, and further comprising the step of sending a connection rejection message to the originating node.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein at least one of the one or more requested parameters for at least one of the one or more property sets is optional.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein there is more than one optional parameter and the optional parameters are placed in order of preference.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the response is a connection negotiation message including at least one optional parameter and further comprising the step of receiving a connection acknowledgement message from the terminating node.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein the response is a connection negotiation message including at least one optional parameter and further comprising the step of receiving a connection rejection message from the terminating node.

21. The method of claim 11 wherein all the messages are formatted according to a bearer independent call control (BICC) protocol.

22. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising software for instructing a computer to:

send and receive setup messages, each setup message including a list of one or more property sets having a list of names of property sets for specific bearer channel types within a capability of a node and one or more requested parameters used for a session connection, where the one or more requested parameters are for at least one of the one or more property sets;

send and receive acceptance messages specifying a selected property set and a parameter;

send and receive connection negotiation messages including at least one modified parameter; and

send and receive connection rejection messages.

23. An apparatus for negotiating bearer control parameters in a packet network, the apparatus comprising:

means for sending and receiving setup messages, each setup message including a list of one or more property sets having a list of names of property sets for specific bearer channel types within a capability of a node and one or more requested parameters used for a session connection, where the one or more requested parameters are for at least one of the one or more property sets;

means for sending and receiving acceptance messages specifying a selected property set and a parameter;

means for sending and receiving connection negotiation messages including at least one modified parameter; and

means for sending and receiving connection rejection messages.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the apparatus is a call services function entity.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the apparatus is a bearer internetworking function entity.

26. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising software for instructing a computer to:

send and receive setup messages, each setup message including a list of one or more property sets having a list of names of property sets for specific bearer channel types within a capability of a node and one or more requested parameters used for a session connection, where the one or more requested parameters are for at least one of the one or more property sets;

send and receive acceptance messages specifying a selected property set and a parameter without modifying the parameters;

send and receive connection negotiation messages including at least one modified parameter; and

send and receive connection rejection messages.

27. A network in which bearer parameters are negotiated over connections between call services function entities within nodes, the network comprising:

an originating node operable to send a setup message including a list of one or more property sets having a list of names of property sets for specific bearer channel types within a capability of a node and one or more requested parameters used for a session connection, where the one or more requested parameters are for at least one of the one or more property sets; and

a terminating node connected to the originating node, the terminating node operable to sending an acceptance message specifying a selected property set and a parameter to the originating node so that the bearer parameters are determined based on capabilities of the originating and terminating nodes.