Method and system for exchange of multicall capabilities between terminal and network
OwnerJorg Brussinventor
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Abstract
A communication system supports multicall capabilities. Described herein are methods and techniques for exchanging the multicall capabilities of different entities, e.g., RNCs, MSCs, and terminals, such that the handling of call requests is efficient and backwardly compatible. Multicall capabilities of different entities is forwarded to a limit calculation device. The limit calculation device determines a bearer limit for a set of entities, which limit it transmitted back to at least some of the entities which forwarded their capability information. The bearer limit is used to selectively setup subsequent calls.
Claims34
A method for exchanging multicall capabilities between user equipment and a network in a radiocommunication system comprising the steps of:
- transmitting, from said user equipment to said network, multicall capability information associated with said user equipment;
- calculating, in said network, multicall limit information based on said multicall information associated with said user equipment and multicall information associated with said network;
- and
- returning, to said user equipment, said multicall limit information.
A method for informing a mobile switching center (MSC) of multicall capabilities associated with a radio network controller (RNC) in a radiocommunication system comprising the step of:
- transmitting, from said RNC to said MSC, an indication of said multicall capabilities associated with said RNC.
A method for informing a mobile switching center (MSC) of multicall capabilities associated with user equipment in a radiocommunication system comprising the step of:
- determining that a change in said multicall capabilities has occurred in said user equipment;
- and
- transmitting, from said user equipment to said MSC, a current indication of said multicall capabilities associated with user equipment.
A terminal comprising:
- a storage unit for storing a maximum number of bearers which are currently usable by said terminal;
- a counter for counting a number of said bearers which are currently being used by said terminal;
- and
- a control unit, connected to said storage unit and said counter, for selectively processing a call based upon said maximum number of bearers and said number of bearers which are currently being used.
A method for processing a user's call request at user equipment when a bearer is available for said call comprising the steps of:
- determining whether the call request is for a speech call;
- if so, and if another speech call is currently ongoing, implicitly placing said ongoing speech call on hold and using a bearer associated with said ongoing speech call to handle said call request;
- and
- otherwise, if the call request is not for a speech call or if another speech call is not ongoing, request a bearer to support said user's call request.
A method for processing a user's call request when a bearer is not available for said user's equipment comprising the steps of:
- determining if a speech call is ongoing to said user's equipment;
- if so, placing said ongoing speech call on hold and allocating a bearer associated with said ongoing speech call to support said user's call request;
- and
- otherwise, is a speech call is not ongoing, denying said user's call request.
A mobile switching center usable in radiocommunication systems comprising:
- a storage unit for storing a maximum number of bearers which can be used to support communications with a user equipment;
- a counter to count a number of bearers currently being used to support communications with said user equipment;
- and
- a control unit, connected to said storage unit and to said counter, to process an incoming call for said user equipment based on values stored in said storage unit and said counter.
A method for processing an incoming call directed to user equipment for which an unused bearer is available in a radiocommunication system comprising the steps of:
- determining if said incoming call is a speech call;
- if so, determining if another speech call is ongoing using another radio bearer;
- if so, determining if said user equipment has subscribed to a call waiting feature;
- and
- if so, invoking call hold for said ongoing call and using said another radio bearer to set up said incoming call.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.