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AssigneeTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
InventorsLeslie Graf, Phil Hodges, Mark Hollis
Estimating the term…
In a method for the control of a connection in a communication network comprising a plurality of nodes (MSC, TSN, MG), a connection (CO) is established stepwise between nodes (MSC, TSN, MG). At least two of the nodes (MSC, TSN, MG) are adapted to insert an entity into the connection (CO), the entity affecting the connection quality, or to remove an entity affecting the connection quality from the connection. An indicator is forwarded between nodes controlling the connection (CO) wherein the indicator indicates whether the connection (CO) comprises an entity affecting the connection quality. A node which decides to insert an entity into the connection or remove an entity adjusts the indicator accordingly before forwarding it to a further node (MSC, TNS, MSC′) controlling the connection (CO). A node (MSC, TSN, MSC′) controlling the connection (CO) checks the value of the indicator when it performs a decision to insert or remove an entity. Nodes and program units for performing the method are also described.
Method for the control of a connection in a communication network comprising a plurality of nodes (MSC, TSN, MG), wherein a connection (CO) is established stepwise between nodes (MSC, TSN, MG) and at least two of the nodes (MSC, TSN, MG) are adapted to insert an entity into the connection (CO), the entity affecting the connection quality, or to remove an entity affecting the connection quality from the connection, characterized in that
Method according to any preceding claim, wherein an entity is a transcoder (TR) or a conference device.
Method according to any preceding claim, wherein the communication network comprises control nodes (MSC, TSN) and payload nodes (MG) which are controlled by the control nodes (MSC, TSN), wherein the indicator is sent between control nodes (MSC, TSN) and the connection (CO) is established between payload nodes (MG).
Method according to any preceding claim, wherein the connection (CO) is a speech connection.
Method according to any preceding claim, wherein an entity is inserted or removed according to a modification message (MC).
Method according to any preceding claim, wherein the indicator is sent with an establishment message for the connection (CO) or a modification message (MC) or an acknowledgement (MCA, SC) of the modification message or of the establishment message.
Method according to any preceding claim, wherein a final value of the indicator after the establishment or modification of the connection (CO) is forwarded to nodes (MSC, TSN) in the connection which are adapted to insert or remove an entity.
Method according to any preceding claim, wherein a defined node (MSC) controlling the connection has a priority for selecting a modification.
Node for the control of a connection in a communication network comprising
Program unit on a data carrier or loadable into a network node, the program unit comprising code for performing the steps of receiving a control message (MC, MCA, SC) for a connection checking the received message (MC, MCA, SC) for an indicator which indicates whether an entity affecting the connection quality is present in the connection (CO),
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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Service support devices; Network management devices: transcoding devices; Rate adaptation devices
Arrangements providing connection between exchanges: provisions for signalling
Wireless communication networks
Selecting
Term end not estimated
The present invention relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 1. Devices and software programs embodying the invention are also described.
Communication networks consist of interconnected nodes and can be subdivided into core networks and access networks, the latter providing access to user equipment, for example a wireless access for mobile user equipment to a radio access network. Core networks interconnect access networks and further networks, e.g. other core networks or the Internet. In the UMTS architecture, an access network can be controlled by an RNC (radio network controller) which is connected to the core network and provides access to the core network, i.e. serves as access node.
For the transmission on a connection, speech is encoded according to a coding scheme, alternatively denoted as codec. A coding scheme can transport speech either in a compressed or in a non-compressed mode. In many networks, different coding schemes can be used and different nodes can have different capabilities for handling the coding schemes. Transcoders perform the transcoding and rate adaptations between different coding schemes. TFO (Tandem Free Operation) is a configuration of two transcoders with compatible coding schemes on the compressed voice sides at both ends of a connection, i.e. on the interface to the user equipment. In this case, the transcoding stages can be bypassed and the compressed voice coding used end to end in the connection.
FIG. 1 shows the establishment of a first connection in a communication network
FIG. 2 shows the establishment of a second connection in a communication network
FIG. 3 shows the establishment of a connection with a transcoder on the border between two core networks
In the following description, FIGS. 1 to 4 show different examples of connections. FIGS. 5 to 7 depict the influences of modifications on these connections without the proposed method while FIGS. 8 to 10 illustrate the influences of modifications performed using the proposed method. Corresponding reference signs relate to corresponding features in all figures.
FIG. 1 shows the establishment of a first connection in a communication network. The network comprises a user plane with payload nodes MG, e.g. media gateways, for the handling of the payload. At both ends, access nodes RAN provide connections to UMTS radio access networks which handle the wireless connections to user equipment. A control plane comprises control nodes, e.g. mobile services switching centers MSC and transit nodes TSN, which control the nodes MG handling the payload. It is possible that a control node controls several payload nodes or that a payload node is controlled by several control nodes simultaneously.
The connection establishment is initiated from an originating control node MSC, e.g. according to a call request received from user equipment via access node RAN. The connection is established stepwise using one or several messages sent between the control nodes controlling the nodes handling the payload in the next sections of the connection CO. The messages comprise a list CL of possible coding schemes for the connection which can be selected by the receiving node. A typical coding scheme list comprises for example the schemes AMR (Adaptive Multirate Coding), EFR (Enhanced Full Rate) and PCM which is also denoted G711. The receiving node returns an acknowledgement message SC with the selected coding scheme indicated in brackets. In the example, the AMR coding can be selected for the whole connection because all nodes are compatible with UMTS specifications.