Individual Codec Pathway Impairment Indicator for use in a Communication System

Abstract

A system and method are described for controlling the setup of a connection in a communication network that includes a set of nodes, such as Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs) and Media Gateways (MGWs). In one example, a speech connection is established between MGWs subject to the control of the MSCs, which can selectively activate or deactivate codecs along the connection. The codecs are selected from a list of supported codecs, each potentially affecting connection quality by differing amounts. A Total Accumulated Impairment (TAI) element is forwarded between the MSCs and step by step updated by these MSCs that includes individual partially accumulated impairment values corresponding to each of the supported codec candidates. Each individual indicator value provides information representative of the expected accumulated impairment along a candidate connection path leading up to, and including, the corresponding codec. By providing information pertaining to the expected accumulated impairment along each candidate connection path, the MSCs can determine an optimum sequence of codecs so as to minimize the overall connection impairment.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.