US 8,804,486 B2 · Base stations routing traffic over a packet backhaul network to multiple routing elements

Abstract

System, methods, and networks are disclosed that allow base station systems of a wireless communication network to transmit outgoing traffic over a packet backhaul network to multiple routing elements on the MSC side of the network. A base station system described herein identifies a primary routing element and a backup routing element. The primary routing element is the device to which the base station system transmits outgoing traffic under normal operation, and the backup routing element is an alternate to the primary routing element. To transmit traffic over the packet backhaul network, the base station system monitors the availability of the primary routing element. If the primary routing element is available, then the base station system transmits outgoing traffic over the packet backhaul network to the primary routing element. If unavailable, then the base station system transmits outgoing traffic over the packet backhaul network to the backup routing element.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of operating a base station system of a wireless communication network to transmit traffic over a packet backhaul network to a Mobile Switching Center (MSC), the method comprising:

identifying a primary network address for a primary routing element that terminates a first virtual connection from the base station system at the MSC over the packet backhaul network;
identifying a backup network address for a backup routing element that terminates a second virtual connection from the base station system at the MSC over the packet backhaul network;
using heartbeat messages to monitor the availability of the primary routing element for handling traffic between the base station system and the MSC;
transmitting outgoing traffic over the packet backhaul network to the primary routing element based on the primary network address responsive to the primary routing element being available;
and
transmitting outgoing traffic over the packet backhaul network to the backup routing element based on the backup network address responsive to the primary routing element being unavailable.

3 more elements

A base station system, comprising:

an interface adapted to communicate with a primary routing element that terminates a first virtual connection at a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) over a packet backhaul network and to communicate with a backup routing element that terminates a second virtual connection at the MSC over a packet backhaul network;
and
a processing system adapted to identify a primary network address for the primary routing element, to identify a backup network address for the backup routing element, to use heartbeat messages to monitor the availability of the primary routing element for handling traffic between the base station system and the MSC, to transmit outgoing traffic through the interface over the packet backhaul network to the primary routing element based on the primary network address responsive to a determination that the primary routing element is available, and to transmit outgoing traffic through the interface over the packet backhaul network to the backup routing element based on the backup network address responsive to a determination that the primary routing element is unavailable.

A communication network, comprising:

a base station system;
a packet backhaul network coupled to the base station system;
and
a plurality of routing elements coupled to the packet backhaul network and a mobile switching center (MSC), wherein each of the routing elements terminates a virtual connection from the base station system at the MSC;
the base station system adapted to use heartbeat messages for monitoring monitor the availability of a first one of the routing elements to receive outgoing traffic from the base station system to the MSC over the packet backhaul network, to transmit the outgoing traffic over the packet backhaul network to the first one of the routing elements responsive to the first one of the routing elements being available, and to transmit the outgoing traffic over the packet backhaul network to a second one of the routing elements responsive to the first one of the routing elements being unavailable.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Base stations routing traffic over a packet backhaul network to multiple routing elements

Life of this patent

Base stations routing traffic over a packet backhaul network to multiple routing elements

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20