Multiplex communications – Special services – Conferencing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-29
2002-05-21
Olms, Douglas (Department: 2661)
Multiplex communications
Special services
Conferencing
C370S265000, C455S416000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06392999
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application relates to our previous application Ser. No. 09/371,385, filed on Aug. 10, 1999, and entitled METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING MOBILE WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS ROUTED ACROSS PLURAL INTERCONNECTED NETWORKS (the '385 application), the contents of which are fully incorporated herein by this reference.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the integration of voice-oriented wireless communication networks (e.g., cellular telephone systems) and data-oriented networks (e.g., Internet Protocol (IP) and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) networks). More particularly, the invention concerns the use of a data-oriented network to transport real-time communications from a first wireless communication device for information delivery to a second communication device within the context of a wireless-specific communication domain, wherein wireless-specific digital frames are transported from the first wireless communication device to and across the data-oriented network for information delivery to the second communication device in order to minimize vocoding-related traffic delays. Still more particularly, the invention is directed to a system and method for providing multi-party conferencing and tone/announcement generating functionality while nominally operating within a wireless-specific communication domain.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the '385 application referenced above, we disclosed a system and method for routing communication traffic between a first wireless communication device (e.g., a cellular telephone) and a second communication device (e.g., a cellular or wireline telephone) across a data-oriented network, such as an IP or ATM network. The first wireless communication device operates in a wireless network connected to the data-oriented network via an originating gateway. A terminating gateway provides access to the data-oriented network on behalf of the second communication device. In the disclosed system and method, the vocoding steps normally performed at the Base Station (BS)/Mobile Switching Center (MSC) in the wireless network, and at the originating gateway, are eliminated in order to improve call throughput efficiency and minimize transmission delays. Wireless-specific digital frames generated by vocoding circuitry in the first wireless communication device are transported as such through the BS/MSC, through the originating gateway, across the data-oriented network, and to the terminating gateway, without conversion. In this way, communication traffic originating at the first wireless communication device remains in the wireless-specific communication domain at least through the terminating gateway.
There are two considerations not discussed in the '385 application that arise when operating in a wireless-specific communication domain. The first relates to the issue of how to provide multi-party conferencing, and the second pertains to the question of how to provide tone and announcement generation functionality on behalf of (i.e., to and from) the first wireless communication device. Implementing these functions in a conventional telephone system carrying digital Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) traffic is done by combining PCM frames to provide conferencing and to generate and transport tones and announcements over the voice channel. This technique cannot be used when the traffic is carried as wireless-specific digital frames. Relative to conferencing, one cannot combine the wireless-specific digital frames in the same manner used to combine PCM traffic frames. Similar issues arise relative to tone and announcement generation and transport to and from the first wireless communication device. With respect to tones generated by the first wireless communication device, such as dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) patterns, the tones are encoded using wireless vocoders and transmitted in a low bit rate voice format to the vocoder at the terminating gateway. Because the tones sent in this lower bit rate format are not as accurately rendered as those sent as PCM traffic, their intended receivers (i.e., voice mail systems, automated menus, etc.) may not recognize them reliably. With respect to tones and announcements played to the first wireless communication device to implement such features as call waiting, voice mail notification, limited service area, etc., the only available source of such audio information is a database of PCM encoded frames. These PCM frames cannot be inserted into a stream of wireless-specific digital frames when playback to the first wireless communication device is required.
Accordingly, there is a need in a communication system that includes a wireless network and a data-oriented network operating in a wireless-specific communication domain, for a system and method for implementing conferencing and tone/announcement generating functionality. What is required is a system and method that allows communication to occur substantially in the wireless-specific domain while providing the ability to implement multi-party conferences and to generate tones and announcements and transmit them to and from a wireless communication device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A solution to the foregoing problem and an advance in the art is provided by a novel system and method for implementing conferencing and tone/announcement generation functionality in a communication system that includes a wireless network and a data-oriented network operating in a wireless-specific communication domain. In this wireless-specific communication domain, wireless-specific digital frames are generated by a first wireless communication device operating in the wireless network and carried across the data-oriented network, without vocoding, for information delivery to a second communication device.
The tone generation and announcement functions of the inventive system and method are provided while retaining the wireless-specific digital frame format for traffic carried over the wireless network and the data-oriented network. The tones and announcements include tones generated by the first wireless communication device and tones and announcements delivered to the first wireless communication device. For tones generated by the first wireless communication device, signaling messages are sent directly to the terminating gateway vocoder for generation of full rate DTMF tones at the terminating network. For tones and announcements to be sent to the first wireless communication device, a wireless-encoded version of each tone and announcement is generated by a resource server that works in conjunction with a feature server, both of which are local to the wireless network. The wireless-encoded version of the tone or announcement is sent to the first wireless communication device where a corresponding audible tone or announcement is produced.
In accordance with the conferencing functions of the inventive system and method, before a composite traffic stream for conferencing can be implemented, a call using wireless-specific digital frame traffic is established between the first wireless communication device in the wireless network and the second communication device, which is assumed to be located in a first terminating network connected to the data-oriented network via a terminating gateway. A second call from the first wireless communication device to a third communication device in a second terminating network (also connected to the data-oriented network) is established using digital wireline (e.g., PCM) traffic. The second and third communication devices may be served by the same or different terminating networks (i.e., the first and second terminating networks may be the same or different). Vocoding is performed relative to the first call to convert the traffic into the same digital wireline format (e.g., PCM) used by the second call. The conference call is then implemented by combining the two calls in the conference circuit l
Liu Chung-Zin
Strom Kenneth Wayne
Duft Walter W.
Lucent Technologies - Inc.
Olms Douglas
Pizarro Ricardo M
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