Context redundancy system on a wireless and packet-based...

Details Context redundancy system on a wireless and packet-based... Context redundancy system on a wireless and packet-based...

2000-12-15

2004-06-15

Beausoliel, Robert (Department: 2113)

Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery

Data processing system error or fault handling

Reliability and availability

C455S445000, C370S242000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06751748

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
A redundancy system in the interface between a wireless and packet-based telecommunications network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A typical cellular communication system is comprised of multiple cell sites covering an intended geographic region. Referring to
FIG. 1
, a wireless telecommunications system
15
communicates with a mobile unit, or Mobile Node MN
1
65
, via wireless communications signal
60
. The cellular communications to MN
1
65
are supported by at least one antenna
7
, a transceiver X
AN
9
, and a base station transceiver substation
45
(“BTS”).
The transceiver X
AN
9
is coupled to the BTS
45
via signal line
10
, and the transceiver X
AN
9
is coupled to antenna
7
via signal line
8
. Radio signal
60
represents the wireless signal transmitted from antenna
7
to Mobile Node MN
1
65
. The Mobile Node MN
1
65
supports the voice and data communication from a subscriber, mobile unit user, or a mobile node in a particular cell cite service area.
The BTS
45
, sometimes called the base station, provides wireless communications coverage within a cell site service area by performing base station processing to support the common air interface transmission to the Mobile Node MN
1
65
. Mobile Nodes MN
1
65
in the cell site area communicate through the antenna
7
and transceiver
9
combination thereby supporting the radio communication to the BTS.
Looking at
FIG. 1
, the BTS
45
is coupled to the GPRS network
40
via signal line
43
. The GPRS network
40
also includes a Serving GPRS Support Node SN
1
59
and is coupled to the remainder of the GPRS network
40
via signal line
57
. The GPRS network
40
also includes other Support Nodes SN
n
55
, which are coupled to the remainder of the GPRS network
40
via signal line
45
. Support node SN
1
59
is coupled to a Gateway GPRS Support Node GN
1
72
via signal lines
60
and
61
, respectively. Gateway Node GN
1
72
is also part of the GPRS network
40
and is coupled to a Packet-Based Network
80
via signal line
74
. The Patent-Based Network
80
can include the Internet or any other type of IP packet-based system. Further, the Packet-Based Network
80
can also include an interface to non-packet-based networks such as the Public Switchboard Telephone Network. In
FIG. 1
, GN
72
is the interface between the wireless telecommunications network
15
and the Packet-Based Network
80
.
A more detailed view of various telecommunications networks can be seen in FIG.
2
A.
FIG. 2A
shows a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) wireless telecommunications network comprising a GPRS
1
network
140
coupled to a first Radio Access Network RAN
1
130
via communication line
135
. The RAN,
130
is coupled to transceiver X
AN1
120
via communication line
125
. The transceiver X
AN1
120
communicates with a first Mobile Node MN
1
110
via wireless communications signals
115
.
The GPRS
1
network
140
comprises an Home Location Register Support Node (HLR)
144
coupled to the Servicing GPRS Support Node (SGSN)
142
via signal line
152
. The GPRS
1
network
140
also comprises a Call Server Node (CSCF)
146
coupled to an Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN)
148
via signal line
160
. The GGSN
148
is coupled to the SGSN
142
via signal line
150
, and the CSCF
146
is coupled to the HLR
148
via signal line
152
. A network interface G
n
150
is located on signal line
151
between the GGSN
148
and the SGSN
142
.
The GPRS
1
network
140
is coupled to an Internet Protocol/Multimedia (IP/MM) network
200
via signal line
165
. An external interface G
i
161
is located on signal line
161
between the GGSN
148
and the IP/MM
200
. The GPRS, network
140
is also coupled to a Media Gateway MGW
180
via signal line
170
. An external interface G
i
171
is located on signal line
170
between the GGSN
148
and the MGW
180
. The MGW
180
includes a Media Gateway Control Function (MGCF) Node
185
coupled to signal line
170
via signal line
190
. The MGW
180
is coupled to a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)
210
via a signal line
178
. A PSTN telecommunications device
212
is located on the PSTN network
210
, and the PSTN device
212
is coupled to the MGW
180
via signal line
178
.
A second GPRS
2
network
235
is located on the Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN)
225
. The PLMN
225
is coupled to the GPRS
1
network
140
via signal line
220
. The GPRS
2
network
235
includes a second Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN
2
)
230
, as well as a second HLR
2
232
, SGSN
2
233
, and CSCF
2
234
. These elements in the GPRS
2
network are coupled to each other via signal lines
237
as shown in FIG.
2
. The GPRS
2
network
235
in the PLMN
225
is coupled to a second radio access network (RAN
2
) via signal line
240
. The RAN
2
245
is coupled to a transceiver X
AN2
255
via signal line
250
, and the X
AN2
255
communicates with a second Mobile Node MN
2
270
via wireless communication signals
260
.
While represented in greater detail, the interface components between the wireless network and the packet-based network in
FIG. 2
include the network interface G
n
151
, the GGSN
148
and the external interface G
i
161
or G
i
171
. These interface components cooperatively translate communications in the wireless communications format (e.g. GPRS format) to the packet-based communications format, and vice versa.
Telecommunication networks can be complex networks that establish and maintain connections between two or more telecommunication devices. Because wireless communications transmitted on the wireless network are substantially different than the packet-based communications on the Packet-Based Network
80
shown in
FIG. 1
, an interface between these different systems plays a very important role in the effective performance of the system. During the transmission of communications on these systems, the user establishes context information (e.g. PDP Context Information) with various support nodes on the system. The GGSN
148
will assist the network in locating a system user and their network association. The context information on the system can include state information, identification information, and address information for a particular user during a communications session. The addressing and context information will support the transmission of information by providing necessary context information on routing and addressing. The GGSN will modify message formats and re-configure the communication signals based, in part, on this context information. If a nodal failure occurs at GGSN
148
or another support node, the context information will be lost without an effective redundancy scheme.
One redundancy scheme for a GGSN interface available in the prior art includes the system shown in FIG.
2
B. In this system, signal line
295
is coupled to Router,
300
, which in turn is coupled GGSN
1
315
and its redundant GGSN
1
′
345
via signal lines
310
and
335
, respectively. The GGSN
1
315
and its redundant GGSN
1
′
345
are coupled to Router
2
355
via signal lines
320
and
350
, respectively. Router
2
355
is coupled to signal line
360
. Signal lines
295
and
360
transmit and receive communication signals on the Router
1
300
and Router
2
355
.
Each router will use GGSN
1
315
as its main GGSN unless, or until, there is a support node malfunction, nodal failure, or shut-down of this support node. During normal operations, the GGSN
1
315
will retain the context information for communications transmitted through the interface shown in FIG.
2
B. The GGSN
1
315
will automatically place a back-up of all context information it receives to the redundant GGSN
1
′
345
upon the receipt of each communication. The automatic, and constant, back-up filing in the redundant GGSN
1
′
345
occupies a significant amount of computing capacity of the support node GGSN
1
315
. If the computing capacity associated with filing back-up information could be used in connection with operational ta

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