Multiplex communications – Communication over free space – Having a plurality of contiguous regions served by...
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-23
2001-04-24
Kizou, Hassan (Department: 2662)
Multiplex communications
Communication over free space
Having a plurality of contiguous regions served by...
C370S354000, C379S088170, C455S426100, C455S553100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06222829
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains in general to routing of voice and data traffic in a mobile radio network and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for routing voice telephone calls received by a mobile radio network to a destination mobile station via an Internet Protocol communication network on a data packet channel.
2. Description of the Related Art
In addition to voice communication, mobile radio networks are increasingly supporting packet data services. Frequently, packet data services are used to connect digital terminal equipment, such as a personal computer communicating through a mobile station operating in the mobile radio network, to an Internet Protocol (IP) communication network such as, for example, an Internet or an Intranet. While voice communication is typically carried across the mobile radio network using circuit-switched communications on a traffic channel, data packets associated with the packet data service are carried across the mobile radio network using packet-switched communications on a packet channel. For example, data packets can be carried on the packet channel using a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
In certain situations, a mobile station is unable to support a voice connection using circuit-switched communications on the traffic channel. For example, the mobile station may be equipped to operate only in a packet mode using packet-switched communications on the packet channel, with no capability to communicate in a voice mode using circuit-switched communications on the traffic channel. In another example, the mobile station may be operating in the packet mode with the digital terminal equipment connected to the Internet/Intranet on the packet channel at the time when a voice connection to the mobile station is being attempted. In this situation, unless the mobile station is equipped to operate simultaneously in both the packet mode and voice mode, the mobile station needs to release the connection on the packet channel and register on the traffic channel in order to communicate in the voice mode. In yet another example, all traffic channels available for voice communication with the mobile station may be in use and are, therefore, unavailable. In these and other similar situations, the mobile radio network is unable to provide voice communication with the mobile station.
It would be advantageous, therefore, to devise a method and apparatus for providing voice communication between a mobile station operating in a packet mode and a mobile radio network on a communication path other than a voice traffic channel. It would also be advantageous if such a method and apparatus routed the voice communication on a communication network other than the mobile radio network.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for effectuating voice communication between a mobile station and a mobile radio network. A gateway server to the mobile radio network receives an incoming voice call for a destination mobile station and accesses information pertaining the status and location of the destination mobile station. A determination is made as to whether the destination mobile station is capable of operation in a voice mode using circuit-switched communications across a traffic channel. If the destination mobile station is capable of operation in voice mode, a circuit-switched communication on a traffic channel is established between the mobile radio network and the destination mobile station. Otherwise, if the destination mobile station is not capable of operation in the voice mode and capable of supporting a packet switched communication on a packet channel, the incoming voice call is routed to a voice gateway server which converts the voice call to data packets, and routes the data packets to the mobile station across an IP communication network to a packet gateway server of the mobile radio network. The packet gateway server routes the call via a packet data channel of the mobile radio network to the destination mobile station using a packet data service.
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Andersson Dick
Karlsson Torgny
Jenkens & Gilchrist a Professional Corporation
Kizou Hassan
Pezzlo John
Telefonaktieblaget L M Ericsson
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