Nortel Networks Corporation

Northern Telecom Limited

Donald V Hanley

Paul S Meche

Rajesh B Amin

John Allahyari

Stewart Hodde Maxwell

Robert E Denman

Paul Boudreaux

Glenn C Morrow

Jerry Joe Parker

Don L Jackson

Michael John McCarthy

Mike Hall

Eugenie M Chaplain

Larry D Chrisman

Provided are a system and method for service session management in an IP centric network. In one example, the method includes accessing a network to establish a point of presence through an access interface layer at an access management layer and a core portion of the network and designating a default amount of bandwidth and a plurality of default setup parameters. Service is invoked through an allied application server on the network to establish an amount of network resources requested by a user. The allied application server manages any changes requested by the user to the quality of service parameters and bandwidth amount through the core network. A transport session is established to create and manage a connection from the user to a destination address.

System and method for service session management in an IP centric distributed network

A method and system to for a communications network architecture for an Internet Protocol centric wireless network for a first user to communicate to a destination, the architecture comprising: a network service function layer within the wireless network. The network service function layer can include: a policy management server; an authorization server; a service accounting server; an authentication, authorization and accounting server; an unified directory within a directory server; a security gateway; and a mobility manager. The architecture also includes a local service function layer associated with the network service function layer. The local service function layer can include: an access accounting server; an authentication, authorization and accounting server; a security gateway; a policy enforcement server; a mobility manager; a network management server; and a wireless gateway. The architecture also includes an access management layer associated with the local service function layer. The access management layer can include: a location tracking server; a connection management server; a protocol server; an access management server; a policy enforcement server; a network management server; and a resource management server. The architecture also includes an access interface layer associated with the access management layer. The access interface layer can include: a channel management server; a policy enforcement server; an administration and maintenance server; and a radio frequency server.

Architecture for an IP centric distributed network

An improved method and system for providing packet-switched management of switching and handoff functions for a mobile terminal during call setup and user communication phases of a telecommunication session. A radio access network (RAN) including an air-interface base station in communication with the mobile terminal is in communicative contact with a packet-switched core network comprised of a plurality nodes which provide functionality that is equivalent to that of a network of Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs) and Visitor Location Registers (VLRs). A packet-switching backbone network provides communication transport facilities within the core network. Within the core network is a wireless access gateway (WAG) having media channels that provide an interface between the RAN and the core network. An Anchor Packet Gateway (APG) extends the bearer path from the WAG, and hides mobility between WAGs during the user communication phase. A wireless mobility server (WMS) in communicative contact with the WAG and APG serves as a media gateway controller for the WAG and APG, controlling connectivity of the media channels within the WAG and APG. A PSTN Trunking Media Gateway (PTMG) provides connectivity between the core network and the PSTN. A Call Server (CS) in communicative contact with the PTMG and WMS serves as a media gateway controller for the PTMG and WMS, where the WMS presents the appearance of a media gateway to the CS, but in fact functions as a media gateway controller for the WAG and APG. The CS and WMS together present the appearance of a single MSC/VLR to the public cellular or PCS network.

System and method for providing packet-switched telephony

The present invention is a centralized RF management system that controls RF channels in a cellular network. An RF management system is provided that combines multiple parameters in a way to improve the overall quality of service offered to mobile subscribers, while at the same time greatly simplifying the operator's RF engineering activities. The present invention is based on a &ldquo;Quality Map&rdquo; or Q-Map of the system. The Q-Map identifies, for a particular mobile at a particular point in time, the estimated quality of service the mobile would receive on each available RF channel in each available mode (i.e. analog, digital) at each available power level. The Q-map is created and updated based on information available from the cellular system, including signal strength measurements, interference, call activity and so on. In addition, each mobile is assigned a quality value (Q-value) that reflects it current quality of service. When a mobile unit's Q-value falls below an operator defined threshold (Q-min), the mobile unit's current Q-map is searched for the highest channel/mode/power level combination. If that Q-map value is greater than the mobile units current Q-value, then the unit is instructed to take the appropriate action (handoff, change mode, change power level, or a combination of these), resulting in an improved quality of service for the mobile.

Cellular network having improved method for managing RF channels

The Mobility Node (101) of the present invention maps signals, dialed digits, or other information from the mobile (140-142) to the appropriate protocols of the local exchange carrier's (LEC) Class 5 switch (120-123) and vice versa. If the signal does not have an LEC or base station equivalent, the Mobility Node (101) performs the appropriate processing. Multiple Mobility Nodes (101) are connected by a predetermined protocol link to enable inter-system communication.

Wireless access for local exchange carriers

A cellular communication system and method providing improved handoff capability which reduces muting during handoffs. During handoffs, the system simultaneously monitors received signals from both the serving cellsite on a first channel and the target cellsite on a second channel and outputs the received signal containing an information signal. Additionally, the system simultaneously transmits an information signal to a mobile unit via the serving cellsite on a first channel and via the target cellsite on a second channel.

Cellular communication system and method providing improved handoff

A cellular communication system and method where a mobile user communicates coded information signals on a radio channel via a cellsite and a cellsite controller to a switching network. The switching network switches the signal to a transcoder which converts the coded signal to an uncoded signal. The uncoded signal is communicated to another user, and may be maintained and remain untouched and uninterrupted during handoffs.

System and method for providing cellular communication services using a

A mobile-assisted handoff technique for a cellular mobile communications system. A mobile makes measurements of adjacent base stations and reports the measurements to the serving base station. The measurements are adjusted to predict signal measurements that the adjacent base stations would make of the mobile. A full set of adjusted measurements, or a combined set of adjusted measurements and true measurements, made by those base stations with locate receivers, may be used in determining the best cell to hand-off the mobile to.

Mobile-assisted handoff technique

An improved method of initiating handoffs between sectors so as to reduce sectored voice channel interference is disclosed. The sectors that are adjacent and to the rear of the sector that is serving the mobile unit are scanned for signal quality. A handoff request message is sent to the cell controller if the signal quality detected by any of the scanned sectors is better than the signal quality read at the sector serving the mobile unit. When the handoff request message is received at the cell controller, a voice channel is allocated to the cell and sector associated with the scanned sector specified as having the better signal. A handoff process from the voice channel currently serving the mobile unit to the newly allocated voice channel in the specified sector, is then initiated.

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McKinney, TX, United States of America

Donald V Hanley