Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W76/00—Connection management
  • H04W76/10—Connection setup
  • H04W76/12—Setup of transport tunnels
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
  • H04L12/02—Details
  • H04L12/14—Charging, metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
  • H04L12/02—Details
  • H04L12/14—Charging, metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
  • H04L12/1403—Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L65/00—Network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communication
  • H04L65/10—Architectures or entities
  • H04L65/1016—IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]

Definitions

• the invention relates to transmitting multimedia traffic in a telecommunications system and especially in a telecommunications system that comprises a packet-switched access network for providing a connection for at least one terminal to one or more packet-switched data networks through one or more access points of the access network.
• IMS IP Multimedia Subsystem
• GPRS General Packet Radio Service
• UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
• IP Internet Protocol
• IMS is also known as All IP.
• 3GPP 3 rd Generation Partnership Project
• IMS is independent per se of the used access network technology, so it can also be applied to WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) or 2.5G mobile systems, for example.
• IMS traffic is divided into signalling and actual user. traffic.
• the user has only paid for the services that s/he has initiated or received (in other words, user traffic).
• user traffic In GPRS network visitation, the end user pays for both the transmitted and received data.
• GPRS network components e.g. the serving GPRS support node SGSN
• all IMS traffic is user data.
• a serving GPRS support node SGSN according to the specification 3GPP release 99 cannot distinguish between IMS signalling and IMS user data, which means that it is not necessarily possible to separate signalling and user data in billing.
• IMS components can distinguish between signalling and user data traffic, and this information can be transmitted to the gateway GPRS support node GGSN.
• GGSN remains in the home network, and the visited network cannot separate IMS signalling and IMS user data.
• the invention is based on defining in advance at least one access point name for use in generating a PDP context for multimedia signalling traffic transmission and/or at least one access point name for use in generating a PDP context for multimedia user data traffic transmission, and when generating a PDP context for multimedia signalling traffic or multimedia user data traffic transmission, the name of the access point is selected from the predefined access point names depending on whether the multimedia traffic to be transmitted is signalling or user data, if at least one access point name is defined for use for the multimedia traffic type in question.
• the method and system of the invention provide the advantage that the traffic type transmitted within the PDP context, i.e. whether the transmitted multimedia traffic is signalling or user data, can be identified during billing, for example, on the basis of the access point name associated with the PDP context.
• FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a telecommunications system, to which the invention can be applied.
• the invention can be applied to different telecommunications systems. These systems comprise third-generation mobile systems, such as UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System).
• UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
• 3GPP IMS IP Multimedia Subsystem
• FIG. 1 shows an example of the network architecture of the UMTS system and the IM subsystem attached thereto. It should be noted that for the sake of clarity, the figure only shows the components that are essential for the invention.
• the system comprises a radio access network RAN that provides wireless access for terminals UE (user equipment), such as mobile stations.
• the radio access network RAN comprises (not shown in the figure) base stations BS under the control of radio network controllers RNC.
• the example of Figure 1 further comprises a packet-switched access network that comprises a serving GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) support node SGSN and gateway GPRS support node GGSN, home subscriber server HSS, call session control function CSCF, and domain name system DNS.
• GPRS General Packet Radio Service
• a core network such as an IP/ATM (Internet Protocol / Asynchronous Transfer Mode) network, typically connects the support nodes SGSN and GGSN to each other.
• the shown support nodes SGSN and GGSN may belong to the network of the same operator or the packet-switched access network of the figure may be formed of the subnetworks of different operators, in which case, when the terminal UE visits the network of a foreign operator, SGSN is in the visited network and GGSN in turn in the home network of the terminal UE. If SGSN and GGSN reside in the networks of different operators, there may be other network elements between them, which are, however, not shown in the figure for the sake of clarity.
• the serving GPRS support node SGSN is a node that serves the terminal UE in its area. In a cellular packet radio network, each support node SGSN provides a packet data service within its service area for terminals UE in the area of one or more cells.
• the gateway GPRS support node GGSN connects the GPRS network of the operator with external packet-switched data networks PSDN, such as IP networks.
• PSDN packet-switched data network
• packet-switched data network should, in this context, be understood broadly, and it may refer to an Internet, intranet, WAP, or multimedia IP system, or merely to a single server element, or the like, directly connected to the gateway support node.
• GGSN serves as a router between an external address and internal routing data (e.g.
• Packet-switched access networks of other type can comprise other network elements.
• the packet-switched access network can be connected to external networks, such as IP networks and PSTN/ISDN networks, as shown in the figure.
• a gateway unit GW is used in the interworking of the IP access network and conventional circuit-switched networks, such as PSTN. It serves as a gateway for both media (user data) and signalling (transfer of signalling).
• the home subscriber server HSS logically corresponds to the home location register of the GSM system, where the subscriber information of each subscriber is stored permanently or semi-permanently in such a manner that the subscriber information is associated with a subscriber identifier, which in the GSM system is IMSI.
• the controlling element CSCF controls the setting up of calls and is responsible for routing calls and comprises, among other things, a function that corresponds to the switching function in an intelligent network.
• CSCF provides IP call services with end-to-end control. Signalling related to IP call traffic, such as H.323 and SIP (Session Initiation Protocol), terminates at the terminal and CSCF.
• the Session Initiation Protocol developed by IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) is an application-layer control (signalling) protocol for generating, changing, and ending sessions with one or more participants. These sessions comprise Internet multimedia conferences, Internet call connections, and multimedia distribution.
• the H.323 standard provides a base for audio, video and data connections in IP-based networks, including the Internet.
• the H.323 is a recommendation of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).
• ITU International Telecommunications Union
• CSCF is a network node, to which IP call traffic terminal registers and through which signalling is transferred.
• CSCF comprises call state models for IP call traffic that are used in controlling call set-up with other network nodes.
• CSCF can also communicate with IP call traffic application servers (not shown in the figure).
• CSCF comprises a subscriber database that logically corresponds to the visitor location register of the GSM system. CSCF is responsible for generating both call traffic billing information and service billing information. It should be noted that the location of the state control function CSCF could vary in the system; CSCF may be a separate element or reside in the terminal UE, for instance. In this application, the term 'controlling element' refers generally to the element or entity controlling a call, while CSCF is only one example of such an element.
• the GPRS interface of the packet- switched access network comprises one or more individual packet data protocols, i.e. PDP (Packet Data Protocol) contexts, that identify the packet data address that UE can use for transmitting and receiving data packets when the PDP context is active.
• PDP Packet Data Protocol
• the PDP context can, thus, be seen as a connection.
• One multimedia connection can comprise two or more PDP contexts in such a manner, for example, that one PDP context is for signalling and one PDP context is for user data.
• the PDP context defines various data transfer parameters, such as PDP type (e.g. X.25 or IP), PDP address (e.g.
• APN in particular is a logical name that in accordance with the DNS naming conventions identifies the actual access point; in the GPRS system, for instance, APN is a reference to the used gateway GPRS support node GGSN and to an external data network PSDN connected to it. APN indicates to the serving GPRS support node SGSN the name of the used gateway GPRS support node GGSN. APN indicates to the gateway GPRS support node GGSN the external data network PSDN, with which a connections is to be established. APN has two parts: an APN network identifier and an APN operator identifier.
• the APN network identifier is compulsory and identifies the external data network PSDN, with which a connection is to be established.
• the APN operator identifier which is optional, indicates the network to be used during a network visit.
• the terminal UE can indicate the desired access point name to the support node SGSN, which then, assisted by the domain name system DNS, interprets the name and the actual access point associated with it, and starts to generate the PDP context with the selected access point (GGSN).
• IP call traffic is in- visible to the elements of the packet-switched access network.
• IP call traffic is just a PDP context with certain service quality requirements. The signalling associated with IP call traffic terminates at the terminal UE and CSCF, so SGSN or GGSN need not understand it.
• IP multimedia traffic or IP call traffic is a general term covering services from a standard VoIP (Voice over IP) to multimedia applications that use IP data, audio and video in IP call traffic.
• VoIP Voice over IP
• the system described above can also support other applications, such as access to the Internet or intranet.
• an IP call refers to a call that utilizes IP-based user data flow and signalling.
• the user data may comprise several different components, such as audio, video, and data.
• IP call traffic may comprise call-like services that may for instance be unidirectional, directed to a group (or groups) and broadcast in a certain area.
• WAP Wireless Application Protocol
• At least one access point name is defined in advance for multimedia signalling traffic for use in generating a PDP context for the transfer of multimedia signalling traffic and/or at least one access point name for multimedia user data traffic for use in generating a PDP context for the transfer of multimedia user data traffic.
• the access point name can be defined to explicitly or implicitly indicate the type of traffic it is reserved for without this being significant with respect to the basic idea of the invention. Examples of suitable APNs are 'IMS signalling' and 'IMS data'.
• the access point name is a logical reference to the actual access point (e.g. GGSN) and an external data network PSDN, it is possible that the access point names reserved for generating a PDP context for the transfer of multimedia signalling traffic and/or multimedia user data traffic refer to the same physical access point and external data network, even though the actual access point names differ from each other.
• Information on the predefined access point names should preferably be delivered to all the network elements of the telecommunications system that possibly need the information, for instance to the terminal UE and support nodes SGSN and GGSN of the system.
• the system administrator of one or more network operators or other systems, for instance, can predefine the names. How the access point names are predefined and who does it is, however, not significant for the basic idea of the invention.
• the access point name is selected on the basis of whether the multimedia traffic is signalling or user data by selecting as the access point name one of the access point names predefined for the multimedia traffic type in question, if at least one access point name has been predefined for said multimedia traffic type.
• an access point name predefined for the transfer of multimedia signalling traffic is selected as the access point name to be used (if at least one such name is predefined) and/or when generating a PDP context for the transfer of multimedia user data traffic, an access point name predefined for the transfer of multimedia user data traffic is selected as the access point name to be used (if at least one such name is predefined). It is possible to predefine one or more access point names for signalling traffic only or for user data traffic only. In such a case, an access point name can be selected on other grounds for traffic for which no predefined access point name to be used exists; for instance, it is possible to use a default name of the system.
• the access point name is selected in the terminal UE, and the selected access point name is preferably transmitted from the terminal UE to the packet- switched access network when generating the PDP context. Preferably, this takes place in the Access Point Name field of the Activate PDP Context Request message that is transmitted from the terminal UE to the serving GPRS support node SGSN.
• the terminal UE is preferably arranged to select the access point name on the basis of whether the multimedia traffic to be transferred is signalling or user data, when it generates the PDP context with the packet-switched access network, and to transmit the selected access point name to the packet-switched access network.
• the terminal UE preferably comprises information on at least one predefined access point name for use in PDP context generation for multimedia signalling traffic only and/or on at least one predefined access point name for use in PDP context generation for multimedia user data traffic only. It is also possible that another network element selects the access point name.
• the name of the access point used for multimedia traffic is stored in a charging record generated for traffic billing.
• the charging record i.e. CDR
• CDR is generated from the PDP context in the serving GPRS support node SGSN, for instance, and it contains all the necessary information on traffic within the PDP context for billing, with the exception of the actual price information which is typically generated in a later process.
• the access point name APN is stored in charging records CDR, so for this part the invention does not necessarily require changes to the existing systems.
• the support node SGSN or another network element in a network of a foreign operator can identify whether the charging record is associated with a PDP context generated for the transfer of signalling or user data traffic.
• the charging records that contain the access point name defined for use in generating a PDP context for the transfer of multimedia signalling traffic only are rejected in the later charging record CDR processing, in which the actual billing information is generated for billing the subscriber.
• This later charging record processing is typically done for each operator in the operator's billing centre or post-processing system (not shown in the figure), and the resulting invoice is delivered to the home system of the subscriber that used the services.
• the billing system preferably also comprises information on the predefined access point names.

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• Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)

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• 2003
  • 2003-01-22 FI FI20030100A patent/FI115688B/fi not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2004
  • 2004-01-20 WO PCT/FI2004/000026 patent/WO2004066659A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2004-01-20 EP EP04703408A patent/EP1590981A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 2005
  • 2005-08-18 NO NO20053865A patent/NO20053865D0/no not_active Application Discontinuation

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