GB2330038A - Eliminating FSK signalling in an integrated wireline-wireless system - Google Patents

Abstract

An integrated wireless wireline system (IWWS) architecture without the requirement for FSK signals processing in the wireless section comprising a mobility interface and a GR 303 signalling interface. Calling party identification data are communicated from the wireline section to the wireless section via the mobility interface, and call setup is performed between the two sections via the GR 303 interface. Further, calling part ID can be delivered to a called party in a call waiting situation.

Description

ELIMINATING FSK SIGNALLING IN AN INTEGRATED WIRELINE-WIRELESS SYSTEM BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION The present invention relates to wireless communications systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved integrated wireless-wireless system (IWWS) which eliminates the requirement of frequencyshift-key (FSK) signalling between the wireline and wireless sections.

Increasing demand for convenient and universally available wireless communication is driving the development of new networking techniques that accommodate mobile voice and data users who move through cities, broad geographic regions, and even between countries.

As used throughout this description, "wireless" refers to a broad class of communication systems and technologies utilising open air interfaces, as opposed to landline connected systems. Mobile telephone, cellular telephone, wireless local-loop, paging, and personal communication systems (PCS) are ready examples of wireless communication systems adaptable in the present invention. As used throughout this description, "wireline" refers to network elements normally associated with the public switched telephone network (PSTN), but may also include ISDN, public databases and similar services.

The term " communicat [ing] is used to reference a broad class of information exchange between network sections and elements. Communication may be made via hardware links and/or open-air links, and may involve complex, bi directional hand-shaking as is commonly understood in the telecommunications field. The term " call" is used to reference any party to party data transfer such as PCS, as well as traditional telephone calls.

Historically, the demand for wireless communication has consistently exceeded the capacity of available technology. Recent effects to expand wireless communication and to better import wireline features and performance into wireless communication has resulted in dramatic changes to network architecture. An IWWS has been proposed in US Application No. 08/942,895, filed October 2, 1997 (Attorney Docket No. STA.001), which is incorporated herein by reference.

The IWWS provides an architecture which does not require a Mobile Switching Centre (MSC), but which effectively uses existing wireline switching equipment and capabilities to provide integrated wireless/wireline services to users. The resulting "meld" of wireless communication system components with wireline network components offers many commercial and technical advantages to service providers. For example, the IWWS architecture allows service providers to reduce network equipment purchases, to lower maintenance costs, and to simplify equipment integration. In fact, service providers offering wireline and-wireless services have the option of leveraging existing wireline capabilities, without recourse to a separately procured MSC, to effect lower cost wireless services.

Not only are hardware costs lowered by the elimination of a MSC, but also service providers may easily integrate wireline and wireless billing requirements, readily import the rich features currently offered in wireline service into wireless service, integrate wireline directly numbers, and centralise physical operations and maintenance centres.

However, the proposed IWWS is not without drawbacks. As presently proposed, the GR-303 signalling interface which connects the wireline and wireless sections in the IWWS requires that FSK signalling be implemented in the wireless section. That is, since GR-303 hybrid signalling is an analogue technique, i.e., a technique using Robbed Bits Signalling (RBS), and not a message based technique, the calling party's identification data (ID) must be sent from the wireline section to the wireless section using FSK signalling. Such a requirement necessitates undesired hardware and firmware in the wireline section to handle FSK signalling.

Also, as presently proposed, the IWWS can not deliver calling party ID to the called party in a "call waiting" situation. Since call waiting is an increasingly popular subscriber service, wherein a called party already occupied with a call is alerted to the presence of another incoming call by a predefined signal, the inability of the proposed IWWS to deliver calling party ID in a call waiting situation is a drawback.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an integrated wireless and wireline system (IWWS) architecture which does not require frequency-shift-key (FSK) signalling between the wireline and wireless sections of the network. Further, calling party ID can be delivered to the called party in a call waiting situation.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a call connection method in a communication system having integrated wireline and wireless sections, wherein the wireline section and the wireless section communicate via a mobility interface and a GR-303 signalling interface, the method comprising the steps of: communicating calling party identification data from the wireline section to the wireless section via the mobility interface; and performing call setup between the wireline section and the wireless section via the GR-303 signalling interface.

Preferably, the wireline section comprises a switch and an advanced intelligent network service control point (AIN SCP), wherein the calling party identification is communicated from the AIN SCP to the wireless section via the mobility interface, and wherein the switch is connected to-the wireless section via the GR-303.

For example, the switch may be a Class 5 or a Class 4 switch. The wireless section may comprise a mobile switching centre (MSC) communicating with the AIN SCP via the mobility interface and communicating with the switch via the GR-303.

The wireless section preferably comprises a Visited Location Register (VLR) and a Base Station Subsystem (BSS), and wherein the VLR communicates with the AIN SCP via the mobility interface and the BSS communicates with the switch via the FR-303.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of communicating calling party identification data in a communication system having integrated wireline and wireless sections, the wireline section comprising a switch and an advanced intelligent network (AIN) service control point (SCP) communicating via an AIN link, and the wireless section comprising a mobile switching centre (MSC) communicating with the switch via a GR-303 interface and communicating with the AIN SCP via a mobility interface, the method comprising the steps of: upon receiving call termination in the switch from a calling party, communicating calling party identification data from the switch to the AIN SCP via the AIN link as part of a termination attempt trigger; communicating the calling party identification data from the AIN SCP to the MSC via the mobility interface as part of a message from the AIN SCP to locate a called party; upon receiving a location response from the MSC via the mobility interface following successful location of the called party in the wireless section, communicating an AIN trigger response from the AIN SCP to the switch via the AIN link; and performing call setup between the switch and the MSC via the GR-303 interface in response to the AIN trigger.

In a further aspect, the present invention provides a method of communicating calling party identification data in a communication system having integrated wireline and wireless sections, the wireline section comprising a switch and an advanced intelligent network (AIN) service control point (SCP) communicating via an AIN link, and the wireless section comprising a Base Station Subsystem (BSS communicating with the switch via a GR-303 interface and a Visited Location Register (VLR) communicating with the AIN SCP via a mobility interface, the method comprising the steps of: upon receiving call termination in the switch from a calling party, communicating calling party identification data from the switch to the AIN SCP via the AIN link as part of a termination attempt trigger, communicating the calling party identification data from the AIN SCP to the VLR via the mobility interface as part of a message from the AIN SCP to locate a called party; upon receiving a location response from the VLR via the mobility interface following successful location of the called party in the wireless section, communicating an AIN trigger response from the AIN SCP to the switch via the AIN link; and performing call setup between the switch and the BSS via the GR-303 interface in response to the AIN trigger.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING FIGURE The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying FIG. 1 which illustrates the method of the present invention as implemented in an exemplary IWWS.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the drawing, a wireline section 100 is shown integrated with a wireless section 200 in a typical (IWWS) architecture. Wireline section 100 comprises a switch 102, normally part of PSTN 101 but shown separately here for clarity, and an Advanced Intelligent Network Service Control Point (AIN SCP) 103. Switch 102 is preferably a Class 4 or a Class 5 switch.

Wireless section 200 comprises wireless infrastructure 202 having a variety of possible configurations which communicate with mobile units. The wireless infrastructure 202 may comprise the combination of a Mobile Switching Centre (MSC) and a Base Station Subsection (BSS), or the combination of a BSS and any one of a number of selected platforms including an access manager (AM), a Visited Location Register (VLR), a Home Location Register (HLR), and Handover Controller (HO). The BSS comprises one or more functional elements such as a Base Transceiver Subsystem (BTS) and a Base Station Controller (BSC) required to locate and communicate with mobile units in the wireless section.

The combination of an AIN SCP controlling the switch, which is connected to the wireless infrastructure, re quires that a wireless application service be developed in the AIN SCP. Such an AIN application development is conventional and will be accomplished by the designer to implement desired features in the wireless section and in accordance with the performance characteristics of the wireless/wireline hardware.

Switch 102 communicates with hardware in the wireless infrastructure 202 via a GR-303 Signalling Interface.

Switch 102 also communicates with AIN SCP 103 via an AIN link. Finally, AIN SCP 103 communicates with the MSC or various platforms normally included in a MSC of the wireless infrastructure 202 via a mobility interface, such as modified IS-41 or IS-634.

Referring to the drawing, the existing method of effecting a call connection between a calling party and a called party in the proposed IWWS will be described, and thereafter the present invention will be described with reference to all of the foregoing. For ease of reference the steps generally comprising the method are indicated as circled numbers, ( ), in the drawing.

When a call terminates at switch 102 (1), a termination attempt trigger is sent from switch 102 to AIN SCP 103 (2). All instructions and data received or transmitted from an AIN SCP are commonly called "messages." The AIN SCP 103 executes a call termination process, which includes a location (or paging) response message via the mobility interface (3), and the wireless infrastructure 202 locates the requested mobile unit (4). The mobile unit transmits a conventional location response to the wireless infrastructure 202 (5), which in turn forwards the location response to the wireless infrastructure 202 (5), which in turn forwards the location response to AIN SCP 103 over the mobility interface (6). After successfully locating the called party in the wireless section, AIN SCP 103 transmits an AIN trigger response message to switch 102 (7).

Upon receiving the AIN trigger response, switch 102 continues call setup over the GR-303 interface (8). As part of this call setup, calling party ID is transmitted to the wireless section over the GR-303 interface using FSK signalling (9). The wireless infrastructure 202 must convert the FSK data (10) and then communicate this information to the mobile unit (11).

In the foregoing method, wireless infrastructure 202 must include the hardware and firmware necessary to receive and convert the FSK data. Even if provision is made for such hardware and firmware, the converted FSK data can not be transmitted to the mobile unit in a call waiting situation. The present invention does away with the necessity of FSK related hardware and firmware in wireless infrastructure 202, and it associated limitations.

In the method of present invention, calling party ID is transmitted from the terminating switch 102 to AIN SCP 103 as part of the termination attempt (2). Since this message must be transmitted in any event, appending the calling party's ID to the message requires little, if any, additional overhead. One received by AIN SCP 103, the calling party ID is appended to the location response message (3) and transmitted out of band to the wireless section via the mobility interface. Again, since the location response message must be transmitted, no special signalling provisions are required to transmit the calling party ID. Upon completion of call termination, even in a call waiting situation, the calling party ID is apparent in the wireless section without subsequent resort to FSK data transmitted via the GR-303 interface.

Switch 102, and transmission protocols at the switch, need not be altered. If switch 102, continues to communicate the FSK data (9) as is conventional, such data is simply ignored by the wireless section and as a result the wireless section need not have the associated hardware or firmware.

Once the ordinary skill will appreciate that the present invention is adaptable to many wireless section configurations. Examples including a MSC and omitting an MSC have been discussed. Given the rather arbitrary line between wireline and wireless, one of ordinary skill will understand that the present invention may be implemented in either the wireless or wireline sections, but is preferably implemented in either an AIN SCP or in an MSC.

Claims (8)

1. CLAIMS 1. A call connection method in a communication system having integrated wireline and wireless sections, wherein the wireline section and the wireless section communicate via a mobility interface and a GR-303 signalling interface, the method comprising the steps of: communicating calling party identification data from the wireline section to the wireless section via the mobility interface; and performing call setup between the wireline section and the wireless section via the GR-303 signalling interface.
2. 2. The method of claim 1, the wireline section comprising a switch and an advanced intelligent network service control point (AIN SCP), wherein the calling party identification is communicated from the AIN SCP to the wireless section via the mobility interface, and wherein the switch is connected to the wireless section via the GR303.
3. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the switch is one of a Class 5 or a Class 4 switch.
4. 4. The method of claim 3, the wireless section comprising a mobile switching centre (MSC) communicating with the AIN SCP via the mobility interface and communicating with the switch via the GR-303.
5. 5. The method of claim 3, the wireless section compris ing a Visited Location Register (VLR) and a Base Station Subsystem (BSS), and wherein the VLR communicates with the AIN SCP via the mobility interface and the BSS communicates with the switch via the FR-303.
6. 6. A method of communicating calling party identification data in a communication system having integrated wireline and wireless sections, the wireline section comprising a switch and an advanced intelligent network (AIN) service control point (SCP) communicating via an AIN link, and the wireless section comprising a mobile switching centre (MSC) communicating with the switch via a GR-303 interface and communicating with the AIN SCP via a mobility interface, the method comprising the steps of: upon receiving call termination in the switch from a calling party, communicating calling party identification data from the switch to the AIN SCP via the AIN link as part of a termination attempt trigger; communicating the calling party identification data from the AIN SCP to the MSC via the mobility interface as part of a message from the AIN SCP to locate a called party; upon receiving a location response from the MSC via the mobility interface following successful location of the called party in the wireless section, communicating an AIN trigger response from the AIN SCP to the switch via the AIN link; and performing call setup between the switch and the MSC via the GR-303 interface in response to the AIN trigger.
7. 7. A method of communicating calling party identifica tion data in a communication system having integrated wireline and wireless sections, the wireline section comprising a switch and an advanced intelligent network (AIN) service control point (SCP) communicating via an AIN link, and the wireless section comprising a Base Station Subsystem (BSS communicating with the switch via a GR-303 interface and a Visited Location Register (VLR) communicating with the AIN SCP via a mobility interface, the method comprising the steps of: upon receiving call termination in the switch from a calling party, communicating calling party identification data from the switch to the AIN SCP via the AIN link as part of a termination attempt trigger, communicating the calling party identification data from the AIN SCP to the VLR via the mobility interface as part of a message from the AIN SCP to locate a called party; upon receiving a location response from the VLR via the mobility interface following successful location of the called party in the wireless section, communicating an AIN trigger response from the AIN SCP to the switch via the AIN link; and performing call setup between the switch and the BSS via the GR-303 interface in response to the AIN trigger.
8. 8. A method of communicating calling party identification data in a communication system having integrated wireline and wireless sections, the method being substantially as described herein with reference to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings.