GB2351416A - Negotiating telecommunications protocol options - Google Patents

Negotiating telecommunications protocol options Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2351416A
GB2351416A GB9914700A GB9914700A GB2351416A GB 2351416 A GB2351416 A GB 2351416A GB 9914700 A GB9914700 A GB 9914700A GB 9914700 A GB9914700 A GB 9914700A GB 2351416 A GB2351416 A GB 2351416A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
node
nodes
protocol
call control
options
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB9914700A
Other versions
GB9914700D0 (en
GB2351416B (en
Inventor
Mark Hollis
Stephen Terrill
Christian Groves
Leslie Graf
Juan Noguera-Rodriguez
Lars Kari
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB
Original Assignee
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB filed Critical Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB
Priority to GB9914700A priority Critical patent/GB2351416B/en
Publication of GB9914700D0 publication Critical patent/GB9914700D0/en
Priority to CN2010101570358A priority patent/CN101917745B/en
Priority to EP08168896A priority patent/EP2043375B1/en
Priority to CN008104816A priority patent/CN1361994B/en
Priority to AU49197/00A priority patent/AU4919700A/en
Priority to DE60041131T priority patent/DE60041131D1/en
Priority to JP2000619212A priority patent/JP4763136B2/en
Priority to PCT/EP2000/004229 priority patent/WO2000070885A1/en
Priority to EP00931177A priority patent/EP1179264B1/en
Priority to ES00931177T priority patent/ES2317837T3/en
Priority to ES08168896T priority patent/ES2375304T3/en
Priority to US09/573,500 priority patent/US6671367B1/en
Publication of GB2351416A publication Critical patent/GB2351416A/en
Priority to US10/686,226 priority patent/US7292687B2/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2351416B publication Critical patent/GB2351416B/en
Priority to JP2011068582A priority patent/JP5118757B2/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W28/00—Network traffic management; Network resource management
    • H04W28/16—Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
    • H04W28/18—Negotiating wireless communication parameters
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04Q—SELECTING
    • H04Q3/00—Selecting arrangements
    • H04Q3/0016—Arrangements providing connection between exchanges
    • H04Q3/0025—Provisions for signalling
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/22—Arrangements for supervision, monitoring or testing
    • H04M3/2281—Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04Q—SELECTING
    • H04Q2213/00—Indexing scheme relating to selecting arrangements in general and for multiplex systems
    • H04Q2213/13034—A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04Q—SELECTING
    • H04Q2213/00—Indexing scheme relating to selecting arrangements in general and for multiplex systems
    • H04Q2213/13098—Mobile subscriber
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04Q—SELECTING
    • H04Q2213/00—Indexing scheme relating to selecting arrangements in general and for multiplex systems
    • H04Q2213/13176—Common channel signaling, CCS7
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04Q—SELECTING
    • H04Q2213/00—Indexing scheme relating to selecting arrangements in general and for multiplex systems
    • H04Q2213/13196—Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04Q—SELECTING
    • H04Q2213/00—Indexing scheme relating to selecting arrangements in general and for multiplex systems
    • H04Q2213/13204—Protocols
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04Q—SELECTING
    • H04Q2213/00—Indexing scheme relating to selecting arrangements in general and for multiplex systems
    • H04Q2213/13339—Ciphering, encryption, security
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04Q—SELECTING
    • H04Q2213/00—Indexing scheme relating to selecting arrangements in general and for multiplex systems
    • H04Q2213/13345—Intelligent networks, SCP
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04Q—SELECTING
    • H04Q2213/00—Indexing scheme relating to selecting arrangements in general and for multiplex systems
    • H04Q2213/1338—Inter-exchange connection
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04Q—SELECTING
    • H04Q2213/00—Indexing scheme relating to selecting arrangements in general and for multiplex systems
    • H04Q2213/13389—LAN, internet
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W76/00—Connection management
    • H04W76/20—Manipulation of established connections

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Quality & Reliability (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Data Exchanges In Wide-Area Networks (AREA)

Abstract

A method of negotiating protocol options between at least first 4, second 6 and third 8 nodes in a telecommunications network 2 using separated call control and bearer control protocols, the method comprises:<BR> transmitting a first call control message from the first node 4 to the second node 6 specifying protocol options supported by the first node 4,<BR> subsequently transmitting a second call control message from the second node 6 to the third node 8 specifying protocol options supported by both the first and second nodes 4,6, and<BR> selecting a protocol option from the protocol options specified in the second control message.

Description

2351416 Negotiating Telecommunications Protocol Options
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to methods of negotiating protocol options in a telecommunications network.
Backaound to the Invention For cost-efficiency reasons telecommunication operators are increasingly deploying non-STM (Signalling Transport Mechanism) transport technologies (e.g. ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode), IP (Internet Protocol), FR (Frame Relay), etc) inside their networks, and therefore requiring a standardized solution to support existing services of today's public telecommunication networks over multivendor non-STM infrastructures.
However, ISUP (ISDN User Part) (ISDN signalling protocol in the NNI (Network Network Interface)) is tightly coupled to STM, and the signalling protocols specified in various standardization bodies for non- STM transport technologies do not provide the fall ISDN set of services.
To effectively solve this problem as soon as possible, several standardization bodies, including ITU-T, ETSI and ANSI, are working towards specifying a call control (CC) signalling protocol that is independent of the underlying transport technology. This CC protocol, referred to as TICC (Transport Independent Call Control) protocol hereinafter, is intended to provide the currently available set of single media services (i.e. excluding multimedia) over whichever transport technologies an operator decides to deploy in his public network. The CC protocol is independent of the BC (Bearer Control) protocol.
There has thus been an evolution from integrated CC/BC public network protocols (e.g. ISUP) to a separated CC/BC solution. Current public networks' protocols (e.g. ISUP) perform simultaneous call and bearer control. In current public NNI protocols, call and I 2 bearer control (CC and BQ are integrated inside the same protocol, so each node in the network must have call and bearer control (CC and BQ capabilities.
In the separated CC/BC solution the CC protocol is independent of the underlying transport (bearer) technology. This provides the current set of single media services available in today's public telecommunication networks. A BC protocol specific to the transport technology is deployed (e.g. AALI//2/5, IP, etc.). In the separated CC/BC solution call and bearer control (CC and BQ are performed by different protocols. A single CC protocol is needed for the various transport technologies (e.g. ATM, IP, etc).
Only some nodes (e.g. nodes at the edge of a network) need to couple the CC and BC protocols for a specific call, other nodes only need BC capabilities (e.g. transit nodes inside an operator's network).
A generic capability negotiation mechanism (GCN) is described in British Patent Application No. 9911441.5 to enable negotiation of codec and security algorithms between two CC nodes participating in a call.
In many countries operators are requested by local authorities to provide interception of calls for legal purposes. In order to enable legal interception, operators usually require full access to user plane data (i.e. the actual speech or other data carried by the so-called 11pipe" at the bearer level) for each call inside their networks. With the introduction of
TICC, user plane data may be transported over a variety of technologies (e.g. ATM, IP etc.) which allow for the transport of encrypted user plane data. Therefore unless the Legal Intercept point can determine the security and codec (coding and decoding) characteristics of the user plane data the call will not be able to be successfully intercepted. Therefore, the operator needs to know the codecs and encryption (security) algorithms used inside each BC section (between two BC nodes) of a call.
On the other hand, transcoding and translation of security algorithms significantly 4 reduce the quality of service of a call and introduce extra delays. Therefore, it is desirable to reduce the number of (or avoid if possible) transcoding points and - translation of security algorithm points required from end to end for each call.
3 SumniM of the Present Invention According to the invention there is provided a method of negotiating protocol options between at least first, second and third nodes in a telecommunications network using separated call control and bearer control protocols, the method comprising:
transmitting a first call control message from the first node to the second node specifying protocol options supported by the first node, 10 subsequently transmitting a second call control message from the second node to the third node specifying protocol options supported by both the first and second nodes, and selecting a protocol option from the protocol options specified in the second control 15 message.
Preferably the second call control message contains a list of options derived from a list of options contained in the first call control message.
Said selecting may be carried out by the third node.
Each said call control message may include a preference level associated with each specified protocol option.
The first node may be an originating node. The third node may be a tenninating node.
The method may further include determining whether the bearer level between the first and second nodes is affected by said selecting step, and if the bearer level is affected taking action to modify the parameters of the bearer level between the first and second 30 nodes.
The method may also include deter-mining whether the bearer level between the second and third nodes is affected by said selecting step, and if the bearer level is affected 4 taking action to modify the parameters of the bearer level between the second and third nodes.
Brief Description of the Drawing
Figure I illustrates a number of signalling points in a telecommunications network, and shows a sequence of operations in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments
Figure I shows a portion of a telecommunications network 2 comprising three signalling points 4, 6 and 8, hereinafter referTed to as Nodes A, B and C respectively. These nodes may be for example telephone exchanges or switches and may belong to the same network operator or to different network operators. The nodes may also be in the same country, or may be in different countries. Node A is the originating node to which a calling party (not shown) is connected, and Node C is a ten-ninating node to which a called party (not shown) is connected. Although the example of Figure I shows three nodes, it will be appreciated that there may be more than three nodes between the calling party and the called party.
Each of the nodes comprises a Call Control (CC) part 10, 12, 14 and a Bearer Control (BC) part 16, 18, 20. That is, the call control and bearer control functionalities are separated out into two distinct protocol layers, the CC parts form a call control level which is responsible for performing functions such as call forwarding as well as other routing and control functions. The BC parts are responsible for establishing and dimensioning so-called "pipes" between the BC parts for transporting user plane data (mentioned above).
The sequence of operations shown in Figure I will now be described. The call control part 10 of Node A transmits a message to the call control part 12 of Node B which includes a list of options supported by Node A, together with a preference level for each such option. Although the invention is particularly suited for use in TICC it could also be used in an independent protocol specifically adapted for performing negotiation, and this is indicated in Figure I by the initials UPCN Wser Part Capability Negotiation).
The call control part 12 of Node B then sends a message to the call control part 14 of Node C, which includes a list of options supported by both Node A and Node B, together with a preference level for each option. Node C then selects the supported option with the highest preference level, and returns a message to Node B which includes the selected option. Node B in tam sends a message to Node A specifying the selected option.
Figure I then shows two possible sequences of operation, labelled case A and case B. In Case A, if the bearer level is affected by the negotiation at the call control level described above, Node A takes appropriate action at the bearer level. For example, it may be necessary for Node A to change the size of the pipe needed to support the selected option. A BC message is then sent from Node A to Node B specifying whatever parameters are needed. Node B then analyses the selected option and takes appropriate action at the bearer level if the bearer level is affected by the negotiation. A BC message is then sent from Node B to Node C specig whatever parameters are needed for the bearer level between nodes B and C.
In case B the sequence of operations at the bearer level starts at Node C and ends at Node A. Node C analyses the selected option and takes appropriate action at the bearer level, if the bearer level if effected by the negotiation. A BC message is then sent from Node C to Node B specifying whatever parameters are needed. Node B analyses the selected option and takes appropriate action at the bearer level if the bearer level is effected by the negotiation. A BC message is then sent from Node B to Node A specifying whatever parameters are needed.
It should be understood that cases A and B are alternatives, but other cases are also possible. In this regard, it should be appreciated that the BC protocol between nodes A and B can be different from that between nodes B and C, for example the protocols I 6 could be ATM and IP respectively. It may be necessary to modify the parameters for the bearer level connection between one pair of nodes, but not between the other pair of nodes.
It should also be appreciated that the negotiation described above can take place during call establishment or during the call itself The letter may apply, for example, where a user wishes to start using encryption during a call. This procedure is able to reduce the number of points in the network at which the 10 generic capability needs to be changed. In particular, the mechanism specified above can be used to minimize the number of transcoding points or translation of security algon'thm points for end-to-end calls traversing multiple CC sections. The solution applies for calls traversing one or multiple networks. This procedure is an adaptation of the GCN mechanism described in Bntish Patent Application No. 9911441.5, which can 15 either be included inside the TICC protocol or be implemented as a separate protocol specifically designed to carry out the negotiation. The GCN mechanism includes having the initiating CC node include the list of options with their preference level and the terminating node select a supported option using the 20 preference levels indicated by the originating node. The aforementioned negotiation mechanism is useful when the negotiation is carried out between two CC nodes only. The proposed adaptation expands the GCN mechanism to cases when more than two CC nodes intervene in the negotiation. That is, cases when the call traverses multiple CC nodes belonging to one or more telecommunication operators. The adaptation 25 involves the following sequence of operations:
I. The initiating CC node sends its list of supported options with the level of preference associated to each one.
2. Transit CC nodes analyse the received list of options, delete unsupported options from the list and forward the list to the next node.
7 3. The terminating CC node analyses the received list of options with their associated priorities and selects the supported option with highest indicated priority.
In the case of legal interception it allows the Legal Interception point (ie. the node at which interception is to take place) to receive the security and coding characteristics of the user plane data to enable successful interception of the call.
I

Claims (8)

  1. CLAIMS:
    I A method of negotiating protocol options between at least first, second and third nodes in a telecommunications network using separated call control and bearer I'D control protocols, the method comprising:
    transmitting a first call control message from the first node to the second node specifying protocol options supported by the first node, subsequently transmitting a second call control message from the second node to the third node specifying protocol options supported by both the first and second nodes,and selecting a protocol option from the protocol options specified in the second control message.
  2. 2 A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second call control message contains a list of options derived from a list of options contained in the first call control message.
  3. 3. A method as claimed in claim I or 2, wherein said selecting is carried out by the third node.
  4. 4 A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each said call control message includes a preference level associated with each specified protocol option.
  5. 5. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first node is an originating node.
  6. 6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the third node is a terminating node.
    9
  7. 7. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, which further includes, determining whether the bearer level between the first and second nodes is affected by said selecting step, and if the bearer level is affected taking action to modify the parameters of the bearer level between the first and second nodes.
  8. 8. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, which further includes, determining whether the bearer level between the second and third nodes is affected by said selecting step, and if the bearer level is affected taking action to modify the parameters of the bearer level between the second and third nodes.
GB9914700A 1999-05-17 1999-06-23 Negotiating telecommunications protocol options Expired - Lifetime GB2351416B (en)

Priority Applications (14)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9914700A GB2351416B (en) 1999-06-23 1999-06-23 Negotiating telecommunications protocol options
EP00931177A EP1179264B1 (en) 1999-05-17 2000-05-09 Capability negotiation in a telecommunications network
ES08168896T ES2375304T3 (en) 1999-05-17 2000-05-09 CAPACITY NEGOTIATION IN A TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK.
CN008104816A CN1361994B (en) 1999-05-17 2000-05-09 Capability negotiation system, apparatus and method in a telecommunications network
AU49197/00A AU4919700A (en) 1999-05-17 2000-05-09 Capability negotiation in a telecommunications network
DE60041131T DE60041131D1 (en) 1999-05-17 2000-05-09 NEGOTIATING SKILLS IN A TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK
JP2000619212A JP4763136B2 (en) 1999-05-17 2000-05-09 Function negotiation in telecommunications networks
PCT/EP2000/004229 WO2000070885A1 (en) 1999-05-17 2000-05-09 Capability negotiation in a telecommunications network
CN2010101570358A CN101917745B (en) 1999-05-17 2000-05-09 Capability negotiation system, apparatus and method in a telecommunications network
ES00931177T ES2317837T3 (en) 1999-05-17 2000-05-09 CAPACITY NEGOTIATION IN A TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK.
EP08168896A EP2043375B1 (en) 1999-05-17 2000-05-09 Capability negotiation in a telecommunications network
US09/573,500 US6671367B1 (en) 1999-05-17 2000-05-16 Capability negotiation in a telecommunications network
US10/686,226 US7292687B2 (en) 1999-05-17 2003-10-15 Capability negotiation in a telecommunications network
JP2011068582A JP5118757B2 (en) 1999-05-17 2011-03-25 Function negotiation in telecommunications networks

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9914700A GB2351416B (en) 1999-06-23 1999-06-23 Negotiating telecommunications protocol options

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9914700D0 GB9914700D0 (en) 1999-08-25
GB2351416A true GB2351416A (en) 2000-12-27
GB2351416B GB2351416B (en) 2003-11-12

Family

ID=10855927

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9914700A Expired - Lifetime GB2351416B (en) 1999-05-17 1999-06-23 Negotiating telecommunications protocol options

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2351416B (en)

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0599480A1 (en) * 1992-11-17 1994-06-01 International Business Machines Corporation Communication in a computer network
US5452287A (en) * 1993-09-20 1995-09-19 Motorola, Inc. Method of negotiation of protocols, classes, and options in computer and communication networks providing mixed packet, frame, cell, and circuit services
US5781623A (en) * 1995-03-08 1998-07-14 Alcatel N.V. Method of controlling an access network as well as exchange and access network
US5841985A (en) * 1996-09-18 1998-11-24 Intel Corporation Method and apparatus for supporting multiple protocols on a network
WO1999013609A2 (en) * 1997-09-10 1999-03-18 Level One Communications, Inc. 10/100 mbps automatic protocol selection mechanism for lan network

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0599480A1 (en) * 1992-11-17 1994-06-01 International Business Machines Corporation Communication in a computer network
US5452287A (en) * 1993-09-20 1995-09-19 Motorola, Inc. Method of negotiation of protocols, classes, and options in computer and communication networks providing mixed packet, frame, cell, and circuit services
US5781623A (en) * 1995-03-08 1998-07-14 Alcatel N.V. Method of controlling an access network as well as exchange and access network
US5841985A (en) * 1996-09-18 1998-11-24 Intel Corporation Method and apparatus for supporting multiple protocols on a network
WO1999013609A2 (en) * 1997-09-10 1999-03-18 Level One Communications, Inc. 10/100 mbps automatic protocol selection mechanism for lan network

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9914700D0 (en) 1999-08-25
GB2351416B (en) 2003-11-12

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
EP2043375B1 (en) Capability negotiation in a telecommunications network
US7848313B1 (en) Method and apparatus for carrying telephony network traffic over an ATM network
US6449259B1 (en) Communication controller
US4924500A (en) Carrier independent network services
JP5118757B2 (en) Function negotiation in telecommunications networks
US6021136A (en) Telecommunication network that reduces tandeming of compressed voice packets
JPH09261338A (en) Method and device for establishing call to use virtual transfer server for communication network
US8144578B2 (en) Communication network with line-and packet-switching control
AU756730B2 (en) System and method for mobile data services
US8265696B1 (en) Digital telecommunication system
EP1233579B1 (en) ATM packet access gateway
EP1965579B1 (en) Bearer-Independent Call Control Call Mediation Node performing route reselection on outgoing route failure
GB2351416A (en) Negotiating telecommunications protocol options
GB2350257A (en) Capability negotiation in a telecommunications network
EP1091552A2 (en) Method and apparatus for providing telephone service using TDM switches and data transport networks
US6148073A (en) Network centric call processing architecture using distributed call segments
GB2352127A (en) Speech coding in a telecommunication system
US7016314B2 (en) Method and apparatus for transferring ATM services
CA2233014C (en) A communication controller
KR100303642B1 (en) Method for optimizing route when call transfer
GB2351414A (en) Call set-up in a telecommunications network
GB2351415A (en) Continuity checking in a telecommunications network
GB2350254A (en) Signalling in a telecommunications network

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PE20 Patent expired after termination of 20 years

Expiry date: 20190622