Method for diverting an isup talkpath to an ip talkpath

Abstract

A method for improving the sound quality of voice signals transmitted during a call between two digital wireless telephones by diverting the call from a circuit switched network to a data network is disclosed. In accordance with the present invention, a call setup procedure using the circuit switched network is modified so that the calling party may determine the following information: I) whether the called party's digital wireless telephone is able to support one of the voice compression algorithms supported by the calling party's digital wireless telephone and 2) whether both wireless telephones have access to the same data network. If the called party's digital wireless telephone is able to support one of the voice compression algorithms supported by the calling party's digital wireless telephone and both wireless telephones have access to the same data network, the circuit switched network call setup procedure is abandoned before the called party answers the call and the call is completed using the data network. Completing the call by encoding voice signals using a common voice compression algorithm executed by the digital wireless telephones and by sending the encoded voice signals through a data network eliminates the drawbacks associated with the additional intermediate encoding which would have been required if the call had been completed using the circuit switched network.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a first network, a call by a first communication device to a second communication device; and   diverting the call from the first network to a second network if the first communication device and the second communication device are able to support a same voice processing.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the first network, an identification of a voice processing supportable by the first communication device.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 receiving a response from the second communication device indicating whether the second communication device is able to support the identified voice processing.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising completing a call set-up using the second network if the response indicates that the second communication device can support the identified voice processing. 
   
   
       5 . A machine-readable medium storing instructions to perform a method according to  claim 1 . 
   
   
       6 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a communication network, a call originated by a first communication device to a second communication device;   determining whether the first communication device and the second communication device are able to support a same voice processing; and   if so, using a data network to perform the call.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein receiving the call originated by the first communication device includes receiving a list of voice compression algorithms supported by the first communication device. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising receiving from the second communication device a response including a list of voice compression algorithms supported by the second communication device. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the determining includes checking for a response message from the second communication device at an identified IP address and port. 
   
   
       10 . A machine-readable medium storing instructions to perform a method according to  claim 6 . 
   
   
       11 . A network device to receive a call from a calling device to a called device, and based on information associated with the call and a response from the called device indicating that the calling device and the called device support a same voice processing, form a communication path between the calling device and the called device using a data network. 
   
   
       12 . The network device of  claim 11 , wherein the information comprises an IP address and port. 
   
   
       13 . The network device of  claim 12 , wherein the network device is to assign a voice compression algorithm to the IP address and port. 
   
   
       14 . The network device of  claim 12 , wherein the information further comprises an assignment of a voice compression algorithm to the IP address and port made by the calling device. 
   
   
       15 . The network device of  claim 11 , wherein the network device is a mobile switching center. 
   
   
       16 . The network device of  claim 11 , wherein the calling device and called device are mobile telephones. 
   
   
       17 . A method comprising processing a call originating in a wireless network by a data network. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising determining whether a calling device and a called device both support a same voice processing. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising communicating voice signals between the calling device and the called device. 
   
   
       20 . A machine-readable medium storing instructions for performing a method according to  claim 17 . 
   
   
       21 . A network node configured to direct a call originating in a wireless network to a data network, if an originating communication device and a called communication device are able to support a same voice processing. 
   
   
       22 . The network node of  claim 21 , comprising:
 a processor; and   a storage medium coupled to the processor and storing logic executable by the processor to determine, based on information relating to voice processing capabilities of the originating communication device and the called communication device, whether the originating communication device and the called communication device are able to support the same voice processing.   
   
   
       23 . The network node of  claim 22 , wherein the originating communication device provides information relating to the voice processing capabilities of the originating communication device. 
   
   
       24 . The network node of  claim 22 , wherein the network node stores information relating to the voice processing capabilities of the originating communication device. 
   
   
       25 . The network node of  claim 22 , wherein the voice processing capabilities relate to a voice compression algorithm.