Concurrent IP Data Stream Management for Voice Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile telephony devices face challenges in maintaining seamless voice communications across different networks due to varying network conditions, leading to potential call drops and quality issues when switching between circuit switched and IP-based networks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that manages multiple concurrent IP data streams between a hybrid mobile device and a network-based communications server, allowing for intelligent handoffs and data stream re-formatting across various networks to ensure continuous and high-quality voice communications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single IP data stream is used for voice communications, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to potential call drops when network conditions degrade
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the voice data stream transmission by creating multiple concurrent IP data streams over different networks (WiFi, cellular, etc.). Each stream is independently managed and can be selectively activated or deactivated based on network conditions, allowing the system to maintain call connectivity while distributing the complexity across multiple independent transmission paths rather than requiring one complex unified stream manager.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by establishing multiple concurrent IP data streams in advance before network conditions degrade. These pre-established streams are kept ready but inactive or low-priority until needed, at which point they can be rapidly activated to maintain call connectivity without requiring complex real-time stream creation or switching decisions.
2Reliability
If multiple concurrent IP data streams are managed, then reliability improves through redundancy, but device complexity increases due to stream coordination and handoff management
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple concurrent IP data streams at the network server level rather than requiring complex client-side coordination. The hybrid mobile device simply transmits voice data through multiple network interfaces simultaneously, while the communications server handles the complexity of receiving, processing, and re-formatting packets from different streams into a unified output stream, significantly reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The network-based communications server acts as an intermediary that mediates between multiple concurrent IP data streams and the final voice output. It receives packets from different networks, performs intelligent re-formatting and selection, and outputs a single coherent stream to the communication endpoint, isolating the complexity from the mobile device and simplifying its role to mere transmission.
3Reliability
If circuit switched networks are used for handoff, then call reliability improves, but cost increases due to expensive cellular network usage
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes the network parameter being used for transmission by monitoring network conditions (signal strength, data availability, cost) and switching between different IP-based networks (WiFi, cellular data, etc.) based on current parameters. This allows the system to maintain call stability through reliable network selection while optimizing for lower cost by preferring free or cheaper networks when conditions permit, rather than always defaulting to expensive circuit-switched cellular voice networks.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples are disclosed for hosting a communication session between a hybrid mobile device and a second communication device in an Internet Protocol (IP) based packet data network. A communications server functions as a bridge service between the hybrid mobile device and the second communication device enabling the exchange of multiple concurrent IP packet data media streams over multiple different IP based networks between the hybrid mobile device and the communications server. An IP data stream over an 802.11 WiFi communication link is characterized as the primary IP data stream and when its quality falls below a first threshold level, the hybrid mobile device will encode a second IP data stream that is the same as the original IP data stream and send a variable percentage of the second IP data stream over a cellular based IP communication link. If the quality of the IP data stream over the 802.11 WiFi communication link improves, a lesser percentage of the second IP data stream is sent over a cellular based IP communication link.