Gateway Node Data Channels for Legacy PBX Call Enhancement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Legacy Private Branch Exchange (PBX) systems lack the functionality to support enhanced calling features, such as peer-to-peer application media types, which are necessary for modern wireless communication networks, leading to decreased flexibility and complexity in implementing additional features.

Innovation Solution

A gateway node is introduced between an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network and a PBX node to negotiate and establish data channels for enhancing call sessions between User Equipments (UEs), allowing for the implementation of enriched calling features without upgrading the PBX.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a gateway node is introduced to enable data channels and enhance call sessions, then adaptability and calling features are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecalling featuresVSAvoidnetwork architecture
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A gateway node is introduced as an intermediary component between the IMS network and the legacy PBX system. This gateway provides data channel negotiation and establishment capabilities without requiring modifications to the legacy PBX, thereby enhancing adaptability while isolating the added complexity to a single intermediary component rather than propagating it throughout the entire system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If data channels are established between UEs for real-time exchange, then productivity and customer experience are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereal-time data exchangeVSAvoidcommunication protocol
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The gateway node serves as a mediator that handles the complex data channel negotiation and establishment protocols between UEs. By concentrating the protocol complexity in the gateway rather than requiring each UE to implement full data channel capabilities, the system enables productive real-time data exchange while limiting the complexity burden on individual devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The communication system is segmented into distinct functional components: the legacy PBX handling traditional voice calls, the gateway node handling data channel negotiations, and the UEs handling application-layer data exchange. This segmentation allows each component to focus on specific tasks, improving overall productivity while distributing complexity across multiple specialized components rather than concentrating it in a single complex system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4342155B1Gateway node, user equipment and methods in a communications network
Publication Date: 2025.07.02 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP4342155B1 patent drawingFigure 1a
  • EP4342155B1 patent drawingFigure 1b
  • EP4342155B1 patent drawingFigure 2a

AI summary

A method performed by a gateway node for enhancing a call session between a first User Equipment, UE, and a second UE in a communications network is provided. The second UE is associated to a Private Branch Exchange, PBX, node. When a call session has been established (304) between the first UE and the second UE via the PBX node and via an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem, IMS, network, the gateway node receives (305), from any one out of the first UE and the second UE, a request for establishing a data channel to enhance the call session. The gateway node negotiates (306) one or more parameters to be used in the requested data channel between the first UE and the second UE. The gateway node establishes (307) the data channel according to the negotiation, to enhance the call session between the first UE and the second UE.Publ.