Media Gateway Termination State Switching via Test Mode

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current packet network technologies face challenges in efficiently and consistently managing the service state transitions of Terminations in Media Gateways, particularly in ensuring timely and accurate synchronization of service state records between Media Gateway Controllers (MGC) and Media Gateways (MG), and in avoiding redundant state switching operations.

Innovation Solution

The method involves extending the ServiceChange command with specific parameters to switch the Termination state to Test, and upon completion of testing, directly switching the service state to InService or OutOfService based on demand, using the Restart, Graceful, or Forced methods, ensuring synchronized records and efficient state management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the ServiceChange command is used to switch Termination state to Test and then back to InService/OutOfService through multiple steps, then the state transition can be completed, but the operation becomes complex and redundant state switching occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestate switching operationVSAvoidstate management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the state management process by introducing a specific Test state that can be directly entered from InService state and directly returned to InService or OutOfService state. This segmentation eliminates the need for intermediate state transitions and simplifies the operational workflow for testing Terminations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention applies preliminary action by pre-defining the Test state as a distinct service state in the Termination state machine. This allows the system to directly transition to the Test state without going through multiple intermediate states, and then directly return to InService or OutOfService based on test results, avoiding redundant operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If traditional state switching methods are used without direct Test state transition, then all state changes are recorded, but redundant state switching operations occur and efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestate switching efficiencyVSAvoidstate transition time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The Test state is pre-defined in the state machine with direct transition paths from InService state and direct return paths to InService or OutOfService state. This preliminary setup eliminates the need for multiple intermediate state transitions during testing, reducing both time and operational steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of requiring transitions through multiple intermediate states (InService → OutOfService → Test → InService), the invention inverts the traditional approach by allowing direct transition to Test state and direct return to InService or OutOfService based on test results, thereby eliminating redundant operations and improving efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Reliability

If multiple intermediate states are used for Termination state transitions, then comprehensive state coverage is achieved, but the synchronization between MGC and MG becomes complex and error-prone

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestate record synchronizationVSAvoidstate management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the state transition paths by creating a dedicated Test state with explicit direct transition rules from InService state and direct return rules to InService or OutOfService state. This segmentation simplifies the state machine structure and makes synchronization between MGC and MG more reliable by reducing the number of intermediate states that need to be tracked.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention implements feedback mechanisms where the MG notifies the MGC when the Termination state is switched to Test state, and when the test is completed. This feedback ensures that both MGC and MG maintain consistent state records, improving synchronization reliability while keeping the state management structure simple through direct transition paths.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS7693141B2Method and system for switching the state of a termination in a media gateway

Publication Date: 2010.04.06 INVT SPE LLC

AI summary

A method for switching Termination state in an MG includes: exchanging between an MGC and an MG a ServiceChange request for a Termination in the MG, with a parameter used for instructing the Termination to be in a Test state carried in the request; testing by the MG the Termination according to the parameter. A method for switching the state of a Termination in an MG includes: after a test to a Termination is finished, switching the service state of the Termination to an InService or OutOfService state through exchanging a ServiceChange request for the Termination between an MGC and an MG Systems for switching the state of a Termination in an MG are also disclosed. When an MG or MGC tests a Termination, they can notify each other of the service state of the Termination, thereby simplifying the operations of switching the service state of the Termination.