Media Gateway MSC Pool Signaling via Common Point
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mobile communication networks lack flexibility and incur high investment costs due to a one-to-many relationship between Mobile Switch Centers (MSC) and Base Station Controllers (BSC/RNC), requiring complex network planning and costly upgrades to support MSC pooling.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method where a Media Gateway (MGW) connects with BSC/RNC through a common signaling point, determining the destination MSC server based on ID information in messages, allowing MSC servers to establish connections through different signaling points, thereby distributing traffic load without upgrading BSC/RNCs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a one-to-many relationship between MSC and BSC/RNC is used, then network coverage is provided, but network flexibility is limited and investment costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the MSC function into multiple MSC servers that form a pool, where each MSC server can independently serve BSCs/RNCs. This segmentation transforms the traditional one-to-many relationship into a many-to-many relationship, enabling flexible network planning and load distribution without increasing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universality by enabling each MSC server to serve multiple BSCs/RNCs and each BSC/RNC to connect to multiple MSC servers simultaneously. This multi-functionality allows the network to adapt to varying traffic patterns and subscriber distributions, improving network flexibility while simplifying planning through standardized interfaces
2Reliability
If MSC capacity is designed for peak load, then service availability is ensured, but investment costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics through load sharing among multiple MSC servers in a pool. When traffic demand increases, additional MSC servers can be activated or existing ones can handle increased load dynamically. This dynamic load distribution ensures service availability during peak periods while avoiding the need to provision all MSC capacity at full size from the beginning, thereby reducing initial investment costs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple MSC servers into a unified MSC pool that shares common resources and capabilities. This merging allows the network to pool resources efficiently, ensuring that sufficient capacity is available to handle peak loads across the entire pool while the actual deployment can be phased according to demand, reducing upfront investment
3Adaptability or versatility
If BSC/RNC is upgraded to support MSC pool, then load sharing is enabled, but upgrading costs and service disruption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the MSC pool presents a unified interface to BSCs/RNCs through standardized signaling protocols. This intermediary layer allows load sharing and MSC pool functionality to be implemented at the MSC side without requiring complex modifications to BSC/RNC equipment, thereby enabling load sharing capability while minimizing upgrading costs and avoiding service disruption
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides a method for realizing a Mobile Switch Center (MSC) pool, a system for realizing an MSC pool and a Media Gateway (MGW). The method for realizing an MSC pool includes: connecting with a Base Station Controllers (BSC)/Radio Network Controller (RNC), by a Media Gateway (MGW) through the use of a common signaling point; and upon receipt of a message whose destination signaling point is the common signaling point from the BSC/RNC, determining, by the MGW, a destination MSC server of the message according to ID information carried in the message, and sending the received message to the destination MSC server. According to the present invention, the networking scheme for an MSC pool may be implemented without upgrading any BSC/RNC. The flexibility of the networking scheme for mobile communication systems may be improved, and the traffic load of the subscribers may be shared.