Abstract:
A method and system is disclosed for an internet audio gateway ( 114 ) for delivering data based audio content to devices that are incapable of receiving and processing such content in the data form or where the device is capable of receiving and processing such data but the network ( 110 ) is not capable of delivering such content.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     The field of the invention relates to wireless communications networks and specifically to a system that allows streaming of Internet based audio content to wireless users.  
         [0002]     There is no current solution of the problem in such a form where either the device or the network is capable of delivering data based audio content in an efficient manner.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0003]     The invention discloses a methodology of selecting static and dynamic audio contents derived from, for example, the internet, intranet or other sources in the data mode via, for example, a data browser, and delivery of the said content in the form of data to wireless devices via the traditional wireless voice path (not on the data path). The invention for a wireless environment as well as a wired environment.  
         [0004]     Examples of the content include streaming internet audio contents such as: Internet radio stations; serialized audio books; audio versions of newspapers and magazines; custom business audio content; seminars; talk shows; transcoded content, for example, from video to audio; and an audio feed from television shows.  
         [0005]     Some other examples include information messages such as: mobile telephone ring tones; weather reports; sports reports; business reports; horoscopes; soap opera reviews; movie reviews and schedules; and traffic reports.  
         [0006]     Some other examples include music audio files such as: MP3 audio Files and CD audio files. Other types of audio files, such as, .wav, .au, real audio, windows media, mpeg, etc. are also envisioned.  
         [0007]     The invention solves the problem of delivering data based audio content to devices that are incapable of receiving and processing such content in the data form or where the device is capable of receiving and processing such data but the network is not capable of delivering such content.  
         [0008]     One advantage is that there is no impact on the existing network infrastructure or device. Therefore, in accordance with the previous summary, objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to one skilled in the art from the subsequent description and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of the network architecture for the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIGS. 2-8  are CDMA call flow diagrams for a first embodiment of the invention; and  
         [0011]      FIGS. 9-14  are GSM call flow diagrams for a second embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0012]     The present disclosure can be described by the embodiments given below. It is understood, however, that the embodiments below are not necessarily limitations to the present disclosure, but are used to describe a typical implementation of the invention.  
         [0013]     Now referring to  FIG. 1 , a network architecture  100  for an internet radio service is shown. Within an SS7 network  108 , an STP  102 , an HLR  104  and SCP  106  is shown. The SS7 network  108  is shown connected to a MSC  110 , a GMSC  112  and an Internet Audio Gateway  114 . Connected to the Internet Audio Gateway  114 , is an Internet Radio Application Server  116  through a SIP connection and the Internet  124 . In addition, the Internet Radio Application Server  116  is connected to a Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) Gateway/WAP Push  126 .  
         [0014]     Moreover, a Private Data Service Node (PDSN)  122  is connected to the Internet Audio Gateway  114  as well as the Internet  124  and a PCF  120 . In turn, the PCF  120  is connected to a Base Station Controller  118  which also connects to the Mobile Switching Center (MSC)  110  and Base Station System (BSS)  128 . The BSS  128  in turn allows wireless users (mobile stations—MS)  130  to connect to the network  100 . In this embodiment, the network allows users to select a radio station from a list and listen to he radio station during the same session through streaming audio.  
         [0015]     Now turning to  FIGS. 2-8 , a Code Division Multiplexing Access (CDMA) call flow for the Internet Audio Gateway will be described. Particularly,  FIG. 2 , shows the MS  130  initiating a packet session and selecting a service in reference to stage  220 . Specifically, the MS  130  sends an origination message  224  to BSS  128 . The BSS  128  in turn sends a BSSM:CL3 Info:CM_Service Request[Service Option=Packet Data Service] message  226  to MSC  110 . MSC  110  in turn returns an Assignment_request message  228  to the BSS  128 . TCH Setup  230  then occurs between the BSS  128  and the MS  130 . The BSS  128  then sends an A9-Setup-A8 message  232  to the PCF  120 . An A11-Registration Request message  234  is then sent from the PCF  120  to the PDSN/FA  122 . An A11-Registration Reply message  236  is then sent from the PDSN/FA  122  to the PCF  120 . The PCF  120  then sends an A9-Connect-A8 message  238  to the BSS  128 . The BSS  128  then sends an Assignment_complete message  240  to the MSC  110 . A Point to Point (PPP) connection is then established between the MS  130  and the PDSN/FA  122 .  
         [0016]     In addition, a MIP Agent Advertisement  244  is then sent from the PDSN/FA  122  to the MS  130 . In turn, the MS  130  then sends a MIP Registration Request  246  to the PDSN/FA  122 . The PDSN/FA  122  then sends an MIP Registration Request  248  to the Wireless Soft Switch (WSS)  212  portion of the Internet Audio Gateway  114 . The WSS  212  then sends a MIP Registration Reply  250  to the PDSN/FA  122 . The PDSN/FA  122  then sends the MIP Registration Reply  252  to the MS  130 .  
         [0017]     Now turning to  FIG. 2 , the WSS  212  sends a MEGACO:ADD message  306  to the Wireless Media Gateway (WMG)  214  portion of the Internet Audio Gateway  114 . The WMG  214  then establishes termination points with the IP network at stage  310  and then sends a MEGACO:Success message  308  to the WSS  212 . A Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) Browser Session  312  is then established between the MS  130  and the WAP Gateway (GW)  126 . A WAP Session  314  is also then established between the MS  130  and the WAP GW  126 . A home page is then downloaded from an Operator Application Server  302  at stage  322  and then sent  316  to the MS  130 . The user then selects “Internet Radio Services” from the operator home page at stage  320 . The selection is then sent  318  from the MS  130  to the WAP GW  126 . Stage  324  indicates that the selection is hyper linked to the Internet Radio application server. A message  326  is then sent from the WAP GW  126  to the Internet Radio ( 1 R) Application Server  116  indicating that the user selected Internet Radio service. IR content  328  is then sent from the IR Application Server  116  to the WAP GW  126 . Encoded content  330  is then sent from the WAP GW  126  to the MS  130 .  
         [0018]     Now turning to  FIG. 4 , an IR menu  402  is presented to the user with a choice of NY, Montreal and Dallas cities as choices for the Internet Radio service. In this embodiment, the user chooses Dallas and then the MS  130  encoded the content in a message  406  that is sent to the WAP GW  126 . The WAP GW  126  then sends Dallas selection  408  to the IR Application Server  116 . The IR Application Server then sends the WAP GW  126  a Dallas IR menu  404  with local stations for the Dallas area as choices for the user. The WAP GW  126  then sends  410  the menu to the MS  130 . The user then chooses from the local stations and sends  412  the selections back to the WAP GW  126 , which, in turn, sends  414  the selection to the IR Application Server  116 .  
         [0019]     Now turning to  FIG. 5 , the IR Application Server  116  sends a menu  502  to the WAP GW  126  and then  503  to the MS  130  to select when the user is ready to listen. When the user chooses to listen from the menu  504 , the selection is then sent  506  as an origination message to the BSS  128 . In this embodiment, the selection of ready to listen is a WTA link with a dialing number and is sent to the BSS  128  from the MS  130 . The BSS  128  then sends an CM Service Request[Service Option=Voice] message  508  to the MSC  110 . A CDMA voice call setup  510  is then established between the MS  130  and MSC  110 . The MSC  110  then sends an ISUP:IAM message  512  to the WSS  212 . Now turning to the event numbered  514 , the WSS  212  recognizes the incoming call to the WTA link as IR service. The WSS  212  associates the MIN with the MS IP address and informs the IR Application Server  116  to stream IR to the MS  130 . A MEGACO:Modify message  516  is sent from the WSS  212  to the WMG  214 . At this point  518 , the WSS  212  commands the WMG  214  to disable packet data routing to the MS  130  while the user is on the voice call. The WMG  214  then sends a MEGACO:Success message  518  to the WSS  212 . The WSS  212  then sends a MEGACO:Add message  520  to the WMG  214 . The WMG  214  then establishes  522  a local (for the MSC  110 ) and a remote (for the IR Application Server  116 ) termination points for the voice connection. The WMG  214  then sends a MEGACO:Success message  524  back to the WSS  212 .  
         [0020]     Now turning to  FIG. 6 , the WSS  212  establishes a far end connection with the IR Application Server  116  at event  602 , by sending a HTTP request  604  to the IR Application Server  116 . The IR Application Server  116  then sends a HTTP response  606  to the WSS  212 . The WSS  212  then sends an ISUP:ACM (without alerting) message  608  to the MSC  110 , as well as an ISUP:ANM message  610 . A voice connection is then established  612  between the MS  130  and the IR Application Server  116 . Audio is then sent from the IR Application Server  116  to the MS  130 . Specifically, the IR Application Server  116  streams  618  the audio to the WMG  214  and then the WMG  214  buffers  616  the audio and then sends it to the MS  130 .  
         [0021]     Now turning to  FIG. 7 , a call flow is shown that changes a radio station that the user is listening to. At stage  702 , the MS  130  decides to switch radio stations and sends a message  703  to end the voice call session to the MSC  110 . A voice call release  704  is then established between the MSC  110  and MS  130 . The MSC  110  also sends an ISUP:Release message  706  to the WSS  212 . In turn, the WSS  212  sends an ISUP:Release complete message  708  to the MSC  110 . In addition, the WSS  212  sends a MEGACO:Subtract message  710  to the WMG  214  and commands  712  the WMG  214  to remove the context for the voice call termination points. The WMG  214  then sends a MEGACO:Success message  714  to the WSS  212 . The WSS  212  then sends  716  a command to the WMG  214  to enable packet data routing to go through for the MS  130  while the MS  130  is not on a voice call. A MEGACO:Modify message  718  is sent the WMG  214 . The WMG  214  then responds with a MEGACO:Success message  720 .  
         [0022]     Now turning to  FIG. 8 , the MS  130  re-establishes  802  the WAP browser session  804  with the IR Application Server  116 . The WAP Session is also established  806  between the MS  130  and the IR Application Server  116 . The IR Application Server  116  then sends  808  a menu  404  with local stations to the WAP GW  126 , which then sends  810  them  404  to the MS  130 . The MS  130  then selects another radio station and a voice connection is then established as indicated by elements  812 ,  814  and  816 .  
         [0023]     Now turning to  FIG. 9 , a call flow is shown that activates a session for the MS  130 . The MS  130  first performs a combined GPRS and IMSI attach  902 . Then the user launches a WAP browser session from the MS  130  by sending an Activate PDP Context_req  904  to the SGSN  928 . The SGSN  928  then sends a Create PDP Context_Req  906  to WSS  212 . A session is then established  908  between the WSS  212  and the Operator Application Server  302 . In addition, the WSS  212  then sends a Create PDP Context Resp  910  to SGSN  928 . The SGSN  928  then sends an Activate PDP Context_Accept  912  to the MS  130 . The MS  130  can then establish a WAP session with the Operator Application Server  302 . A homepage is then downloaded  920  and sent  916  to the MS  130 . The user then selects  918  IR Service from the homepage sends the selection  924  to the Operator Application Server  302 . In this embodiment, the IR Service selection links to the IR Application Server  116  and thus sends a User Request URL: “IR Service” message  926  to the IR Application Server  116 .  
         [0024]     Now turning to  FIG. 10 , the service activation is continued. The IR Application Server  116  first sends  1002  IR Menu  402  to the Operator Application Server  302 . The Operator Application Server  302  then sends  1004  the IR Menu  402  encoded to the MS  130 . The user then selects from IR Menu  402  and sends the encoded selection  1006  to the Operator Application Server  302 . The selection is then also sent  1008  to the IR Application Server  116 . The IR Application Server  116  then sends  1010  a Dallas Menu  404  to the Operator Application Server  302  with local selections to choose from. The Operator Application Server  302  then sends  1012  the Dallas Menu  404  to the MS  130 . The user then selects from the Dallas Menu  404  and sends  1014  the encoded selection to the Operator Application Server  302 . The Operator Application Server  302  then sends  1016  the selection to the IR Application Server  116 . A Ready to listen menu  1022  is then sent  1018  to the Operator Application Server  302  which then sends  1020  the menu  1022  to the MS  130 .  
         [0025]     Now turning to  FIG. 11 , the service activation is continued. The Ready to listen menu  504  in this embodiment actually includes a WTA link that dials number “#333” to activate the IR service when the user selects ready to listen. If the user selects not ready to listen, the previous menu is then sent to the user. When the user selects ready to listen, a CM_Service_Request[MO Call]  1102  is sent to the MSC  110  and a GSM Voice Call is then setup  1104 . An ISUP:IAM message  1106  is then sent to the WSS  212 . At this point  1108 , the WSS  212  recognizes incoming call to #333 as IR Service. The WSS  212  associates the MIN with the MS IP address and informs the IR Application Server  116  to stream IR to the MS  130 . The WSS  212  sends a MEGACO:Modify message  1110  to the WMG  214  and commands the WMG  214  to disable packet data routing to the MS  130  while on the voice call. The WMG  214  then sends a MEGACO:Success message  1114  to the WSS  212 . In turn, the WSS  212  then sends a MEGACO:Add message  1116  to the WMG  214 . The WMG  214  then establishes  1118  a local (for the MSC  110 ) and a remote (for the IR Application Server  116 ) termination point for voice communication. The WMG  214  then sends a MEGACO:Success message  1120  to the WSS  212 .  
         [0026]     Now turning to  FIG. 12 , the service activation is continued. The WSS  212  establishes  1200  a far end connection with the IR Application Server  116  for providing the streaming audio (or canned) by sending a HTTP Request  1202  to the IR Application Server  116 . A HTTP Response  1204  is then sent back to the WSS  212  from the IR Application Server  116 . The WSS  212  then sends a ISUP:ACM (without alerting) message  1206  as well as an ISUP:ANM message  1208  to the MSC  110 . The GSM Voice call setup  1210  is then finished between the MS  130  and the MSC  110 , and an Audio Path is Established  1214 . The audio is then played  1216  at the MS  130  by the IR Application Server  116  streaming the audio  1220  to the WSS  212 , where it is buffered  1218 , and then sent to the MS  130 .  
         [0027]     Now turning to  FIG. 13 , a scenario is described where the user decides to switch audio channels. At this point  1302 , the MS  130  decides to switch to a different channel and triggers the end of the voice session  1303 . The voice call is then released  1304  between the MS  130  and the SGSN  928 . An ISUP:Release message  1306  is sent from the MSC  110  to the WSS  212 . The WSS  212  then sends an ISUP:Release Complete message  1308  to the MSC  110 . The WSS  212  then sends a MEGACO:Subtract message  1310  to the WMG  214  and commands the W 124  to remove the context for the voice call termination points. The WMG  214  then sends a MEGACO:Success message  1314  to the WSS  212 . The WSS  212  then sends a command  1318  to the WMG  214  to enable packet data routing to go through for the MSC  110  while the user is not on a Voice call. Creating a new context is not required at this point given that a tunnel is established at the WMG  214  for the MS  130 . The WSS  212  sends a MEGACO:Modify message  1316  to the WMG  214  and in turn, the WMG  214  sends a MEGACO:Success message  1320  back to the WSS  212 .  
         [0028]     Now turning to  FIG. 14 , the scenario of changing audio channels is continued. At this point  1402 , the MS  130  re-establishes the WAP browser Session  1404  to the IR Application Server  116 , and thus the WAP session is established  1406 . The IR Application Server  116  then sends the Dallas IR menu  404  back  1408  to the Operator Application Server  302 , which in turn, sends  1410  the Dallas local menu  404  to the MS  130 . The MS  130  then selects a local station and then the voice call is established again as indicated  1412 ,  1414 , and  1416 .  
         [0029]     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.