Patents by Inventor Christopher H. Joul

Christopher H. Joul has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11871330
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and techniques described herein relate to migrating a communication session from a path including a stressed user plane function (UPF) to a path including a replacement UPF. A communication session may traverse a first path including the first UPF. After establishing the communication session, the first UPF may be determined to be stressed. In response, the communication session can be proactively migrated to a second path including a second UPF. According to various implementations, the existing communication session can be maintained during the migration, thereby substantially eliminating interruptions caused by the stressed first UPF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Suliman Albasheir, Boris Antsev, Christopher H. Joul, Rahul Pal, Suresh Thanneeru, Karunakalage Viraj Rakitha Silva, Salvador Mendoza, Rushabhkumar Patel
  • Patent number: 11743704
    Abstract: Techniques for handling emergency calls in a fifth generation (5G) telecommunication network are discussed herein. Some 5G-compatible user equipment (UEs) support 5G emergency calls, while other 5G-compatible UEs do not support 5G emergency calls. If a UE supports 5G emergency calls, the 5G telecommunication network may instruct the UE during network registration to use the 5G telecommunication network for any emergency calls attempted later. However, if a UE does not support 5G emergency calls, the 5G telecommunication network may instruct the UE during network registration to instead use Long-Term Evolution (LTE) emergency fallback procedures for emergency calls. Such LTE emergency fallback procedures can cause the 5G telecommunication network to steer the UE to LTE for an emergency call almost immediately after receiving a service request from the UE, even though the 5G telecommunication network itself supports emergency calls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Suresh Thanneeru, Christopher H. Joul, Boris Antsev, William Michael Hooker
  • Publication number: 20230087004
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and techniques described herein relate to migrating a communication session from a path including a stressed user plane function (UPF) to a path including a replacement UPF. A communication session may traverse a first path including the first UPF. After establishing the communication session, the first UPF may be determined to be stressed. In response, the communication session can be proactively migrated to a second path including a second UPF. According to various implementations, the existing communication session can be maintained during the migration, thereby substantially eliminating interruptions caused by the stressed first UPF.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Suliman Albasheir, Boris Antsev, Christopher H. Joul, Rahul Pal, Suresh Thanneeru, Karunakalage Viraj Rakitha Silva, Salvador Mendoza, Rushabhkumar Patel
  • Publication number: 20230062145
    Abstract: In a telecommunication network, network slices can be identified by slice identifiers used within a core network. The same slice identifiers can also be used by elements of an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) to identify the network slices. For example, a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) can be provisioned with user data associated with a user equipment (UE), including a slice identifier of a network slice that the UE is assigned to use. The HSS can provide the slice identifier to an S-CSCF in the IMS when the UE registers with the IMS. The S-CSCF can share the slice identifier with other IMS elements, such as a P-CSCF and/or one or more application servers. Accordingly, the IMS elements can determine key performance indicators (KPIs) and perform other operations in association with usage of network slices by UEs, based on the same slice identifiers used within the core network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Nassereddine Sabeur, Saqib Badar, Shujaur Rehman Mufti, Suresh Thanneeru, Boris Antsev, Christopher H. Joul, Marc A. Proctor, Subramania Kaushik
  • Patent number: 11490318
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and techniques described herein relate to migrating a communication session from a path including a stressed user plane function (UPF) to a path including a replacement UPF. A communication session may traverse a first path including the first UPF. After establishing the communication session, the first UPF may be determined to be stressed. In response, the communication session can be proactively migrated to a second path including a second UPF. According to various implementations, the existing communication session can be maintained during the migration, thereby substantially eliminating interruptions caused by the stressed first UPF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Suliman Albasheir, Boris Antsev, Christopher H. Joul, Rahul Pal, Suresh Thanneeru, Karunakalage Viraj Rakitha Silva, Salvador Mendoza, Rushabhkumar Patel
  • Publication number: 20220046505
    Abstract: An access network can allocate a bearer for a network service associated with a quality-of-service (QoS) value (QV) and a retention-priority value (RPV), and determine a bearer ID for the service based on the QV, the RPV, and a supplemental priority value (SPV) different from the QV and from the RPV. Upon handover of a terminal, session(s) carried by a bearer allocated by the terminal can be terminated. That bearer can be selected using IDs of the bearers and a comparison function that, given two bearer IDs, determines which respective bearer should be terminated before the other. Upon handover of a terminal to an access network supporting fewer bearers per terminal than the terminal has allocated, a network node can select a bearer based on respective QVs and RPVs of a set of allocated bearers. The network node can deallocate the selected bearer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Kun Lu, Boris Antsev, Terri L. Brooks, Egil Gronstad, John Humbert, Alan Denis MacDonald, Salvador Mendoza, Scott Francis Migaldi, Gary Jones, Christopher H. Joul, Jun Liu, Ming Shan Kwok, Karunakalage Viraj Rakitha Silva, Neng-Tsann Ueng
  • Patent number: 11146595
    Abstract: A service-based architecture (SBA) IP Multimedia Network Subsystem (IMS) network exposes Network Functions (NFs) to nodes within a 5G core network (CN), nodes within the SBA IMS network, and/or nodes within another network. In contrast to the SBA IMS network, legacy IMS networks are non-SBA IMS stateful networks that may utilize the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). Utilizing the SBA IMS network, a node in the 5G core network can communicate directly with any node in the SBA IMS network. The SBA IMS network is stateless and open as opposed to stateful and closed as in SIP based legacy IMS networks. In some configurations, the SBA IMS network utilizes a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP). For instance, instead of using the application layer SIP protocol, techniques can include using HTTP. The SBA IMS may also connect to legacy SIP IMS networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Zeeshan Jahangir, Umair Rehmat, Shujaur Mufti, Christopher H. Joul
  • Patent number: 11108832
    Abstract: Systems and methods for selectively routing a connect to a network through a control function associated with the network. The system can distinguish between control functions based on functionalities associated with the control function itself or capabilities associated with a user device. The system can select between the control functions based at least in part on an identifier associated with the user device, a subscriber account associated with the user device, or another trait of the connection. The system can select the control function based on a determination made by a control node associated with the network and may be further based on a Network Resource Function, a Domain Name System server, internal static listings of the control functions, or other resource that associates one or more identifiers with the control function. The system can obtain the identifier once the user device requests a connection with the network and provide the identifier to the control node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Saqib Badar, Christopher H. Joul, Shujaur Rehman Mufti
  • Patent number: 11109293
    Abstract: A first access node of a first wireless access network receives, via a first entry node of the first network, a service-request message from a terminal registered with the first network. The first access node requests first network-capacity information associated with the first wireless access network from the first entry node, and second network-capacity information associated with a second wireless access network from a second access node of the second network. The first access node selects a target access network based on the service-request message and the first and second network-capacity information. The first access node, in response to a selection of the first wireless access network, sends a service-reply message to the first entry node. The first access node, in response to a selection of the second wireless access network, triggers a handover of the terminal to the second wireless access network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Egil Gronstad, Karunakalage Viraj Rakitha Silva, Brian Allan Olsen, Kun Lu, Ming Shan Kwok, Salvador Mendoza, John Humbert, Jun Liu, Alan Denis MacDonald, Christopher H. Joul, Neng-Tsann Ueng
  • Patent number: 11102691
    Abstract: A first access node of a first wireless access network receives, via a first entry node of the first network, a service-request message from a terminal registered with the first network. The first access node requests first network-capacity information associated with the first wireless access network from the first entry node, and second network-capacity information associated with a second wireless access network from a second access node of the second network. The first access node selects a target access network based on the service-request message and the first and second network-capacity information. The first access node, in response to a selection of the first wireless access network, sends a service-reply message to the first entry node. The first access node, in response to a selection of the second wireless access network, triggers a handover of the terminal to the second wireless access network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Egil Gronstad, Karunakalage Viraj Rakitha Silva, Brian Allan Olsen, Kun Lu, Ming Shan Kwok, Salvador Mendoza, John Humbert, Jun Liu, Alan Denis MacDonald, Christopher H. Joul, Neng-Tsann Ueng
  • Publication number: 20210250745
    Abstract: Techniques for handling emergency calls in a fifth generation (5G) telecommunication network are discussed herein. Some 5G-compatible user equipment (UEs) support 5G emergency calls, while other 5G-compatible UEs do not support 5G emergency calls. If a UE supports 5G emergency calls, the 5G telecommunication network may instruct the UE during network registration to use the 5G telecommunication network for any emergency calls attempted later. However, if a UE does not support 5G emergency calls, the 5G telecommunication network may instruct the UE during network registration to instead use Long-Term Evolution (LTE) emergency fallback procedures for emergency calls. Such LTE emergency fallback procedures can cause the 5G telecommunication network to steer the UE to LTE for an emergency call almost immediately after receiving a service request from the UE, even though the 5G telecommunication network itself supports emergency calls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: Suresh Thanneeru, Christopher H. Joul, Boris Antsev, William Michael Hooker
  • Patent number: 11089527
    Abstract: An access network can allocate a bearer for a network service associated with a quality-of-service (QoS) value (QV) and a retention-priority value (RPV), and determine a bearer ID for the service based on the QV, the RPV, and a supplemental priority value (SPV) different from the QV and from the RPV. Upon handover of a terminal, session(s) carried by a bearer allocated by the terminal can be terminated. That bearer can be selected using IDs of the bearers and a comparison function that, given two bearer IDs, determines which respective bearer should be terminated before the other. Upon handover of a terminal to an access network supporting fewer bearers per terminal than the terminal has allocated, a network node can select a bearer based on respective QVs and RPVs of a set of allocated bearers. The network node can deallocate the selected bearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Kun Lu, Boris Antsev, Terri Brooks, Egil Gronstad, John Humbert, Alan Denis MacDonald, Salvador Mendoza, Scott Francis Migaldi, Gary Jones, Christopher H. Joul, Jun Liu, Ming Shan Kwok, Karunakalage Viraj Rakitha Silva, Neng-Tsann Ueng
  • Patent number: 11082458
    Abstract: Techniques for web access in a 5G wireless networking environment are discussed herein. In particular, techniques can be implemented in 5th Generation (5G) environments via a web access component configured to accept HTTP requests or WebSocket requests from a user equipment and initialize a session in various components in the 5G environment to utilize a user plane function. In some instances, the web access can be provided by a web access inter-working function (WxIWF) interface in communication with an access and mobility management function (AMF) and a user plane function (UPF). In some instances, this arrangement facilitates seamless transitions between non-3GPP access and 3GPP access because traffic associated with both types utilize a same session in the 5G environment components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Shujaur Mufti, Christopher H. Joul
  • Patent number: 11076436
    Abstract: A core network element, such as a PCRF and/or an MME, can determine that a Quality of Service (QoS) Class Indicator (QCI) of particular bearer set up between the core network and user equipment (UE) should be changed to a new QCI. When a control node, such as the MME, determines that no teardown delay conditions are met, the control node can send a bearer release message to a base station that instructs the base station to tear down all bearers for the UE, even if they are in use. In a dual connectivity arrangement, such as a E-UTRAN New Radio-Dual Connectivity (EN-DC) configuration, the base station can instruct a secondary base station to also release all bearers for the UE. The control node can instruct the base station to reestablish the particular bearer with the new QCI when the base station reestablishes the bearers for the UE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Kun Lu, Jun Liu, Christopher H. Joul, Karunakalage Viraj Rakitha Silva, Suresh Thanneeru, Salvador Mendoza, Rahul Pal, Egil Gronstad, Alan Denis MacDonald, Kunal Barawkar
  • Patent number: 11044194
    Abstract: A telecommunication system can include routing devices, a Quality of Service (QoS) controller, a policy-management device, and a flow-management device. The QoS controller or flow-management device can receive a request from a terminal to create a specialized flow (SF), e.g., for a non-audio, non-video media type. If the request is associated with an authorized user, a setup message can be sent comprising a QoS indicator. The system can create the SF permitting data exchange between the terminal and a routing device. The SF can have QoS characteristics associated with the QoS indicator. In some examples, the terminal can receive network-address information, determine an associated network resource, and send a flow-request message indicating a non-audio, non-video media type. The terminal can then exchange data on the network port with a peer network terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Gapin, Paul Bongaarts, Grant Morgan Castle, Mallika Deshpande, Kirti Krishnan, Christopher H. Joul
  • Patent number: 11019537
    Abstract: A fallback mechanism for managing voice over fifth generation (5G) communications is described. In an example, server computing device(s) associated with a 5G network can receive, from a mobile computing device, a request to initiate a voice call over the 5G network. The server computing device(s) can detect a failure to establish the voice call via the 5G network and responsive to detecting the failure to establish the voice call via the 5G network, the server computing device(s) can send, to the mobile computing device, an indication that the voice call failed. The indication can include an instruction to re-attempt to establish the voice call via a different network, and the instruction can cause the mobile computing device to re-attempt, in association with the request, to establish the voice call via the different network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Hsin-Fu Henry Chiang, Christopher H. Joul
  • Publication number: 20210099497
    Abstract: Systems and methods for selectively routing a connect to a network through a control function associated with the network. The system can distinguish between control functions based on functionalities associated with the control function itself or capabilities associated with a user device. The system can select between the control functions based at least in part on an identifier associated with the user device, a subscriber account associated with the user device, or another trait of the connection. The system can select the control function based on a determination made by a control node associated with the network and may be further based on a Network Resource Function, a Domain Name System server, internal static listings of the control functions, or other resource that associates one or more identifiers with the control function. The system can obtain the identifier once the user device requests a connection with the network and provide the identifier to the control node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Applicant: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Saqib Badar, Christopher H. Joul, Shujaur Rehman Mufti
  • Publication number: 20210029617
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and techniques described herein relate to migrating a communication session from a path including a stressed user plane function (UPF) to a path including a replacement UPF. A communication session may traverse a first path including the first UPF. After establishing the communication session, the first UPF may be determined to be stressed. In response, the communication session can be proactively migrated to a second path including a second UPF. According to various implementations, the existing communication session can be maintained during the migration, thereby substantially eliminating interruptions caused by the stressed first UPF.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Suliman Albasheir, Boris Antsev, Christopher H. Joul, Rahul Pal, Suresh Thanneeru, Karunakalage Viraj Rakitha Silva, Salvador Mendoza, Rushabhkumar Patel
  • Publication number: 20200413297
    Abstract: A fallback mechanism for managing voice over fifth generation (5G) communications is described. In an example, server computing device(s) associated with a 5G network can receive, from a mobile computing device, a request to initiate a voice call over the 5G network. The server computing device(s) can detect a failure to establish the voice call via the 5G network and responsive to detecting the failure to establish the voice call via the 5G network, the server computing device(s) can send, to the mobile computing device, an indication that the voice call failed. The indication can include an instruction to re-attempt to establish the voice call via a different network, and the instruction can cause the mobile computing device to re-attempt, in association with the request, to establish the voice call via the different network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Hsin-Fu Henry Chiang, Christopher H. Joul
  • Publication number: 20200344274
    Abstract: A service-based architecture (SBA) IP Multimedia Network Subsystem (IMS) network exposes Network Functions (NFs) to nodes within a 5G core network (CN), nodes within the SBA IMS network, and/or nodes within another network. In contrast to the SBA IMS network, legacy IMS networks are non-SBA IMS stateful networks that may utilize the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). Utilizing the SBA IMS network, a node in the 5G core network can communicate directly with any node in the SBA IMS network. The SBA IMS network is stateless and open as opposed to stateful and closed as in SIP based legacy IMS networks. In some configurations, the SBA IMS network utilizes a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP). For instance, instead of using the application layer SIP protocol, techniques can include using HTTP. The SBA IMS may also connect to legacy SIP IMS networks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Inventors: Zeeshan Jahangir, Umair Rehmat, Shujaur Mufti, Christopher H. Joul