Broadband wireless router-architecture enhancements for VoIP

1. A method for providing enhanced service in an IP-based core network having a collapsed wireless system architecture, the method comprising the acts of:

modifying a proxy-call session control function for operation within a broadband wireless router in which the proxy-call session control function is integrated;

monitoring the IP-based core network using the modified proxy call session control function to determine an amount of available resources in the IP-based core network; and

based on the amount of available resources, either accepting a call or rejecting the call into the network.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the amount of available resources in the IP-based core network further comprises the act of monitoring a number of calls in progress in the IP-based core network.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the amount of available resources in the IP-based core network further comprises the act of determining a bandwidth availability in the IP-based core network at the broadband wireless router.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the amount of available resources in the IP-based core network further comprises the act of determining an amount of bandwidth available on a backhaul link within the IP-based core network.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the act of rejecting admission of a new call into the IP-based core network where the amount of available resources in the IP-based core network is below a predetermined call admission threshold.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the predetermined call admission threshold is dynamically determined based on the amount of available resources in the IP-based core network.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein rejecting admission of a call into the IP-based core network further comprises the act of generating a call admission control message, wherein the call admission control message is transmitted to a wireless unit, which originated the call, informing a user of the wireless unit that the call cannot be completed.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein generating the call admission control message further comprises the act of using the modified proxy-call session control function to send a session initiation protocol message to the wireless unit, the session initiation protocol message indicating that the call is rejected.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the act of accepting admission of the call into the IP-based core network where a quality of the call is such that the call can be supported by the amount of available resources in the IP-based core network.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein accepting admission of the call further comprises the act of using the modified proxy-call session control function to send a session initiation protocol message to a serving call session control function, the session initiation protocol message indicating that the call is accepted.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the call having a lower quality is charged at a lower rate.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the quality of the call is above a minimum acceptable quality.

13. A method for providing enhanced service in an IP-based core network having a collapsed wireless system architecture, the method comprising the acts of:

modifying a proxy-call session control function for operation within a broadband wireless router in which the proxy-call session control function is integrated;

monitoring the IP-based core network using the modified proxy call session control function to determine an amount of available resources in the IP-based core network; and

adjusting a quality of at least one call-in-progress based on an amount of available resources in the IP-based core network.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the quality of the at least one call-in-progress is adjusted using a session initiation protocol.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein adjusting the quality of the at least one call-in-progress further comprises the act of upgrading the quality to at most a maximum quality level that can be supported by the amount of available resources in the IP-based core network.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein a call having a higher quality is charged at a higher rate.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein adjusting the quality of the at least one call-in-progress further comprises the act of downgrading the quality to at least a minimum acceptable quality.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the act of allowing quality differentiation between user segments for at least one application.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the act of allowing quality differentiation between user segments further comprises allowing the at least one application to adjust at least one of its bandwidth and quality of service requirements according to the amount of available resources in the IP-based core network.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein use of the at least one application by a user segment having a lower quality is charged at a lower rate.