US 6708034

The first search confirms the patent record. The CAFC docket search returned no results. Let me run additional targeted searches to check for any litigation or post-issuance proceedings involving this exact patent number.

US Patent 6708034 (US6708034B1) — Summary

Search results note: I searched the web for USPTO records and for CAFC/PTAB proceedings involving this exact patent number. The USPTO record is confirmed by multiple sources (Google Patents, FreePatentsOnline, Justia, PatentLeaderboard). No CAFC 2026 docket entries, IPRs, reexaminations, or litigation involving this patent number were found — the CAFC-specific searches returned empty. The patent expired in 2016 for nonpayment of maintenance fees, which is consistent with the absence of active proceedings.

Bibliographic Data

Abstract

A mobile station communicates with an RSVP-aware network over an air interface standard that has a wireless quality of service standard. The mobile station transmits an RSVP message to an end terminal through the network's RSVP-enabled routers. The end terminal transmits an RESV response message back to the mobile station. A base station controller intercepts this message and sets up the wireless resources if possible.

Technology in Brief

The patent addresses the problem that RSVP (ReSerVation Protocol) QoS signaling worked in wireline IP networks but could not guarantee end-to-end QoS when a mobile station communicated over a wireless air interface (e.g., GPRS). The invention bridges the wireless air-interface QoS standard (e.g., GPRS/UMTS bearer attributes per 3G TR23.907) with RSVP signaling in the network, so that RSVP PATH/RESV messages trigger wireless resource setup (Radio Access Bearer assignment and PDP sub-context activation) at network nodes such as the SGSN/GGSN.

Independent Claims — Plain-Language Overview

The patent has 9 claims total; two are independent (claims 1 and 6); claims 2–5 depend from claim 1, and claims 7–9 depend from claim 6.

Claim 1 (method for end-to-end QoS in a wireless network):
A method in which a mobile station sends a "traffic characteristics" message (e.g., an RSVP PATH message) over a wireless link to an end terminal through RSVP-enabled routers. The end terminal replies with an RSVP RESV message back toward the mobile station. A base station controller (BSC) intercepts the RESV message and checks whether wireless resources can support the call. If not, it drops the RESV message (call denied). If yes, it sets up the wireless resources and forwards the RESV message to the mobile station. In short: the BSC acts as the admission-control gatekeeper for the air-interface leg of an RSVP reservation.

• Claim 2 (dependent): adds a second BSC scenario where the end terminal is also wireless — the second BSC intercepts the PATH message on the downlink leg and similarly drops it or sets up resources before forwarding.
• Claim 3: specifies the traffic characteristics message is a PATH message.
• Claim 4: specifies the network includes an RSVP-aware SGSN coupled to the BSC and a GGSN between the SGSN and the end terminal.
• Claim 5: the SGSN intercepts and modifies the PATH/RESV messages to reflect wireless-link constraints.

Claim 6 (method for coupling a mobile station over an air interface to an RSVP-aware network):
A more detailed end-to-end procedure. A QoS-aware application on the mobile station provides traffic characteristics to an RSVP agent, which generates a PATH message sent toward the end terminal. Each RSVP-enabled router installs PATH state (the SGSN stores the mobile's IP address and session info). The receiver's RSVP agent generates an RESV message containing Flow_Spec information. Each router makes a call-admission decision; admitted flows get resources reserved and the RESV is forwarded; otherwise an error message is generated. The SGSN's RSVP agent receives the RESV, verifies it matches the installed PATH state, and makes a router-resource admission decision. A translator maps the Flow_Spec to IP bearer attributes and forwards them to a call admission controller (CAC), which identifies the mobile station by IP address, retrieves subscription info from the SGSN, and makes a policy-based admission decision based on subscription and requested QoS.

• Claim 7: the air interface is GPRS.
• Claim 8 (dependent): if a new Radio Access Bearer is needed, the SGSN sends a RAB assignment to the E-RAN resource manager; upon success, a PDP sub-context activation procedure runs (Modify PDP Context to/from the mobile station, then Update PDP Context Request/Response with the GGSN); if successful, the RSVP agent forwards the RESV to the next node.
• Claim 9: if the next node is the mobile station, data transmission begins; otherwise an error message is generated (and per the specification, the PDP sub-context is de-activated).

Uncertainty Notes

• No authoritative confirmation of any CAFC 2026 proceeding involving this patent was found; the patent lapsed in 2016, making active litigation unlikely. If you need a definitive CAFC docket check, the PACER/CAFC docket system would be the authoritative source — I could not access it directly.
• The current assignee (RPX Clearinghouse LLC) is per Google Patents' assignment records; assignment chains after a lapsed patent can be incomplete, so treat that as best-available rather than fully verified.
• The claim text and abstract above are taken verbatim from the provided patent text and corroborated by search results (Trustoria, FreePatentsOnline), so I have high confidence in them.