Multi-media communication management system with dynamic bypass routing of real time streaming media

• US 20030059005A1
• Filed: 05/16/2002
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Teleware Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Teleware Incorporated
• Inventors: Lewis, Calvin E., Meyerson, Robert F.
• Application Number:
  US10/147,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20030059005A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.17
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/02 Constructional features of telephone sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2473 Telephone terminals interfacing a personal computer, e.g. using an API (Application Programming Interface) details of API H04M7/0021
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2478 Telephone terminals specially adapted for non-voice services, e.g. email, internet access centralized arrangements where telephones services are combined H04M7/0024; for recording text messages H04M3/5322; for accessing Internet H04M3/4938
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0096 Trunk circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/00 Selecting arrangements H04Q5/00 - H04Q11/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A communication system controller interconnects a plurality of communication stations with each of the Internet and the public switched telephone network. Each communication station may communicate both real time streaming media frames and non-real time data frames on the Internet. The system controller includes a local area network interface for receiving frames, including both real time streaming media frames and non-real time data frames, from a communication station and a frame buffer for queuing the frames for transmission on the Internet. The system controller also provides for establishing a supplemental PSTN channel to a remote endpoint over the PSTN when the frame buffer has filled above a predetermined capacity. A routing circuit routes at least a portion of the real time streaming media frames to the remote endpoint on the supplemental PSTN channel.

Claims

1. A communication system controller that interconnects a plurality of communication stations with each of the Internet and the public switched telephone network, the communication system controller comprising:

means for receiving an indication of a remote endpoint from a communication station;

means for establishing a real time streaming media channel with the remote endpoint over the Internet;

means for sending frames including real time streaming audio to the remote endpoint utilizing the channel;

means for measuring whether a quality of service failure has occurred, a quality of service failure including at least one of frame loss and frame latency of frames sent on the channel falling below a quality of service threshold;

means for establishing a PSTN channel to the remote endpoint over the PSTN when a quality of service failure has occurred;

means for routing at least a portion of the frames sent to the remote endpoint over the PSTN channel.

2. The communication system controller of claim 1, wherein the means for measuring whether a quality of service failure has occurred includes:

means for storing an indication of when a frame was sent to the remote endpoint, receiving an indication of when a frame was received by the remote endpoint, and comparing the indication of when the frame was sent to an indication of when the frame was received to determine frame latency.

3. The communication system controller of claim 1, wherein the means for measuring whether a quality of service failure has occurred includes:

means for storing a sequence of frame identification indicators for each of a plurality of frames in a sequence sent to the remote endpoint, receiving a sequence of frame identification indicators for each of a plurality of frames received by the remote endpoint, and comparing the sequence of frame identification indicators for each of the frames sent to the remote endpoint with the sequence of frame identification indicators received by the remote endpoint to determine frame loss.

4. The communication system controller of claim 1, further including:

means for detecting that a remote endpoint has established a PSTN channel to the communication system controller.

5. A communication system controller that interconnects a plurality of communication stations with each of the Internet and the public switched telephone network, the communication system controller comprising:

a communication circuit for exchanging frames of data with a remote device over the Internet;

a modem interface circuit for establishing a PSTN connection with the remote device over the PSTN and for exchanging frames of data with the remote endpoint over the PSTN connection;

a monitor circuit comprising;

means for measuring whether a quality of service failure has occurred on the Internet, a quality of service failure including at least one of frame loss and frame latency of frames sent on the Internet falling below a quality of service threshold; and

means for identifying a remote device to the modem interface and providing an indication to the modem interface to establishing a connection with the remote device; and

means for instructing a router to route frames to the remote device over the PSTN connection.

6. The communication system controller of claim 5, wherein the means for measuring whether a quality of service failure has occurred includes:

means for storing an indication of when a frame was sent to the remote device over the Internet, receiving an indication of when a frame was received by the remote device, and comparing the indication of when the frame was sent to an indication of when the frame was received to determine frame latency.

7. The communication system controller of claim 6, wherein the means for measuring whether a quality of service failure has occurred includes:

means for storing a sequence of frame identification indicators for each of a plurality of frames in a sequence sent to the remote device over the Internet, receiving a sequence of frame identification indicators for each of a plurality of frames received by the remote device, and comparing the sequence of frame identification indicators for each of the frames sent to the remote endpoint with the sequence of frame identification indicators received by the remote device to determine frame loss.

8. The communication system controller of claim 5, further including:

means for detecting that a remote device has established a PSTN channel to the communication system controller.

9. A method of sending real time streaming media frames to a remote device, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a remote endpoint from a communication station;

establishing a real time streaming media channel with the remote endpoint over the Internet;

sending frames including real time streaming audio to the remote endpoint utilizing the channel;

measuring whether a quality of service failure has occurred, a quality of service failure including at least one of frame loss and frame latency of frames sent on the channel falling below a quality of service threshold;

establishing a PSTN channel to the remote endpoint over the PSTN when a quality of service failure has occurred; and

routing at least a portion of the frames sent to the remote endpoint over the PSTN channel.

10. The method of sending real time streaming media frames to a remote device of claim 9, further comprising:

storing an indication of when a frame was sent to the remote endpoint, receiving an indication of when a frame was received by the remote endpoint, and comparing the indication of when the frame was sent to an indication of when the frame was received to determine frame latency.

11. The method of sending real time streaming media frames to a remote device of claim 10, wherein the means for measuring whether a quality of service failure has occurred includes:

means for storing a sequence of frame identification indicators for each of a plurality of frames in a sequence sent to the remote endpoint, receiving a sequence of frame identification indicators for each of a plurality of frames received by the remote endpoint, and comparing the sequence of frame identification indicators for each of the frames sent to the remote endpoint with the sequence of frame identification indicators received by the remote endpoint to determine frame loss.

12. The method of sending real time streaming media frames to a remote device of claim 9, further including:

means for detecting that a remote endpoint has established a PSTN channel to the communication system controller.

13. A communication system controller that interconnects a plurality of communication stations with each of the Internet and the public switched telephone network, the communication system controller comprising:

a communication circuit for exchanging frames of data with a remote device over the Internet;

a modem interface circuit for establishing a PSTN connection with the remote device over the PSTN and for exchanging frames of data with the remote endpoint over the PSTN connection;

a monitor circuit comprising;

means for measuring whether a quality of service failure has occurred on the Internet, a quality of service failure including at least one of frame loss and frame latency of frames sent on the Internet falling below a quality of service threshold; and

means for identifying a remote device to the modem interface and providing an indication to the modem interface to establishing a connection with the remote device; and

means for instructing a router to route frames to the remote device over the PSTN connection.

14. The method of sending real time streaming media frames to a remote device of claim 13, wherein the means for measuring whether a quality of service failure has occurred includes:

means for storing an indication of when a frame was sent to the remote device over the Internet, receiving an indication of when a frame was received by the remote device, and comparing the indication of when the frame was sent to an indication of when the frame was received to determine frame latency.

15. The method of sending real time streaming media frames to a remote device of claim 14, wherein the means for measuring whether a quality of service failure has occurred includes:

means for storing a sequence of frame identification indicators for each of a plurality of frames in a sequence sent to the remote device over the Internet, receiving a sequence of frame identification indicators for each of a plurality of frames received by the remote device, and comparing the sequence of frame identification indicators for each of the frames sent to the remote endpoint with the sequence of frame identification indicators received by the remote device to determine frame loss.

16. The method of sending real time streaming media frames to a remote device of claim 13, further including:

means for detecting that a remote device has established a PSTN channel to the communication system controller.

17. A communication system controller that interconnects a plurality of communication stations with each of the Internet and the public switched telephone network, the communication system controller comprising:

a local area network interface for receiving frames, including both real time streaming media frames and non-real time data frames, from a communication station;

a frame buffer for queuing the frames for transmission on the Internet;

means for establishing a supplemental PSTN channel to a remote endpoint over the PSTN when the frame buffer has filled above a predetermined capacity; and

a routing circuit for routing at least a portion of the real time streaming media frames to the remote endpoint on the supplemental PSTN channel.

18. The communication system controller of claim 17, wherein the frame buffer includes means for queuing real time streaming media frames with a higher priority for transmission than the non-real time data frames.

19. The communication system controller of claim 18, wherein the means for establishing a supplemental PSTN channel to a remote endpoint comprises:

means for selecting a remote endpoint to which real time streaming media frames are being sent;

means for determining a PSTN telephone number associated with the selected remote endpoint;

means for dialing the PSTN telephone number on the PSTN network; and

means for queuing real time media frames addressed to the selected remote endpoint in a second frame buffer associated with the selected remote endpoint for transmission on the supplemental PSTN channel.

20. The communication system controller of claim 18, further comprising:

means for receiving a PSTN telephone call from an initiating remote endpoint;

means for establishing a supplemental PSTN channel to with the initiating remote endpoint in response to receiving the PSTN telephone call from the initiating remote endpoint; and

means for routing at least a portion of the real time streaming media frames addressed to the initiating remote endpoint on the supplemental PSTN channel.

21. A method of sending real time streaming media frames to a remote device, the method comprising:

receiving frames, including both real time streaming media frames and non-real time data frames, from a communication station on a local network;

queuing the frames for transmission on the Internet;

establishing a supplemental PSTN channel to a remote endpoint over the PSTN when the frame buffer has filled above a predetermined capacity; and

routing at least a portion of the real time streaming media frames to the remote endpoint on the supplemental PSTN channel.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

queuing real time streaming media frames with a higher priority for transmission than the non-real time data frames.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of establishing a supplemental PSTN channel to a remote endpoint comprises:

selecting a remote endpoint to which real time streaming media frames are being sent;

determining a PSTN telephone number associated with the selected remote endpoint;

dialing the PSTN telephone number on the PSTN network; and

queuing real time media frames addressed to the selected remote endpoint in a second frame buffer associated with the selected remote endpoint for transmission on the supplemental PSTN channel.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving a PSTN telephone call from an initiating remote endpoint;

establishing a supplemental PSTN channel to with the initiating remote endpoint in response to receiving the PSTN telephone call from the initiating remote endpoint; and

routing at least a portion of the real time streaming media frames addressed to the initiating remote endpoint on the supplemental PSTN channel.