Systems and methods using secondary signal backchanneling
First Claim
1. A system for supporting telephony comprising:
- a plurality of client telephony devices for initiating and receiving calls;
a telephony-over-local area network (ToL) enabled to support communications involving said client telephony devices with respect to both voice data and call-processing signals, thereby providing a first signal-handling capability of exchanging said call-processing signals for voice calls directed for connection to said client telephony devices via said ToL; and
a second network enabled to provide a second signal-handling capability of exchanging said call-processing signals for said voice calls directed for connection to said client telephony devices via said ToL, said first and second signal-handling capabilities being redundant capabilities for exchanging said call-processing signals with individual said client telephony devices.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Within a network environment, redundant capabilities for exchanging call-processing signals enhance reliability of telephony support for telephony endpoint devices. A data network, such as a telephony-over-local area network, provides primary support for the telephony endpoint devices, which may be telephony-enabled computers or Internet Protocol telephones. A second network has a first mode in which it is inactive with respect to telephony traffic to the telephony endpoint devices, but has a second mode in which call-processing signals are routed through the second network in response to a determination that the data network is disabled. As a result, telephone features such as call deflection may be continued when the primary support is disabled. In some implementations, the second network includes a third mode in which the voice information is also carried as a response to determining that the data network is disabled and the currently available bandwidth of the second network exceeds a threshold bandwidth level.
8 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for supporting telephony comprising:
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a plurality of client telephony devices for initiating and receiving calls;
a telephony-over-local area network (ToL) enabled to support communications involving said client telephony devices with respect to both voice data and call-processing signals, thereby providing a first signal-handling capability of exchanging said call-processing signals for voice calls directed for connection to said client telephony devices via said ToL; and
a second network enabled to provide a second signal-handling capability of exchanging said call-processing signals for said voice calls directed for connection to said client telephony devices via said ToL, said first and second signal-handling capabilities being redundant capabilities for exchanging said call-processing signals with individual said client telephony devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A communications system for an enterprise comprising:
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a plurality of telephony endpoint devices;
first enterprise telephony resources enabled to support said telephony endpoint devices for communications with a central communications network that is external to said enterprise;
second enterprise telephony resources having a backup mode in which call-processing signaling between said central communications network and said telephony endpoint devices is transmitted via said second enterprise telephony resources, said second enterprise telephony resources being components of an enterprise LAN; and
a detector configured to activate said backup mode when said support of said telephony endpoint devices by said first enterprise telephony resources is disabled. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of supporting communication with a plurality of telephony endpoint devices comprising:
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utilizing a data network as a primary network for exchanging voice data and call-processing signals with said telephony endpoint devices;
detecting occurrences in which said data network is disabled with respect to exchanging said call-processing signals with said telephony endpoint devices; and
activating a secondary signal-handling capability upon detecting said occurrences, said secondary signal-handling capability being available via a second network that is linked to said telephony endpoint devices, said activating including enabling said second network to transmit and receive said call-processing signals to and from said telephony endpoint devices. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification