Method for operating a voice terminal connected to a remote private automatic branch exchange, communication arrangement and voice terminal

• US 20050008006A1
• Filed: 07/02/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Schimper, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US10/884,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20050008006A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4675 Dynamic sharing of VLAN information amongst network nodes configuration of the network or of network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2528 Translation at a proxy
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2564 for a higher-layer protocol, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4234 Remote access to features of PBX or home telephone systems-teleworking in a PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13222 PBX circuits in public exchange, centrex
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13224 Off-net subscriber, dial in to/out from network, teleworking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13384 Inter-PBX traffic, PBX networks, e.g. corporate networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13399 Virtual channel/circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 : involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems

Abstract

Method for operating a voice terminal connected to a remote private automatic branch exchange, communication arrangement, and voice terminal The present invention relates to a method and a communication arrangement for operating a VoIP voice terminal connected to a remote IP private automatic branch exchange, for example Centrex or hosted PBX, with there being a VPN connection between the VoIP voice terminal and the network of the carrier of the remote private automatic branch exchange and with communication between the voice terminal and the remote private automatic branch exchange taking place via said VPN connection. Problems arising during NAT translation when the voice terminal is located in a local network whose IP addresses are not valid in the carrier network are advantageously avoided thereby.

Claims

1-11. -11. (cancelled)

12. A method for operating a voice terminal connected to a remote private automatic branch exchange, wherein

communication between the voice terminal and the remote private automatic branch exchange takes place using the IP Internet Protocol, wherein

the voice terminal is assigned to a subnetwork having a first IP address space, wherein

the remote private automatic branch exchange operates in a second IP address space, and wherein

IP addresses of the first IP address space are not valid in the second IP address space, the method comprising:

(a) determining an IP address from the first address space for the voice terminal;

(b) determining a VPN server for the voice terminal;

(c) setting up a VPN connection between the voice terminal and the VPN server with assigning of a further IP address, taken from the second IP address space, by the VPN server; and

(d) exchanging information and/or signaling information between the voice terminal and the remote private automatic branch exchange via the VPN connection by the VPN server.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the information transmission of the VPN connection is encrypted.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein the VPN connection is carried out using the Layer Two Tunneling Protocol L2TP or Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol PPTP.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein the VPN connection is carried out using the Layer Two Tunneling Protocol L2TP or Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol PPTP.

16. A method according to claim 12, wherein communication between the voice terminal and the remote private automatic branch exchange takes place using one of the following protocols:

ITU-T H.323, Session Initiation Protocol SIP, or Media Gateway Control Protocol MGCP/Megaco.

17. A method according to claim 13, wherein communication between the voice terminal and the remote private automatic branch exchange takes place using one of the following protocols:

ITU-T H.323, Session Initiation Protocol SIP, or Media Gateway Control Protocol MGCP/Megaco.

18. A method according to claim 14, wherein communication between the voice terminal and the remote private automatic branch exchange takes place using one of the following protocols:

ITU-T H.323, Session Initiation Protocol SIP, or Media Gateway Control Protocol MGCP/Megaco.

19. A method according to claim 12, wherein the remote private automatic branch exchange is embodied as a Centrex system or hosted PBX.

20. A method according to claim 13, wherein the remote private automatic branch exchange is embodied as a Centrex system or hosted PBX.

21. A method according to claim 14, wherein the remote private automatic branch exchange is embodied as a Centrex system or hosted PBX.

22. A method according to claim 16, wherein the remote private automatic branch exchange is embodied as a Centrex system or hosted PBX.

23. A communication arrangement, comprising:

a voice terminal; and

a remote private automatic branch exchange, wherein

communication between the voice terminal and the remote private automatic branch exchange takes place using the IP Internet Protocol, wherein

the voice terminal is assigned to a subnetwork having a first IP address space, wherein

the remote private automatic branch exchange is assigned to a network having a second IP address space, wherein

IP addresses of the first IP address space are not valid in the second IP address space;

wherein

a VPN connection between the voice terminal and the network to which the remote private automatic branch exchange is assigned, and wherein

communication between the voice terminal and the remote private automatic branch exchange takes place via the VPN connection.

24. A communication arrangement according to claim 23, wherein the VPN connection is an encrypted VPN connection.

25. A communication arrangement according to claim 23, wherein the VPN connection is carried out using the Layer Two Tunneling Protocol L2TP or Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol PPTP.

26. A communication arrangement according to claim 23, wherein communication between the voice terminal and the remote private automatic branch exchange takes place using one of the following protocols:

ITU-T H.323, Session Initiation Protocol SIP, or Media Gateway Control Protocol MGCP/Megaco.

27. A communication arrangement according to claim 23, wherein the remote private automatic branch exchange is embodied as a Centrex system or hosted PBX.

28. A voice terminal for connecting to a remote private automatic branch exchange, comprising:

a mechanism for transmitting and receiving useful information and signaling information using the IP Internet Protocol;

a mechanism for receiving an own IP address of a first IP address space;

a mechanism for carrying out IP communication employing the own IP address of the first address space;

a mechanism for determining an IP address of a VPN server;

a mechanism for setting up a VPN connection to the VPN server; and

a mechanism for receiving a further own IP address from a second IP address space and an IP address of the remote private automatic branch exchange.