System and method for providing alternate routing in a network

• US 20050025043A1
• Filed: 07/29/2003
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: O'Brien, James, Sporel, Eric R., Mussman, Harry, Baj, Michael, Israel, Robert K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,215,643 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/216
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/22 using redundant apparatus to increase reliability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• 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 65/80 Responding to QoS
• 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: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13138 Least cost routing, LCR
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13167 Redundant apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 Traffic distributors

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for performing alternate routing of communications in a network. The system initiates a communication from an origination endpoint in a packet-switched network, such as a VoIP network, to a destination endpoint, and determining, according to selection criteria, whether to route the communication to the destination endpoint using at least a second circuit-switched network, such as the PSTN.

Claims

1. A computerized method for performing alternate routing of communications in a network, the method comprising:

initiating a communication from an origination endpoint in a packet-switched network to a destination endpoint; and

determining, according to selection criteria, whether to route the communication to the destination endpoint using at least a second circuit-switched network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating a communication comprises initiating a VoIP communication.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating a communication comprises initiating a communication from a VoIP endpoint.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating a communication from an origination endpoint in a packet-switched network comprises initiating a communication from an origination endpoint in a VoIP network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating a communication to a destination endpoint comprises initiating a communication to a VoIP endpoint.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating a communication to a destination endpoint comprises initiating a communication to a PSTN endpoint.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining comprises determining according to available bandwidth criteria.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining according to available bandwidth criteria comprises determining whether a number of call counts processed by an enterprise gatekeeper is above a specified threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining comprises determining according to network resource availability criteria.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining according to network resource availability criteria comprises determining according to the availability of a network component.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining according to the availability of a network component comprises determining according to the availability of a network endpoint.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining according to the availability of a network endpoint comprises:

sending, to a gatekeeper, an admission request containing a network address associated with the network endpoint;

wherein the gatekeeper is programmed to determine whether the network address associated with the network endpoint is a member of a set of available network addresses.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein determining according to the availability of a network component comprises determining according to the availability of a call mediator.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining according to the availability of a call mediator comprises:

sending, to a gatekeeper, an admission request containing a network address associated with a network endpoint;

wherein the gatekeeper is programmed to determine whether a call mediator associated with the network address is a member of a set of available call mediators.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein determining according to the availability of a network component comprises determining according to the availability of a gatekeeper.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein determining according to the availability of a network component comprises determining according to the availability of a gateway.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein determining according to the availability of a network component comprises determining according to the availability of a router.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein determining according to network resource availability criteria comprises determining according to the availability of a communication link.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein routing the communication to the destination endpoint using at least a second circuit-switched network comprises routing the communication using the PSTN.

20. A system alternate routing of communications in a network, the system comprising:

an origination endpoint in a packet-switched network;

a destination endpoint; and

a gatekeeper programmed to determine, according to selection criteria, whether to route a communication from the origination endpoint to the destination endpoint using at least a second circuit-switched network.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the origination endpoint comprises a VoIP endpoint.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the packet-switched network comprises a VoIP network.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the origination endpoint comprises a VoIP endpoint.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the origination endpoint comprises a PSTN endpoint.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the gatekeeper comprises an enterprise gatekeeper.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the gatekeeper comprises an inbound gatekeeper.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the gatekeeper comprises an outbound gatekeeper.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the gatekeeper comprises a translation gatekeeper.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the selection criteria comprises available bandwidth criteria.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the available bandwidth criteria comprises whether a number of call counts processed by an enterprise gatekeeper is above a specified threshold.

31. The system of claim 20, wherein the selection criteria comprises network resource availability criteria.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the network resource availability criteria comprises the availability of a network component.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the network component comprises a network endpoint.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the gatekeeper determines the availability of the network endpoint by receiving an admission request containing a network address associated with the network endpoint, and determines whether the network address associated with the network endpoint is a member of a set of available network addresses.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the network component comprises a call mediator.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the gatekeeper determines the availability of the call mediator by receiving an admission request containing a network address associated with a network endpoint, and determines whether a call mediator associated with the network address is a member of a set of available call mediators.

37. The system of claim 32, wherein the network component comprises a gatekeeper.

38. The system of claim 32, wherein the network component comprises a gateway.

39. The system of claim 32, wherein the network component comprises a router.

40. The system of claim 20, wherein the circuit-switched network comprises the PSTN.