Gateway system, gateway system configuring method, and gateway apparatus

• US 20050044161A1
• Filed: 09/02/2004
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Fujita, Ken
• Granted Patent: US 6,985,957 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/208
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2528 Translation at a proxy
• 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 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/125 Details of gateway equipment

Abstract

To provide a gateway system capable of handling more gateways in one gatekeeper by dividing gatekeeper functions and mounting a part of the H.323 gatekeeper functions in a gateway apparatus. The gateway apparatus includes a proxy gatekeeper, and a gateway. A master gatekeeper and the gateway apparatus form an H.323 zone, and communicate with gatekeepers and endpoints in other zones via a network address & port number translator.

Claims

1. A gateway system which handles more gateways in one gatekeeper by dividing the gatekeeper functions into each gateway apparatus as a proxy gatekeeper which has the address translation function and zone management function.

2. A gateway system in an H.323 specification communication system, comprising:

a master gatekeeper having a gateway control function including an address translation function for communicating with other zones, a zone management function, and a call control signaling-function;

a proxy gatekeeper having the address translation function and zone management function out of the gateway control function of this master gatekeeper; and

a gateway performing protocol conversion for communicating with other zones.

3. The gateway system according to claim 2, wherein the proxy gatekeeper has a call control signaling-function.

4. The gateway system according to claim 3, wherein the proxy gatekeeper and the gateway are contained in an identical apparatus.

5. The gateway system according to claims 4, wherein the gateway transmits an admissions request to the master gatekeeper when receiving admission reject to transmission of an admissions request to the proxy gatekeeper.

6. The gateway system according to claim 2, wherein the gateway system has a network address &

port number translator mutually translate network addresses and port numbers when any one of the master gatekeeper, the proxy gatekeeper, and the gateway communicates with other zones.

7. The gateway system according to claim 6, wherein the master gatekeeper informs the gateway of a transport address for signaling the master gatekeeper, and the network address &

port number translator mutually translator a network address and a port number of the master gatekeeper and a network address and a port number of the proxy gatekeeper when the master gatekeeper communicates with other zones.

8. The gateway system according to claim 2, the gateway transmits an admissions request to the proxy gatekeeper to transmit a signal to a endpoint in other zones, wherein the proxy gatekeeper transmits location request to the gatekeeper of other zones by the address translation function, and acquires a transport address for signaling the endpoint from the response of location confirm

9. The gateway system according to claim 8, wherein said proxy gatekeeper transmits admission confirm to the gateway if acknowledging the admission request, and said gateway opens a signaling channel to a transport address designated in the admission confirm

10. A method of configuring a gateway system for handling more gateways in one gatekeeper comprising the steps of:

dividing the gatekeeper functions into each gateway apparatus as a proxy gatekeeper; and

address translating when any one of a master gatekeeper, the proxy gatekeeper, and the gateway communicates with other zones.

11. A method of configuring a gateway system in an H.323 specification communication system comprising the steps of:

centralized gateway controlling by a master gatekeeper including an address translation for communicating with other zones, a zone management, and a call control signaling;

distributed gateway controlling by a proxy gatekeeper including address translation and zone management out of the gateway controlling of this master gatekeeper; and

protocol converting by a gateway for communicating with other zones.

12. A method of configuring a gateway system according to claim 11, comprising the steps of:

first transmitting an admissions request from the gateway to the proxy gatekeeper; and

second transmitting an admissions request from the gateway to the master gatekeeper when receiving an admissions reject to transmission from said proxy gatekeeper.

13. A method of configuring a gateway system according to claim 12, comprising the step of translating network addresses and port numbers mutually when any one of the master gatekeeper, the proxy gatekeeper, and the gateway communicates with other zones.

14. A method of configuring a gateway system according to claim 13, comprising the steps of:

informing the gateway of a transport address for signaling the master gatekeeper, and

translating a network address and a port number of the master gatekeeper and that of the proxy gatekeeper mutually when the master gatekeeper communicates with other zones.

15. A method of configuring a gateway system according to claim 14, comprising the steps of:

transmitting an admissions request by the gateway to the proxy gatekeeper to transmit a signal to a endpoint in other zones; and

transmitting a location request by the proxy gatekeeper to the gatekeeper of other zones to acquire a transport address for signaling the endpoint from the response of location confirm

16. A method of configuring a gateway system according to claim 15, comprising the steps of:

transmitting admission confirm said proxy gatekeeper to the gateway when acknowledging the admission request; and

opening a signaling channel by the gateway to a transport address designated in the admission confirm.

17. A gateway apparatus in an H.323 specification communication system including a proxy gatekeeper which has the address translation function and zone management function.

18. A gateway apparatus according to claim 17, comprising:

a proxy gatekeeper having the address translation function and zone management function out of the gateway control function of this master gatekeeper; and

a gateway performing protocol conversion for communicating with other zones.

19. A gateway apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the proxy gatekeeper has a call control signaling-function.

20. A gateway apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a transmitting part to transmit an admissions request to the master gatekeeper when receiving admission reject to transmission of an admissions request to the proxy gatekeeper.