Method and apparatus for functional architecture of voice-over-IP SIP network border element
First Claim
1. A scalable system for providing real time communication services between user devices, the scalable system comprising:
- at least one call control element (CCE) providing system call control functions;
at least one scalable border element (BE) providing scalable system interface functions and in communication with said CCE;
a first user device for initiating a call and in communication with said scalable BE; and
a second user device acting as a call destination device and in communication with said scalable BE.
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Abstract
In order to provide a single common cost-efficient architecture for real time communication services for audio, video, and data over internet protocol, a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) system and architecture is provided by placing border elements (BEs) at the interface boundaries between the access network the user devices use and the VoIP infrastructure. The BEs use SIP protocol as the access call control protocol over any access networking technologies, for example, IP, Ethernet, ATM, and FR, and provides all services transparently to the end users that use SIP-enabled devices. To enable a scalable system, the SIP BEs are decomposed into separate communicating entities that make the SIP BE scalable and provide new capabilities not previously available by a self-contained SIP BE. Further, multiple levels of decomposition of a SIP BE can be provided by the present invention supporting a flexible and scalable SIP BE design that further improves system efficiencies and cost advantages as compared to use of single integrated border or edge elements. Further, a scalable SIP BE, made up of a plurality of physical entities for optimization of a large scale design, acts as a single integrated functional entity to logically execute a set of functions at the border of a VoIP infrastructure.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A scalable system for providing real time communication services between user devices, the scalable system comprising:
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at least one call control element (CCE) providing system call control functions;
at least one scalable border element (BE) providing scalable system interface functions and in communication with said CCE;
a first user device for initiating a call and in communication with said scalable BE; and
a second user device acting as a call destination device and in communication with said scalable BE. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of connecting a call between user devices using a scalable system with user devices external to the scalable system, the method comprising:
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connecting a user device for initiating a call to a first BE media entity and to a BE signaling entity;
receiving in the BE signaling entity a signaling message from a user device to setup a call;
communicating the signaling message from the BE signaling entity to a call control element (CCE) that manages the call flow process and determines a path to a destination user device and a second BE media entity associated with the destination user device;
opening pinholes for media streams;
connecting the said first BE media entity to the second BE media entity for media transfers;
communicating between the CCE and the second BE media entity to determine if transcoding is required and if it is invoking the appropriate BE media entity to provide the transcoding function; and
establishing the call connection between the user device initiating the call and the destination user device. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A border element (BE) signaling entity providing signaling functions to at least one connected BE media entity providing media functions and a connected call control element (CCE), the BE signaling entity comprising:
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a communication interface to said BE media entity; and
a communication interface to said CCE. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A border element (BE) media entity providing media functions to a connected user device and a connected BE signaling entity providing signaling functions, the BE media entity comprising:
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a communication interface to said BE signaling entity;
a communication interface to at least one other BE media entity that is connected to a different user device; and
a communication interface to said connected user device. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A decomposed border element (BE) providing interface functions for a scalable system at the interface boundary between the scalable system and network connected user devices external to the scalable system, the decomposed BE comprising:
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a BE signaling entity providing BE signaling functions and in communication with call control functions of the scalable system; and
a BE media entity providing BE media functions in communication with said BE signaling entity, in communication with a different BE media entity for media transfers and in communication with at least one user device. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to perform call connection services between user devices using decomposed border elements (BEs), made up of at least one BE signaling entity and a plurality of BE media entities, between the user devices and the computer system, by performing the steps of:
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connecting a user device for initiating a call to a first BE media entity and to a BE signaling entity;
receiving in the BE signaling entity a signaling message from a user device to setup a call;
communicating the signaling message from the BE signaling entity to a call control element (CCE) that manages the call flow process and determines a path to a destination user device and a second BE media entity associated with the destination user device;
opening pinholes for media streams;
connecting the said first BE media entity to the second BE media entity for media transfers;
communicating between the CCE and the second BE media entity to determine if transcoding is required and if it is invoking the appropriate BE media entity to provide the transcoding function; and
establishing a call connection between the user device initiating the call and the destination user device. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44)
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Specification