Decomposed H.323 network border element for use in a voice-over-internet protocol network

• US 20050125696A1
• Filed: 11/15/2004
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Afshar, Siroos K., Roy, Radhika R., Croak, Marian Rogers, Utano, Ralph
• Granted Patent: US 7,715,412 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A decomposed H.323 border element is disclosed that is useful for providing an entry point from one or more H.323-based networks into a SIP-based VoIP network. In one embodiment, the signaling element of the BE is separated into a separate functional entity from the media control element to facilitate a single signaling entity controlling multiple media entities. In another embodiment, the security element of the border element is also separated from the media control element so that firewall and network address translation elements may be performed by a separate functional entity. In a further embodiment, the media transcoding element is separated from the media control element. In a final embodiment, the internetworking facility between the SIP and H.323 element is separate from the H.323 gatekeeper elements.

Claims

1. A border element for interfacing an H.323 compliant network with a session initiation protocol (SIP)-compliant network, said border element comprising:

an H.323 signaling element for providing signaling control between said H.323 compliant network and said SIP network; and

an H.323 media element for processing media streams,

wherein said H.323 signaling element is a separate functional entity from said H.323 media element, thus forming a separate media control entity and a separate signaling entity.

2. The border element of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of H.323 media control entities controlled by said H.323 signaling node.

3. The border element of claim 1 wherein said H.323 media element comprises:

a media control element;

a media transcoding element;

a firewall element; and

a network address translator element,

wherein said media control element and said media transcoding element are separate functional entities from said firewall element and said network address translator element.

4. The border element of claim 3 wherein said media control element comprises a separate functional entity from said firewall element.

5. The border element of claim 4 wherein said media control element comprises a separate functional entity from said network address translator entity.

6. The border element of claim 5 wherein said media control element comprises a separate functional entity from said media transcoding element.

7. The border element of claim 3 wherein said media control element comprises a separate functional entity from said network address translator element.

8. The border element of claim 3 wherein said media control element comprises a separate functional entity from said media transcoding element.

9. The border element of claim 1 wherein said H.323 signaling element comprises a SIP-H.323 interworking facility element and an H.323 gatekeeping element, wherein said SIP-H.323 interworking facility element is a separate functional entity from said H.323 gatekeeping entity.

10. An H.323 media entity for use in a border element in an internet-protocol (IP)-based telecommunications network, said border element comprising an H.323 signaling entity that is a separate functional entity from said media entity, said H.323 media entity comprising:

a media control element;

a media transcoding element;

a firewall element; and

a network address translator element,

means for interfacing said H.323 media entity with said H.323 signaling entity.

11. The H.323 media entity of claim 10 wherein said media control element comprises a separate functional entity from said firewall element.

12. The H.323 media entity of claim 11 wherein said media control element comprises a separate functional entity from said network address translator element.

13. The H.323 media entity of claim 12 wherein said media control element comprises a separate functional entity from said media transcoding element.

14. The H.323 media entity of claim 10 wherein said media control element comprises a separate functional entity from said network address translator element.

15. The H.323 media entity of claim 10 wherein said media control element comprises a separate functional entity from said media transcoding element.

16. An H.323 signaling entity for use in a border element in an internet-protocol (IP)-based telecommunications network, said border element comprising an H.323 media entity that is a separate functional entity from said H.323 signaling entity, said H.323 signaling entity comprising

an SIP-H.323 interworking facility element;

and

an H.323 gatekeeping element,

means for interfacing said H.323 signaling entity with said H.323 media entity.

17. The H.323 media node of claim 16 wherein said SIP-H.323 interworking facility element is separate element from said H.323 gatekeeping element.