Apparatus and method for providing communication services using multiple signaling protocols

• US 20050286496A1
• Filed: 09/29/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte Limited (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte Limited (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Malhotra, Tanu, Kumar, Krishna Anoop
• Granted Patent: US 8,218,457 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• 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 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• 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

An apparatus includes a plurality of call controllers that are capable of establishing a plurality of communication sessions over a packet network using a plurality of signaling protocols. The apparatus also includes an application controller that is capable of supporting one or more supplementary services during each of the communication sessions. As particular examples, the application controller and at least one of the call controllers are capable of at least one of: placing at least one of the communication sessions on hold so a user may initiate another of the communication sessions, placing at least one of the communication sessions on hold so the user may accept another of the communication sessions, and establishing a conference using at least two of the communication sessions. The communication sessions may use a common signaling protocol or different signaling protocols.

Claims

1. A communication terminal, comprising:

a phone manager including an interface for a communication line;

a telephony controller including an interface to each of a plurality of voice-over-Internet Protocol signaling protocols; and

an application controller supporting one or more value-added services selected from at least call hold, call waiting, and multi-party conferencing across the plurality of signaling protocols.

2. An apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of call controllers capable of establishing a plurality of communication sessions over a packet network using a plurality of signaling protocols; and

an application controller capable of supporting one or more supplementary services during each of the communication sessions.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the communication sessions are associated with a plurality of remote endpoints; and

at least two of the remote endpoints implement different signaling protocols and are unable to establish communication sessions directly with one another.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the application controller comprises a first state machine;

each of the call controllers comprises a second state machine; and

the application controller and the call controllers are capable of using the state machines to establish the communication sessions using multiple protocols and to support the one or more supplementary services.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a buffer capable of storing audio information to be transmitted over the packet network and audio information received over the packet network; and

a plurality of stacks capable of facilitating communication between the packet network and the call controllers and buffer.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the application controller and at least one of the call controllers are capable of at least one of:

placing at least one of the communication sessions on hold so a user may initiate another of the communication sessions;

placing at least one of the communication sessions on hold so the user may accept another of the communication sessions; and

establishing a conference for at least two of the communication sessions;

wherein the communication sessions use a common signaling protocol or different signaling protocols.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a processor capable of processing audio information during a conference by:

receiving a first audio stream associated with the user;

mixing a plurality of second audio streams from a plurality of remote endpoints and providing the mixed second audio streams to the user; and

mixing the first audio stream with at least one of the second audio streams and providing the mixed first and second audio streams to at least one of the remote endpoints.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the call controllers are capable of simultaneously maintaining multiple communication sessions using different signaling protocols.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the call controllers comprise an H.323 call controller, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) call controller, and a Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) call controller that are active simultaneously.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the call controllers are capable of being simultaneously registered with an H.323 gatekeeper, a SIP server, and a media gateway controller using at least one of:

a common Internet Protocol address and a common telephone number.

11. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein each of the call controllers is capable of establishing a single communication session using an associated signaling protocol.

12. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the application controller and the call controllers comprise software modules.

13. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a line interface capable of being coupled to a telephone through an analog communication line; and

a processor capable of at least one of;

performing dual-tone multi-frequency detection, generating one or more audible tones, and supporting one or more voice codecs.

14. A method, comprising:

establishing a plurality of communication sessions over a packet network using a plurality of signaling protocols; and

providing one or more supplementary services during each of the communication sessions.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the communication sessions are associated with a plurality of remote endpoints; and

at least two of the remote endpoints implement different signaling protocols and are unable to establish communication sessions directly with one another.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein establishing the communication sessions and providing the one or more supplementary services comprise using an application controller having a first state machine and a plurality of call controllers each having a second state machine, wherein the application controller and the call controllers are capable of using the state machines to establish the communication sessions using multiple protocols and to support the one or more supplementary services.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein establishing the communication sessions and providing the one or more supplementary services comprise at least one of:

placing at least one of the communication sessions on hold so a user may initiate another of the communication sessions;

placing at least one of the communication sessions on hold so the user may accept another of the communication sessions; and

establishing a conference using at least two of the communication sessions;

wherein the communication sessions use a common signaling protocol or different signaling protocols.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a first audio stream associated with the user during the conference;

mixing a plurality of second audio streams from a plurality of remote endpoints and providing the mixed second audio streams to the user; and

mixing the first audio stream with at least one of the second audio streams and providing the mixed first and second audio streams to at least one of the remote endpoints.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein establishing the communication sessions comprises simultaneously maintaining multiple communication sessions using different signaling protocols.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the signaling protocols comprise H.323, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) that are active simultaneously.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising registering with an H.323 gatekeeper, a SIP server, and a media gateway controller using at least one of:

a common Internet Protocol address and a common telephone number.

22. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium and operable to be executed by a processor, the computer program comprising computer readable program code for:

establishing a plurality of communication sessions over a packet network using a plurality of signaling protocols; and

providing one or more supplementary services during each of the communication sessions.

23. The computer program of claim 22, wherein:

the communication sessions are associated with a plurality of remote endpoints; and

at least two of the remote endpoints implement different signaling protocols and are unable to establish communication sessions directly with one another.

24. The computer program of claim 22, wherein the computer readable program code for establishing the communication sessions and providing the one or more supplementary services comprise computer readable program code for using a plurality of state machines.

25. The computer program of claim 22, wherein the computer readable program code for establishing the communication sessions and providing the one or more supplementary services comprise computer readable program code for at least one of:

placing at least one of the communication sessions on hold so a user may initiate another of the communication sessions;

placing at least one of the communication sessions on hold so the user may accept another of the communication sessions; and

establishing a conference using at least two of the communication sessions;

wherein the communication sessions use a common signaling protocol or different signaling protocols.

26. The computer program of claim 25, further comprising computer readable program code for, during the conference:

receiving a first audio stream associated with the user;

mixing a plurality of second audio streams from a plurality of remote endpoints and providing the mixed second audio streams to the user; and

mixing the first audio stream with at least one of the second audio streams and providing the mixed first and second audio streams to at least one of the remote endpoints.

27. The computer program of claim 22, wherein the computer readable program code for establishing the communication sessions comprises computer readable program code for simultaneously maintaining multiple communication sessions using different signaling protocols.

28. The computer program of claim 22, wherein the signaling protocols comprise H.323, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) that are active simultaneously.

29. The computer program of claim 28, further comprising computer readable program code for registering with an H.323 gatekeeper, a SIP server, and a media gateway controller using at least one of:

a common Internet Protocol address and a common telephone number.

30. An apparatus, comprising:

a line interface capable of being coupled to a telephone through an analog communication line;

a processor capable of performing dual-tone multi-frequency detection, generating one or more audible tones, and supporting one or more voice codecs;

a plurality of call controllers capable of establishing a plurality of communication sessions over a packet network using a plurality of signaling protocols, the plurality of signaling protocols comprising at least one of;

H.323, Session Initiation Protocol, and Media Gateway Control Protocol;

a buffer capable of storing audio information to be transmitted over the packet network and audio information received over the packet network;

a plurality of stacks capable of facilitating communication between the packet network and the call controllers and buffer; and

an application controller capable of supporting call waiting, call holding, and call conferencing during each of the communication sessions.

31. An apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of call controllers capable of establishing a plurality of communication sessions over a packet network using a plurality of signaling protocols;

wherein the call controllers are capable of being simultaneously registered with an H.323 gatekeeper, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server, and a media gateway controller using at least one of;

a common Internet Protocol address and a common telephone number.

32. A method, comprising:

registering with at least two of an H.323 gatekeeper, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server, and a media gateway controller using at least one of;

a common Internet Protocol address and a common telephone number; and

establishing a plurality of communication sessions over a packet network using a plurality of signaling protocols.