Selecting transport addresses to route streams between endpoints

• US 20060239261A1
• Filed: 04/22/2005
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bell, Robert T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,436,814 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2564 for a higher-layer protocol, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2578 without involvement of the NAT server
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]

Abstract

Selecting a transport address for a call session between a first endpoint of a first region and a second endpoint of a second region includes determining that the call session is being initiated. A relationship between the first region and the second region is determined. One or more transport addresses of the first endpoint are identified in accordance with the relationship to yield one or more selected transport addresses.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a transport address for a call session between a first endpoint and a second endpoint, comprising:

determining that a call session between a first endpoint and a second endpoint is being initiated, the first endpoint belonging to a first region corresponding to a first network address translator, the first network address translator operable to translate an address for a device of the first region, the second endpoint belonging to a second region corresponding to a second network address translator, the second network address translator operable to translate an address for a device of the second region;

determining a relationship between the first region and the second region; and

identifying one or more transport addresses from a plurality of transport addresses in accordance with the relationship to yield one or more selected transport addresses, the plurality of transport addresses corresponding to the first endpoint, the selection yielding one or more non-selected transport addresses.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

determining the relationship between the first region and the second region further comprises determining that the first region intersects the second region; and

identifying the one or more transport addresses further comprises selecting the transport addresses associated with the intersection of the first region the second region.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

determining the relationship between the first region and the second region further comprises determining that the first region and the second region are substantially the same region; and

identifying the one or more transport addresses further comprises selecting one or more transport addresses associated with the first region and the second region.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

determining the relationship between the first region and the second region further comprises determining that the first region and the second region are substantially distinct regions; and

identifying the one or more transport addresses further comprises;

establishing a third region that comprises the first region and the second region; and

selecting one or more transport addresses associated with the third region.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the plurality of transport addresses from the first endpoint, the first endpoint operable to obtain the plurality of transport addresses from a server.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a particular server operable to provide the one or more selected transport addresses; and

instructing the first endpoint to obtain the one or more selected transport addresses from the particular server.

7. A device for selecting a transport address for a call session between a first endpoint and a second endpoint, comprising:

a memory operable to store information about a call session between a first endpoint and a second endpoint is being initiated, the first endpoint belonging to a first region corresponding to a first network address translator, the first network address translator operable to translate an address for a device of the first region, the second endpoint belonging to a second region corresponding to a second network address translator, the second network address translator operable to translate an address for a device of the second region; and

a processor coupled to the input and operable to;

determine a relationship between the first region and the second region; and

identify one or more transport addresses from a plurality of transport addresses in accordance with the relationship to yield one or more selected transport addresses, the plurality of transport addresses corresponding to the first endpoint, the selection yielding one or more non-selected transport addresses.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine the relationship between the first region and the second region by determining that the first region intersects the second region; and

identify the one or more transport addresses by selecting the transport addresses associated with the intersection of the first region the second region.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine the relationship between the first region and the second region by determining that the first region and the second region are substantially the same region; and

identify the one or more transport addresses by selecting one or more transport addresses associated with the first region and the second region.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine the relationship between the first region and the second region by determining that the first region and the second region are substantially distinct regions; and

identify the one or more transport addresses by;

establishing a third region that comprises the first region and the second region; and

selecting one or more transport addresses associated with the third region.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further operable to:

receive the plurality of transport addresses from the first endpoint, the first endpoint operable to obtain the plurality of transport addresses from a server.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine a particular server operable to provide the one or more selected transport addresses; and

instruct the first endpoint to obtain the one or more selected transport addresses from the particular server.

13. Logic for selecting a transport address for a call session between a first endpoint and a second endpoint, the logic embodied in a medium and operable to:

determine that a call session between a first endpoint and a second endpoint is being initiated, the first endpoint belonging to a first region corresponding to a first network address translator, the first network address translator operable to translate an address for a device of the first region, the second endpoint belonging to a second region corresponding to a second network address translator, the second network address translator operable to translate an address for a device of the second region;

determine a relationship between the first region and the second region; and

identify one or more transport addresses from a plurality of transport addresses in accordance with the relationship to yield one or more selected transport addresses, the plurality of transport addresses corresponding to the first endpoint, the selection yielding one or more non-selected transport addresses.

14. The logic of claim 13, further operable to:

determine the relationship between the first region and the second region by determining that the first region intersects the second region; and

identify the one or more transport addresses by selecting the transport addresses associated with the intersection of the first region the second region.

15. The logic of claim 13, further operable to:

determine the relationship between the first region and the second region by determining that the first region and the second region are substantially the same region; and

identify the one or more transport addresses by selecting one or more transport addresses associated with the first region and the second region.

16. The logic of claim 13, further operable to:

determine the relationship between the first region and the second region by determining that the first region and the second region are substantially distinct regions; and

identify the one or more transport addresses by;

establishing a third region that comprises the first region and the second region; and

selecting one or more transport addresses associated with the third region.

17. The logic of claim 13, further operable to:

receive the plurality of transport addresses from the first endpoint, the first endpoint operable to obtain the plurality of transport addresses from a server.

18. The logic of claim 13, further operable to:

determine a particular server operable to provide the one or more selected transport addresses; and

instruct the first endpoint to obtain the one or more selected transport addresses from the particular server.

19. A system for selecting a transport address for a call session between a first endpoint and a second endpoint, comprising:

means for determining that a call session between a first endpoint and a second endpoint is being initiated, the first endpoint belonging to a first region corresponding to a first network address translator, the first network address translator operable to translate an address for a device of the first region, the second endpoint belonging to a second region corresponding to a second network address translator, the second network address translator operable to translate an address for a device of the second region;

means for determining a relationship between the first region and the second region; and

means for identifying one or more transport addresses from a plurality of transport addresses in accordance with the relationship to yield one or more selected transport addresses, the plurality of transport addresses corresponding to the first endpoint, the selection yielding one or more non-selected transport addresses.

20. A method for selecting a transport address for a call session between a first endpoint and a second endpoint, comprising:

determining that a call session between a first endpoint and a second endpoint is being initiated, the first endpoint belonging to a first region corresponding to a first network address translator, the first network address translator operable to translate an address for a device of the first region, the second endpoint belonging to a second region corresponding to a second network address translator, the second network address translator operable to translate an address for a device of the second region;

determining a relationship between the first region and the second region;

identifying one or more transport addresses from a plurality of transport addresses in accordance with the relationship to yield one or more selected transport addresses, the plurality of transport addresses corresponding to the first endpoint, the selection yielding one or more non-selected transport addresses, wherein determining and identifying further comprises performing one of a plurality of procedures comprising;

a first procedure comprising;

determining that the first region intersects the second region; and

selecting the transport addresses associated with the intersection of the first region the second region;

a second procedure comprising;

determining that the first region and the second region are substantially the same region; and

selecting one or more transport addresses associated with the first region and the second region; and

a third procedure comprising;

determining that the first region and the second region are substantially distinct regions;

establishing a third region that comprises the first region and the second region; and

selecting one or more transport addresses associated with the third region;

receiving the one or more selected transport addresses by performing at least one of the following;

receiving the plurality of transport addresses from the first endpoint, the first endpoint operable to obtain the plurality of transport addresses from a server; and

determining a particular server operable to provide the one or more selected transport addresses, and instructing the first endpoint to obtain the one or more selected transport addresses from the particular server.