Combined H.450.2 and SIP call transfer

• US 20060268754A1
• Filed: 09/28/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ibezim, James, Samarasinghe, Harish, Rupert, Amy
• Granted Patent: US 7,738,445 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/261
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1033 Signalling gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1063 Application servers providing network services systems providing special services to telephonic subscribers H04M3/42
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/58 Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party substation line holding circuits H04M1/80

Abstract

A method for supporting advanced features in a core SIP network when the calling party is in a network operating with the H.323 protocol is disclosed. Specifically, after processing the calls by collecting information associated with the advanced features, a REFER message is sent by an application server to an ingress border element associated with the calling party. The ingress border element then sends an H.450.2 FACILITY message containing the information in the SIP REFER message to an application gateway associated with the calling party. Upon receiving a SETUP message from the application gateway, the ingress border element then translates that SETUP message into a SIP INVITE message to establish the call.

Claims

1. A method for providing advanced features to a voice call in a packet network, said packet network comprising a SIP-based core network having an ingress border element, said method comprising:

receiving calls from a first user in an H.323-based user network,

sending an H.450.2 FACILITY message from said ingress border element to an application gateway in said H.323-based user network, said application gateway interfacing said H.323-based user network with said SIP-based core network.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to said step of sending an H.450.2 FACILITY message:

receiving an admission request for a call from said first user;

validating said admission request;

receiving a setup message from said first user;

sending a SIP INVITE message to a call control element in said SIP-based core network; and

receiving a REFER message from said call control element, said REFER message indicative of the address of a second user.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising, after said step of sending an H.450.2 FACILITY message:

receiving a SETUP message from said application gateway;

sending an INVITE message to a call control element in said SIP-based core network;

receiving a RINGING message from said call control element;

sending an ALERTING message to said application gateway;

receiving a RELEASE COMPLETE message from said application gateway; and

sending a CONNECT message to said application gateway.

4. A method for use by an application gateway in a voice over internet protocol network, said method comprising:

receiving a FACILITY message from a border element in said network;

sending a SETUP message to a call control element in said network;

receiving an ALERTING message from said border element;

sending a RELEASE COMPLETE message to said border element; and

receiving a CONNECT message form said border element.

5. A method for use in providing advanced features to a call in a SIP-based core network between a first user and a second user, said method comprising:

receiving a first INVITE message from an ingress border element, said ingress border element adapted to interface an H.323 network with said SIP-based core network;

invoking an application server to provide at least one advanced feature to said call;

invoking a media server to collect information associated with said advanced feature from said first user;

receiving a REFER message from said application server, said REFER message comprising said information collected by said media server;

sending said REFER message to said ingress border element;

receiving a second INVITE message from said ingress border element;

determining an address for a second user associated with an egress border element; and

sending said second INVITE message to said egress border element.

6. A network node for providing advanced features to a voice call in a packet network, said packet network comprising a SIP-based core network having an ingress border element, said network node comprising:

means for receiving calls from a first user in an H.323-based user network,

means for sending an H.450.2 FACILITY message from said ingress border element to an application gateway in said H.323-based user network, said application gateway interfacing said H.323-based user network with said SIP-based core network.

7. The network node of claim 6 further comprising:

means for receiving an admission request for a call from said first user;

means for validating said admission request;

means for receiving a setup message from said first user;

means for sending a SIP INVITE message to a call control element in said SIP-based core network; and

means for receiving a REFER message from said call control element, said REFER message indicative of the address of a second user.

8. The network node of claim 6 further comprising:

means for receiving a SETUP message from said application gateway;

means for sending an INVITE message to a call control element in said SIP-based core network;

means for receiving a RINGING message from said call control element;

means for sending an ALERTING message to said application gateway;

means for receiving a RELEASE COMPLETE message from said application gateway; and

means for sending a CONNECT message to said application gateway.