Characterization of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network

• US 20060274664A1
• Filed: 06/02/2005
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Pandya, Harshang
• Application Number:
  US11/144,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20060274664A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/249
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0084 Network monitoring; Error detection; Error recovery; Network testing

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method for characterizing a VoIP network commences with the sending of a plurality of predefined messages from a calling end of the VoIP network. One of the messages is a call initiation message that is sent to a called end of the network. In response to sending the messages, the calling end of the VoIP network receives a plurality of predefined response messages. A plurality of delays are then calculated, with each delay being a function of at least two timing measurements selected from 1) times at which the messages are sent, and 2) times at which the response messages are received. The VoIP network is then characterized by comparing the delays to programmable reference values. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for characterizing a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network, comprising:

sending a plurality of predefined messages from a calling end of the VoIP network, the predefined messages including a call initiation message that is sent to a called end of the VoIP network;

in response to sending the plurality of predefined messages, receiving a plurality of predefined response messages at the calling end of the VoIP network;

calculating a plurality of delays, each of which is a function of at least two timing measurements selected from i) times at which the messages are sent, and ii) times at which the response messages are received; and

characterizing the VoIP network by comparing the delays to programmable reference values.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of predefined messages further comprises a ping message that is sent to a call proxy server to which the call initiation message is routed;

the plurality of predefined response messages comprises a ping response; and

the delays comprise a ping delay that is a function of the difference between the time the ping message is sent and the time the ping response is received.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein characterizing the VoIP network comprises characterizing a first network segment connecting the calling end of the VoIP network to the call proxy server, the first network segment being characterized by comparing the ping delay to one or more of the programmable reference values.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the plurality of predefined response messages comprises a server acknowledgement, which is indicative of the call proxy server having received the call initiation message; and

the delays comprise an invite delay that is a function of i) the difference between the time the ping message is sent and the time the ping response is received, and ii) the difference between the time the call initiation message is sent and the time the server acknowledgement is received.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein characterizing the VoIP network comprises characterizing at least part of the call proxy server, the at least part of the call proxy server being characterized by comparing the invite delay to one or more of the programmable reference values.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the plurality of predefined response messages comprises a first acknowledgement from the called end, the first acknowledgement i) being transmitted through the call proxy server, and ii) indicating that the called end has been contacted in response to the call initiation message; and

the delays comprise a signaling delay that is a function of the difference between the time the server acknowledgement is received and the time the first acknowledgement from the called end is received.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the signaling delay is also a function of a delay associated with a second network segment connecting the called end of the VoIP network to a proxy server from which the called end receives the call.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein characterizing the VoIP network comprises characterizing access of a location database server, the access of the location database server being characterized by comparing the signaling delay to one or more of the programmable reference values.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein characterizing the VoIP network comprises characterizing part or all of a chain of proxy servers and network segments coupled between the first and second network segments, the chain of proxy servers being characterized by comparing the signaling delay to one or more of the programmable reference values.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

causing the called end of the VoIP network to send a second ping message, the second ping message being sent to a proxy server from which the called end receives a call based on the call initiation message;

causing information regarding the second ping message, and a response thereto, to be sent to the calling end of the VoIP network; and

using the information to characterize the delay associated with the second network segment.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein characterizing the VoIP network comprises characterizing the second network segment, the second network segment being characterized by comparing the delay associated with the second network segment to one or more of the programmable reference values.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the plurality of predefined response messages comprises a second acknowledgement from the called end, the second acknowledgement i) being transmitted over a link between the called and calling ends that does not include the call proxy server, and ii) indicating that the called end has been contacted in response to the call initiation message; and

the delays comprise a signal path delay that is a function of the difference between the times the first and second acknowledgements are received.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the delays comprise an aggregate delay of the VoIP network.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein characterizing the VoIP network comprises rating at least some of the delays in response to the comparisons of the delays to the programmable reference values.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein at least some of the delays are rated numerically.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein at least some of the delays are rated textually.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein at least some of the delays are rated graphically.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein at least some of the delays are rated on a pass/fail basis.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein characterizing the VoIP network comprises identifying a part of the network that is likely to be affected by each of the delays.

20. The method of claim 6, wherein characterizing the VoIP network comprises rating each delay in response to the comparisons of the delays to the programmable reference values.

21. Apparatus for characterizing a Voice over Internet Protocol (IP) network, comprising:

an interface to connect to a calling end of the VoIP network; and

computer readable media having stored thereon code to;

send a plurality of predefined messages through the interface, the predefined messages including a call initiation message that is sent to a called end of the VoIP network;

in response to sending the plurality of predefined messages, receive a plurality of predefined response messages through the interface;

calculate a plurality of delays, each of which is a function of at least two timing measurements selected from i) times at which the messages are sent, and ii) times at which the response messages are received; and

characterize the VoIP network by comparing the delays to programmable reference values.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a display to display the characterizations of the VoIP network.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising code to rate each delay in response to the comparisons of the delays to the programmable reference values;

wherein the ratings are displayed on the display.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising code to identify a part of the network that is likely to be affected by each of the delays;

wherein the parts of the network are displayed on the display along with a corresponding delay rating.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the apparatus is a handheld device.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the apparatus is a VoIP telephone.