Media route optimization in network communications

• US 20070058609A1
• Filed: 09/09/2005
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ribbon Communications Operating Company, Inc. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kineto Wireless Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Goel, Puneet, Gallagher, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,974,270 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 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

Media routes may be optimized in network communications, such a radio telephony communications networks. In one embodiment, the description includes identifying a first network controller corresponding to a first media communications client, identifying a second network controller corresponding to a second media communications client, determining whether the first and second network controller coincide, and if the first and second network controller coincide, then establishing a direct media communications connection between the first and the second client.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a first network controller corresponding to a first media communications client;

identifying a second network controller corresponding to a second media communications client;

determining whether the first and second network controller coincide; and

if the first and second network controller coincide, then establishing a direct media communications connection between the first and the second client.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising if the first and second network controller do not coincide, then establishing a media communications connection between the first and second client through a media gateway.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a direct media communications connection comprises sending session description parameters to the first client that identify the second client.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the session description parameters comprise an IP (Internet Protocol) port and address of the second client.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a direct media communications connection comprises establishing a peer to peer connection between the first and second clients.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a direct media communications connection comprises sending a command to the coinciding first and second network controllers to establish a direct media connection.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a direct media communications connection comprises modifying an existing channel between the first and second clients through a media gateway to a direct channel between the first and second clients.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second clients communicate with each other through a security gateway and wherein establishing a direct media communications connection comprises establishing a connection between the first and second clients at the security gateway.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second clients communicate with each other through a security gateway and wherein establishing a direct media communications connection comprises modifying a connection at the security gateway through a media gateway.

10. A machine-readable medium having instructions which when executed by a machine cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

identifying a first network controller corresponding to a first media communications client;

identifying a second network controller corresponding to a second media communications client;

determining whether the first and second network controller are the same; and

if the first and second network controller are the same, then sending a command to the network controller to establish a direct media communications connection between the first and the second client.

11. The medium of claim 10, wherein the command for establishing a direct media communications connection comprises a command to send session description parameters to the first client that identify the second client.

12. The medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions further comprise receiving a completion message from the network controller after the direct media communications connection is established.

13. A switching center comprising:

a first interface to a first network controller corresponding to a first media communications client;

a second interface to a second network controller corresponding to a second media communications client; and

a call server to determine whether the first and second network controller coincide and if the first and second network controller coincide, then sending a command to establish a direct media communications connection between the first and the second client.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the media communications connection is established through a media gateway for communicating media between the first and second clients and wherein sending the command comprises sending a command to reroute the media communications connection to exclude the media gateway.

15. A network controller comprising:

a first interface to a first media communications client;

a second interface to a switching center to carry media communications connections between the first media communications client and a second media communications client; and

a media gateway for communicating media between the first and second clients;

wherein the network controller establishes a direct media communications connection between the first and the second client if the first and second media communications clients are both coupled to the network controller.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the network controller establishes a direct media communications connection in response to a command from the switching center.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a direct media communications connection is established through a media gateway for communicating media between the first and second clients and wherein establishing a direct media communications connection comprises sending a command to reroute the media communications connection to exclude the media gateway.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the network controller establishes the direct media communications connection by modifying an existing channel between the first and second clients through the media gateway to a direct channel between the first and second clients.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a security gateway for communicating messages between the first and second clients and wherein the network controller establishes a direct media communications connection by establishing a connection between the first and second clients at the security gateway.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a security gateway for communicating messages between the first and second clients and wherein the network controller establishes a direct media communications connection by modifying a connection at the security gateway through the media gateway.