VOIP ENDPOINT CALL ADMISSION

• US 20070133403A1
• Filed: 02/07/2007
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Hepworth, Neil, Laveau, Stephane, Krumm-Heller, Alex
• Granted Patent: US 8,593,959 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0847 Transmission error
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0864 Round trip delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/087 Jitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/106 using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/115 using a dedicated packet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/30 in combination with information about buffer occupancy at either end or at transit nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/745 Reaction in network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/801 Real time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/822 Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The present invention is directed generally to an intelligent endpoint or communication device that can collect available bandwidth-related information metrics and/or perform call admission control functions. The present invention is further directed to an architecture comprising a switch or media server in communication with a plurality of subscriber communication devices in which the subscriber communication devices act as network nodes to collect available bandwidth-related information.

Claims

1-27. -27. (canceled)

28. A method for collecting bandwidth information, comprising:

(a) providing a switch and/or a server in communication with a plurality of subscriber communication devices;

(b) selecting a first subscriber communication device;

(c) requesting bandwidth information from the first subscriber communication device;

(d) performing with the first subscriber communication device at least one of the following substeps;

(i) sending at least one test packet to another subscriber communication device to obtain a first subset of bandwidth information; and

(ii) requesting, from at least one intermediate node in at least one communication path between the first communication device and another communication device, a second subset of bandwidth information; and

(e) selecting a second subscriber communication device; and

(f) repeating steps (c) and (d) with respect to the second subscriber communication device.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

(g) selecting a third subscriber communication device; and

(h) requesting bandwidth information from the third subscriber communication device, wherein the third subscriber communication device does not perform step (d) with respect to the third communication device, when the third subscriber communication device is in use by a user.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the bandwidth information comprises a plurality of the following:

received RTP packets, received RTP octets, round trip time, jitter buffer delay, jitter, packet loss burst size, a number of out-of-order packets, an out-of-order distance, Reservation Protocol status, IP Differentiated Service Code Point, available bandwidth, router buffer size, a number of dropped packets by a router, router bandwidth utilization, and router processor utilization.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein substep (i) is performed.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein substep (ii) is performed.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein substeps (i) and (ii) are performed.

34. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

(g) the first subscriber communication device receiving from a first user associated with the first subscriber communication device at least one signal associated with initiation of a voice communication from the first subscriber communication device to at least one destination endpoint;

(h) the first subscriber communication device collecting bandwidth information used to determine an expected quality of the voice communication by obtaining bandwidth information from one or more entities in a communication path to the at least one destination endpoint; and

(i) the first subscriber communication device comparing a portion of the collected bandwidth information with at least one threshold and dynamically determining, when the portion of the collected bandwidth information fails to satisfy the at least one threshold, whether to perform one or more of;

(i) notifying the first user at the first endpoint of a likelihood of a low quality of the voice communication, and

(ii) prohibiting initiation of the voice communication.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the at least one signal comprises a telephone number or an address on a data network and wherein the switch and/or server requests permission to initiate the voice communication and further comprising:

when the at least some of the collected bandwidth information satisfies the at least one threshold, the first endpoint permitting initiation of the communication between the first and at least a second endpoints.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the at least one threshold is user configurable and wherein the first and destination endpoints are one of an IP hard phone, an IP softphone, a telephone other than an IP hard phone and softphone, and a personal digital assistant.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the switch and/or server performs the following steps:

receiving the at least one of a telephone member and address on a data network;

requesting permission from the first endpoint to initiate the requested communication; and

receiving from the first endpoint a communication initiation message, wherein;

(i) when the communication initiation message indicates insufficient bandwidth is available for the communication, not connecting the first and at least a second endpoints; and

(ii) when the communication initiation message indicates sufficient bandwidth is available for the communication, connecting the first and at least a second endpoints.

38. A computer readable medium comprising processor executable instructions to perform the steps of claim 28.

39. A network, comprising:

a plurality of subscriber communication devices; and

a switch and/or a server in communication with the plurality of subscriber communication devices, wherein the switch and/or server is operable to;

(a) select a first subscriber communication device;

(b) request bandwidth information from the first subscriber communication device;

(c) perform with the first subscriber communication device at least one of the following sub-operations;

(i) sending at least one test packet to another subscriber communication device to obtain a first subset of bandwidth information; and

(ii) requesting, from at least one intermediate node in at least one communication path between the first communication device and another communication device, a second subset of bandwidth information; and

(d) selecting a second subscriber communication device; and

(e) repeating steps (b) and (c) with respect to the second subscriber communication device.

40. The network of claim 39, wherein the switch and/or server are further operable to:

(g) select a third subscriber communication device; and

(h) request bandwidth information from the third subscriber communication device, wherein the third subscriber communication device does not perform step (c) with respect to the third communication device, when the third subscriber communication device is in use by a user.

41. The network of claim 39, wherein the bandwidth information comprises a plurality of the following:

received RTP packets, received RTP octets, round trip time, jitter buffer delay, jitter, packet loss burst size, a number of out-of-order packets, an out-of-order distance, Reservation Protocol status, IP Differentiated Service Code Point, available bandwidth, router buffer size, a number of dropped packets by a router, router bandwidth utilization, and router processor utilization.

42. The network of claim 39, wherein substep (i) is performed.

43. The network of claim 39, wherein substep (ii) is performed.

44. The network of claim 39, wherein substeps (i) and (ii) are performed.

45. The network of claim 39, wherein the first subscriber communication device is operable to perform the following sub-operations:

receive from a first user associated with the first subscriber communication device at least one signal associated with initiation of a voice communication from the first subscriber communication device to at least one destination endpoint;

collect bandwidth information used to determine an expected quality of the voice communication by obtaining bandwidth information from one or more entities in a communication path to the at least one destination endpoint; and

(i) the first subscriber communication device comparing a portion of the collected bandwidth information with at least one threshold and dynamically determining, when the portion of the collected bandwidth information fails to satisfy the at least one threshold, whether to perform one or more of;

(i) notifying the first user at the first endpoint of a likelihood of a low quality of the voice communication, and

(ii) prohibiting initiation of the voice communication.

46. The network of claim 45, wherein the at least one signal comprises a telephone number or an address on a data network and wherein the switch and/or server requests permission to initiate the voice communication and further comprising:

when the at least some of the collected bandwidth information satisfies the at least one threshold, the first endpoint permitting initiation of the communication between the first and at least a second endpoints.

47. The network of claim 46, wherein the at least one threshold is user configurable and wherein the first and destination endpoints are one of an IP hard phone, an IP softphone, a telephone other than an IP hard phone and softphone, and a personal digital assistant.

48. The network of claim 46, wherein the switch and/or server performs the following sub-operations:

receive the at least one of a telephone number and address on a data network;

requesting permission from the first endpoint to initiate the requested communication; and

receiving from the first endpoint a communication initiation message, wherein;

(i) when the communication initiation message indicates insufficient bandwidth is available for the communication, not connecting the first and at least a second endpoints; and

(ii) when the communication initiation message indicates sufficient bandwidth is available for the communication, connecting the first and at least a second endpoints.