System and method for consolidating media signaling to facilitate Internet protocol (IP) telephony

• US 20070201448A1
• Filed: 02/27/2006
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kumarasamy, Parameswaran, Baird, Randall, Fry, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 7,596,150 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/356
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1033 Signalling gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for consolidating media signaling to facilitate IP telephony includes receiving a first message exchange in a first protocol from a first endpoint to negotiate a media path with a second endpoint. It is determined to consolidate the first message exchange with additional message exchanges received from the first endpoint in the first protocol. A second message exchange is received in the first protocol from the first endpoint, and information derived from the first message exchange and the second message exchange is consolidated. A first message exchange in a second protocol is initiated to the second endpoint according to the information consolidated from the first and second message exchanges in the first protocol. One or more media flows is facilitated over the media path between the first and second endpoints according to the first and second message exchanges in the first protocol and the first message exchange in the second protocol.

Claims

1. A method for consolidating media signaling to facilitate Internet Protocol (IP) telephony, comprising:

receiving a first message exchange in a first protocol from a first endpoint to negotiate a media path with a second endpoint;

determining to consolidate the first message exchange with additional message exchanges received from the first endpoint in the first protocol;

receiving a second message exchange in the first protocol from the first endpoint;

consolidating information derived from the first message exchange and the second message exchange;

initiating a first message exchange in a second protocol to the second endpoint according to the information consolidated from the first and second message exchanges in the first protocol; and

facilitating one or more media flows over the media path between the first and second endpoints according to the first and second message exchanges in the first protocol and the first message exchange in the second protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining to consolidate the first message exchange with the second message exchange comprises activating a timer to begin consolidation, wherein the timer expires according to a time period.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining expiration of the timer; and

reactivating the timer to consolidate additional messages exchanges received from the first endpoint.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first endpoint is an H.323 endpoint and the first protocol is H.323, and the second endpoint is a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) endpoint and the second protocol is SIP.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first endpoint is a SIP endpoint and the first protocol is SIP, and the second endpoint is an H.323 endpoint and the second protocol is H.323.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second message exchanges in the first protocol are a request to open unidirectional media connections and the first message exchange in the second protocol opens a bidirectional media connection.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second message exchanges in the first protocol and the first message exchange in the second protocol close a media connection.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein facilitating one or more media flows over the media path between the first and second endpoints comprises facilitating the exchange of audio and video between the first and second endpoints.

9. Logic for consolidating media signaling to facilitate Internet Protocol (IP) telephony, the logic embodied in a medium and operable to:

receive a first message exchange in a first protocol from a first endpoint to negotiate a media path with a second endpoint;

determine to consolidate the first message exchange with additional message exchanges received from the first endpoint in the first protocol;

receive a second message exchange in the first protocol from the first endpoint;

consolidate information derived from the first message exchange and the second message exchange;

initiate a first message exchange in a second protocol to the second endpoint according to the information consolidated from the first and second message exchanges in the first protocol; and

facilitate one or more media flows over the media path between the first and second endpoints according to the first and second message exchanges in the first protocol and the first message exchange in the second protocol.

10. The logic of claim 9, wherein determining to consolidate the first message exchange with the second message exchange comprises activating a timer to begin consolidation, wherein the timer expires according to a time period.

11. The logic of claim 10, further operable to:

determine expiration of the timer; and

reactivate the timer to consolidate additional messages exchanges received from the first endpoint.

12. The logic of claim 9, wherein the first endpoint is an H.323 endpoint and the first protocol is H.323, and the second endpoint is a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) endpoint and the second protocol is SIP.

13. The logic of claim 9, wherein the first endpoint is a SIP endpoint and the first protocol is SIP, and the second endpoint is an H.323 endpoint and the second protocol is H.323.

14. The logic of claim 9, wherein the first and second message exchanges in the first protocol are a request to open unidirectional media connections and the first message exchange in the second protocol opens a bidirectional media connection.

15. The logic of claim 9, wherein the first and second message exchanges in the first protocol and the first message exchange in the second protocol close a media connection.

16. The logic of claim 9, wherein facilitating the one or more media flows over the media path between the first and second endpoints comprises facilitating the exchange of audio and video between the first and second endpoints.

17. A system for consolidating media signaling to facilitate Internet Protocol (IP) telephony, comprising:

a first endpoint and a second endpoint operable to exchange media, wherein the first endpoint communicates using a first protocol and the second endpoint communicates using a second protocol; and

a call manager operable to;

receive a first message exchange in a first protocol from a first endpoint to negotiate a media path with a second endpoint;

determine to consolidate the first message exchange with additional message exchanges received from the first endpoint in the first protocol;

receive a second message exchange in the first protocol from the first endpoint;

consolidate information derived from the first message exchange and the second message exchange;

initiate a first message exchange in a second protocol to the second endpoint according to the information consolidated from the first and second message exchanges in the first protocol; and

facilitate one or more media flows over the media path between the first and second endpoints according to the first and second message exchanges in the first protocol and the first message exchange in the second protocol.

18. The system of claim 17, the call manager further operable to activate a timer to begin consolidation, wherein the timer expires according to a time period.

19. The system of claim 18, the call manager further operable to:

determine expiration of the timer; and

reactivate the timer to consolidate additional messages exchanges received from the first endpoint.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the first endpoint is an H.323 endpoint and the first protocol is H.323, and the second endpoint is a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) endpoint and the second protocol is SIP.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the first endpoint is a SIP endpoint and the first protocol is SIP, and the second endpoint is an H.323 endpoint and the second protocol is H.323.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the first and second message exchanges in the first protocol are a request to open unidirectional media connections and the first message exchange in the second protocol opens a bidirectional media connection.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the first and second message exchanges in the first protocol and the first message exchange in the second protocol close a media connection.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein facilitating the one or more media flows over the media path between the first and second endpoints comprises facilitating the exchange of audio and video between the first and second endpoints.

25. A system for consolidating media signaling to facilitate Internet Protocol (IP) telephony, comprising:

means receiving a first message exchange in a first protocol from a first endpoint to negotiate a media path with a second endpoint;

means for determining to consolidate the first message exchange with additional message exchanges received from the first endpoint in the first protocol;

means for receiving a second message exchange in the first protocol from the first endpoint;

means for consolidating information derived from the first message exchange and the second message exchange;

means for initiating a first message exchange in a second protocol to the second endpoint according to the information consolidated from the first and second message exchanges in the first protocol; and

means for facilitating one or more media flows over the media path between the first and second endpoints according to the first and second message exchanges in the first protocol and the first message exchange in the second protocol.

26. A method for consolidating media signaling to facilitate Internet Protocol (IP) telephony, comprising:

receiving a first message exchange in a first protocol from a first endpoint to negotiate a media path with a second endpoint;

determining to consolidate the first message exchange with additional message exchanges received from the first endpoint in the first protocol, wherein determining to consolidate the first message exchange with the second message exchange comprises activating a timer to begin consolidation, wherein the timer expires according to a time period;

receiving a second message exchange in the first protocol from the first endpoint;

consolidating information derived from the first message exchange and the second message exchange;

initiating a first message exchange in a second protocol to the second endpoint according to the information consolidated from the first and second message exchanges in the first protocol; and

facilitating one or more media flows over the media path between the first and second endpoints according to the first and second message exchanges in the first protocol and the first message exchange in the second protocol, wherein the first and second message exchanges in the first protocol are a request to open unidirectional media connections and the first message exchange in the second protocol opens a bidirectional media connection.