System and method for providing a compatibility feature in a session initiation protocol (SIP) environment

• US 20070201510A1
• 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: Restrick, John, Bao, Ho, Mills, David, Agarwal, Tripti, Frisk, Richard, Daiker, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,701,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• 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 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/327 in the session layer [OSI layer 5]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/127 where the session control protocols comprise SIP and SS7

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for addressing compatibility in a session protocol environment is provided that includes a communications platform operable to communicate with a first endpoint and a second endpoint and to recognize signaling capabilities of the first and second endpoints. The apparatus also includes a media termination point (MTP) operable to communicate with the endpoints and the communications platform, the media termination point being provisioned by the communications platform in a stream that involves the first and second endpoints if a signaling compatibility issue is present amongst the endpoints. If an out-of-band digit from the first endpoint is received by the communications platform, the out-of-band digit is sent to the MTP, which is operable to inject a digit associated with the second protocol into the communication session such that a mapping occurs between the digits for the first and second protocols.

Claims

1. An apparatus for addressing compatibility in a session protocol environment, comprising:

a communications platform operable to communicate with a first endpoint and a second endpoint and to recognize signaling capabilities of the first and second endpoints, wherein the endpoints seek to communicate with each other in a communication session, and wherein the first endpoint is associated with a first protocol and the second endpoint is associated with a second protocol; and

a media termination point (MTP) operable to communicate with the endpoints and the communications platform, the media termination point being provisioned by the communications platform in a stream that involves the first and second endpoints if a signaling compatibility issue is present amongst the endpoints, wherein if an out-of-band digit from the first endpoint is received by the communications platform, the out-of-band digit is sent to the MTP, which is operable to inject a digit associated with the second protocol into the communication session such that a mapping occurs between the digits for the first and second protocols.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first endpoint is a SIP-enabled endpoint.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first endpoint understands out-of-band signaling.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communications platform executes signaling mapping policies for only selected communication sessions.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein if a match exists between the endpoints such that both of the endpoints support out-of-band messages or support RFC 2833 compliant signaling, then the MTP is not inserted into the communication session.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communications platform can perform a selected one of a plurality of mappings, the mappings being included in a group consisting of:

a) a signaling connection control protocol (SCCP) to key press markup language (KPML) out-of-band dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) mapping;

b) a media gateway control protocol (MGCP) to KPML out-of-band DTMF mapping;

c) an H.245 to KPML out-of-band DTMF mapping;

d) a java telephony application program interface (API) (JTAPI) to KPML out-of-band DTMF mapping; and

e) a telephony API (TAPI) to KPML out-of-band DTMF mapping.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein compatibility parameters will be set based on defaults for either a protocol or a configuration of the endpoints.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein if the communication session is transferred, dialog is utilized in lieu of leveraging the MTP.

9. A method for addressing compatibility in a session protocol environment, comprising:

communicating with a first endpoint and a second endpoint;

recognizing signaling capabilities of the first and second endpoints, wherein the endpoints seek to communicate with each other in a communication session, and wherein the first endpoint is associated with a first protocol and the second endpoint is associated with a second protocol; and

provisioning a media termination point (MTP) operable to communicate with the endpoints and a communications platform, the media termination point being provisioned by the communications platform in a stream that involves the first and second endpoints if a signaling compatibility issue is present amongst the endpoints, wherein if an out-of-band digit from the first endpoint is received by the communications platform, the out-of-band digit is sent to the MTP, which is operable to inject a digit associated with the second protocol into the communication session such that a mapping occurs between the digits for the first and second protocols.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

executing signaling mapping policies for only selected communication sessions.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein if a match exists between the endpoints such that both of the endpoints support out-of-band messages or support RFC 2833 compliant signaling, then the MTP is not inserted into the communication session.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein a selected one of a plurality of mappings can be performed, the mappings being included in a group consisting of:

a) a signaling connection control protocol (SCCP) to key press markup language (KPML) out-of-band dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) mapping;

b) a media gateway control protocol (MGCP) to KPML out-of-band DTMF mapping;

c) an H.245 to KPML out-of-band DTMF mapping;

d) a java telephony application program interface (API) (JTAPI) to KPML out-of-band DTMF mapping; and

e) a telephony API (TAPI) to KPML out-of-band DTMF mapping.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein compatibility parameters will be set based on defaults for either a protocol or a configuration of the endpoints.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein if the communication session is transferred, dialog is utilized in lieu of leveraging the MTP.

15. Software for addressing compatibility in a session protocol environment, the software being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer code, such that when executed is operable to:

communicate with a first endpoint and a second endpoint;

recognize signaling capabilities of the first and second endpoints, wherein the endpoints seek to communicate with each other in a communication session, and wherein the first endpoint is associated with a first protocol and the second endpoint is associated with a second protocol; and

provision a media termination point (MTP) operable to communicate with the endpoints and a communications platform, the media termination point being provisioned by the communications platform in a stream that involves the first and second endpoints if a signaling compatibility issue is present amongst the endpoints, wherein if an out-of-band digit from the first endpoint is received by the communications platform, the out-of-band digit is sent to the MTP, which is operable to inject a digit associated with the second protocol into the communication session such that a mapping occurs between the digits for the first and second protocols.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein the code is further operable to:

execute signaling mapping policies for only selected communication sessions.

17. The medium of claim 15, wherein if a match exists between the endpoints such that both of the endpoints support out-of-band messages or support RFC 2833 compliant signaling, then the MTP is not inserted into the communication session.

18. The medium of claim 15, wherein a selected one of a plurality of mappings can be performed, the mappings being included in a group consisting of:

a) a signaling connection control protocol (SCCP) to key press markup language (KPML) out-of-band dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) mapping;

b) a media gateway control protocol (MGCP) to KPML out-of-band DTMF mapping;

c) an H.245 to KPML out-of-band DTMF mapping;

d) a java telephony application program interface (API) (JTAPI) to KPML out-of-band DTMF mapping; and

e) a telephony API (TAPI) to KPML out-of-band DTMF mapping.

19. The medium of claim 15, wherein compatibility parameters will be set based on defaults for either a protocol or a configuration of the endpoints.

20. The medium of claim 15, wherein if the communication session is transferred, dialog is utilized in lieu of leveraging the MTP.