H.323 user, service and service provider mobility framework for the multimedia intelligent networking

• US 20070263565A1
• Filed: 07/17/2007
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Radhika Roy
• Original Assignee: Radhika Roy
• Inventors: Roy, Radhika
• Granted Patent: US 7,471,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/30 Types of network names
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2596 Translation of addresses of the same type other than IP, e.g. translation from MAC to MAC addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/301 Name conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4547 for personal communications, i.e. using a personal identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4588 containing mobile subscriber information, e.g. home subscriber server [HSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for assuring H.323 alias address portability to an H.323 user in real-time H.323 multimedia communications where the H.323 user is registered with a home gatekeeper for the home zone of the H.323 user. Alias address portability may be obtained using a central database that is known to the administrative zones and is used for alias address mapping, or alternatively, may be obtained by using a distributed database. The method may be implemented by: sending, by the H.323 user, a message with a called H.323 entity'"'"'s alias address, to the home gatekeeper to originate a call to the called H.323 entity; confirming that the alias address, services, and service providers are portable; converting the alias address to a called routable alias address for the called H.323 entity and sending the alias address to the H.323 user; and placing the call to the called H.323 entity.

Claims

1. A method comprising the activities of:

via a first routable address of a first H.323 entity, placing a call between the first H.323 entity and a second H.323 entity, the call an H.323 multimedia communication between the first H.323 entity and the second H.323 entity, the first routable address obtained via a conversion of an alias address of the first H.323 entity, the alias address kept fixed as the first H.323 entity moves from a first domain to a second domain.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at a non-gatekeeper database, receiving, from a third domain, information indicative that the first H.323 entity is located in the third domain, the first H.323 entity registered in a visiting zone of a gatekeeper database of the third domain.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at a non-gatekeeper database, receiving, from a third domain, information indicative that the first H.323 entity is located in the third domain, the first H.323 entity registered in a visiting zone of a gatekeeper database of the third domain;

and

registering the first H.323 entity to receive incoming calls in the third domain via the alias address.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at a non-gatekeeper database, receiving, from a third domain, information indicative that the first H.323 entity is located in the third domain, the first H.323 entity registered in a visiting zone of a gatekeeper database of the third domain;

and

communicating a location of the first H.323 entity in the third domain to a database.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at a non-gatekeeper database, receiving, from a third domain, information indicative that the first H.323 entity is located in the third domain, the first H.323 entity registered in a visiting zone of a gatekeeper database of the third domain, wherein the first H.323 entity uses a different terminal in the third domain than the first H.323 entity uses in the first domain.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at a non-gatekeeper database, receiving, from a third domain, information indicative that the first H.323 entity is located in the third domain, the first H.323 entity registered in a visiting zone of a gatekeeper database of the third domain, wherein the first H.323 entity uses a different terminal type in the third domain than the first H.323 entity uses in the first domain.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from the second H.323 entity to place the call to the first H.323 entity, the request comprising the alias address for the first H.323 entity; and

querying a non-gatekeeper database to obtain a current location of the first H.323 entity;

mapping the alias address to the first routable address for the first H.323 entity via the non-gatekeeper database;

communicating the first routable address for the first H.323 entity to the second H.323 entity; and

establishing the call between the first H.323 entity and the second H.323 entity.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from the second H.323 entity to place the call to the first H.323 entity, the request comprising the alias address for the first H.323 entity; and

querying a non-gatekeeper database to obtain a current location of the first H.323 entity;

mapping the alias address to the first routable address for the first H.323 entity via the non-gatekeeper database; and

providing the first routable address to a cache at a gatekeeper, wherein the gatekeeper removes a second routable address associated with a third H.323 entity responsive to a cache policy.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from the second H.323 entity to place the call to the first H.323 entity, the request comprising the alias address for the first H.323 entity;

querying a non-gatekeeper database to obtain a current location of the first H.323 entity; and

providing a billing rate for the call to the second H.323 entity.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining services available to the first H.323 entity based upon subscription information associated with the first H.323 entity.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at a non-gatekeeper database, receiving from a third domain information indicative that the first H.323 entity is located in the third domain, the first H.323 entity registered in a visiting zone of a gatekeeper of the third domain; and

obtaining a same service subscribed to by the first H.323 entity in the first domain while in the third domain.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at a non-gatekeeper database, receiving, from a third domain, information indicative that the first H.323 entity is located in the third domain, the first H.323 entity registered in a visiting zone of a gatekeeper of the third domain; and

registering the first H.323 entity to receive incoming calls in the third domain.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a query message with the alias address to a home gatekeeper of a zone comprised by the first domain to determine portability of the alias address.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the first routable address, routing an audio portion of the call via a first network path associated with a first quality of service associated with the second H.323 entity; and

routing a data portion of the call via a second network path associated with a second quality of service associated with the second H.323 entity.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the first routable address, routing an audio portion of the call via a first intermediate address, wherein the audio portion is associated with a first quality of service associated with the second H.323 entity; and

routing a data portion of the call via a second intermediate address wherein the data portion is associated with a second quality of service associated with the second H.323 entity.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

synchronizing a non-gatekeeper database with at least one other network database, the non-gatekeeper database adapted to convert the alias address to the first routable address.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the call is a multi-point to multi-point communication.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the first routable address is received at a first non-gatekeeper database external to the first domain and external to the second domain, the first routable address received at a second non-gatekeeper database external to the first domain and external to the second domain, the first H.323 entity registered in a home zone of a first gatekeeper database in the first domain.

19. A machine-readable medium containing machine-executable instructions for activities comprising:

via a first routable address of a first H.323 entity, placing a call between the first H.323 entity and a second H.323 entity, the call an H.323 multimedia communication between the first H.323 entity and the second H.323 entity, the first routable address obtained via a conversion of an alias address of the first H.323 entity, the alias address kept fixed as the first H.323 entity moves from a first domain to a second domain.

20. A method comprising the activities of:

placing a call to a called H.323 entity located in a recipient domain, the call placed via a called routable address of the called H.323 entity, the called routable address of the called H.323 entity converted from an alias address of the called H.323 entity and sent to a calling H.323 entity, the alias address of the called H.323 entity confirmed to be portable from a donor domain to the recipient domain, the called H.323 entity registered with a home gatekeeper of a home zone of the donor domain.