METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING SECURE BLAST CALLS

• US 20080025293A1
• Filed: 04/13/2007
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kumarasamy, Parameswaran, Parameswaran, Kavithadevi, Kannan, Vijay Arumugam
• Granted Patent: US 7,787,373 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/353
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/465 Arrangements for simultaneously calling a number of substations until an answer is obtained

Abstract

Various embodiments provide a method and apparatus for providing secure blast calls. An example embodiment includes a secure blast call apparatus including a blast component to determine if a secure or a non-secure call connection is needed and to blast a call connection invite to a plurality of destination endpoints; and a connection component to determine if a responding destination endpoint is a secure or a non-secure destination endpoint, to establish a connection with a secure destination endpoint if a secure call connection is needed, and to establish a connection with a non-secure destination endpoint if a non-secure call connection is needed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining if a secure or a non-secure call connection is needed;

blasting a call connection invite to a plurality of destination endpoints;

determining if a responding destination endpoint is a secure or a non-secure destination endpoint;

establishing a connection with a secure destination endpoint if a secure call connection is needed; and

establishing a connection with a non-secure destination endpoint if a non-secure call connection is needed.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 including receiving a response from a secure destination endpoint, the response including a security key.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 including receiving a response from a non-secure destination endpoint, the response including no security key.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the connection is established with a first answering secure destination endpoint if a secure call connection is needed.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the connection is established with a first answering non-secure destination endpoint if a non-secure call connection is needed.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the invite is a SIP message.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 including terminating the invite sent to a destination endpoint with which no connection is established.

8. An apparatus comprising:

means for determining if a secure or a non-secure call connection is needed;

means for blasting a call connection invite to a plurality of destination endpoints;

means for determining if a responding destination endpoint is a secure or a non-secure destination endpoint;

means for establishing a connection with a secure destination endpoint if a secure call connection is needed; and

means for establishing a connection with a non-secure destination endpoint if a non-secure call connection is needed.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 including means for receiving a response from a secure destination endpoint, the response including a security key.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 including means for receiving a response from a non-secure destination endpoint, the response including no security key.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the connection is established with a first answering secure destination endpoint if a secure call connection is needed.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the connection is established with a first answering non-secure destination endpoint if a non-secure call connection is needed.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the invite is a SIP message.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 including means for terminating the invite sent to a destination endpoint with which no connection is established.

15. A secure blast call apparatus comprising:

a blast component to determine if a secure or a non-secure call connection is needed and to blast a call connection invite to a plurality of destination endpoints; and

a connection component to determine if a responding destination endpoint is a secure or a non-secure destination endpoint, to establish a connection with a secure destination endpoint if a secure call connection is needed, and to establish a connection with a non-secure destination endpoint if a non-secure call connection is needed.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the connection component being further configured to receive a response from a secure destination endpoint, the response including a security key.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the connection component being further configured to receive a response from a non-secure destination endpoint, the response including no security key.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the connection component being further configured to establish a connection with a first answering secure destination endpoint if a secure call connection is needed.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the connection component being further configured to establish a connection with a first answering non-secure destination endpoint if a non-secure call connection is needed.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the invite is a SIP message.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the connection component being further configured to terminate the invite sent to a destination endpoint with which no connection is established.

22. A system comprising:

a plurality of network elements including an originating gateway and a plurality of destination endpoints, each of the plurality of network elements including a secure blast call apparatus including a blast component to determine if a secure or a non-secure call connection is needed and to blast a call connection invite to a plurality of destination endpoints; and

a connection component to determine if a responding destination endpoint is a secure or a non-secure destination endpoint, to establish a connection with a secure destination endpoint if a secure call connection is needed, and to establish a connection with a non-secure destination endpoint if a non-secure call connection is needed.

23. The system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the connection component being further configured to receive a response from a secure destination endpoint, the response including a security key.

24. The system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the connection component being further configured to receive a response from a non-secure destination endpoint, the response including no security key.

25. The system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the connection component being further configured to establish a connection with a first answering secure destination endpoint if a secure call connection is needed.

26. The system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the connection component being further configured to establish a connection with a first answering non-secure destination endpoint if a non-secure call connection is needed.

27. The system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the invite is a SIP message.

28. The system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the connection component being further configured to terminate the invite sent to a destination endpoint with which no connection is established.