Selecting Transport Addresses to Route Streams Between Endpoints

• US 20090016322A1
• Filed: 09/03/2008
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bell, Robert T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,005,099 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/351
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2564 for a higher-layer protocol, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2578 without involvement of the NAT server
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]

Abstract

Selecting a transport address for a call session between a first endpoint of a first region and a second endpoint of a second region includes determining that the call session is being initiated. A relationship between the first region and the second region is determined. One or more transport addresses of the first endpoint are identified in accordance with the relationship to yield one or more selected transport addresses.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining that a call session between a first endpoint and a second endpoint is being initiated, the first endpoint belonging to a first region corresponding to a first network address translator, the first network address translator configured to translate an address for a device of the first region, the second endpoint belonging to a second region corresponding to a second network address translator, the second network address translator configured to translate an address for a device of the second region;

selecting one or more higher probability transport addresses of a plurality of transport addresses from one or more lower probability transport addresses of the plurality of transport addresses, the higher probability transport addresses having a higher probability of enabling communication, the lower probability transport addresses having a lower probability of enabling communication, the plurality of transport addresses corresponding to the first endpoint; and

facilitating communication with the higher probability transport addresses.

2. The method of claim 1, the selecting the one or more higher probability transport addresses further comprising:

determining that the first region intersects the second region; and

selecting one or more transport addresses associated with the intersection of the first region the second region as the one or more higher probability transport addresses.

3. The method of claim 1, the selecting the one or more higher probability transport addresses further comprising:

determining that the first region and the second region are substantially the same region; and

selecting one or more transport addresses associated with the first region and the second region as the one or more higher probability transport addresses.

4. The method of claim 1, the selecting the one or more higher probability transport addresses further comprising:

determining that the first region and the second region are substantially distinct regions;

establishing a third region that comprises the first region and the second region; and

selecting one or more transport addresses associated with the third region as the one or more higher probability transport addresses.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising prioritizing the plurality of transport address by:

determining that a first higher probability transport address involves use of a relay and a second higher probability transport address does not involve use of a relay; and

giving the second higher probability transport address a higher priority than that of the first higher probability transport address.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising prioritizing the plurality of transport address by:

determining that a first higher probability transport address is associated with a more recent protocol and a second higher probability transport address is associated with an older protocol; and

giving the first higher probability transport address a higher priority than that of the second higher probability transport address.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising prioritizing the plurality of transport address by:

determining that a first higher probability transport address is associated with a secure network and a second higher probability transport address is not associated with a secure network; and

giving the first higher probability transport address a higher priority than that of the second higher probability transport address.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising prioritizing the plurality of transport address by:

determining whether the first region and the second region are substantially the same region or substantially distinct regions;

utilizing a first prioritization rule if the first region and the second region are substantially the same region; and

utilizing a second prioritization rule if the first region and the second region are substantially distinct regions.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the plurality of transport addresses from the first endpoint, the first endpoint configured to obtain the plurality of transport addresses from a server.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a particular server configured to provide the one or more selected transport addresses; and

instructing the first endpoint to obtain the one or more selected transport addresses from the particular server.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing software configured to;

determine that a call session between a first endpoint and a second endpoint is being initiated, the first endpoint belonging to a first region corresponding to a first network address translator, the first network address translator configured to translate an address for a device of the first region, the second endpoint belonging to a second region corresponding to a second network address translator, the second network address translator configured to translate an address for a device of the second region;

select one or more higher probability transport addresses of a plurality of transport addresses from one or more lower probability transport addresses of the plurality of transport addresses, the higher probability transport addresses having a higher probability of enabling communication, the lower probability transport addresses having a lower probability of enabling communication, the plurality of transport addresses corresponding to the first endpoint; and

facilitate communication with the higher probability transport addresses.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, the software configured to select the one or more higher probability transport addresses by:

determining that the first region intersects the second region; and

selecting one or more transport addresses associated with the intersection of the first region the second region as the one or more higher probability transport addresses.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, the software configured to select the one or more higher probability transport addresses by:

determining that the first region and the second region are substantially the same region; and

selecting one or more transport addresses associated with the first region and the second region as the one or more higher probability transport addresses.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, the software configured to select the one or more higher probability transport addresses by:

determining that the first region and the second region are substantially distinct regions;

establishing a third region that comprises the first region and the second region; and

selecting one or more transport addresses associated with the third region as the one or more higher probability transport addresses.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, the software configured to prioritize the plurality of transport address by:

determining that a first higher probability transport address involves use of a relay and a second higher probability transport address does not involve use of a relay; and

giving the second higher probability transport address a higher priority than that of the first higher probability transport address.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, the software configured to prioritize the plurality of transport address by:

determining that a first higher probability transport address is associated with a more recent protocol and a second higher probability transport address is associated with an older protocol; and

giving the first higher probability transport address a higher priority than that of the second higher probability transport address.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, the software configured to prioritize the plurality of transport address by:

determining that a first higher probability transport address is associated with a secure network and a second higher probability transport address is not associated with a secure network; and

giving the first higher probability transport address a higher priority than that of the second higher probability transport address.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, the software configured to prioritize the plurality of transport address by:

determining whether the first region and the second region are substantially the same region or substantially distinct regions;

utilizing a first prioritization rule if the first region and the second region are substantially the same region; and

utilizing a second prioritization rule if the first region and the second region are substantially distinct regions.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, the software configured to:

receive the plurality of transport addresses from the first endpoint, the first endpoint configured to obtain the plurality of transport addresses from a server.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, the software configured to:

determine a particular server configured to provide the one or more selected transport addresses; and

instruct the first endpoint to obtain the one or more selected transport addresses from the particular server.