Method and Apparatus for Rapid Session Routing

• US 20090168787A1
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tyson King
• Original Assignee: Prodea Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Guan, Wu, Ramayya, Jude P., Nicholls, Leon E., Masina, Ramprakash, Cowgill, George A., Ansari, Amir, Raissyan, Atousa
• Granted Patent: US 8,422,397 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

A gateway device at a user premises edge of a wide area network implements a method for rapidly routing a media session. for an application layer service. The gateway device receivers a request from a first endpoint device to create the media session with a second device. The request includes an application layer identifier for the second device. The method involves accessing a routing table within the gateway device using the application layer identifier and obtaining, from the internal routing table a network layer address for communication with the second device. The gateway device then creates a route for the media session for the application layer service via bi-directional network layer communications through at least one of its interfaces using the network layer address.

Claims

1. A method for rapidly routing a media session for an application layer service from a gateway device located at a premises for serving one or more endpoint devices associated with the gateway device, the gateway device having a first interface for enabling bi-directional network layer communications within the premises with the one or more endpoint devices;

and a second interface for enabling bi-directional communications for the one or more endpoint devices via a wide area network and for enabling at least some bi-directional communications for the gateway device with a service management center external to the premises via the wide area network;

the method comprising;

receiving, at the gateway device, a request from a first endpoint device to create the media session with a second device, including an application layer identifier for the second device;

accessing a routing table within the gateway device using the application layer identifier and obtaining, from the routing table within the gateway device, a network layer address for communication with the second device; and

creating a route for the media session for the application layer service via bi-directional network layer communications through at least one of the interfaces using the network layer address.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising

transmitting a configuration setup request from the gateway device to the service management center;

and

receiving the routing table in response to the transmission of the configuration setup request.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the routing table periodically from the service management center.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the media session is a voice call session.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing table comprises an internet protocol address for each endpoint for which a call may be terminated.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing table comprises an address for a session redirect server.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing table comprises an address for a termination device coupling the wide area network with a diverse network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing table comprises an address for a session border controller.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first endpoint device communicates with the processor through the second interface.

19. A product comprising a machine-readable medium and programming embodied in the medium that, when executed by a processor in the gateway device, implements the method of claim 1.

10. A product comprising a machine-readable medium and programming embodied in the medium that, when executed by a processor in a gateway device, implements a method for rapidly routing a media session for an application layer service from the gateway device located at a premises for serving one or more endpoint devices associated with the gateway device, the gateway device having a first interface for enabling bi-directional network layer communications within the premises with the one or more endpoint devices;

and a second interface for enabling bi-directional communications for the one or more endpoint devices via a wide area network and for enabling at least some bi-directional communications for the gateway device with a service management center external to the premises via the wide area network;

the method comprising;

receiving, at the gateway device, a request from a first endpoint device to create the media session with a second device, including an application layer identifier for the second device;

accessing a routing table within the gateway device using the application layer identifier and obtaining, from the routing table within the gateway device, a network layer address for communication with the second device; and

creating a route for the media session for the application layer service via bi-directional network layer communications through at least one of the interfaces using the network layer address

11. A method for rapidly routing a media session for an application layer service from a gateway device located at a premises for serving one or more endpoint devices, the gateway device having a first interface for enabling bi-directional network layer communications within the premises with an endpoint device associated with the gateway device;

and a second interface for enabling bi-directional communications for the one or more endpoint devices via a wide area network and for enabling at least some bi-directional communications with a service management center external to the premises via the wide area network;

the method comprising;

transmitting a configuration setup request from the gateway device to the service management center;

receiving a routing table in response to the transmission of the configuration setup request;

receiving a request from a first endpoint device to create the media session with a second device;

determining whether a route entry related to the second device exists in the routing table; and

creating a route for the media session for the application layer service via bi-directional network layer communications through at least one of the interfaces using the route entry upon determining that the route entry exists.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising updating the routing table periodically from the service management center.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the media session is a voice call session.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the routing table comprises an internet protocol address for each endpoint for which a call may be terminated.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the routing table comprises an address for a session redirect server.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the routing table comprises an address for a termination device coupling the wide area network with a diverse network.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the routing table comprises an address for a session border controller.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the first endpoint device communicates with the processor through the second interface.

20. A method for rapidly routing a media session for an application layer service from a gateway device located at a premises for serving one or more endpoint devices, the gateway device having a first interface for enabling bi-directional network layer communications within the premises with an endpoint device associated with the gateway device;

and a second interface for enabling bi-directional communications for the one or more endpoint devices via a wide area network and for enabling at least some bi-directional communications with a service management center external to the premises via the wide area network;

the method comprising;

transmitting a configuration setup request from the gateway device to the service management center;

receiving a routing table in response to the transmission of the configuration setup request;

receiving a request from a first endpoint device to create the media session with a second device;

determining whether a route entry related to the second device exists in the routing table; and

upon determining that the route entry related to the second device does not exist, then;

contacting a default server to determine a new route to the second device; and

,

creating a new route entry in the routing table with the new route.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising updating the service management center with the new route entry.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein updating the service management center with the new route entry comprises updating the service management center with the routing table.

23. A product comprising a machine-readable medium and programming embodied in the medium that, when executed by a processor, implements the method of claim 20.

24. A system comprising:

a gateway device located at a premises for serving one or more endpoint devices, the gateway device having a first interface for enabling bi-directional network layer communications within the premises with a first endpoint device associated with the gateway device and a second interface for enabling bi-directional communications for the first endpoint device with a second device via a wide area network, wherein the gateway device includes a memory storing a routing table for routing a media session from the first endpoint device to the second device, the routing table comprising an application layer identifier and a network layer address for the second device, the gateway device; and

,

a service management center external to the premises and coupled to communicate the routing table with the gateway device through the wide area network.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the service management center is configured to update the routing table on the gateway device.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the service management center is configured to transmit the routing table to the gateway device based on a request from the gateway device.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the media session is a voice call session.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the routing table comprises an internet protocol address for each endpoint for which a call may be terminated.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein the routing table comprises an address for a session redirect server.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein the routing table comprises an address for a termination device coupling the wide area network with a diverse network.

31. The system of claim 24, wherein the routing table comprises an address for a session border controller.