System and Method for Performing Signaling on Behalf of a Stateless Client

• US 20100205280A1
• Filed: 04/19/2010
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bell, Robert T., McClung, Michael H., Platt, Richard B., Hahn, Paul S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,065,834 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1053 IP private branch exchange [PBX] functionality entities or arrangements circuit switched PBXs H04M3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1059 End-user terminal functionalities specially adapted for real-time communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment

Abstract

A system for, and method for, performing state-based signaling on behalf of a stateless client. In one embodiment, the system includes a controller, couplable to a state-based terminal, that translates at least one stateless signaling message received from the stateless client to at least one state-based signaling message for presentation to the state-based terminal thereby facilitating a media stream communications session between the stateless client and the state-based terminal over an Internet Protocol (IP)-based network.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a server located at a customer premises coupled to a local network, an indication from at least one gateway device to initiate a communications session between a dumb terminal coupled to the local network and a remote terminal coupled to an external packet switched network, the server comprising a network interface and a controller, the network interface coupled to the local network, the at least one gateway device coupled to the local network and the external packet switched network;

translating, by the server, at least one signaling message received from the dumb terminal; and

transmitting, by the server, the translated at least one signaling message to the at least one gateway device for presentation to the remote terminal, thereby establishing the communications session and facilitating a media stream path without the server between the dumb terminal and the remote terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the external packet switched network employs an Internetwork Packet Exchange/Sequenced Packet Exchange (IPX/SPX) transport protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote terminal comprises a computer executing telephony software.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the controller, a plurality of first packets generated at the remote terminal for presentation to the dumb terminal;

translating, by the controller, the received first packets into voice information for presentation to a user of the dumb terminal;

receiving, by the controller, voice activity from the user;

generating, by the controller, a plurality of second packets that represent the voice activity; and

transmitting, by the controller, the generated second packets to the at least one gateway device for presentation to the remote terminal.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the server, an off-hook signal in response to a user of the dumb terminal indicating a desire to establish the communications session.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one signaling message comprises an indication selected from the group consisting of:

a telephony off-hook event,

a telephony on-hook event,

a telephony button depressed event,

a telephony digit dialed event, and

a client registration event.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote terminal comprises a computer executing telephony software that supports the H.323 protocol.

8. A server located at a customer premises coupled to a local network, comprising:

a processor;

a network interface coupled to the local network, the network interface operable to receive an indication from at least one gateway device to initiate a communications session between a dumb terminal coupled to the local network and a remote terminal coupled to an external packet switched network, the at least one gateway device coupled to the local network and the external packet switched network; and

a storage device embodying a controller operable, when executed on the processor, to;

translate at least one signaling message received from the dumb terminal; and

transmit the translated at least one signaling message to the at least one gateway device for presentation to the remote terminal, thereby establishing the communications session and facilitating a media stream path without the server between the dumb terminal and the remote terminal.

9. The server of claim 8, wherein the external packet switched network employs an Internetwork Packet Exchange/Sequenced Packet Exchange (IPX/SPX) transport protocol.

10. The server of claim 8, wherein the remote terminal comprises a computer executing telephony software.

11. The server of claim 8, wherein the controller is further operable to:

receive a plurality of first packets generated at the remote terminal for presentation to the dumb terminal;

translate the received first packets into voice information for presentation to a user of the dumb terminal;

receive voice activity from the user;

generate a plurality of second packets that represent the voice activity; and

transmit the generated second packets to the at least one gateway device for presentation to the remote terminal.

12. The server of claim 8, wherein the network interface is further operable to receive an off-hook signal in response to a user of the dumb terminal indicating a desire to establish the communications session.

13. The server of claim 8, wherein the at least one signaling message comprises an indication selected from the group consisting of:

a telephony off-hook event,

a telephony on-hook event,

a telephony button depressed event,

a telephony digit dialed event, and

a client registration event.

14. The server of claim 8, wherein the remote terminal comprises a computer executing telephony software that supports the H.323 protocol.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising logic located at a customer premises coupled to a local network, the logic operable when executed on a processor to:

receive an indication from at least one gateway device to initiate a communications session between a dumb terminal coupled to the local network and a remote terminal coupled to an external packet switched network, the at least one gateway device coupled to the local network and the external packet switched network;

translate at least one signaling message received from the dumb terminal; and

transmit the translated at least one signaling message to the at least one gateway device for presentation to the remote terminal, thereby establishing the communications session and facilitating a media stream path without the server between the dumb terminal and the remote terminal.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the external packet switched network employs an Internetwork Packet Exchange/Sequenced Packet Exchange (IPX/SPX) transport protocol.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the remote terminal comprises a computer executing telephony software.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the logic is further operable to:

receive a plurality of first packets generated at the remote terminal for presentation to the dumb terminal;

translate the received first packets into voice information for presentation to a user of the dumb terminal;

receive voice activity from the user;

generate a plurality of second packets that represent the voice activity; and

transmit the generated second packets to the at least one gateway device for presentation to the remote terminal.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the logic is further operable to receive an off-hook signal in response to a user of the dumb terminal indicating a desire to establish the communications session.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the at least one signaling message comprises an indication selected from the group consisting of:

a telephony off-hook event,

a telephony on-hook event,

a telephony button depressed event,

a telephony digit dialed event, and

a client registration event.