Plug and Play Provisioning of Voice Over IP Network Devices

• US 20110019660A1
• Filed: 07/23/2009
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Au, Andrew W., Kumarasamy, Parameswaran, Chu, Paul R. P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,106,714 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1059 End-user terminal functionalities specially adapted for real-time communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

Techniques are provided for sending from a client in a network device a request message configured to request configuration parameters to allow the network device to operate as a source or destination node for packet switched network telephony activity. In response to receiving the request message, sending the configuration parameters from a server configured to retrieve the configuration parameters from a call provisioning server. The configuration parameters are received at the client and passed to a call agent in the network device in order to configure the network device to operate as a source or destination node for packet switched network telephony activity.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending from a client in a network device a request message configured to request configuration parameters to allow the network device to operate as a source or destination node for packet switched network telephony activity;

in response to receiving the request message, sending the configuration parameters from a server configured to retrieve the configuration parameters from a call provisioning server;

receiving at the client the configuration parameters; and

passing the configuration parameters to a call agent in the network device in order to configure the network device to operate as a source or destination node for packet switched network telephony activity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the configuration parameters comprises sending configuration parameters for a signaling protocol that allows the call agent to set up and terminate a packet switched network phone call.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the packet switched network telephony activity comprises an exchange of data via an Internet protocol, for facsimile, voice, video, multimedia, and application data for transferring voice, video, and/or multimedia between applications on network devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the request message comprises sending a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) request message configured to request vendor-specific information in order to provision the call agent for a corresponding signaling protocol.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving the configuration parameters comprises receiving session initiation protocol (SIP) user agent provisioning information, and further comprising provisioning the call agent using the SIP user agent provisioning information.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving at the client a DHCP renew message requesting the call agent to be reprovisioned;

sending from the client another request message configured to request new configuration parameters;

in response to receiving the other request message, sending the new configuration parameters from the server;

receiving at the client the new configuration parameters;

passing the new configuration parameters to the call agent; and

reprovisioning the call agent using the new configuration parameters.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

collecting dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) and call agent provisioning information from a plurality of DHCP servers and call provisioning servers at a DHCP relay; and

responding to the request message from the DHCP relay.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the request message comprises sending the request message from a call management device, receiving comprises receiving the configuration parameters at the call management device, and further comprising provisioning the call agent via the call management device.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

an interface configured to enable communication over a network; and

a memory configured to store software instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform a call agent function and a client function, and instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

send a request message from the client;

receive a response to the request message comprising configuration parameters;

and

pass the configuration parameters to the call agent in order to configure the apparatus to operate as a source or destination node for packet switched network telephony activity.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to set up and terminate a packet switched network phone call using a signaling protocol via the call agent.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to facilitate the packet switched network telephony comprising an exchange of data via an Internet protocol, for facsimile, voice, video, multimedia, and application data for transferring voice, video, and/or multimedia between applications on network devices.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to send a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) request message that is configured to request vendor-specific information in order to provision the call agent for a corresponding signaling protocol.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to receive the configuration parameters comprising session initiation protocol (SIP) user agent provisioning information, and to provision the call agent using the SIP server address and SIP user agent provisioning information.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

receive a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) renew message requesting the call agent to be reprovisioned;

send another request message configured to request new configuration parameters;

receive the new configuration parameters;

pass the new configuration parameters to the call agent; and

reprovision the call agent using the new configuration parameters.

15. A system comprising the apparatus of claim 9, and further comprising a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) relay configured to:

collect DHCP provisioning information and call agent provisioning information from a plurality of DHCP servers and call provisioning servers; and

respond to the request message.

16. A system comprising the apparatus of claim 9, and further comprising a call management device coupled between the server and the apparatus, wherein the call management device is configured to:

send the request message;

receive the configuration parameters; and

provision the call agent.

17. Logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to:

send from a client in a network device a request message to a server, wherein the request message is configured to request configuration parameters to allow the network device to operate as a source or destination node for packet switched network telephony activity;

receive from the server at the client in the network device the configuration parameters; and

pass the configuration parameters to a call agent in the network device in order to configure the network device to operate as a source or destination node for packet switched network telephony activity.

18. The logic of claim 17, wherein the logic that receives comprises logic configured to receive the configuration parameters for a signaling protocol that allows the call agent to set up and/or terminate a packet switched network phone call.

19. The logic of claim 17, further comprising logic configured to exchange data via an Internet protocol, for facsimile, voice, video, multimedia, and application data for transferring voice, video, and/or multimedia between applications on network devices via a packet switched network phone call.

20. The logic of claim 17, wherein the logic that sends comprises logic configured to send the request message configured to request vendor-specific information, and the logic that receives comprises logic configured to receive vendor-specific information comprising call agent provisioning information, and further logic configured to provision the call agent using the vendor-specific information.