Method for providing IP telephony with QoS using end-to-end RSVP signaling

• US 6,366,577 B1
• Filed: 06/02/2000
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI WorldCom, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Donovan, Steven R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOGSDON, JOSEPH B
• Application Number:
  US09/586,203
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/354, 370/356, 370/389, 370/401, 370/912, 379/90.01, 379/900, 709/220, 709/223, 709/226, 709/227, 709/230, 709/238, 709/245, 709/249
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/15 in relation to multipoint traffic arrangements for broadcast or multicast in data networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2408 for supporting different services, e.g. a differentiated services [DiffServ] type of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/724 at intermediate nodes, e.g. resource reservation protocol [RSVP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/801 Real time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/203 composed of PSTN and data network, e.g. the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1275 Methods and means to improve the telephone service quality, e.g. reservation, prioritisation or admission control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13166 Fault prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13348 : Channel/line reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 : Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/90 : Internet, e.g. Internet phone, webphone, internet-based telephony

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method whereby the separate protocols: session initiation protocol SIP, resource reservation protocol RSVP, common open policy service COPS, and open settlement protocol OSP are used together to setup, maintain, and teardown Internet communications having an acceptable QoS. This process is accomplished by dynamically establishing RSVP policy based on SIP telephony requests to provide IP communications with QoS across the Internet. The QoS policy is installed in network elements at the request of the network elements. The network elements receive a RSVP PATH or RESV request and queries the policy server; the policy server queries a Local database about ID and services for the user and a clearinghouse server (if available) or a policy server in a corresponding network; upon positive acknowledgment from the local database and/or the clearinghouse server, the policy server confirms policy in network elements to accept RSVP PATH and RESV requests for the particular reserved data flow to the SIP client. In this manner, the called telephone will not ring until policy has been provisioned in the network elements and resources have been reserved end-to-end to ensure an acceptable level of QoS.

Claims

1. A method of providing quality of service (QoS) in an Internet Protocol (IP) telephony session between a calling party and a called party, comprising the steps of:

providing transporting IP media for said session between said calling party and a first device having IP capability;

providing transporting IP media for said session between said called party and a second device having IP capability;

establishing an IP connection between said first device and said second device; and

reserving network resources for said telephony session;

generating a first session initiation protocol (SIP) call setup request with QoS by an SIP client;

transporting said first call setup request to a first SIP proxy server;

generating a second SIP call setup request with QoS by said first SIP proxy server to a second SIP proxy server;

generating a third SIP call setup request with QoS by said second SIP proxy server to a remote client;

provisioning policy in said second device and said second SIP proxy server;

provisioning policy in said first device and said first SIP proxy server upon successful provisioning of policy in said second device and said second SIP proxy server; and

notifying said SIP client of the call progress.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first and said second devices are routers.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of reserving network resources uses Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP).

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

provisioning policy by a remote policy server in said second device and said second SIP proxy server;

provisioning policy by a client policy server in said first device and said first SIP proxy server upon successful provisioning of policy in said second device and said second SIP proxy server.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

installing QoS in a remote local area network (LAN) using a remote subnet bandwidth manager (SBM) and said second device;

informing said first device of said QoS installation in said remote LAN;

installing QoS in a client LAN using a client SBM and said first device;

confirming and acknowledging the call progress; and

establishing real-time transfer protocol (RTP) streaming.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

propagating an RSVP PATHTEAR message to a remote gateway to request removal of QoS in the client LAN;

uninstalling QoS in client LAN u sing said first device;

propagating an RSVP RESVTEAR message to said remote gateway to request removal of QoS in the remote LAN; and

uninstalling QoS in remote LAN using said second device.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

generating a first usage report by said first device to a first policy server; and

generating a second usage report by said second device to a second policy server, wherein the usage reports are used for accounting purposes.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

checking a first policy server to determine correct policy, wherein said checking is performed by said first SIP server;

checking a clearing house server to determine correct policy and to request authorization for the policy, wherein said checking and requesting is performed by said first policy server;

notifying said first policy server of the correct policy and providing authorization for the policy;

checking a second policy server to determine correct policy, wherein said checking is performed by said second SIP server;

checking said clearing house server to determine correct policy and to request authorization for the policy, wherein said checking and requesting is performed by said second policy server; and

notifying said second policy server of the correct policy and providing authorization for the policy.

9. A method for un-installing quality of service (QoS) policy in a network for an IP telephone call between a calling terminal and a called terminal comprising the steps of:

sending an SIP BYE message from the calling terminal to a first SIP server;

sending said SIP BYE message from said first SIP server to a second SIP server;

sending said SIP BYE message from said second SIP server to the called terminal;

uninstalling the QoS policy in a first edge router;

uninstalling the QoS policy in a second edge router; and

sending an OK message from the called terminal to the calling terminal indicating the completion of the un-installation of QoS from the network.