Use of virtual gateway in H.323 system

• US 6,654,366 B1
• Filed: 02/25/1999
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Ketcham, Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, PHUC H
• Application Number:
  US09/257,326
• Time in Patent Office: 1,734 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/357, 370/389, 370/400, 370/401, 370/409, 370/410, 370/465, 370/475
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

A method for improving the scalability of H.323 systems is described. The method allows a H.323 port to be made busy. This prevents other incoming, or outgoing, calls from using the port. In one embodiment, a virtual port address is provided in response to an address query request. Only later, if the call setup request is made, is an H.323 port made busy. Then, the address of the busy H.323 port is substituted for the virtual port address in the acknowledgement of the call setup request. In some embodiments, the H.323 port is made busy at the time of the address query request. In some embodiments, computer programs implement the virtual gateway functionality and make H.323 ports busy. Thus in both embodiments, the port provided by the H.323 gatekeeper will be available for use by the requesting H.323 device when the call setup request is made. In some embodiments, the H.323 gatekeeper does not need to directly monitor the status of H.323 ports and can poll a smaller number of virtual gateways.

Claims

1. A method of responding to an address query request, the method comprising:

receiving the address query request at an H.323 gatekeeper;

responding to the address query request with a virtual port address using the H.323 gatekeeper;

receiving a call setup request at the virtual port address on a virtual gateway;

selecting a busy H.323 port on an H.323 gateway using the virtual gateway, the busy H.323 port having a corresponding port address; and

acknowledging the call setup request with the port address using the virtual gateway.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual port address corresponds to a first port address capable of responding to a call setup request.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting the busy H.323 port on the H.323 gateway using the virtual gateway comprises making a H.323 port busy using the virtual gateway, the H.323 port being the busy H.323 port.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual gateway includes a port status data, the port status data comprising information about availability of respective H.323 ports on the H.323 gateway, and wherein the virtual gateway periodically polls ports managed by the virtual gateway to update the port status data, and wherein the selecting the busy H.323 port on the H.323 gateway using the virtual gateway comprises:

using the port status data to select a H.323 port that is available;

making the H.323 port busy, the H.323 port being the busy H.323 port.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting a busy H.323 port on an H.323 gateway using the virtual gateway is responsive to the call setup request.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the acknowledging the call setup request with the port address using the virtual gateway comprises sending a message specifying logical channel (LC0) will use the port address.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the acknowledging the call setup request with the port address using the virtual gateway comprises sending a message substituting the port address for the virtual port address.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual gateway includes a port activity data, the port activity data comprising information regarding time since previous activity occurred on respective H.323 ports on the H.323 gateway, and wherein the virtual gateway deactivates the busy H.323 port on the H.323 gateway if the busy H.323 port remains inactive for a predetermined period.

9. A method of responding to an address query request, the method comprising:

receiving the address query request on a computer;

selecting a busy H.323 port on an H.323 gateway using a virtual gateway, the busy H.323 port having a corresponding port address;

responding to the address query request with the port address using the computer;

receiving a call setup request at the port address on the H.323 gateway;

acknowledging the call setup request with the port address using the H.323 gateway.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the selecting the busy H.323 port on the H.323 gateway using the virtual gateway is before the responding to the address query request.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the virtual gateway includes a port status data, the port status data comprising information about availability status of respective ports on the H.323 gateway, and wherein the virtual gateway periodically polls ports managed by the virtual gateway to update the port status data, and wherein the selecting the busy H.323 port on the H.323 gateway using the virtual gateway comprises:

using the port status data to select a H.323 port that is available;

making the H.323 port busy, the H.323 port being the busy H.323 port.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the selecting a busy H.323 port on the H.323 gateway using the virtual gateway comprises making a H.323 port busy using the virtual gateway, the H.323 port being the busy H.323 port.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the making the H.323 port busy using the virtual gateway further comprises:

determining that the H.323 port is available using the virtual gateway;

sending a message to the H.323 port to busy the port using the virtual gateway; and

receiving an acknowledgement from the H.323 port at the virtual gateway.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the virtual gateway includes a port activity data, the port activity data comprising information regarding time since previous activity occurred on respective ports on the H.323 gateway, and wherein the virtual gateway deactivates the busy H.323 port on the H.323 gateway if the busy H.323 port remains inactive for a predetermined period.

15. A method comprising:

generating an address lookup request from a first H.323 port to a first H.323 gatekeeper;

generating an address query request from the first H.323 gatekeeper to a second H.323 gatekeeper;

generating an address query response from the second H.323 gatekeeper to the first H.323 port, the address query response including a virtual port;

generating a call setup request the first H.323 port to the virtual port;

generating a request from the virtual port to a second H.323 port, the request comprising a make busy request; and

generating a call setup acknowledgement from the virtual port to the first H.323 port, the call setup acknowledgement including a port address corresponding to the second H.323 port.

16. A system comprising:

a plurality of H.323 ports;

a virtual gateway, the virtual gateway coupled in communication with the plurality of H.323 ports, the virtual gateway supporting at least a first virtual port, the virtual gateway capable of acknowledging a call setup request received on that at least a first virtual port with a first address corresponding to a port in the plurality of H.323 ports, the port being busy responsive to the virtual gateway; and

an H.323 gatekeeper, the H.323 gatekeeper including configuration information specifying a first virtual gateway, the H.323 gatekeeper responding to an address query request with a second address corresponding to the at least a first virtual port.