System and method for providing multiple endpoints in a device disposed in a packet-switched network

• US 6,667,968 B1
• Filed: 07/07/1999
• Issued: 12/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Optis Wireless Technology, LLC (Brevet Capital)
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Tran, Hung
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): JONES, PRENELL P
• Application Number:
  US09/346,769
• Time in Patent Office: 1,630 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352-401, 370/329, 370/349, 370/328-338, 370/260, 370/270, 370/390-395, 370/252, 370/465, 370/400, 370/466, 370/259, 370/384, 370/522, 709/227-238, 709/315, 709/217, 709/263, 709/220, 705/26, 379/221, 379/88.17, 379/219, 379/93.24, 379/212.01, 379/258, 379/229-231, 379/265.02, 379/265.09, 348/14.09, 348/14.08
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2854 Wide area networks, e.g. public data networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1285 Details of finding and selecting a gateway for a particular call
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/06 De-registration or detaching
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/181 Transcoding devices; Rate adaptation devices

Abstract

A system and method for providing multiple endpoints in a single proxy device disposed in a packet-switched network system comprising a gatekeeper. The proxy device is configured with an alias address and transport address. Each endpoint is provided with its own alias address also. When the proxy device is registered at the gatekeeper, a registry table therein is updated by creating an association between the proxy device'"'"'s transport and alias addresses. For each endpoint that is powered up, a Registration Request message is sent from the proxy device to the gatekeeper. The Registration Request message includes the alias address of the endpoint. In response, the registry table in the gatekeeper is updated by creating an association between the transport address of the proxy device and the endpoint'"'"'s alias address received, without replacing or deleting previous associations between the proxy device'"'"'s transport address and other alias addresses.

Claims

1. A method of registering multiple endpoints at a gatekeeper disposed in a packet-switched network wherein each endpoint is provided with a separate alias address, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a proxy device associated with the multiple endpoints;

configuring the proxy device by setting an alias address and a transport address therefor;

registering the proxy device at a registry associated with the gatekeeper, whereby the transport address and the alias address of the proxy device are matched; and

registering each endpoint at the registry by associating the endpoint'"'"'s alias address with the transport address of the proxy device without replacing a previously registered alias address.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transport address of the proxy device is set by augmenting the proxy device'"'"'s Internet Protocol (IP) address with its port address.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the alias addresses of the multiple endpoints comprise E.164 telephone numbers.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the proxy device comprises a gateway and each endpoint comprises a mobile station having an E.164 number as its alias address, and further wherein the transport address of the proxy device is set by augmenting the proxy device'"'"'s IP address with its port address.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of configuring the proxy device comprises providing an IP address for the gatekeeper.

6. A registration method for registering a plurality of endpoints associated with a proxy device, wherein the proxy device is disposed in a packet-switched network having a gatekeeper, the method comprising the steps of:

configuring the proxy device by setting its alias address and port address;

sending a Registration Request message from the proxy device to the gatekeeper, the Registration Request message including the alias address of the proxy device;

updating a registry table in the gatekeeper in response to the Registration Request message received from the proxy device, the updating step comprising the step of associating the alias address of the proxy device with its transport address;

thereafter, sending a Registration Confirm message from the gatekeeper to the proxy device;

for each endpoint that is powered up, sending a Registration Request message from the proxy device to the gatekeeper, the Registration Request message including the endpoint'"'"'s alias address;

updating the registry table in the gatekeeper in response to each endpoint'"'"'s alias address received in the Registration Request message by associating the alias address to the transport address of the proxy device and without replacing a previously registered alias address; and

sending a Registration Confirm message from the gatekeeper to the proxy device after updating the registry table in the gatekeeper in response to each endpoint'"'"'s alias address received.

7. The registration method as set forth in claim 6, wherein the alias address of the proxy device comprises an alphanumerical name.

8. The registration method as set forth in claim 6, wherein the alias addresses of the plurality of endpoints comprise E.164 telephone numbers.

9. The registration method as set forth in claim 6, wherein the proxy device comprises a gateway and each endpoint comprises a mobile station disposed in a cellular telecommunications network portion.

10. The registration method as set forth in claim 6, wherein the proxy device comprises an information appliance and each endpoint comprises a telephone function having an E.164 number associated therewith.

11. A proxy device:

coupling a cellular telecommunications network portion to a packet-switched network portion;

operating in the packet-switched network portion on behalf of a plurality of mobile stations disposed in the cellular telecommunications network portion; and

registering at least one of the plurality of mobile stations at a gatekeeper of the packet-switched network portion by associating an alias address of the at least one mobile station to a transport address of the proxy device without replacing a previously registered alias address.

12. The proxy device of claim 11, wherein the transport address of the proxy device is set by augmenting an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the proxy device with its port address.

13. The proxy device of claim 11, wherein the alias address of the at least one mobile station comprises E.164 telephone numbers.