Call signaling approach to user self-provisioning on VoIP using a touch-tone interface

• US 7,046,659 B1
• Filed: 07/03/2001
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Woundy, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shew, John
• Application Number:
  US09/898,801
• Time in Patent Office: 1,778 Days
• Field of Search: 370/285, 370251-256, 370/363, 370/395.52, 370/395.54, 370/401, 370/402, 370493-495, 370/522, 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 379/93.03, 379/93.26, 379/93.31, 709/203, 709/218, 709/219, 709/230
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4535 using an address exchange platform which sets up a session between two nodes, e.g. rendezvous servers, session initiation protocols [SIP] registrars or H.323 gatekeepers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0069 comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0075 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0081 Network operation, administration, maintenance, or provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0087 Network planning or provisioning

Abstract

A method for providing self-provisioning of VoIP telephony to a subscriber of a VoIP telephony service is disclosed. An un-provisioned residential gateway that is associated with the subscriber is instructed to collect a subscriber numeric identity that uniquely identifies the subscriber and a Personal Identification Number (PIN) information that are associated with the subscriber. An example of a subscriber numeric identity that uniquely identifies the subscriber is the subscriber'"'"'s E.164 address. The E.164 address and Personal Identification Number (PIN) information is verified. A source IP address that is associated with one or more Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) messages that are sent by the residential gateway is used as a residential gateway IP address for the residential gateway. The residential gateway IP address is then used to provision the residential gateway that is associated with the subscriber. According to certain embodiments, the above steps are carried out by a call agent from a self-provisioning system of a provider of the VoIP telephony services. One or more VoIP connections are established between the residential gateway and an announcement server. The announcement server sends VoIP messages through the VoIP connections to the subscriber via the residential gateway. A protocol server offers the residential gateway, via a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, a limited access IP address, a location of one or more Domain Name System (DNS) servers, and a Media Gateway Protocol (MGCP) endpoint name of the call agent from the self-provisioning system.

Claims

1. A method for providing self-provisioning of VoIP telephony service to a subscriber of the VoIP telephony service, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

receiving a first notify command from an un-provisioned residential gateway that is associated with the subscriber, wherein the first notify command is sent in response to a telephone receiver connected to the residential gateway going off-hook;

instructing the residential gateway to collect a provisioning access number;

instructing, via a call signaling command, the residential gateway to collect a subscriber numeric identity that uniquely identifies the subscriber;

instructing, via a call signaling command, the residential gateway to collect a Personal Identification Number (PIN) information that is associated with the subscriber;

receiving and verifying the subscriber numeric identity and Personal Identification Number (PIN) information;

assigning an IP address that is associated with one or more Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) messages that are sent by the residential gateway as a residential gateway IP address for the residential gateway; and

using the residential gateway IP address to provision the residential gateway that is associated with the subscriber.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein instructing the residential gateway to collect a provisioning access number further comprises sending a MGCP notification request with a first digit map associated with the provisioning access number.

3. A method for providing self-provisioning of VoIP telephony service to a subscriber of the VoIP telephony service, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

instructing, via a call signaling command the residential gateway to collect a subscriber numeric identity that uniquely identifies the subscriber;

instructing, via a call signaling command, the residential gateway to collect a Personal Identification Number (PIN) information that is associated with the subscriber;

wherein instructing the residential gateway to collect a Personal Identification Number includes

after the residential gateway deletes a first VoIP connection, instructing the residential gateway to create a second VoIP connection between the residential gateway and an announcement server for sending a second VoIP message from the announcement server to the subscriber via the residential gateway in order to collect the Personal Identification Number (PIN) information from the subscribers

receiving and verifying the subscriber numeric identity and Personal Identification Number (PIN) information;

assigning an IP address that is associated with one or more Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) messages that are sent by the residential gateway as a residential gateway IP address for the residential gateway, and

using the residential gateway IP address to provision the residential gateway that is associated with the subscriber.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

receiving and storing a provisioning access number from the residential gateway; and

wherein instructing the residential gateway to collect a subscriber numeric identity includes instructing the residential gateway to create a first VoIP connection between the residential gateway and an announcement server for sending a first VoIP message from the announcement server to the subscriber via the residential gateway in order to collect the subscriber numeric identity.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising the step of:

receiving and storing the subscriber numeric identity from the residential gateway; and

instructing the residential gateway to delete the first VoIP connection.

6. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising the step of:

receiving and storing the Personal Identification Number (PIN) information; and

instructing the residential gateway to delete the second VoIP connection.

7. A method for providing self-provisioning of VoIP telephony service to a subscriber of the VoIP telephony service, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

instructing, via a call signaling command, the residential gateway to collect a subscriber numeric identity that uniquely identifies the subscriber;

instructing, via a call signaling command, the residential gateway to collect a Personal Identification Number (PIN) information that is associated with the subscriber;

receiving and verifying the subscriber numeric identity and Personal Identification Number (PIN) information;

assigning an IP address that is associated with one or more Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) messages that are sent by the residential gateway as a residential gateway IP address for the residential gateway; and

using the residential gateway IP address to provision the residential gateway that is associated with the subscriber;

wherein using the residential gateway IP address to provision the residential gateway further comprises rebooting the residential gateway remotely by a self-provisioning system call agent of a self-provisioning system that is associated with a provider of the VoIP telephony service.

8. A method for providing self-provisioning of VoIP telephony service to a subscriber of the VoIP telephony service, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

a residential gateway requesting a location of one or more Domain Name System (DNS) server, a limited-access IP address, and a Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) endpoint name of a self-provisioning system call agent of a self-provisioning system that is associated with the provider of the VoIP telephony service;

instructing, via a call signaling command, the residential gateway to collect a subscriber numeric identity that uniquely identifies the subscriber;

instructing, via a call signaling command, the residential gateway to collect a Personal Identification Number (PIN) information that is associated with the subscriber;

receiving and verifying the subscriber numeric identity and Personal Identification Number (PIN) information;

assigning an IP address that is associated with one or more Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) messages that are sent by the residential gateway as a residential gateway IP address for the residential gateway; and

using the residential gateway IP address to provision the residential gateway that is associated with the subscriber.

9. A method for providing self-provisioning of VoIP telephony service to a subscriber of the VoIP telephony service, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

using a subscriber registration center that is associated with a provider of the VoIP telephony service wherein the subscriber registration center performs the steps of;

offering to a residential gateway a limited access IP address;

offering to the residential gateway a location of one or more Domain Name System (DNS) servers;

offering to the residential gateway a Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) endpoint name of a self-provisioning system call agent of a self-provisioning system that is associated with the provider of the VoIP telephony service;

instructing, via a call signaling command, the residential gateway to collect a subscriber numeric identity that uniquely identifies the subscriber;

instructing, via a call signaling command, the residential gateway to collect a Personal Identification Number (PIN) information that is associated with the subscriber;

receiving and verifying the subscriber numeric identity and Personal Identification Number (PIN) information;

assigning an IP address that is associated with one or more Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) messages that are sent by the residential gateway as a residential gateway IP address for the residential gateway; and

using the residential gateway IP address to provision the residential gateway that is associated with the subscriber.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the step of offering to the residential gateway a limited access IP address is performed through a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the step of offering to the residential gateway a location of one or more Domain Name System (DNS) servers is performed through a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server.

12. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the step of offering to the residential gateway a Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) endpoint name of a self-provisioning system call agent of a self-provisioning system that is associated with the provider of the VoIP telephony service is performed through a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server.

13. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein a protocol server directs a provisioned residential gateway to a standard call agent that is associated with the provider of the VoIP telephony service to enable VoIP calls and services.

14. A method for providing self-provisioning of VoIP telephony to a subscriber of a VoIP telephony service, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

receiving a first notify command from a residential gateway that is associated with the subscriber and that has not been provisioned, wherein the first notify command is sent in response to a lifting of a telephone receiver connected to the residential gateway;

after receiving the first notify command from the residential gateway, instructing the residential gateway to collect a provisioning access number;

receiving a second notify command from the residential gateway, wherein the second notify command is sent with the provisioning access number;

receiving and storing the provisioning access number;

after receiving the second notify command, instructing the residential gateway to create a first VoIP connection between the residential gateway and an announcement server for sending a first VoIP message from the announcement server to the subscriber in order to collect a subscriber numeric identity that uniquely identifies the subscriber;

instructing the residential gateway to collect the subscriber numeric identity that is allocated to the subscriber;

receiving a third notify command from the residential gateway, wherein the third notify command is sent with the subscriber numeric identity;

receiving and storing the subscriber numeric identity;

after receiving the third notify command from the residential gateway, instructing the residential gateway to delete the first VoIP connection;

after the residential gateway deletes the first VoIP connection, instructing the residential gateway to create a second VoIP connection between the residential gateway and the announcement server for sending a second VoIP message from the announcement server to the subscriber in order to collect a Personal Identification Number (PIN) information from the subscriber;

instructing the residential gateway to collect the Personal Identification Number (PIN) information that is associated with the subscriber;

receiving a fourth notify command from the residential gateway, wherein the fourth notify command is sent with the Personal Identification Number (PIN) information;

receiving and storing the Personal Identification Number (PIN) information;

after receiving the fourth notify command from the residential gateway, instructing the residential gateway to delete the second VoIP connection;

verifying the subscriber numeric identity and PIN information;

using a source IP address that is associated with one or more Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) messages that are sent by the residential gateway as a residential gateway IP address for the residential gateway; and

using the residential gateway IP address to provision the residential gateway by performing the steps of;

enabling a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol-centric (DHCP-centric) protocol server to query a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server for a mapping from the residential gateway IP address to a MAC address associated with the residential gateway;

enabling the DHCP-centric protocol server to configure the DHCP server to offer a long-term IP address to the residential gateway; and

enabling the DHCP-centric protocol server to configure the DHCP server to associate a Domain Name System (DNS) hostname that is based on the subscriber numeric identity with the MAC address of the residential gateway.

15. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for providing self-provisioning of VoIP telephony to a subscriber of VoIP telephony service, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

instructing, via a call signaling command, an un-provisioned residential gateway that is associated with the subscriber to collect an subscriber numeric identity that uniquely identifies the subscriber;

instructing, via a call signaling command, the residential gateway to collect a Personal Identification Number (PIN) information that is associated with the subscriber;

receiving and verifying the subscriber numeric identity and Personal Identification Number (PIN) information;

assigning an IP address that is associated with one or more Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) messages that are sent by the residential gateway as a residential gateway IP address for the residential gateway;

using the residential gateway IP address to provision the residential gateway that is associated with the subscriber; and

wherein using the residential gateway IP address to provision the residential gateway further comprises rebooting the residential gateway remotely by a self-provisioning system call agent of a self-provisioning system that is associated with a provider of the VoIP telephony service.

16. An apparatus for providing self-provisioning of VoIP telephony to a subscriber of a VoIP telephony service, which apparatus, comprising:

means for instructing, via a call signaling command, an un-provisioned residential gateway that is associated with the subscriber to collect an subscriber numeric identity that uniquely identifies the subscriber;

means for instructing, via a call signaling command, the residential gateway to collect a Personal Identification Number (PIN) information that is associated with the subscriber;

means for receiving and verifying the subscriber numeric identity and Personal Identification Number (PIN) information;

means for assigning an IP address that is associated with one or more Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) messages that are sent by the residential gateway as a residential gateway IP address for the residential gateway;

means for using the residential gateway IP address to provision the residential gateway that is associated with the subscriber; and

wherein the means for using the residential gateway IP address to provision the residential gateway further comprises means for rebooting the residential gateway remotely by a self-provisioning system call agent of a self-provisioning system that is associated with a provider of the VoIP telephony service.

17. An apparatus for providing self-provisioning of VoIP telephony to a subscriber of a VoIP telephony service, which apparatus, comprising:

a network interface that is coupled to the data network for receiving one or more packet flows therefrom;

a processor;

one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of;

instructing, via a call signaling command, an un-provisioned residential gateway that is associated with the subscriber to collect a subscriber numeric identity of the subscriber;

instructing, via a call signaling command, the residential gateway to collect a Personal Identification Number (PIN) information that is associated with the subscriber;

receiving and verifying the subscriber numeric identity and Personal Identification Number (PIN) information;

assigning an IP address that is associated with one or more Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) messages that are sent by the residential gateway as a residential gateway IP address for the residential gateway;

using the residential gateway IP address to provision the residential gateway that is associated with the subscriber; and

wherein using the residential gateway IP address to provision the residential gateway further comprises rebooting the residential gateway remotely by a self-provisioning system call agent of a self-provisioning system that is associated with a provider of the VoIP telephony service.