Distributed interactive multimedia system architecture

• US 7,058,067 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2001
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Platt, Richard B., Hahn, Paul S., Pearce, Christopher E., McClung, Michael H., Corley, Robert David, Dunlap, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): TON, DANG T
• Application Number:
  US09/968,402
• Time in Patent Office: 1,713 Days
• Field of Search: 370/216, 370/217, 370/219, 370/220, 370/226, 370/227, 370/228, 370/247, 370/248, 370/251, 370/256, 370/257, 370/351, 370/400, 370/401, 370/404, 370/406, 370/408, 370/431, 370/908, 370/901, 340/825.5, 379/202
• US Class Current: 370/408
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1046 Call controllers; Call servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS

Abstract

Various aspects of an interactive multimedia system and associated methods. In general, the multimedia system employs central and peripheral hubs that function to provide services to a plurality of clients of a call manager server, or manager subsystem. The hubs and subsystem cooperate to serve requests originating in the plurality of clients. The client-server-client architecture allows for distributed processing and resource management. Redundant connections between the various network subsystems and hubs provide survivability. Each subsystem or hub is provided with the ability to initialize or recover from systemic errors, thereby distributing initialization and recovery. Certain of the distributed resources are capable of being managed from other subsystems, thereby allowing sharing of the resources. An open numbering plan allows efficient call treatment of dialed numbers. Call processing is sharable between multiple manager subsystems. Finally, an iterative process is employed to ensure that calls routed through the network travel the shortest possible path.

Claims

1. A communications hub comprising:

a signaling bridge operable to receive a connection signal from a first client, the connection signal requesting a communication session with a second client, and to relay the connection signal to a server, the signaling bridge further operable to receive a path establishment signal from the server, the path establishment signal indicating availability of transport resources between the first client and the second client, and to relay the path establishment signal to the first client; and

a transport resource in the hub, the transport resource operable to transport communications between the first client and the second client in response to the path establishment signal.

2. The communications hub of claim 1, wherein the hub is one of a plurality of hubs forming a transport path between the first client and the second client, and the path establishment signal indicates the availability of transport resources in each of the hubs.

3. The communications hub of claim 1, wherein the signaling bridge substantially completes signaling for the communication session prior to establishment of an isochronous transport channel between the first client and the second client, the hub establishing a portion of the isochronous transport channel using the transport resource.

4. The communications hub of claim 1, wherein the signaling bridge is further operable to receive a path establishment fail signal from the server, the path establishment fail signal indicating that transport resources between the first client and the second client are not available, and to relay the path establishment fail signal to the first client.

5. The communications hub of claim 1, further comprising a processor operable to determine availability of the transport resource and to indicate the availability of the transport resource to the server, wherein the path establishment signal from the server relies on an indication that the transport resource is available, and wherein a path establishment fail signal from the server results from an indication that the transport resource is not available.

6. The communications hub of claim 1, wherein the transport resource comprises circuit-switched transport resources in the hub for communicating voice and video communications between the first client and the second client.

7. The communications hub of claim 1, wherein the signaling bridge is further operable to receive a request to grant control to the first client and a request to grant control to the server, the signaling bridge operable, responsive to the requests, to grant shared control of the signaling bridge to the first client and the server if the signaling bridge is available.

8. The communications hub of claim 1, further comprising a media services resource operable to record video, to play video, to record voice signals, and to play voice signals.

9. A method for establishing a call in a communications network comprising:

receiving a connection signal from a first client, the connection signal requesting a communication session with a second client;

communicating the connection signal to a server;

if transport resources are available between the first client and the second client;

receiving a path establishment signal from the server, the path establishment signal indicating availability of transport resources between the first client and the second client;

communicating the path establishment signal to the first client; and

initializing the establishment of a user information path between the first client and the second client responsive to the path establishment signal; and

if transport resources are not available between the first client and the second client;

receiving a path establishment fail signal from the server, the path establishment fail signal indicating that transport resources between the first client and the second client are not available; and

communicating the path establishment signal to the first client.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining availability of an isochronous transport resource in a communications hub; and

indicating the availability of the isochronous transport resource to the server.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein a plurality of hubs form a path between the first client and the second client, and the path establishment signal indicates the availability of isochronous transport resources in each of the hubs.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein initializing the establishment of a user information path comprises assigning an isochronous transport resource in a hub to couple multimedia communications between the first client and the second client.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein signaling for the requested communication session is substantially complete prior to initializing the establishment of the user information path between the first client and the second client.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the user information path comprises circuit transport resources for communicating voice and video communications between the first client and the second client.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the connection signal requests control of a signaling bridge in a communications hub, the method further comprising the step of, responsive to the connection signal, granting control of the signaling bridge to the first client if the signaling bridge is available.

16. Logic for establishing a call in a communications network, the logic encoded in media and operable when executed to:

receive a connection signal from a first client, the connection signal requesting a communication session with a second client;

communicate the connection signal to a server;

if transport resources are available between the first client and the second client;

receive a path establishment signal from the server, the path establishment signal indicating availability of transport resources between the first client and the second client;

communicate the path establishment signal to the first client; and

initialize the establishment of a user information path between the first client and the second client responsive to the path establishment signal; and

if transport resources are not available between the first client and the second client;

receive a path establishment fail signal from the server, the path establishment fail signal indicating that transport resources between the first client and the second client are not available; and

communicate the path establishment signal to the first client.

17. The logic of claim 16, further operable to:

determine availability of an isochronous transport resource in a communications hub; and

indicate the availability of the isochronous transport resource to the server.

18. The logic of claim 16, wherein a plurality of hubs form a path between the first client and the second client, and the path establishment signal indicates the availability of isochronous transport resources in each of the hubs.

19. The logic of claim 16, further operable to initiate establishment of a user information path by assigning an isochronous transport resource in a hub to couple multimedia communications between the first client and the second client.

20. The logic of claim 16, wherein the user information path comprises circuit transport resources for communicating voice and video communications between the first client and the second client.

21. The logic of claim 16, wherein the connection signal requests control of a signaling bridge in a communications hub, the logic further operable, responsive to the connection signal, to grant control of the signaling bridge to the first client if the signaling bridge is available.

22. A communications hub comprising:

means for receiving a connection signal from a first client, the connection signal requesting a communication session with a second client;

means for communicating the connection signal to a server;

means for, if transport resources are available between the first client and the second client;

receiving a path establishment signal from the server, the path establishment signal indicating availability of transport resources between the first client and the second client;

communicating the path establishment signal to the first client; and

initializing the establishment of a user information path between the first client and the second client responsive to the path establishment signal; and

if transport resources are not available between the first client and the second client;

receiving a path establishment fail signal from the server, the path establishment fail signal indicating that transport resources between the first client and the second client are not available; and

communicating the path establishment signal to the first client.