Communication system and method
First Claim
1. A method of processing a data connection for exchanging data between two communication devices within a fault tolerant apparatus having an active host and a stand-by host;
- the active host being arranged to support a communication protocol stack comprising at least a first protocol layer, providing connection management signals, for establishing and managing the data connection between the two communication devices, including a disconnect signal for terminating the data connection, and a second protocol layer having an associated connection context;
the first protocol layer being at a higher level within the communication protocol stack relative to the second protocol layer;
the method comprising;
establishing a data connection between the two communication devices using at least the connection management signals of the first protocol layer and establishing a connection context for the second protocol layer;
replicating the connection context of the second protocol layer to the stand-by host;
implementing the communication stack protocol on the standby host in response to detection of an event associated with the active host;
receiving, at the standby host, from one of the two communication devices, an associated connection management signal other than a disconnect signal; and
issuing to at least one of the two communication devices a disconnect signal in response to receipt of the associated call management signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a communication system and method and, more particularly, to a fault tolerant network element for providing fault tolerant call connections in the event of a failure of, for example, a Gatekeeper or other part of a network. Calls set up across a network consume large amounts of resources both throughout the network and at the devices which form the end points of the network. Therefore, even though a call connection may be supported, in the event of the failure of a network element, it is often the case that there is an ungraceful failure or use of resources throughout the network. Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention provides a method for preserving a connection context at a first layer of a communication protocol; the communication protocol comprising a second, higher, signalling layer in which, in response to a switch-over from an active host to a standby host in the event of failure of the former, the connection is terminated in response to receipt of a signalling layer signal other than a disconnect or terminate signal.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of processing a data connection for exchanging data between two communication devices within a fault tolerant apparatus having an active host and a stand-by host;
- the active host being arranged to support a communication protocol stack comprising at least a first protocol layer, providing connection management signals, for establishing and managing the data connection between the two communication devices, including a disconnect signal for terminating the data connection, and a second protocol layer having an associated connection context;
the first protocol layer being at a higher level within the communication protocol stack relative to the second protocol layer;
the method comprising;establishing a data connection between the two communication devices using at least the connection management signals of the first protocol layer and establishing a connection context for the second protocol layer; replicating the connection context of the second protocol layer to the stand-by host;
implementing the communication stack protocol on the standby host in response to detection of an event associated with the active host;receiving, at the standby host, from one of the two communication devices, an associated connection management signal other than a disconnect signal; and issuing to at least one of the two communication devices a disconnect signal in response to receipt of the associated call management signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
- the active host being arranged to support a communication protocol stack comprising at least a first protocol layer, providing connection management signals, for establishing and managing the data connection between the two communication devices, including a disconnect signal for terminating the data connection, and a second protocol layer having an associated connection context;
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8. Apparatus for processing a data connection for exchanging data between two communication devices within a fault tolerant apparatus having an active host and a stand-by host;
- the active host being arranged to support a communication protocol stack comprising at least a first protocol layer, providing connection management signals, for establishing and managing the data connection between the two communication devices, including a disconnect signal for terminating the data connection, and a second protocol layer having an associated connection context;
the first protocol layer being at a higher level within the communication protocol stack relative to the second protocol layer;
comprising;an arrangement for establishing a data connection between the two communication devices using at least the connection management signals of the first protocol layer and establishing a connection context for the second protocol layer; an arrangement for replicating the connection context of the second protocol layer to the stand-by host; an arrangement for implementing the communication stack protocol on the standby host in response to detection of an event associated with the active host; an arrangement for receiving, at the standby host, from one of the two communication devices, an associated connection management signal other than a disconnect signal; and a controller for issuing to at least one of the two communication devices a disconnect signal in response to receipt of the associated call management signal. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- the active host being arranged to support a communication protocol stack comprising at least a first protocol layer, providing connection management signals, for establishing and managing the data connection between the two communication devices, including a disconnect signal for terminating the data connection, and a second protocol layer having an associated connection context;
Specification