Media session framework using a control module to direct and manage application and service servers

• US 7,185,094 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2001
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: nVoq, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SandCherry, Inc.
• Inventors: Marquette, Brian, Hernandez, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/965,057
• Publication Number:
  US 20020143874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,980 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• 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 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• 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: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1017 based on a round robin mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1036 Load balancing of requests to servers for services different from user content provisioning, e.g. load balancing across domain name servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The present invention provides for multiplexing applications. In particular, an access receives a request from a user to access an application. Based on the received request, the access server establishes a communication link between the access server and the user. The access request is stored in an input request queue when an available communication path to the requested application is available. The communication path between the input request queue and the application is established, the stored request is removed and sent to the application.

Claims

1. A method performed on at least one processor for multiplexing applications, the method comprising the steps of:

providing at least one access server that has access to at least one application, the at least one application capable of having a plurality of running instances, each of the instances capable of receiving and processing requests for a first service provided by the application during a session with a client;

receiving a request from at least one client at the access server to access the first service provided by the at least one application;

based on the received request, establishing a communication link between the at least one access server and the at least one client;

storing the received request in an input request queue with other received requests, wherein the number of received requests may be greater than the number of running instances;

checking for an available communication path to the requested application, an available communication path being present when an instance of the requested application is available and ready to accept a new request;

when an available communication path is available, establishing the communication path between the input request queue and the at least one application;

removing the stored request;

sending the stored request to the requested application; and

establishing a communication path between the client and the requested application, thereby establishing a session with the client and the requested application and providing the first service to the client.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

identifying a media transmission protocol based on the received request,

wherein the established communication link is capable of transmitting the identified media transmission protocol.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprises the steps of:

verifying an accuracy of transmitted data; and

re-transmitting inaccurate data.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the establishing the communication link step uses,

at least one of session initiation protocols, (SIP) H.323 protocols, MGCP protocols, MEGACO protocols, and H.248 protocols.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the identifying the media transmission protocol uses,

session description protocols.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the identified media is a real-time transport protocol.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving the request step further comprises:

accepting a request at a request handler;

generating a service request; and

transmitting the generated service request to the input request queue for storage.

8. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium including computer readable code embodied therein for processing data to control at least one requests for access to at least one application, the computer usable medium comprising;

a request receiving module configured to receive at least one request for access to at least a first service provided by a first application;

a communication establishing module configured to establish a communication link with at least one client requesting access to the first application;

a storing module configured to store the at least one received request;

a checking module configured to check whether a communication path that is capable of allowing access to the first application is available; and

the communication establishing module further configured to establish a communication link with the first application, wherein the number of requests for access to the first application are capable of being greater than the number of requests capable of being processed by the first application.

9. The computer program product according to claim 8, further comprising:

a service concentration module configured comprise;

at least one request handler;

the at least one request handler generating at least one service request to be stored in the storing module; and

at least one application handler, such that the at least one application handler removes the stored request and transmits the stored request to the at least one application for processing.

10. The computer program product according to claim 8, wherein the communication module is further configured to output at least one processed request to at least one address indicated by the at least one client.

11. The computer program product according to claim 8, wherein the storing module is further configured to store at least one processed request prior to delivery.

12. The computer program product according to claim 9, further comprising:

a sip agent module configured to provide call control.

13. The computer program product according to claim 12, further comprising:

a sdp agent module configured to provide session descriptions,

such that the sip agent module directs the at least one request to a compatible request handler module.

14. The computer program product according to claim 13, further comprising:

a media transport protocol agent configured to provide transport protocols.

15. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium including computer readable code embodied therein for processing data to control at least one requests for access to at least one application, the computer usable medium comprising;

a request receiving module configured to receive at least one request for access to a first service provided by the at least one application;

a first communication establishing module configured to establish a communication link with at least one client requesting access to the first service provided by the at least one application;

a storing module configured to store the at least one received request;

a checking module configured to check whether a communication path that is capable of allowing access to the at least one application; and

a second communication establishing module configured to establish a communication link with the at least one application and thereby establish a communication link between the client and the application, wherein the first communication establishing module is configured to establish more communication links than the second communication establishing module.

16. The computer program product according to claim 15 further comprising:

a third communication establishing module configured to establish a communication link with at least one address to receive at least one processed request.