System and method for routing calls across call managers using a route plan

• US 7,412,051 B1
• Filed: 05/25/2000
• Issued: 08/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Entrop, Clint D., Beathard, Roger V.
• Primary Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US09/579,331
• Time in Patent Office: 3,001 Days
• Field of Search: 379/221.08, 379/114.02, 379/207.02, 379/112.01, 379/216.01, 379/221.01, 379/219, 379/212.01, 379/220.01, 379/221.14, 379/207, 370/408, 370/352, 370/353
• US Class Current: 379/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1046 Call controllers; Call servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1285 Details of finding and selecting a gateway for a particular call

Abstract

A call manager includes a first device process that controls a first telephony device and that receives a call request from the first telephony device. The call request includes a telephone number associated with a second telephony device. The call manager also includes a call control module that receives the call request from the first device process, and the call manager further includes a route list control process that is associated with the telephone number and that receives the call request from the call control module. The route list process accesses a route list to determine a port of a gateway device that can transmit the call request to the second telephony device. The route list process communicates the call request to a second call manager that is coupled to the packet-based network and that controls the gateway device included in the route list.

Claims

1. A call manager coupled to a packet-based network and operable to control a plurality of telephony devices, comprising:

a first device process controlling a first telephony device and operable to receive a call request from the first telephony device, the call request including a telephone number associated with a second telephony device;

a call control module operable to receive the call request from the first device process;

a digit analysis module operable to receive from the call control module the telephone number included in the call request, the digit analysis module further operable to access a registration information table to determine a process identification (PID) of a route list control process associated with the telephone number and to communicate the PID to the call control module, wherein the call control module communicates the call request to the route list control process using the PID; and

a route list control process associated with the telephone number and operable to;

receive the call request from the call control module;

access an associated route list to determine a port of a gateway device operable to transmit the call request to the second telephony device, wherein the route list comprises a plurality of route groups, each route group including a list of one or more ports of a plurality of gateway devices; and

communicate the call request to a second call manager coupled to the packet-based network and controlling the gateway device included in the route list.

2. The call manager of claim 1, wherein:

the packet-based network comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) network;

the first telephony device comprises an IP telephony device; and

the second telephony device comprises a non-IP telephony device.

3. The call manager of claim 1, wherein the route list control process is operable to access the route list to obtain a device name and a port number of the gateway device.

4. The call manager of claim 3, further comprising a device manager operable to:

receive the device name of the gateway device from the route list control process;

access a device name mapping table to determine a PID of a second device process executed by the second call manager and controlling the gateway device; and

communicate the PID of the second device process to the route list control process.

5. The call manager of claim 4, wherein the route list control process is operable to communicate the call request and the port number to the second device process using the PID.

6. The call manager of claim 5, wherein:

the route list control process is further operable to receive a call proceed signal from the second device process and to communicate the call proceed signal to the call control module; and

the call control module is operable to establish media streaming between the first telephony device and the gateway device in response to receiving the call proceed signal.

7. The call manager of claim 5, wherein the route list control process is operable to:

receive a call denial signal from the second device process;

access the route list to obtain the device name and a port number of a second gateway device;

communicate the device name of the second gateway device to the device manager;

receive from the device manager a PID of a third device process executed by the second call manager and controlling the second gateway device; and

communicate the call request and the port number to the third device process.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the route list control process is operable to:

receive a call denial signal from the second device process;

access the route list to obtain a second port number of the gateway device; and

communicate the call request and the second port number to the second device process.

9. The call manager of claim 4, wherein the device manager is further operable to:

receive a signal indicating that a new gateway device has registered with the call manager, the signal including the device name of the gateway device and the PID of the device process controlling the gateway device;

store the device name and associated PID in the device name mapping table; and

communicate the device name and associated PID to the second call manager coupled to the packet-based network.

10. The call manager of claim 4, wherein the device manager is further operable to:

receive a signal indicating that a gateway device is no longer under the control of the call manager;

delete the device name and associated PID of the gateway device from the device name mapping table; and

communicate a deletion signal to the second call manager coupled to the packet-based network indicating that the device name and associated PID should be deleted from a device name mapping table of the second call manager.

11. The call manager of claim 4, wherein the device manager is further operable to:

receive a signal indicating that a third call manager has come on-line in the packet-based network; and

communicate the device name and associated PID of each gateway device controlled by the call manager in which device manager is executing to the third call manager.

12. The call manager of claim 4, wherein the device manager is further operable to:

receive a signal indicating that the second call manager has gone off-line; and

delete the device name and associated PID of the gateway devices controlled by the second call manager.

13. The call manager of claim 1, further comprising:

a local route plan database accessible by the route list control process; and

a route plan manager operable to download one or more route lists from a global route plan database coupled to the packet-based network and further operable to store the route lists in the local route plan database for access by the route list control process.

14. The call manager of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of route list control processes, each route list control process associated with a route list stored in the local route plan database.

15. The call manager of claim 14, wherein the route plan manager is further operable to:

receive a route plan change notification indicating a modification of a route list in the global route plan database;

delete the route list from the local route plan database;

download the modified route list from the global route plan database; and

store the modified route list in the local route plan database.

16. The call manager of claim 15, wherein the route plan manager is further operable to instruct the route list control process associated with the modified route plan to unregister with the call control module after the route plan change notification is received and further operable to instruct the route list control process to re-register with the call control module after the modified route list is stored in the local route plan database.

17. The call manager of claim 14, wherein the route plan manager is further operable to:

receive a route plan change notification indicating the creation of a new route list in the global route plan database;

download the new route list from the global route plan database;

store the new route list in the local route plan database;

create a route list control process associated with the new route list; and

instruct the route list control process associated with the new route list to register with the call control module.

18. The call manager of claim 14, wherein the route plan manager is further operable to:

receive a route plan change notification indicating the deletion of a route list in the global route plan database;

delete the route list from the local route plan database; and

instruct the route list control process associated with the deleted route list to unregister with the call control module.

19. A call manager coupled to a packet-based network and operable to control a plurality of telephony devices, comprising:

means for receiving a call request from a first telephony device controlled by the call manager, the call request including a telephone number associated with a second telephony device;

means for accessing a route list to determine a port of a gateway device operable to transmit the call request to the second telephony device, wherein the route list comprises a plurality of route groups, each route group including a list of one or more ports of a plurality of gateway devices; and

means for communicating the call request to a second call manager coupled to the packet-based network and controlling the gateway device included in the route list;

wherein the means for accessing a route list associated with the telephone number comprises;

means for accessing a registration information table to determine a process identification (PID) of a route list control process executed by the first call manager and associated with the telephone number; and

means for communicating the call request to the route list control process using the PID, the route list control process operable to access the route list.

20. The call manager of claim 19, wherein the means for accessing the route list is operable to obtain a device name and a port number of the gateway device from the route list.

21. The call manager of claim 20, further comprising:

means for receiving the device name of the gateway device;

means for accessing a device name mapping table to determine a PID of a second device process executed by the second call manager and controlling the gateway device; and

means for communicating the call request and the port number to the second device process using the PID.

22. The call manager of claim 21, further comprising:

means for receiving a call proceed signal from the second device process; and

means for establishing media streaming between the first telephony device and the gateway device in response to receiving the call proceed signal.

23. The call manager of claim 21, further comprising:

means for receiving a call denial signal from the second device process;

means for accessing the route list to obtain the device name and a port number of a second gateway device;

means for obtaining a PID of a third device process executed by the second call manager and controlling the second gateway device; and

means for communicating the call request and the port number to the third device process.

24. The call manager of claim 21, further comprising:

means for receiving a call denial signal from the second device process;

means for accessing the route list to obtain a second port number of the gateway device; and

means for communicating the call request and the second port number to the second device process.