Media gateway connection information recovery

• US 7,533,174 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2000
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Lynch, John C., Valentik, Metodej E., Couillaud, Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr., William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mesfin, Yemane
• Application Number:
  US09/672,821
• Time in Patent Office: 3,147 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/220, 709/223, 709/227, 709/229, 379/9.05, 379/9.04, 379/221.03, 379/221.04, 379/221.05, 379/2, 379/11, 379/900, 370/352, 370216-219
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1046 Call controllers; Call servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0066 Details of access arrangements to the networks where the access arrangement is a PSTN/ISDN access H04M7/122
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems

Abstract

In a packet-based telephony network, a media gateway provides information on active media path connections to an active call server. For instance, this data may be provided to a backup call server to keep the backup call server in a warm standby mode. The backup call server polls a media gateway to retrieve a table of information on active media path connections. The polling may be done periodically or only during switchover from the active call server to the backup call server. After switchover, the backup call server has all necessary details about active media path connections to provide accurate billing information. Alternatively, after a temporary failure at the active call server, the active call server may send a request to the media gateway to retrieve a table of information on active media path connections.

Claims

1. At a call server in a packet-based telephony network, a method of maintaining a record of an active media connection comprising:

sending a request, from the call server, to a media gateway, for information regarding said active media connection; and

receiving said information at the call server.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said sending comprises formulating said request using a network management protocol.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said network management protocol is a Simple Network Management Protocol.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said network management protocol is a Media Gateway Control Protocol.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said network management protocol is a Session Initiation Protocol.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing said received information in a memory.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising repeating said sending at a predetermined interval.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said received information includes an identification of a device originating said active media connection.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said received information includes an indication of a duration of time said active media connection has been active.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said received information includes an indication of a coding algorithm used for said active media connection.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said received information includes an indication of Quality of Service setting associated with said active media connection.

12. A call server operable to:

send a request, to a media gateway, for information regarding an active media connection; and

receive said information at the call server.

13. A computer readable medium containing computer-executable instructions which, when performed by a processor in a call server in a packet-based telephony network, cause the processor to:

send a request, from the call server to a media gateway, for information regarding an active media connection; and

receive said information at the call server.

14. At a backup call server in a packet-based telephony network, a method of acquiring a record of an active media connection comprising:

receiving an indication of a failure of a primary call server, said primary call server, prior to said failure, supporting said active media connection;

responsive to said receiving, sending a request, from the backup call server to a media gateway, for information regarding said active media connection; and

receiving said information at the backup call server.

15. At a media gateway in a packet-based telephony network, a method of providing a record of an active media connection comprising:

receiving, from a call server, a request for information regarding said active media connection; and

responsive to said request, transmitting information regarding said active media connection to said call server.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said request is received using a Simple Network Management Protocol.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said transmitted information includes a network address of a device originating said active media connection.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein said transmitted information includes an indication of a duration of time said active media connection has been active.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein said transmitted information includes an indication of a coding algorithm used for said active media connection.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein said transmitted information includes an indication of Quality of Service setting associated with said active media connection.

21. A first media gateway comprising:

a receiver for receiving an incoming media flow;

a digital signal processor communicatively connected to said receiver for processing said media flow;

a transmitter communicatively connected to said digital signal processor for transmitting said media flow to a second media gateway; and

a processor operable to;

receive, from a call server, a request for information regarding said media flow; and

responsive to said request, transmit information regarding said media flow to said call server.

22. A computer readable medium containing computer-executable instructions which, when performed by a processor in a media gateway, cause the processor to:

receive, from a call server, a request for information regarding an active media connection; and

responsive to said request, transmit information regarding said active media connection to said call server.

23. A packet-based telephony network system comprising:

a packet based data network;

a telephone station apparatus;

a media gateway communicatively connected to said telephone station apparatus and said data network;

a primary call server communicatively connected, over said data network, to said media gateway; and

a backup call server communicatively connected, over said data network, to said media gateway and operable to;

send a request, to said media gateway, for information regarding an active media connection terminated at said primary server; and

receive said information.