In-band call association signaling for a single number destination

• US 7,564,793 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2005
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Baldwin, Christopher David, Gillespie, Donald E., Pessot, Albert D., Phillips, Robert V. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou; Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhou; Yong
• Application Number:
  US11/107,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20060146799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,559 Days
• Field of Search: 340/2.23, 370/237, 370/238, 370/249, 370/352, 370/354, 370/355, 370/370, 370/395.32, 370/401, 379/221.01, 379/273, 455/445, 709/239
• US Class Current: 370/237
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/04 for time-division multiplexing H04Q11/0001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13039 Asymmetrical two-way transmission, e.g. ADSL, HDSL
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13145 Rerouting upon failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13146 Rerouting upon blocking/overload, rearrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13164 Traffic (registration, measurement,...)
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13166 Fault prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13332 Broadband, CATV, dynamic bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet

Abstract

In one configuration, the present invention is directed to an enterprise network that includes geographically dislocated first and second network regions 202 and 206 communicating with one another through first and second networks 252 and 248 and respectively comprising first and second gateways 220 and 224 and first and second groupings of trunks. A common electronic address is associated with the second grouping of trunks. A media server 200 is positioned in the first network region 202 that includes an inter-gateway routing agent 260. The first network region transmits, as part of the establishment of a real-time or near real-time communication between first and second subscribers respectively in the first and second network regions, the common address to the second gateway 224. After the outgoing communication is answered by the second gateway 224, the first network region transmits in band to the second gateway 224 a user identifier associated with the second subscriber and/or a phantom user. The user identifier is used to establish the communication with the second subscriber.

Claims

1. A method for effecting a communication between subscribers of an enterprise network, comprising:

(a) providing geographically dislocated first and second network regions of an enterprise network, the first and second network regions being in communication with one another through first and second networks and respectively comprising first and second gateways and first and second groupings of trunks connected to one of the first and second networks, wherein each of the first and second groupings comprise a plurality of trunks and wherein a common electronic address is associated with the second grouping of trunks;

(b) the first network region receiving, from a first subscriber, a request to initiate an at least substantially real-time communication session with a second subscriber in the second network region, the request comprising a first electronic address identifying the second subscriber;

(c) the first network region transmitting the common electronic address to the second network region in an outgoing communication; and

(d) after the outgoing communication is answered by the second network region, transmitting in band with the outgoing communication to the second network region a unique identifier, wherein the identifier is used to establish the communication session with the second subscriber and wherein the bearer path for the session is over the network used to transmit the outgoing communication and unique identifier, wherein the identifier is a user identifier associated with a phantom user, wherein the common electronic address and first electronic address are each telephone numbers, wherein the substantially real-time communication session is a live voice call, wherein a first phantom user is determined for the first network region and a second phantom user is determined for the second network region, wherein the user identifier transmitted to the second network region is the first phantom user identifier, wherein a first communication-related data structure is associated with the inter-region call, wherein a second communication-related data structure is associated with the outgoing call and the first phantom user, and wherein a third communication-related data structure is associated with an incoming communication from the first network region to the second network region and the second phantom user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network is packet-switched, wherein the second network is circuit-switched, wherein the common electronic address and first electronic address are each telephone numbers, wherein each of the second grouping of trunks is circuit-switched and connected to the circuit-switched network, and further comprising:

(c1) the first network region determining that at least one of the following conditions exists;

(i) at least one of a predetermined the number of the live voice calls and bandwidth allocated for live voice calls has been and/or will be reached if the bearer channel of the live voice calls is configured over the first network, (ii) resource exhaustion has occurred and/or will occur if the bearer channel of the live voice call is configured over the first network, (iii) a codec set is not specified with respect to transmissions over the first network between the first and second network regions, (iv) forced redirection from the first network to the second network between the first and second network regions is in effect, and (v) a media server in the first or second network region has lost control of the gateway in the other of the first and second network regions.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein condition (i) exists and the user identifier is associated with the phantom user and wherein the user identifier is used to associate an outgoing trunk in the first trunk grouping with an incoming trunk in the second trunk grouping.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein condition (ii) exists and the user identifier is associated with the phantom user and wherein the user identifier is used to associate an outgoing trunk in the first trunk grouping with an incoming trunk in the second trunk grouping.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein condition (iii) exists and the user identifier is associated with the phantom user and wherein the user identifier is used to associate an outgoing trunk in the first trunk grouping with an incoming trunk in the second trunk grouping.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein condition (iv) exists and the user identifier is associated with the phantom user and wherein the user identifier is used to associate an outgoing trunk in the first trunk grouping with an incoming trunk in the second trunk grouping.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein condition (v) exists and the user identifier is associated with the second user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) comprises the substeps:

(d1) collecting digits corresponding to the user identifier;

(d2) associating the second and third data structures;

(d3) based on the associating step, determining a first port identifier associated with the outgoing communication and a second port identifier associated with the incoming communication; and

(d4) connecting the ports associated with the first and second port identifiers.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier is a user identifier associated with at least one of the second user and a phantom user and wherein step (d) comprises the substeps:

(d1) transmitting in band a communication-type identifier indicating whether the communication is a network fragmentation-type call or a bandwidth management-type call, wherein, when the communication-type identifier indicates a network fragmentation-type call, the user identifier is associated with the second user and, when the communication-type identifier indicates a bandwidth management-type call, the user identifier is associated with the phantom user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network region comprises a first plurality of subscribers and the second network region comprises a different second plurality of subscribers and further comprising:

(e) establishing a plurality of simultaneous bearer connections between members of the first and second pluralities of subscribers, wherein the plurality of bearer connections terminate to the common electronic address.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after termination of the communication session between the first and second subscribers:

caching a trunk connection between the first and second gateways, the trunk connection having been used during the communication session.

12. A computer readable medium comprising processor executable instructions that, when executed, perform the steps of claim 1.

13. A logic circuit operable to perform the steps of claim 1.

14. An enterprise network, comprising:

geographically dislocated first and second network regions of an enterprise network, the first and second network regions being in communication with one another through connectionless and connection-oriented networks and respectively comprising;

first and second gateways; and

first and second groupings of trunks connected to one of the connectionless and connection-oriented networks, wherein a common electronic address is associated with the second grouping of trunks and wherein each of the first and second trunk groupings comprise a plurality of trunks;

a first media server positioned in the first network region, the first media server comprising;

a call controller operable to receive, from a first subscriber and as part of a request to establish an at least substantially real-time communication session, a first electronic address identifying a second subscriber in the second network region; and

an inter-gateway routing agent operable to effect transmission of the common electronic address to the second gateway over a bearer path for the session and, after the common electronic address is received by the second gateway, transmit over the bearer path to the second gateway a unique identifier, wherein the user identifier is used to establish the communication session with the second subscriber, wherein the identifier is a user identifier associated with a phantom user, wherein the connectionless network is packet-switched and the connection-oriented network is circuit-switched, wherein the common and first electronic addresses are each telephone numbers, wherein the substantially real-time communication session is a live voice call, wherein a first phantom user is determined for the first network region and a second phantom user is determined for the second network region, wherein the user identifier transmitted to the second network region is the first phantom user identifier, wherein a first communication-related data structure is associated with the first inter-region call, wherein a second communication-related data structure is associated with an outgoing call containing the common electronic address and the first phantom user, and wherein a third communication-related data structure is associated with an incoming communication from the first network region to the second network region and the second phantom user.

15. The network of claim 14, wherein the connectionless network is packet-switched and the connection-oriented network is circuit-switched, wherein the common and first electronic addresses are each telephone numbers, wherein each of the second grouping of trunks is circuit-switched and is connected to the circuit-switched network and wherein the call controller is operable determine that at least one of the following conditions exists:

(i) at least one of a predetermined the number of the live voice calls and bandwidth allocated for live voice calls has been and/or will be reached if the bearer channel of the live voice calls is configured over the first network, (ii) resource exhaustion has occurred and/or will occur if the bearer channel of the live voice call is configured over the first network, (iii) a codec set is not specified with respect to transmissions over the first network between the first and second network regions, (iv) forced redirection from the first network to the second network between the first and second network regions is in effect, and (v) the first media server in the first or second network region has lost control of the gateway in the other of the first and second network regions.

16. The network of claim 15, wherein condition (i) exists and the user identifier is associated with the phantom user and wherein the user identifier is used to associate an outgoing trunk in the first trunk grouping with an incoming trunk in the second trunk grouping.

17. The network of claim 15, wherein condition (ii) exists and the user identifier is associated with the phantom user and wherein the user identifier is used to associate an outgoing trunk in the first trunk grouping with an incoming trunk in the second trunk grouping.

18. The network of claim 15, wherein condition (iii) exists and the user identifier is associated with the phantom user and wherein the user identifier is used to associate an outgoing trunk in the first trunk grouping with an incoming trunk in the second trunk grouping.

19. The network of claim 15, wherein condition (iv) exists and the user identifier is associated with the phantom user and wherein the user identifier is used to associate an outgoing trunk in the first trunk grouping with an incoming trunk in the second trunk grouping.

20. The network of claim 15, wherein condition (v) exists and the user identifier is associated with the second user.

21. The network of claim 14, wherein the routing agent is operable to associate the second data structure with the third data structure, based on the associating step, determine a first port identifier associated with the outgoing communication and a second port identifier associated with the incoming communication, and effect connection of the ports associated with the first and second port identifiers.

22. The network of claim 14, wherein the identifier is a user identifier associated with at least one of the second user and a phantom user, wherein the connectionless network is packet-switched and the connection-oriented network is circuit-switched, wherein the common and first electronic addresses are each telephone numbers, wherein the substantially real-time communication session is a live voice call, wherein the in band transmission comprises a communication-type identifier indicating whether the communication is a network fragmentation-type call or a bandwidth management-type call, wherein, when the communication-type identifier indicates a network fragmentation-type call, the user identifier is associated with the second user and, when the communication-type identifier indicates a bandwidth management-type call, the user identifier is associated with the phantom user.

23. The network of claim 14, wherein the first network region comprises a first set of subscribers and the second network region comprises a different second set of subscribers and wherein the first media server is operable to establish a plurality of simultaneous bearer connections between members of the first and second sets of subscribers and wherein the plurality of bearer connections terminate to the common electronic address.

24. An enterprise network, comprising:

geographically dislocated first and second network regions of an enterprise network, the first and second network regions being in communication with one another through packet-switched and circuit-switched networks and respectively comprising;

first and second gateways means for repeating electronic signals and converting protocols; and

first and second groupings of trunk means for carrying communication signals and being connected to one of the packet-switched and circuit-switched networks, wherein a common telephone number is associated with the second grouping of trunk means, the second grouping of trunk means comprising a plurality of trunks;

media server means, positioned in the first network region, for performing communication processing, the media server means comprising;

call control means for receiving, from a first subscriber and as part of request to initiate a live voice communication with a second subscriber in the second network region, a first telephone number identifying the second subscriber in the second network region; and

inter-gateway routing agent means for transmitting the common telephone number to the second gateway means over a bearer path for the communication and, after the common telephone number is received by the second gateway means, transmitting in band to the second gateway means a unique identifier, wherein the identifier is used to establish the communication with the second subscriber, wherein the identifier is a user identifier associated with a phantom user, wherein a first phantom user is determined for the first network region and a second phantom user is determined for the second network region, wherein the user identifier transmitted to the second network region is the first phantom user identifier, and wherein a first communication-related data structure is associated with the inter-region call, wherein a second communication-related data structure is associated with an outgoing call containing the common telephone number and the first phantom user, and wherein a third communication-related data structure is associated with an incoming call from the second network region to the first network region and the second phantom user.

25. The network of claim 24, wherein each of the second grouping of trunk means is circuit-switched and is connected to the circuit-switched network and wherein the call control means determines that at least one of the following conditions exists:

(i) at least one of a predetermined the number of the live voice calls and bandwidth allocated for live voice calls has been and/or will be reached if the bearer channel of the live voice calls is configured over the first network, (ii) resource exhaustion has occurred and/or will occur if the bearer channel of the live voice call is configured over the first network, (iii) a codec set is not specified with respect to transmissions over the first network between the first and second network regions, (iv) forced redirection from the first network to the second network between the first and second network regions is in effect, and (v) the media server means in the first or second network region has lost control of the gateway means in the other of the first and second network regions.

26. The network of claim 25, wherein condition (i) exists and the user identifier is associated with the phantom user and wherein the user identifier is used to associate an outgoing trunk in the first trunk means grouping with an incoming trunk in the second trunk means grouping.

27. The network of claim 25, wherein condition (ii) exists and the user identifier is associated with the phantom user and wherein the user identifier is used to associate an outgoing trunk in the first trunk means grouping with an incoming trunk in the second trunk means grouping.

28. The network of claim 25, wherein condition (iii) exists and the user identifier is associated with the phantom user and wherein the user identifier is used to associate an outgoing trunk in the first trunk means grouping with an incoming trunk in the second trunk means grouping.

29. The network of claim 25, wherein condition (iv) exists and the user identifier is associated with the phantom user and wherein the user identifier is used to associate an outgoing trunk in the first trunk means grouping with an incoming trunk in the second trunk means grouping.

30. The network of claim 25, wherein condition (v) exists and the user identifier is associated with the second user.

31. The network of claim 24, wherein the routing agent means associates the second data structure with the third data structure, based on the associating function, determines a first port identifier associated with the outgoing communication and a second port identifier associated with the incoming communication, and effects connection of the ports associated with the first and second port identifiers.

32. The network of claim 24, wherein the identifier is a user identifier associated with at least one of the second user and a phantom user, wherein the in band transmission comprises a communication-type identifier indicating whether the communication is a network fragmentation-type call or a bandwidth management-type call, wherein, when the communication-type identifier indicates a network fragmentation-type call, the user identifier is associated with the second user and, when the communication-type identifier indicates a bandwidth management-type call, the user identifier is associated with the phantom user.

33. The network of claim 24, wherein the first network region comprises a first set of subscribers and the second network region comprises a different second set of subscribers and wherein the media server means establishes a plurality of simultaneous bearer connections between members of the first and second sets of subscribers and wherein the plurality of bearer connections terminate to the common telephone number.

34. A method, comprising:

(a) providing geographically dislocated first and second network regions of an enterprise network, the first and second network regions being in communication with one another through first and second networks and respectively comprising first and second gateways and first and second groupings of trunks connected to one of the first and second networks, wherein each of the first and second groupings comprise a plurality of trunks and wherein a common electronic address is associated with the second grouping of trunks;

(b) receiving, by the first network region from a first subscriber, a request to initiate an at least substantially real-time communication session with a second subscriber in the second network region, the request comprising a first electronic address identifying the second subscriber;

(c) determining that at least one of the first network is incapable of carrying a bearer connection;

(d) originating a call to the first network region by dialing the common electronic address;

(e) selecting an outgoing trunk port in the first grouping of trunks for the call;

(f) sending signals corresponding to the common electronic address over the selected trunk port;

(g) sending signals corresponding to an identifier of at least one of a phantom user and first subscriber over the selected trunk port;

(h) based on the signals sent in step (g), associating the outgoing trunk port in the first network region with an incoming trunk port in the second network region;

(i) thereafter, receiving a call disconnect signal from at least one of the first and second subscribers;

(j) thereafter, storing information related to the association of the outgoing and incoming trunk ports;

(k) later receiving from a third subscriber in the first network region a request to initiate a call to a fourth subscriber in the second network region;

(l) accessing the stored association information of the outgoing and incoming trunk ports and selecting, for the call from the third subscriber, the outgoing and incoming trunk ports from the stored association information; and

(m) originating a call between the third and fourth subscriber over the associated outgoing and incoming trunk ports.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the first subscriber is different from the third subscriber.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the second subscriber is different from the fourth subscriber.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein step (c) comprises determining at least one of the following is true:

at least one of a desired QoS and GOS for a communication is not currently available using the first network, the communication may not be effected using the first network, a system configuration at least one of precludes and impedes the use of the first network for a selected type of communication, at least one of the first and second subscriber does not desire to use the first network for the communication, the number of calls or bandwidth allocated via call admission control has been reached, Voice over IP or VoIP resource exhaustion in at least one of the first and second gateway has occurred, a codec set between a network region pair is not specified, forced redirection between a pair of network regions is in effect, control of the second gateway is lost by a primary media server in the first network region.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein the first network is packet-switched, wherein the second network is circuit-switched, wherein the common electronic address and first electronic address are each telephone numbers, wherein each of the second grouping of trunks is circuit-switched and connected to the circuit-switched network.

39. An enterprise network, comprising:

geographically dislocated first and second network regions of an enterprise network, the first and second network regions being in communication with one another through connectionless and connection-oriented networks and respectively comprising;

first and second gateways; and

first and second groupings of trunks connected to one of the connectionless and connection-oriented networks, wherein a common electronic address is associated with the second grouping of trunks and wherein each of the first and second trunk groupings comprise a plurality of trunks;

a first media server positioned in the first network region, the first media server comprising;

a call controller operable to receive, from a first subscriber and as part of a request to establish an at least substantially real-time communication session, a first electronic address identifying a second subscriber in the second network region; and

an inter-gateway routing agent operable to effect transmission of the common electronic address to the second gateway and then select an outgoing trunk port in the first grouping of trunks for the call, send signals corresponding to the common electronic address and an identifier of at least one of a phantom user and first subscriber over the selected trunk port, create an association between the outgoing trunk port in the first network region and an incoming trunk port in the second network region, and then after the association has been created, receive a call disconnect signal from at least one of the first and second subscribers, storing association information for the outgoing and incoming trunk ports after the call disconnect signal has been received such that the outgoing and incoming trunk ports are not available for normal calls, later, receive from a third subscriber in the first network region a request to initiate a call to a fourth subscriber in the second network region, access the stored association information and select the associated outgoing and incoming trunk ports for the call from the third subscriber, and originate a call between the third and fourth subscriber over the associated outgoing and incoming trunk ports.

40. The network of claim 39, wherein the first subscriber is different from the third subscriber.

41. The network of claim 40, wherein the second subscriber is different from the fourth subscriber.

42. The network of claim 39, wherein step (c) comprises determining at least one of the following is true:

at least one of a desired QoS and GOS for a communication is not currently available using the first network, the communication may not be effected using the first network, a system configuration at least one of precludes and impedes the use of the first network for a selected type of communication, at least one of the first and second subscriber does not desire to use the first network for the communication, the number of calls or bandwidth allocated via call admission control has been reached, Voice over IP or VoIP resource exhaustion in at least one of the first and second gateway has occurred, a codec set between a network region pair is not specified, forced redirection between a pair of network regions is in effect, control of the second gateway is lost by a primary media server in the first network region.

43. The network of claim 39, wherein the connectionless network is packet-switched and the connection-oriented network is circuit-switched, wherein the common and first electronic addresses are each telephone numbers, wherein each of the second grouping of trunks is circuit-switched and is connected to the circuit-switched network.