Method for bring-up of voice over internet protocol telephones

• US 7,729,367 B1
• Filed: 04/17/2002
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: McCloghrie, Keith, Finn, Norman W., Fung, Hei Tao, Habib, Ahsan, Testa, Stefano, Argany, Pere Joan Monclus, Toutireddy, Kiran K., Sauter, Susan M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao; Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lai; Andrew
• Application Number:
  US10/125,324
• Time in Patent Office: 2,967 Days
• Field of Search: 370352-356, 370/389, 370/400, 370/409
• US Class Current: 370/409
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4645 Details on frame tagging routing of packets H04L45/00; support for virtual LAN H04L49/354
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4675 Dynamic sharing of VLAN information amongst network nodes configuration of the network or of network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/302 Route determination based on requested QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS

Abstract

A system and method for implementing telephony devices in a distributed network environment is disclosed. The present invention provides for voice transmissions to be given a dedicated virtual local area network (“VLAN”) for packet transmission and reception to prevent poor quality of service. Non-voice data packets are transmitted on a separate VLAN.

Claims

1. A system for distinguishing voice communications in a data network, the system comprising:

a network switch, the network switch identifying data packets as non-voice data packets or voice data packets, storing a non-voice assignment for non-voice data packets and a voice assignment for voice data packets, wherein the non-voice assignment indicates for a particular port a first virtual local area network identifier that identifies a first virtual local area network and the voice assignment indicates for the particular port a second virtual local area network identifier that identifies a second virtual local area network, receiving a request for assignment of a virtual local area network, and transmitting, in response to the request, the first virtual local area network identifier identifying the first virtual local area network associated with transmitting the non-voice data packets and the second virtual local area network identifier identifying the second virtual local area network associated with transmitting the voice data packets; and

at least one telephony device connected to the network switch, the at least one telephony device receiving the first virtual local area network identifier and the second virtual local area network identifier from the network switch and in response to receiving the first virtual local area network identifier and the second local area network identifier, assigning the non-voice data packets to the first virtual local area network and assigning the voice data packets to the second virtual local area network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one telephony device comprises a multiple port switch.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one telephony device comprises an access port, the access port used to transmit and receive data from an external network device connected to the access port.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the external network device comprises one of a general purpose computer or a computer server.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one telephony device comprises an access port, the access port used to transmit and receive data from a second telephony device connected to the access port.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one telephony device comprises a network port, the network port used to transmit and receive data from the network switch.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one telephony device comprises an internal telephone port, the internal telephone port used to transmit and receive data from a telephone circuit internal to the at least one telephony device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first virtual local area network is a native virtual local area network, the native virtual local area network communicating non-voice data packets.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the second virtual local area network is a voice virtual local area network, the second virtual local area network being a voice virtual local area network communicating voice data packets.

10. A system for distinguishing voice communications in a data network, the system comprising:

a network switch, the network switch identifying data packets as non-voice data packets or voice data packets, storing a non-voice assignment for non-voice data packets and a voice assignment for voice data packets, wherein the non-voice assignment indicates for a particular port a native virtual local area network identifier that identifies a native virtual local area network and the voice assignment indicates for the particular port a virtual local area network identifier that identifies a virtual local area network, receiving a request for assignment, and transmitting, in response to the request, the virtual local area network identifier identifying the virtual local area network associated with transmitting the voice data packets and the native virtual local area network identifier identifying the native virtual local area network associated with transmitting the non-voice data packets; and

a first telephony device connected to the network switch, the first telephony device receiving the virtual local area network identifier and the native virtual local area network identifier from the network switch and in response to receiving the virtual local area network identifier and the native local area network identifier, assigning the non-voice data packets to the native virtual local area network and assigning the voice data packets to the virtual local area network.

11. A system for distinguishing voice communications in a data network, the system comprising:

means for switching data packets, the means for switching operable to identify data packets as non-voice data packets or voice data packets, operable to store a non-voice assignment for non-voice data packets and a voice assignment for voice data packets, wherein the non-voice assignment indicates for a particular port a first virtual local area network identifier that identifies a first virtual local area network and the voice assignment indicates for the particular port a second virtual local area network identifier that identifies a second virtual local area network, operable to receive a request for assignment of a virtual local area network, and operable to transmit, in response to the request, the first virtual local area network identifier identifying the first virtual local area network associated with transmitting the non-voice data packets and the second virtual local area network identifier identifying the second virtual local area network associated with transmitting the voice data packets; and

telephony means for transmitting and receiving voice and non-voice communications, the telephony means connected to the means for switching, the telephony means receiving the first virtual local area network identifier and the second virtual local area network identifier from the means for switching and in response to receiving the first virtual local area network identifier and the second local area network identifier, assigning the non-voice data packets to the first virtual local area network and assigning the voice data packets to the second virtual local area network.

12. A method for distinguishing voice communications in a data network, the method comprising:

identifying data packets as non-voice data packets or voice data packets;

storing, at a memory, a non-voice assignment for non-voice data packets and a voice assignment for voice data packets, wherein the non-voice assignment indicates for a particular port a first virtual local area network identifier that identifies a first virtual local area network and the voice assignment indicates for the particular port a second virtual local area network identifier that identifies a second virtual local area network,

receiving a request for assignment of a virtual local area network;

assigning the non-voice data packets to the first virtual local area network;

assigning the voice data packets to the second virtual local area network; and

communicating the first virtual local area network identifier identifying the first virtual local area network associated with transmitting the non-voice data packets and the second virtual local area network identifier identifying the second virtual local area network associated with transmitting the voice data packets in response to the request.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the assigning of the voice and non-voice packets comprises sending a message to devices that are networked.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein each device in a network sends messages to adjacent devices indicating the assignment of voice and non-voice packets.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein a network switch sends messages to an adjacent device indicating the assignment of voice and non-voice packets.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein a device in a network sends a message to an adjacent device to acquire the assignment of voice and non-voice packets.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein a device in a network sends a message to an adjacent network switch to acquire the assignment of voice and non-voice packets.

18. A method for distinguishing voice communications in a data network, comprising:

communicating a message requesting an identifier for a first virtual local area network to which voice traffic is assigned, wherein the message is communicated before receiving a first virtual local area network identifier;

receiving, at a telephony device, the first virtual local area network identifier for the first virtual local area network to which voice traffic is assigned;

receiving, at the telephony device, a second virtual local area network identifier for a second virtual local area network to which data traffic is assigned;

communicating a request to a server from the telephony device to acquire a network address associated with the first virtual local area network, wherein the request uses the first virtual local area network identifier;

receiving an assigned network address in the first virtual local area network from the server; and

communicating voice packets comprising the assigned network address and the first virtual local area network identifier.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the assigned network address is an Internet protocol (IP) address.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the server is a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server; and

the request is a DHCP request.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the first and second virtual local area network identifiers are received in a discovery protocol (DP) message from a network switch.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising communicating the first and second virtual local area network identifiers to a telephony device.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising receiving voice packets from the telephony device, the voice packets comprising the first identifier.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving voice information from an external network device; and

generating voice packets from the voice information, the voice packets comprising the first virtual local area network identifier.

25. A telephony device, comprising:

a network port operable to;

communicate a message requesting an identifier for a first virtual local area network to which voice traffic is assigned, wherein the message is communicated before receiving a first virtual local area network identifier

receive the first virtual local area network identifier identifying the first virtual local area network to which voice traffic is assigned;

receive a second virtual local area network identifier identifying a second virtual local area network to which data traffic is assigned;

communicate a request to a server to acquire a network address associated with the first virtual local area network, wherein the request uses the first virtual local area network identifier;

receive an assigned network address in the first virtual local area network from the server; and

communicate voice packets comprising the assigned network address and the first virtual local area network identifier; and

a port switch operable to;

assign voice packets to the first virtual local area network; and

assign data packets to the second virtual area network.

26. The telephony device of claim 25, wherein:

the telephony device further comprises an access port operable to;

couple to an external network device; and

receive voice information from the external network device; and

the telephony device is further operable to generate voice packets using the voice information, the voice packets comprising the first virtual local area network identifier and the assigned network address.

27. The telephony device of claim 25, wherein the assigned network address is an Internet protocol (IP) address.

28. The telephony device of claim 25, wherein:

the server is a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server; and

the request is a DHCP request.

29. The telephony device of claim 25, wherein the first and second virtual local area network identifiers are received in a discovery protocol (DP) message from a network switch.

30. The telephony device of claim 25, wherein:

the telephony device is a first telephony device; and

the telephony device further comprises an access port coupled to a second telephony device, the access port operable to communicate the first and second virtual local area network identifiers to the second telephony device.

31. The telephony device of claim 30, wherein the access port is further operable to receive voice packets from the second telephony device, the voice packets comprising the first identifier.

32. The telephony device of claim 25, wherein the telephony device further comprises an access port operable to:

receive voice information from an external network device; and

generate voice packets from the voice information, the voice packets comprising the first virtual local area network identifier.

33. A network switch, comprising:

a plurality of ports;

a memory storing a non-voice assignment for non-voice data packets and a voice assignment for voice data packets, wherein the non-voice assignment indicates for a particular port a first virtual local area network identifier that identifies a first virtual local area network and the voice assignment indicates for the particular port a second virtual local area network identifier that identifies a second virtual local area network; and

wherein the particular port is operable to couple to a telephony device and to receive a request for the virtual local area network assignment from the telephony device and to communicate, in response to the request, a first virtual local area network identifier identifying the first virtual local area network associated with transmitting the voice traffic and a second virtual local area network identifier identifying the second virtual local area network associated with transmitting the data traffic to the telephony device.

34. The network switch of claim 33, wherein the first and second virtual local area network identifiers are communicated in a discovery protocol (DP) message.

35. The network switch of claim 33, wherein the port is further operable to communicate an instruction to the telephony device to perform the following steps:

verifying that voice information is in packets tagged with the first virtual local area network identifier; and

if the tagged packets do not contain voice information, changing the first virtual local area network identifier to the second virtual local area network identifier.

36. The network switch of claim 33, where the memory maintains virtual local area network assignment information for all of the ports of the network switch.