Packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface

• US 7,761,579 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2007
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Khasnabish, Bhumip
• Primary Examiner(s): Chea; Philip J
• Application Number:
  US11/945,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20090135839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/224, 709/227, 709/230, 370/252, 370/352, 370/401
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/164 at the network layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1066 Session management

Abstract

In one of many possible embodiments, an exemplary method includes establishing a secure packet-switched connection for exchanging predefined signaling messages between network elements associated with distinct network domains, determining and implementing at least one media exchange technology for transporting media between the network domains, exchanging signaling and media border processing information between the network domains, exchanging access device information between the network domains, determining and implementing at least one service policy associated with the network domains, and providing a packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface configured for peering at least one session between the network domains based on the predefined signaling messages, media exchange technology, signaling media border processing information, access device information, and service policy.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing a secure packet-switched connection for exchanging predefined signaling messages between network elements associated with distinct network domains;

determining and implementing at least one media exchange technology for transporting media between said distinct network domains;

exchanging signaling and media border processing information between said distinct network domains;

exchanging access device information between said distinct network domains;

determining and implementing at least one service policy associated with said distinct network domains, wherein said at least one service policy comprises a first performance threshold and a second performance threshold;

providing a packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface configured for peering at least one session associated with a first service type between said distinct network domains based on said predefined signaling messages, said at least one media exchange technology, said signaling media border processing information, said access device information, and said at least one service policy;

updating said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface, said updating including reconfiguring said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface for peering at least one other session associated with a second service type between the distinct network domains;

peering said at least one session associated with said first service type across said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface;

peering said at least one other session associated with said second service type across said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface;

enforcing said first performance threshold for said peering of said at least one session associated with said first service type; and

enforcing said second performance threshold for said peering of said at least one other session associated with said second service type.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said acts of determining and implementing said at least one media exchange technology, exchanging said signaling and media border processing information, exchanging said access device information, and determining and implementing said at least one service policy are performed at least in part using said predefined signaling messages over said secure packet-switched connection.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring at least one network parameter associated with said peering of said at least one session associated with said first service type across said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface;

exchanging said at least one network parameter between said distinct network domains; and

enforcing said at least one service policy for said peering of said at least one session associated with said first service type across said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface, including selectively routing said at least one session across said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface based on said at least one service policy and said at least one network parameter.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

exchanging update information between said distinct network domains;

wherein said updating of said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface is based on said update information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said exchanging of said update information and said updating are performed using said predefined signaling messages over said secure packet-switched connection.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said at least one session is associated with a service of said first service type, and said at least one other session is associated with another service of said second service type.

7. The method of claim 1, said at least one service policy including at least one of an end-to-end service performance threshold and a transitory service policy.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first service type and said second service type comprises at least one of an e-mail service, a short messaging service, an instant messaging service, a multimedia messaging service, and a gaming service.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said updating expands said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface for peering at least one service of said second service type in addition to peering at least one service of said first service type.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface forms a trunk line between said distinct network domains.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface replaces a Public Switched Telephone Network trunk line.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said distinct network domains comprise peer network domains operated by different service providers.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one service policy comprises a quality of service standard for peered network traffic.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said distinct network domains comprise a first network domain and a second network domain; and

said first network domain provides at least one service not provided by said second network domain.

15. A method comprising:

establishing a secure packet-switched connection for exchanging predefined signaling messages between network elements associated with distinct network domains;

providing a packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface configured for peering a first set of services of a first service type between said distinct network domains;

using said predefined signaling messages to exchange update information between said distinct network domains over said secure packet-switched connection;

updating said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface based on said update information, said updated packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface being configured for peering a second set of services of a second service type between said distinct network domains;

determining and implementing at least one service policy associated with said distinct network domains, wherein said at least one service policy comprises a first performance threshold and a second performance threshold;

peering said first set of services of said first service type across said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface;

peering said second set of services of said second service type across said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface;

enforcing said first performance threshold for said peering of said first set of services of said first service type; and

enforcing said second performance threshold for said peering of said second set of services of said second service type.

16. A system comprising:

a signaling module, a media module, and a data store associated with a network domain and configured to provide a packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface for peering at least one service session associated with a first service type between said network domain and another distinct network domain, wherein;

said data store comprises one or more interface parameters associated with said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface;

said signaling module is configured to;

exchange predefined signaling messages with another signaling module associated with said another distinct network domain over a secure packet-switched connection,

utilize said predefined signaling messages to establish at least one signaling session for peering said at least one service session across said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface based at least in part on said interface parameters in said data store, and

update said interface parameters in said data store to reconfigure said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface for peering at least one other service session associated with a second service type;

said media module is configured to establish at least one media transport session with another media module associated with said another distinct network domain for transporting media associated with said at least one service session and media associated with said at least one other service session across said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface based at least in part on said interface parameters in said data store;

said interface parameters in said data store are representative of at least one service policy comprising a first performance threshold and a second performance threshold;

said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface peers said at least one service session associated with said first service type and said at least one other service session associated with said second service type between said network domain and said another distinct network domain;

said signaling module and said media module enforce said first performance threshold for said peering of said at least one service session associated with said first service type between said network domain and said another distinct network domain; and

said signaling module and said media module enforce said second performance threshold for said peering of said at least one other service session associated with said second service type between said network domain and said another distinct network domain.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said predefined signaling messages include predefined Session Initiation Protocol signaling messages, and said media module is configured to transport said media associated with said at least one service session and said media associated with said at least one other service session across said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface using Real-Time Protocol over User Datagram Protocol.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said at least one service session includes at least one Voice over Internet Protocol service session.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein said at least one service session includes at least one multimedia session configured for transporting at least a subset of audio, video, electronic message, and voice media.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface is configured for peering real-time, soft-real-time, near-real-time, and non-real-time services between said network domain and another distinct network domain.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein said at least one service policy includes at least one of an end-to-end service performance threshold and a transitory service policy.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein said signaling module is configured to receive update information from said another signaling module over said secure packet-switched connection and update said interface parameters in said data store based on said update information.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said signaling module, said media module, and said data store are configured to provide an updated packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface based on said updated interface parameters.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface is configured for peering a first set of end-to-end services of said first service type between said network domain and said another distinct network domain, and said updated packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface is configured for peering a second set of end-to-end services of said second service type between said network domain and said another distinct network domain.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein said signaling module, said media module, and said data store are configured to process and peer at least one non-packet-switched service across said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface, including encapsulating non-packet-switched media and translating non-packet-switched address information for peering across said packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface.

26. The system of claim 16, wherein said secure packet switched connection includes an Internet Protocol Secure tunnel.