System and method for providing a compatibility feature in a session initiation protocol (SIP) environment

• US 7,778,274 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2006
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Agarwal, Tripti, Frisk, Richard A., Daiker, David R., Restrick, John K. Jr., Bao, Ho, Mills, David Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo; Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): MASUR, PAUL H
• Application Number:
  US11/364,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20070201509A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,632 Days
• Field of Search: 370/351, 370/389, 370/400, 370/401, 370/402, 370/464, 370/465, 370/466, 370/467, 370/352, 370/410, 341/50, 341/51, 341/52, 709/227, 340 50- 52, 379/111, 379/114.01, 379/114.28, 379/219
• US Class Current: 370/467
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for addressing compatibility in a session protocol environment is provided that includes a communications platform operable to communicate with a first endpoint and a second endpoint and to recognize signaling capabilities of the first and second endpoints. The apparatus also includes a media termination point (MTP) operable to communicate with the endpoints and the communications platform, the media termination point being provisioned by the communications platform in a stream that involves the first and second endpoints if a signaling compatibility issue is present amongst the endpoints. If an out-of-band digit from the first endpoint is received by the communications platform, the out-of-band digit is sent to the MTP, which is operable to inject a digit associated with the second protocol into the communication session such that a mapping occurs between the digits for the first and second protocols.

Claims

1. An apparatus for addressing compatibility in a session protocol environment, comprising:

a communications platform operable to;

communicate with a first endpoint and a second endpoint seeking to communicate with each other in a communication session;

determine if there is a mismatch in signaling capabilities of the first and second endpoints such that one endpoint can support out-of-band messaging but the other endpoint cannot, the first endpoint being associated with a first protocol, the second endpoint being associated with a second protocol;

if there is a mismatch between the signaling compatibilities;

dynamically insert a media termination point (MTP) in a stream between the first and second endpoints;

receive an out-of-band digit from the first endpoint, the out-of-band digit received on a channel distinct from the stream between the first and second endpoints;

send the out-of-band digit to the MTP to inject a digit associated with the second protocol into the communication session to map the digits for the first and second protocols;

receive a digit converted to the first protocol by the MTP and send the converted digit to the first endpoint; and

if there is no mismatch between the signaling compatibilities, refrain from inserting the MTP if no MTP has been inserted.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first endpoint supports out-of-band DTMF and the second endpoint supports KPML.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first endpoint is subscribed to for notifications about digits, and advertisements are made to the second endpoint, the advertisements indicating the second endpoint can subscribe to the first endpoint for digits.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein if an end user of the second endpoint presses a key, a NOTIFY message is generated and received and a corresponding digit is converted to a DTMF compatible digit.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein if a call is made to a selected endpoint that does not need to receive digits for signaling compatibility, KPML is not advertised.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first endpoint supports out-of-band DTMF and the second endpoint supports an H.323 protocol.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the second endpoint supports an H.323 protocol; and

if a digit is pressed at the second endpoint supporting H.323, an H.245 message is generated.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein if a subscription exists from the first endpoint, a NOTIFY message is sent to the first endpoint in response to the digit being pressed.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communications platform is operable to perform a dynamic insertion and removal of the MTP such that policy decisions associated with signaling compatibility between the endpoints are reevaluated.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dynamic insertion and removal of the MTP is based on a transferring of the communication session.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dynamic insertion and removal of the MTP is based on discovering new signaling capabilities of either of the endpoints.

12. A method for addressing compatibility in a session protocol environment, comprising:

communicating, by a communications platform, with a first endpoint and a second endpoint seeking to communicate with each other in a communication session;

determining if there is a mismatch in signaling capabilities of the first and second endpoints such that one endpoint can support out-of-band messaging but the other endpoint cannot, the first endpoint being associated with a first protocol, the second endpoint being associated with a second protocol;

if there is a mismatch between the signaling compatibilities;

dynamically inserting, by the communications platform, a media termination point (MTP) in a stream between the first and second endpoints;

receiving an out-of-band digit from the first endpoint, the out-of-band digit received on a channel distinct from the stream between the first and second endpoints;

sending, by the communications platform, the out-of-band digit to the MTP to inject a digit associated with the second protocol into the communication session to map the digits for the first and second protocols;

receiving a digit converted to the first protocol by the MTP and sending the converted digit to the first endpoint; and

if there is no mismatch between the signaling compatibilities, refraining from inserting the MTP.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

subscribing to the first endpoint for notifications about digits, wherein advertisements are made to the second endpoint, the advertisements indicating the second endpoint can subscribe to the first endpoint for digits.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein if an end user of the second endpoint presses a key, a NOTIFY message is generated and received and a corresponding digit is converted to a DTMF compatible digit.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein if a call is made to a selected endpoint that does not need to receive digits for signaling compatibility, KPML is not advertised.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein if a digit is pressed at the second endpoint supporting H.323, an H.245 message is generated.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein if a subscription exists from the first endpoint, a NOTIFY message is sent to the first endpoint in response to the digit being pressed.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

performing a dynamic insertion and removal of the MTP such that policy decisions associated with signaling compatibility between the endpoints are reevaluated.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the dynamic insertion and removal of the MTP is based on a transferring of the communication session or based on discovering new signaling capabilities of either of the endpoints.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing software for addressing compatibility in a session protocol environment, the software comprising computer code, such that when executed is operable to:

communicate, by a communications platform, with a first endpoint and a second endpoint seeking to communicate with each other in a communication session;

determine if there is a mismatch in signaling capabilities of the first and second endpoints such that one endpoint can support out-of-band messaging but the other endpoint cannot, the first endpoint being associated with a first protocol, the second endpoint being associated with a second protocol;

if there is a mismatch between the signaling compatibilities;

dynamically insert, by the communications platform, a media termination point (MTP) in a stream between the first and second endpoints;

receive an out-of-band digit from the first endpoint, the out-of-band digit received on a channel distinct from the stream between the first and second endpoints;

send, by the communications platform, the out-of-band digit to the MTP to inject a digit associated with the second protocol into the communication session to map the digits for the first and second protocols;

receive a digit converted to the first protocol by the MTP and send the converted digit to the first endpoint; and

if there is no mismatch between the signaling compatibilities, refrain from inserting the MTP.

21. The medium of claim 20, wherein the code is further operable to:

subscribe to the first endpoint for notifications about digits, wherein advertisements are made to the second endpoint, the advertisements indicating the second endpoint can subscribe to the first endpoint for digits.

22. The medium of claim 20, wherein if an end user of the second endpoint presses a key, a NOTIFY message is generated and received and a corresponding digit is converted to a DTMF compatible digit.

23. The medium of claim 20, wherein if a call is made to a selected endpoint that does not need to receive digits for signaling compatibility, KPML is not advertised.

24. The medium of claim 20, wherein if a digit is pressed at the second endpoint supporting H.323, an H.245 message is generated.

25. The medium of claim 20, wherein if a subscription exists from the first endpoint, a NOTIFY message is sent to the first endpoint in response to the digit being pressed.

26. The medium of claim 20, wherein the code is further operable to:

perform a dynamic insertion and removal of the MTP such that policy decisions associated with signaling compatibility between the endpoints are reevaluated.

27. The medium of claim 26, wherein the dynamic insertion and removal of the MTP is based on a transferring of the communication session or based on discovering new signaling capabilities of either of the endpoints.