Routing calls in a network

• US 8,310,958 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Crable, Phillip D., Phelps, David E., Badger, Brian S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Dang
• Assistant Examiner(s): Preval, Lionel
• Application Number:
  US11/617,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20080159262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,147 Days
• Field of Search: 370/259, 370/236, 370/352, 370/328, 370/262, 370/271, 370/261, 370/392, 709/227, 709/200, 709/226, 709/218
• US Class Current: 370/259
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]

Abstract

A method includes receiving a session initiation protocol (SIP) invite message and identifying a particular service associated with the SIP invite message. The method may also include identifying a destination for the SIP invite message using status information associated with a number of servers and forwarding the SIP invite message to the destination. The method may also further include identifying a first application server based on the SIP invite message and allocation information associated with allocating traffic among a number of application servers.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first device comprising;

first logic configured to;

receive a first session initiation protocol (SIP) invite message,

identify a particular service associated with the first SIP invite message,

identify a destination for the first SIP invite message using status information associated with a plurality of service selection servers, the status information comprising information identifying an availability associated with each of the plurality of service selection servers, and

forward the first SIP invite message to the destination; and

a service selection server comprising;

a memory configured to store allocation information associated with a plurality of application servers, the allocation information comprising information identifying a percentage of data to forward to each of the plurality of application servers, and

second logic configured to;

receive the forwarded first SIP invite message from the first device,

identify a first one of the application servers based on the first SIP invite message and the allocation information, and

forward the first SIP invite message to the first application server.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

the first application server, the first application server being configured to;

perform a service for a call associated with the first SIP invite message,

identify a second service associated with the call,

generate a second SIP invite message, the second SIP invite message including information in the first SIP invite message and additional information based on the identified second service, and

forward the second SIP invite message.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a second application server associated with the second service, the second application server configured to;

receive the second SIP invite message, and

perform a second service associated with the call.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises a router.

4. A system comprising:

a first device comprising;

first logic configured to;

receive a first session initiation protocol (SIP) invite message,

identify a particular service associated with the first SIP invite message,

identify a destination for the first SIP invite message using status information associated with a plurality of service selection servers, the status information comprising information identifying an availability associated with each of the plurality of service selection servers, and

forward the first SIP invite message to the destination; and

a service selection server comprising;

a memory configured to store allocation information associated with a plurality of application servers, the allocation information comprising information identifying a percentage of data to forward to each of the plurality of application servers, and

second logic configured to;

receive the forwarded first SIP invite message from the first device,

identify a first one of the application servers based on the first SIP invite message and the allocation information, and

forward the first SIP invite message to the first application server, wherein the second logic is configured to favor the first application server over other ones of the plurality of applications servers with respect to forwarding the first SIP invite message when the first application server is located within a same physical site as the service selection server.

6. A method, comprising:

receiving a session initiation protocol (SIP) invite message;

identifying a particular service associated with the SIP invite message;

identifying a destination device for the SIP invite message using status information associated with a plurality of servers;

forwarding the SIP invite message to the destination device;

receiving the forwarded SIP invite message at the destination device;

generating, at the destination device, allocation information associated with a plurality of application servers, the allocation information identifying a percentage of traffic to route to each of the plurality of application servers;

identifying a first one of a plurality of application servers based on the SIP invite message and the allocation information; and

forwarding the SIP invite message to the first application server.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

performing a service for a call associated with the SIP invite message;

identifying a second service associated with the call;

generating a second SIP invite message, the second SIP invite message including information in the SIP invite message and additional information based on the second service; and

forwarding the second SIP invite message.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving the second SIP invite message at a second application server associated with the second service; and

performing a second service associated with the call.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the generating a second SIP invite message comprises:

identifying an asserted identify field and a from field in the SIP invite message, and

including the asserted identify field and the from field in the second SIP invite message.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

generating the status information associated with the plurality of servers.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the generating status information comprises polling the plurality of servers to determine an availability measure associated with the plurality of servers.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the generating the allocation information further comprises generating a value indicating a relative health of each of the plurality of application servers.

13. A method, comprising:

receiving a session initiation protocol (SIP) invite message;

identifying a particular service associated with the SIP invite message;

identifying a destination for the SIP invite message using status information associated with a plurality of servers;

forwarding the SIP invite message to the destination;

receiving the forwarded SIP invite message at the destination;

identifying a first one of a plurality of application servers based on the SIP invite message and allocation information associated with allocating traffic among the plurality of application servers; and

forwarding the SIP invite message to the first application server, wherein the identifying a first one of the plurality of application servers comprises;

favoring the first application server over other ones of the plurality of applications servers with respect to forwarding the SIP invite message when the first application server is located within a same physical site as the destination that received the SIP invite message.

14. A method, comprising:

receiving a request for voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) related services associated with a call;

identifying a destination for the request based on status information associated with a plurality of servers, the plurality of servers controlling access to a plurality of VoIP related services;

forwarding the request to the destination;

receiving the request at the destination;

identifying a first one of the plurality of VoIP related services based on the request;

determining allocation information associated with allocating traffic among a plurality of components capable of providing the first VoIP related service, the allocation information identifying a percentage of traffic to route to each of the plurality of components; and

forwarding the request to a first one of the components based on the allocation information.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

identifying a second VoIP related service associated with the call;

generating a second request, the second request including information in the request and additional information identifying the second VoIP related service; and

forwarding the second request to a component associated with the performing the second VoIP related service.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

generating the status information associated with the plurality of servers, the status information identifying at least one of an availability status or relative availability status.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

generating the allocation information.