Method and system for providing voice over IP managed services utilizing a centralized data store

• US 8,571,011 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2005
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Business Global LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Alt, Wade R., Borgstrom, Evan, Bae, Kiwan E., Johnston, Alan B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): GAY, SONIA L
• Application Number:
  US11/202,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20070036143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,000 Days
• Field of Search: 370351-356, 370/401, 370/389, 726/5, 726/7, 726/8, 726/11, 726/12, 709/204, 709/223, 709/205
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6472 Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6481 Speech, voice
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2564 for a higher-layer protocol, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2575 using address mapping retrieval, e.g. simple traversal of user datagram protocol through session traversal utilities for NAT [STUN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2578 without involvement of the NAT server
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2589 over a relay server, e.g. traversal using relay for network address translation [TURN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4535 using an address exchange platform which sets up a session between two nodes, e.g. rendezvous servers, session initiation protocols [SIP] registrars or H.323 gatekeepers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0075 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables

Abstract

An approach provides interdomain traversal to support packetized voice transmissions. A centralized data store, maintained by a service provider, stores one or more user identifiers and an associated directory number. The centralized data store also stores routing information including one or more communication paths corresponding to the user identifier, wherein the routing information includes a data path or a circuit-switched path for establishing a call to the user. In response to a request for establishing the call to the directory number, the data store retrieves the routing information for use to establish the call.

Claims

1. A method for providing communication services, the method comprising:

storing one or more user identifiers and an associated directory number in a centralized data store;

storing, in the centralized data store, routing information including one or more communication paths corresponding to the user identifier, wherein the routing information includes a data path or a circuit-switched path for establishing a call to the user;

storing, in the centralized data store, credential information corresponding to the user, wherein the credential information provides for authentication of the user and supports communication with a media server configured to establish a connection behind a network address translator or firewall within a private domain;

retrieving the routing information in response to a request for establishing the call to the directory number;

storing, in the centralized data store, other credential information corresponding to the user, wherein the other credential information supports communication with a proxy server configured to initiate setup of the call according to a media signaling protocol; and

responsive to both the routing information and a credential pair, the credential pair comprising the credential information and the other credential information, establishing the call to the user behind the network address translator or firewall within the private domain.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the call is terminated behind the network address translator or firewall within the private domain.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the call originates from behind another network address translator or firewall within a different domain.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the different domains correspond to different autonomous networks.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein the different domains correspond to different enterprise Internet Protocol (IP)-based networks.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the media server establishes the connection according to a TURN (Traversal Using Relay NAT) protocol.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the media signaling protocol includes Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the call is a Voice over IP (Internet Protocol) call.

9. A system for supported managed communication services, the system comprising:

a centralized data store configured to store one or more user identifiers and an associated directory number, the centralized data store further storing routing information including one or more communication paths corresponding to the user identifier, wherein the routing information includes a data path or a circuit-switched path for establishing a call to the user, wherein in response to a request for establishing the call to the directory number, the data store being configured to retrieve the routing information for use to establish the call;

a media server configured to support termination of the call behind a network address translator or firewall within a private domain, wherein the centralized data store stores credential information corresponding to the user, wherein the credential information provides for authentication of the user and supports communication with the media server; and

a proxy server configured to initiate setup of the call according to a media signaling protocol, wherein the centralized data store stores other credential information for the user to communicate with the proxy server,

wherein the call is established to the user behind the network address translator or firewall within the private domain responsive to both the retrieved routing information and a credential pair, the credential pair comprising the credential information and the other credential information.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the centralized data store and the media server reside within a common service provider network.

11. A system according to claim 9, wherein the media server establishes a connection to the user according to a TURN (Traversal Using Relay NAT) protocol to support the call.

12. A system according to claim 9, wherein the call originates from behind another network address translator or firewall within a different domain.

13. A system according to claim 9, wherein the different domains correspond to different autonomous networks.

14. A system according to claim 9, wherein the different domains correspond to different enterprise Internet Protocol (IP)-based networks.

15. A system according to claim 9, wherein the media signaling protocol includes Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).

16. A system according to claim 9, wherein the centralized data store further stores addressing information for mapping directory numbers to network addresses in support of the call.

17. A system according to claim 9, wherein the call is a Voice over IP (Internet Protocol) call.

18. A method for establishing a packetized voice call, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a calling party to establish the packetized voice call with a called party;

submitting an inquiry, in response to the request, with a centralized data store for routing information associated with the called party, wherein the routing information specifies alternate paths including a data path and a circuit-switched path for establishing the packetized voice call;

initiating setup of the packetized voice call based on the routing information, wherein the centralized data store stores credential information corresponding to the called party, and the credential information provides for authentication of the called party and supports communication with a media server configured to establish a connection behind a network address translator or firewall within a private domain;

storing, in the centralized data store, other credential information corresponding to the user, wherein the other credential information supports communication with a proxy server configured to initiate setup of the call according to a media signaling protocol; and

establishing the packetized voice call behind the network address translator or firewall within the private domain responsive to both the routing information and a credential pair, the credential pair comprising the credential information and the other credential information.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the calling party and the called party are a part of different domains.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the different domains correspond to different enterprise Internet Protocol (IP)-based networks.

21. A method according to claim 18, wherein the call is a Voice over IP (Internet Protocol) call.

22. An apparatus for establishing a packetized voice call, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a request from a calling party to establish the packetized voice call with a called party;

means for submitting, in response to the request, an inquiry with a centralized data store for routing information associated with the called party, wherein the routing information specifies alternate paths including a data path and a circuit-switched path for establishing the packetized voice call;

means for initiating setup of the packetized voice call based on the routing information, wherein the centralized data store stores credential information corresponding to the called party, and the credential information provides for authentication of the called party and supports communication with a media server configured to establish a connection behind a network address translator or firewall within a private domain;

means for maintaining other credential information corresponding to the called party, the other credential information managed by an enterprise different from an enterprise managing the credential information, wherein the other credential information is required for establishing the packetized call within the private domain; and

means for establishing the packetized voice call behind the network address translator or firewall within the private domain responsive to both the routing information and a credential pair, the credential pair comprising the credential information and the other credential information.

23. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the calling party and the called party are a part of different domains.

24. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the different domains correspond to different enterprise Internet Protocol (IP)-based networks.

25. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the call is a Voice over IP (Internet Protocol) call.