External application gateway

• US 8,599,879 B1
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Basore, David, Munson, Gary A., Ng, Peter L., Frontz, Jeffri, Burhans, David, Lee, Chung-Man, Lowther, Kathy, Menon, Sita
• Primary Examiner(s): Nawaz, Asad
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARLEY, JASON A
• Application Number:
  US11/290,206
• Time in Patent Office: 2,925 Days
• Field of Search: 370/350, 370/352
• US Class Current: 370/486
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2503 Translation of Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

A telecommunications system uses an external application gateway (EAG) in communication with a network call control element and external server systems for controlling calls. The telecommunications system further includes a session initiation protocol (SIP) proxy, an intelligent application proxy, and an intelligent application call control. The EAG communicates with a network call control element of a packet network and a third party application server for controlling calls. The external application gateway controls the flow of information between the network call control element and the third party application server, performing such functions as modifying or stripping out network-proprietary information with delivery of the modified messages to the third party application server, keeping track of call state information and associating messages with specific calls, verifying that the third party application server is making only allowed requests, and limiting traffic volumes.

Claims

1. A telecommunication method for processing a session initiation protocol message, comprising:

receiving, via a processor of an intelligent application call control of an external application gateway, the session initiation protocol message from a call control element of a packet network;

modifying, via the processor, the session initiation protocol message by removing proprietary network information and inserting a call identifier;

translating, via the processor, an address related to the session initiation protocol message to an authorized protocol address;

creating, via the processor, call state information for the session initiation protocol message received from the call control element;

sending, via the processor, the session initiation protocol message with the call identifier and call state information to a third party application server;

confirming, via the processor, that a second session initiation protocol message that is received is from the third party application server;

confirming, via the processor, that the second session initiation protocol message is an allowed message type with allowed information;

associating, via the processor, an existing call known by the call control element with the call identifier; and

creating, via the processor, call information on the existing call and inserting the call information in the second session initiation protocol message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

denying an acceptance of a second session initiation protocol message from a source unknown to the intelligent application call control.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the allowed message type by using business agreements of users in the packet network indicating allowed message types.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the call information is selected from a group consisting of call detail information, signal history information, encapsulated integrated service network information, and combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

translating an address related to the second session initiation protocol message to the authorized protocol address.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the translating the address is performed using internet protocol information from a media description of the second session initiation protocol message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the intelligent application call control uses a control that controls requests by the third party application server to perform a dual tone multi-frequency data analysis of the existing call.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the intelligent application call control uses traffic based controls.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the traffic based controls are call leg based.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by a processor of an intelligent application call control of an external application gateway, cause the processor to perform operations for processing a session initiation protocol message, the operations comprising:

receiving the session initiation protocol message from a call control element of a packet network;

modifying the session initiation protocol message by removing proprietary network information and inserting a call identifier;

translating an address related to the session initiation protocol message to an authorized protocol address;

creating call state information for the session initiation protocol message received from the call control element;

sending the session initiation protocol message with the call identifier and call state information to a third party application server;

confirming that a second session initiation protocol message that is received is from the third party application server;

confirming that the second session initiation protocol message is an allowed message type with allowed information;

associating an existing call known by the call control element with the call identifier; and

creating call information on the existing call and inserting the call information in the second session initiation protocol message.