Voice over internet protocol real time protocol routing

• US 8,780,893 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2013
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: O'Brien, James D. Jr., Eichen, Elliot
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US13/765,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20130163587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/356, 370/401, 370/410
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1285 Details of finding and selecting a gateway for a particular call

Abstract

A method for call signaling and media flow in a network including receiving call signaling information from an originating Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) endpoint relaying the call signaling information to a destination VoIP endpoint, directing the originating VoIP endpoint to use a RTP media proxy and receiving a stream of media to the RTP media proxy from the originating VoIP endpoint.

Claims

1. In a Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) network comprising a plurality of call signaling and media proxy servers and a plurality of telephony gateways, wherein each of the plurality of telephony gateways is communicatively connected to one or more telephony networks separate from the VOIP network, a method comprising:

in response to initiation of a VOIP call by an originating VOIP device,

(a) selecting a particular telephony gateway of the plurality of telephone gateways to handle transmission of the VOIP call to a separate telephony network;

(b) instructing a particular telephony gateway of the plurality of telephony gateways to send media packets associated with the VoIP call to a specific Internet Protocol (IP) address and port assigned to a particular call signaling and media proxy server of the plurality of call signaling and media proxy servers; and

(c) by the particular call signaling and media proxy server,

(1) receiving media packets from the particular telephony gateway, wherein the media packets are associated with the VOIP call;

(2) modifying IP address information contained in said media packets; and

(3) sending said modified media packets to the originating VOIP device.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said modifying act (c)(2) is performed, at least in part, using a network address translation mechanism.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

(d) by the particular call signaling and media proxy server,

(1) receiving media packets from the originating VOIP device, wherein the media packets are associated with the VOIP call;

(2) modifying IP address information contained in said media packets; and

(3) sending said modified media packets to the particular telephony gateway.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein said modifying act (d)(2) is performed, at least in part, using a network address translation mechanism.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the media packets comprise Real Time Protocol (RTP) packets.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the separate telephony network comprises a public switched telephone network.

7. In a Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) network comprising a plurality of call signaling and media proxy servers and a plurality of telephony gateways, wherein each of the plurality of telephony gateways is communicatively connected to one or more telephony networks separate from the VOIP network, a method comprising:

in response to initiation of a VOIP call by an originating VOIP device,

(a) selecting a particular telephony gateway of the plurality of telephone gateways to handle transmission of the VOIP call to a separate telephony network;

(b) instructing the originating VOIP device to send media packets associated with a VoIP call to a specific Internet Protocol (IP) address and port assigned to a particular call signaling and media proxy server of the plurality of call signaling and media proxy servers; and

(c) by the particular call signaling and media proxy server,

(1) receiving media packets from the originating VOIP device, wherein the media packets are associated with the VOIP call;

(2) modifying IP address information contained in said media packets; and

(3) sending said modified media packets to the particular telephony gateway.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said modifying act (c)(2) is performed, at least in part, using a network address translation mechanism.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

(d) by the particular call signaling and media proxy server,

(1) receiving media packets from the particular telephony gateway, wherein the media packets are associated with the VOIP call;

(2) modifying IP address information contained in said media packets; and

(3) sending said modified media packets to the originating VOIP device.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein said modifying act (d)(2) is performed, at least in part, using a network address translation mechanism.

11. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the media packets comprise Real Time Protocol (RTP) packets.

12. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the separate telephony network comprises a public switched telephone network.