Cross cluster extension mobility in internet-protocol telephony

• US 8,842,689 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2010
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Trasi, Atul, Keller, Daniel Scott, Sauter, Susan Marie, Bao, Ho, Huang, Chunfeng
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mais, Mark A
• Application Number:
  US12/952,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20110064003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 370/395.5, 370/395.52, 370/420, 370/466, 370/469
• US Class Current: 370/420
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1046 Call controllers; Call servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1063 Application servers providing network services systems providing special services to telephonic subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0075 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

In certain embodiments, a system comprises a connection to a network and an application server providing a cross cluster extension mobility (CCEM) service configured to receive a request from a user to log into the CCEM service from a telephony device connected to the network, prompt the user via the telephony device to provide a user ID, determine whether the user is logging in from a home cluster or a remote cluster, and perform a local extension mobility login for the user.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising:

a graphical user interface (GUI);

a plurality of programmable soft keys coupled with the GUI; and

internal circuitry of the communication device configured to invoke a cross cluster extension mobility (CCEM) service for the communication device responsive to a user pressing at least one of the plurality of programmable soft keys on the communication device, the communication device operable to;

provide the user with a personalized telephony service upon successful invocation of the CCEM; and

establish the personalized telephony service based at least in part upon a configuration file each associated with the user, wherein the communication device is registered as a first local device on a local cluster and the personalized telephony service is established by;

registering as a second local device on a remote cluster that is a home to the user; and

downloading the configuration file from the remote cluster; and

wherein the communication device is further configured to provide a plurality of telephony functions to control Internet Protocol (IP) telephony devices;

wherein the plurality of telephony functions comprises a Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) service; and

wherein the TFTP service comprises configuring one or more TFTP parameters to accommodate file transfer between the local cluster and another cluster.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of programmable soft keys is configured to enable the user to interact with the CCEM service.

3. The communication device of claim 2, further comprising a first plurality of hard keys configured to enable the user to conduct at least one of call transfer and call hold operations.

4. The communication device of claim 3, further comprising a second plurality of hard keys configured to enable the user to conduct familiar telephonic operation.

5. The communication device of claim 4, wherein at least one of the first and second pluralities of hard keys is further configured to enable the user to interact with the CCEM service.

6. The communication device of claim 5, wherein at least one of the plurality of programmable soft keys and the first and second pluralities of hard keys is configured to enable the user to provide a user ID and a PIN for the CCEM service.

7. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the GUI is configured to provide a web interface.

8. A call manager for a cluster that supports cross cluster extension mobility (CCEM), the call manager comprising:

a network interface configured to receive incoming data from a network and transmit outgoing data to the network;

a processor coupled with the network interface; and

a memory accessible by the processor, wherein the memory is configured to store a configuration file for each of a plurality of phones within a first cluster; and

wherein the processor is operable to;

register a communication device as a first local device on the first cluster;

receive a request associated with a particular user from the communication device to invoke a CCEM service for the communication device; and

based at least upon the request;

register the communication device as a second local device on a remote cluster that is home to the particular user;

access the configuration file each associated with the user on the remote cluster and download the configuration file to the memory to establish a personalized telephony service to the user via the communication device; and

wherein the memory is further configured to store telephony control software that provides a plurality of telephony functions to control Internet Protocol (IP) telephony devices;

wherein the plurality of telephony functions comprises a Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) service; and

wherein the TFTP service comprises configuring one or more TFTP parameters to accommodate file transfer between the first cluster and another cluster.

9. The call manager of claim 8, wherein the network interface comprises one of an electrical connection, a physical connection, an electromagnetic connection, and a wireless connection.

10. The call manager of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to provide a telephony device in the first cluster with at least one of a local number, Internet Protocol (IP) service, and one or more speed dials for the telephony device in another cluster.

11. A system, comprising:

a connection to a network; and

an application server providing a cross cluster extension mobility (CCEM) service configured to;

register a telephony device as a first local device on a local cluster;

receive a request from a user to log into the CCEM service from a telephony device connected to the network;

prompt the user via the telephony device to provide a user ID;

responsive to receiving a valid user ID, determine whether the local cluster is a home cluster or a remote cluster to the user; and

in response a determination that the local cluster is a remote cluster to the user;

register the telephony device as a second local device on the home cluster of the user; and

perform a local extension mobility login for the user while the telephony device is registered to the home cluster of the user, the local extension mobility login for the user comprising accessing a configuration file associated with the user from the home cluster of the user to establish a personalized telephony service to the user via the telephony device; and

wherein the CCEM service is further configured to provide a plurality of telephony functions to control Internet Protocol (IP) telephony devices;

wherein the plurality of telephony functions comprises a Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) service; and

wherein the TFTP service comprises configuring one or more TFTP parameters to accommodate file transfer between the local cluster and another cluster.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the CCEM service is further configured to, responsive to a determination that the user is logging in from the remote cluster, obtain information pertaining to the telephony device and create a temporary device in the home cluster, wherein the information comprises a telephony device name.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the CCEM service is configured to create the temporary device by giving the telephony device name to the temporary device and then changing the telephony device name for the telephony device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the CCEM service is configured to perform the local extension mobility login for the user in the remote cluster.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the CCEM service is further configured to provide the telephony device with at least one of a local number, Internet Protocol (P) service, and one or more speed dials.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the CCEM service is further configured to, responsive to receiving an invalid user ID, send an error message to the user via the telephony device.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the CCEM service is further configured to perform local extension mobility logout for the user.