System and method for performing signaling on behalf of a stateless client

• US 9,065,834 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2010
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bell, Robert T., Hahn, Paul S., McClung, Michael H., Platt, Richard B.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, STEVEN H D
• Application Number:
  US12/762,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20100205280A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,891 Days
• Field of Search: 370351-356, 370400-402
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1053 IP private branch exchange [PBX] functionality entities or arrangements circuit switched PBXs H04M3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1059 End-user terminal functionalities specially adapted for real-time communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment

Abstract

A system for, and method for, performing state-based signaling on behalf of a stateless client. In one embodiment, the system includes a controller, couplable to a state-based terminal, that translates at least one stateless signaling message received from the stateless client to at least one state-based signaling message for presentation to the state-based terminal thereby facilitating a media stream communications session between the stateless client and the state-based terminal over an Internet Protocol (IP)-based network.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a server located at a customer premises coupled to a local network, an indication from at least one gateway device to initiate a communications session between a stateless dumb terminal coupled to the local network and a state-based remote terminal coupled to an external packet switched network, the server comprising a network interface and a controller, the network interface directly coupled to the local network, the at least one gateway device coupled to the local network and the external packet switched network, the server coupled to the at least one gateway device through the local network;

translating, by the server, at least one stateless signaling message received from the stateless dumb terminal into at least one state-based signaling message corresponding to the state-based remote terminal; and

transmitting, by the server, the at least one state-based signaling message to the at least one gateway device for presentation to the state-based remote terminal, thereby establishing the communications session and facilitating a media stream path without the server between the stateless dumb terminal and the state-based remote terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the external packet switched network employs an Internetwork Packet Exchange/Sequenced Packet Exchange (IPX/SPX) transport protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the state-based remote terminal comprises a computer executing telephony software.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the server, an off-hook signal in response to a user of the stateless dumb terminal indicating a desire to establish the communications session.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one stateless signaling message comprises an indication selected from the group consisting of:

a telephony off-hook event, a telephony on-hook event,

a telephony button depressed event,

a telephony digit dialed event, and

a client registration event.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the state-based remote terminal comprises a computer executing telephony software that supports the H.323 protocol.

7. A server located at a customer premises coupled to a local network, comprising:

a processor;

a network interface directly coupled to the local network, the network interface operable to receive an indication from at least one gateway device to initiate a communications session between a stateless dumb terminal coupled to the local network and a state-based remote terminal coupled to an external packet switched network, the at least one gateway device coupled to the local network and the external packet switched network, the server couple to the at least one gateway device through the local network; and

a storage device embodying a controller operable, when executed on the processor, to;

translate at least one stateless signaling message received from the stateless dumb terminal into at least one state-based signaling message corresponding to the state-based remote terminal; and

transmit the at least one state-based signaling message to the at least one gateway device for presentation to the state-based remote terminal, thereby establishing the communications session and facilitating a media stream path without the server between the stateless dumb terminal and the state-based remote terminal.

8. The server of claim 7, wherein the external packet switched network employs an Internetwork Packet Exchange/Sequenced Packet Exchange (IPX/SPX) transport protocol.

9. The server of claim 7, wherein the state-based remote terminal comprises a computer executing telephony software.

10. The server of claim 7, wherein the network interface is further operable to receive an off-hook signal in response to a user of the stateless dumb terminal indicating a desire to establish the communications session.

11. The server of claim 7, wherein the at least one stateless signaling message comprises an indication selected from the group consisting of:

a telephony off-hook event, a telephony on-hook event,

a telephony button depressed event, a telephony digit dialed event, and

a client registration event.

12. The server of claim 7, wherein the state-based remote terminal comprises a computer executing telephony software that supports the H.323 protocol.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions located at a customer premises coupled to a local network, the instructions operable when executed on a processor to:

receive an indication from at least one gateway device to initiate a communications session between a stateless dumb terminal coupled to the local network and a state-based remote terminal coupled to an external packet switched network, the at least one gateway device coupled to the local network and the external packet switched network;

translate at least one stateless signaling message received from the stateless dumb terminal into at least one state-based signaling message corresponding to the state-based remote terminal; and

transmit the at least one state-based, signaling message to the at least one gateway device for presentation to the state-based remote terminal, thereby establishing the communications session and facilitating a media stream path without a server between the stateless dumb terminal and the state-based remote terminal, the server coupled to the at least one gateway device through the local network, the server comprising a network interface directly coupled to the local network.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the external packet switched network employs an Internetwork Packet Exchange/Sequenced Packet Exchange (IPX/SPX) transport protocol.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the state-based remote terminal comprises a computer executing telephony software.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further operable when executed on a processor to receive an off-hook signal in response to a user of the stateless dumb terminal indicating a desire to establish the communications session.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the at least one stateless signaling message comprises an indication selected from the group consisting of:

a telephony off-hook event, a telephony on-hook event,

a telephony button depressed event,

a telephony digit dialed event, and

a client registration event.