SBC-localized handoff

• US 9,473,992 B1
• Filed: 01/13/2016
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peerless Network LLC (Peerless Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Peerless Network LLC (Peerless Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brewer, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Tri H
• Application Number:
  US14/994,922
• Time in Patent Office: 279 Days
• Field of Search: 370310-350, 370400-401, 455431-464, 709223-229, 709238-250
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/44 Distributed routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/74 Address processing for routing
• 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: H04W 36/0016 Hand-off preparation specially adapted for end-to-end data sessions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0055 Transmission or use of information for re-establishing the radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided to facilitate the performance of a Session Border Controller (SBC)-localized handoff. As part of the SBC-localized handoff, a communication device may transmit packets within a data call to an SBC via a first IP address. Subsequently, the communication device may be assigned a second IP address. The communication device may then transmit further packets to the SBC via the second IP address. In response, the SBC may route all traffic within the data call direct to the communication device via the second IP address, regardless of whether the traffic indicates that the traffic should be delivered to the first IP address.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

associating, at a packet network interface, a first communication device, a particular port of a Session Border Controller (SBC), and a first IP address via which the first communication device is accessible;

receiving, at the particular port of the packet network interface, a first packet from the first communication device, the first packet including first content that is to be delivered to a second communication device, and the first packet indicating that the first communication device is accessible via a second IP address;

subsequent to receiving the first packet, receiving, at the SBC from the second communication device, a second packet indicating the first IP address and including second content that is to be delivered to the first communication device; and

routing, by the packet network interface, the content of the second packet to the first communication device by using the second IP address.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the first packet being associated with a communications session, and

assigning, by the packet network interface, the communications session to the particular port of the packet network interface, and wherein the second packet is routed via the assigned particular port.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

obtaining, by the packet network interface, an identifier indicated by the second packet data;

using the identifier, querying, by the packet network interface, a local call record corresponding to the communication session; and

determining, by the packet network interface, an address at which the local call record indicates that the first communication device is accessible.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein obtaining the identifier corresponding to the communications session comprises obtaining at least one of:

an identifier of the particular port, the first IP address, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Call ID, or a session ID that was established with the communication session.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the second packet comprises receiving the second packet via a private packet network backbone.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first IP address corresponds to a first communications network and the second IP address corresponds to a second communications network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first packet and the second packet is formatted in accordance with a real-time traffic protocol (RTP).

8. A system comprising:

a plurality of transceivers adapted to send and receive data corresponding to a data call;

a memory adapted to store non-transitory computer executable instructions; and

one or more processors adapted to interface with the plurality of transceivers, the one or more processors being configured to execute the non-transitory computer executable instructions to cause the system to;

create a local call record corresponding to the data call and indicating a first address via which a communication device servicing the data call is accessible;

while the local call record indicates that the communication device is accessible via the first address, receive, at the plurality of transceivers, first traffic of the data call, the first traffic indicating a second address via which the communication device is accessible;

in response to the reception of the first traffic indicating the second address, update the local call record to indicate that the communication device is accessible via the second address and not via the first address;

subsequent to updating the local call record, receive, at the plurality of transceivers, second traffic of the data call, the second traffic indicating the first address of the communication device and including a data payload to be delivered to the communication device; and

route the data payload of the second traffic to the communication device using the second address.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the data call is included in a plurality of data calls routed by the system, and wherein the non-transitory computer executable instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to cause the system to:

create a respective local record for each data call included in the plurality of data calls;

update the respective local record for the each data call with an indication of a current address of a respective communication device servicing the each data call; and

route traffic of the each data call using the updated, current address.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the local call record corresponding to the data call includes an identifier of the data call.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the identifier of the data call comprises at least one of:

an identifier of a port of the system utilized to route packets to and from the communication device during the data call, the first address corresponding to the communication device, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Call ID, or a session ID.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the second traffic further includes an indication of the identifier of the data call.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein a first communications network assigns the communication device the first address and a second communications network assigns the communication device the second address.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein to update the local call record the non-transitory computer executable instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to cause the system to:

compare a first device identifier indicated by the first traffic to a second device identifier stored in the local call record, wherein the first and second device identifiers comprises at least one of;

a Mobile Identification Number (MIN), a Mobile Directory Number (MDN), a pseudo-Electronic Serial Number (pESN), a Mobile Equipment Identified (MEID), an Integrated Circuit Card Identification (ICC ID), an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), an International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI), or an account name; and

verify that the first device identifier matches the second device identifier; and

in response to the verification, storing the second address in the local call record.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions, that when executed cause one or more processors to:

assign, by a Session Border Controller (SBC), a bearer path port of the SBC to a communication session between a first communication device and a second communication device;

route, via the SBC and by using the bearer path port, one or more data packets of the communication session to the first communication device using a first IP address;

receive, at the SBC via the bearer path port, a data packet of the communication session that is to be delivered to the second communication device, the data packet including an indication that the first communication device corresponds to a second IP address; and

responsive to receiving the data packet that is to be delivered to the second communication device, route, via the SBC and by using the bearer path port, one or more further data packets of the communication session to the first communication device using the second IP address.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the data packet that is to be delivered to the second communication device is received from the first communication device at a first point in time, and wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to receive, at the SBC at a second point in time occurring after the first point in time, an invite message from the first communication device, the invite message comprising an indication of the second IP address.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

upon receiving the invite message, enable, by the SBC, one or more advanced call features associated with the communication session, the one or more advanced call features comprising at least one of;

hold or transfer.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the data packet that is to be delivered to the second communication device is received from the first communication device at a first point in time, and wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

receive, at the SBC at a third point in time occurring after the first point in time, a registration message from the first communication device, the registration message comprising an indication of the second IP address; and

upon receiving the registration message from the first communication device, transmit, by the SBC, another registration message to a packet-switched network, the another registration message indicating the second IP address.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein:

the first IP address is assigned to the first communication device by a first wireless network; and

the second IP address is assigned to the first communication device by a second wireless network.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein to route the one or more further data packets to the first communication device using the second IP address the instructions further cause the one or more processors to route one or more further data packets using the second IP address, the one or more further data packets including an indication of the first IP address.