Cloud VoIP system with bypass for IP media

• US 9,106,452 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2010
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RingCentral Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ShoreTel Incorporated (Mitel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Basart, Edwin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kao, Jutai
• Application Number:
  US12/980,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20110096762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,686 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/11 Identifying congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/122 by diverting traffic away from congested entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network

Abstract

The cloud computing VoIP system includes a software as a service (SaaS) site and one or more additional sites. The SaaS site includes a gateway and a call manager and is coupled for communication across an IP network and the PSTN. The call manager includes a media monitoring module, a bypass module, a PSTN control module and a GUI module. The SaaS site handles and controls voice and video calls over the IP network and the PSTN for endpoints at the one or more additional sites. In another embodiment, the cloud computing VoIP system is also coupled to a cellular network and the endpoints include an associated cellular phone. The cloud computing VoIP system also includes a method for falling back to a secondary network, namely the cellular network, when there is insufficient quality on a primary network.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

sending a first test signal to a first endpoint at a first site;

sending a second test signal to a second endpoint at a second site;

receiving quality of service data from the first endpoint;

receiving quality of service data from the second endpoint;

determining an issue with a connection based on the quality of service data received from the first endpoint and the second endpoint;

responsive to determining the issue, determining whether a connection to the first site is a source of congestion;

responsive to determining that the source of congestion is not the connection to the first site, determining whether a connection to the second site is the source of congestion; and

routing the connection based on the determination of the source of congestion.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that the source of congestion is the connection to the first site, routing the connection to a bypass path.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that the source of congestion is the connection to the second site, routing the connection to a bypass path.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that the source of congestion is not the connection to the second site, determining whether a connection to a third site is the source of congestion.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

in response to determining that the source of congestion is the connection to the third site, routing the connection to a bypass path.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

in response to determining that the source of congestion is not the connection to the third site, sending a subsequent test signal.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the third site is a shared site.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the third site is a Software as a Service (SaaS) site.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the first and second test signals is performed by a call manager.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

directing an initial test signal to be sent from the first endpoint at the first site to the second endpoint at the second site before sending, by the call manager, the first and second test signals.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

directing an initial test signal to be sent from the second endpoint at the second site to the first endpoint at the first site before sending, by the call manager, the first and second test signals.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the quality of service data is sent to a call manager.

13. A system comprising:

a processor, and;

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to;

send a first test signal to a first endpoint at a first site;

send a second test signal to a second endpoint at a second site;

receive quality of service data from the first endpoint;

receive quality of service data from the second endpoint;

determine an issue with a connection based on the quality of service data received from the first endpoint and the second endpoint;

determine whether a connection to the first site is a source of congestion in response to determining the issue;

determine whether a connection to the second site is the source of congestion in response to determining that the source of congestion is not the connection to the first site and

route the connection based on the determination of the source of congestion.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the memory also stores instructions that, when executed, cause the system to:

route the connection to a bypass path in response to determining that the source of congestion is the connection to the first site.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the memory also stores instructions that, when executed, cause the system to:

route the connection to a bypass path in response to determining that the source of congestion is the connection to the second site.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the memory also stores instructions that, when executed, cause the system to:

determine whether a connection to a third site is the source of congestion in response to determining that the source of congestion is not the connection to the second site.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the memory also stores instructions that, when executed, cause the system to:

route the connection to a bypass path in response to determining that the source of congestion is the connection to the third site.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the memory also stores instructions that, when executed, cause the system to:

send a subsequent test signal in response to determining that the source of congestion is not the connection to the third site.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the quality of service data is sent to a call manager.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

send a first test signal to a first endpoint at a first site;

send a second test signal to a second endpoint at a second site;

receive quality of service data from the first endpoint;

receive quality of service data from the second endpoint;

determine an issue with a connection based on the quality of service data received from the first endpoint and the second endpoint;

determine whether a connection to the first site is a source of congestion in response to determining the issue;

determine whether a connection to the second site is the source of congestion in response to determining that the source of congestion is not the connection to the first site; and

route the connection based on the determination of the source of congestion.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer further causes the computer to:

determine the source of congestion includes determining whether a connection to a third site is the source of congestion; and

route the connection to a bypass path in response to determining that the source of congestion is the connection to the third site.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the quality of service data is sent to a call manager.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the third site is a shared site.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the third site is a Software as a Service (SaaS) site.