← Back to Patent Explorer
US6799210B1 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Dynamic association of endpoints to media gateway controllers

Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC
•
Filing: 2000-06-21
•
Granted: 2004-09-28
•
Expires: 2020-06-21
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract The present invention provides an architecture for a media gateway to identify and register with multiple media gateway controllers for various types of voice and data services, along with having the media gateway appear to each of these media gateway controllers as a single, dedicated control entity. A logical layer, referred to as a virtualizer, is associated with each media gateway and appears to the media gateway as a single media gateway controller. To each media gateway controller the virtualizer supports, the virtualizer appears as a single media gateway. In essence, the virtualizer is a protocol manager and message router. The virtualizer supports the registration of multiple media gateways and then creates virtual gateways based on requirements of the media gateway controllers serving these virtual gateways. Preferably, subscribers associated with endpoints handled by the media gateway are grouped into a virtual gateway being served by a select media gateway controller or group thereof.

Inventors

  • 👤 William D. Gentry
  • 👤 Jason G. Emery
  • 👤 Samuel H. Christie, IV

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 10:53
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L65/00; H04L65/10; H04L65/102; H04L65/1043; H04L65/1023; H04L65/103; H04L65/1033; H04L65/104; H04L65/1066; H04L65/1069; H04L65/1101; H04L67/00; H04L67/50; H04L67/56; H04L67/563; H04L67/566; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; H04L69/00; H04L69/30; H04L69/32; H04L69/322; H04L69/329

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim 123 words
A system for associating endpoints of a media gateway with a plurality of media gateway controllers, said system comprising a control system adapted to dynamically associate at least one endpoint from a media gateway such that said at least one endpoint can receive service from any one of a plurality of media gateway controllers within a network independent of a second media gateway controller providing service to other endpoints from the media gateway wherein said control system has a logical layer providing virtual gateways for mapping said at least one endpoint to a media gateway controller, such that each said virtual gateway appears as a media gateway to a media gateway controller and appears as a media gateway controller to a media gateway.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 123 words
A system for associating endpoints of a media gateway with a plurality of media gateway controllers, said system comprising a control system adapted to dynamically associate at least one endpoint from a media gateway such that said at least one endpoint can receive service from any one of a plurality of media gateway controllers within a network independent of a second media gateway controller providing service to other endpoints from the media gateway wherein said control system has a logical layer providing virtual gateways for mapping said at least one endpoint to a media gateway controller, such that each said virtual gateway appears as a media gateway to a media gateway controller and appears as a media gateway controller to a media gateway.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 37 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said control system is further adapted to dynamically associate at least one endpoint with a virtual gateway and register said virtual gateway with a corresponding one of the media gateway controllers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 45 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said control system is flintier adapted to dynamically associate at least one endpoint to be registered with a certain media gateway controller and create one said virtual gateway mapping said at least one endpoint to the media gateway controller.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 43 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said control system is further adapted to communicate with a network manager to identify a select one of the media gateway controllers to associate with said at least one endpoint and configure the associated virtual gateway accordingly.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 41 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said control system is filer adapted to cooperate with said logical layer to provide protocol translation between a first protocol used by the media gateway and a second protocol used by the media gateway controller.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 30 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said control system is further adapted to cooperate with said logical layer to reassign an endpoint from one virtual gateway to another virtual gateway.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 34 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said control system is further adapted to cooperate with said logical layer to assign an endpoint to an existing virtual gateway being served by a media gateway controller.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 50 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said control system is further adapted to cooperate with said logical layer to store a secondary media gateway controller for serving a virtual gateway and reassign the virtual gateway from a primary media gateway controller to the secondary media gateway controller as conditions necessitate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 30 words
The system of claim 8 wherein said control system is further adapted to cooperate with said logical layer to register said reassigned virtual gateway with said secondary media gateway controller.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 66 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said control system is further adapted to cooperate with said logical layer to associate a first virtual gateway to a first media gateway controller for a first service provider and a second virtual gateway to a second media gateway controller for a second service provider such that endpoints on a common media gateway may be served by multiple service providers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 43 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said control system is further adapted to dynamically associate one endpoint from a media gateway with a plurality of media gateway controllers such that said one endpoint can receive service from said plurality of media gateway controllers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 32 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said control system is further adapted to cooperate with said logical layer to associate select endpoints from a plurality of media gateways with one virtual gateway.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 15 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said control system is embedded within a media gateway.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 16 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said control system is embedded within a media gateway controller.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 23 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said control system is embedded within a device other than a media gateway and media gateway controller.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 31 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said control system facilitates a service broker function adapted to assist in identifying at least one media gateway controller for the at least one endpoint.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 129 words
A computer readable media comprising software for instructing a control system to dynamically associate at least one endpoint from a media gateway such that said at least one endpoint can receive service from any one of a plurality of media gateway controllers within a network independent of a second media gateway controller providing service to other endpoints from the media gateway wherein endpoints of a media gateway may be associated with different media gateway controllers wherein said control system is further instructed to create a logical layer providing virtual gateways for mapping said at least one endpoint to a media gateway controller, such that each said virtual gateway appears as a media gateway to a media gateway controller and appears as a media gateway controller to a media gateway.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 129 words
A computer readable media comprising software for instructing a control system to dynamically associate at least one endpoint from a media gateway such that said at least one endpoint can receive service from any one of a plurality of media gateway controllers within a network independent of a second media gateway controller providing service to other endpoints from the media gateway wherein endpoints of a media gateway may be associated with different media gateway controllers wherein said control system is further instructed to create a logical layer providing virtual gateways for mapping said at least one endpoint to a media gateway controller, such that each said virtual gateway appears as a media gateway to a media gateway controller and appears as a media gateway controller to a media gateway.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 39 words
The computer readable media of claim 17 wherein said control system is further instructed to dynamically associate at least one endpoint with a virtual gateway and register said virtual gateway with a corresponding one of the media gateway controllers.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 47 words
The computer readable media of claim 17 wherein said control system is further instructed to dynamically associate at least one endpoint to be registered with a certain media gateway controller and create one said virtual gateway mapping said at least one endpoint to the media gateway controller.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 52 words
The computer readable media of claim 17 wherein said control system is further instructed to cooperate with said logical layer to store a secondary media gateway controller for serving a virtual gateway and reassign the virtual gateway from a primary media gateway controller to the secondary media gateway controller as conditions necessitate.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 32 words
The computer readable media of claim 20 wherein said control system is further instructed to cooperate with said logical layer to register said reassigned virtual gateway with said secondary media gateway controller.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 68 words
The computer readable media of claim 17 wherein said control system is further instructed to cooperate with said logical layer to associate a first virtual gateway to a first media gateway controller for a fist service provider and a second virtual gateway to a second media gateway controller for a second service provider such, that endpoints on a common media gateway may be served by multiple service providers.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 46 words
The computer readable media of claim 17 wherein said control system is further instructed to dynamically associate one endpoint from a media gateway with a plurality of media gateway controllers such that said one endpoint can receive service from said a plurality of media gateway controllers.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 34 words
The computer readable media of claim 17 wherein said control system is further instructed to cooperate with said logical layer to associate select endpoints from a plurality of media gateways with one virtual gateway.
Claim 27
Independent Claim 120 words
A system for associating endpoints of a media gateway with a plurality of media gateway controllers, said system comprising means adapted to dynamically associate at least one endpoint from media gateway such that said at least one endpoint can receive service from one of a plurality of media gateway controllers within a network independent of a second media gateway controller providing service to other endpoints from the media gateway, said means adapted to dynamically associate further provides virtual gateways for mapping said at least one endpoint receiving service to a media gateway controller, such that each said virtual gateway appears as a media gateway to a media gateway controller and appears as a media gateway controller to a media gateway.
Claim 28
Independent Claim 120 words
A system for associating endpoints of a media gateway with a plurality of media gateway controllers, said system comprising means adapted to dynamically associate at least one endpoint from media gateway such that said at least one endpoint can receive service from one of a plurality of media gateway controllers within a network independent of a second media gateway controller providing service to other endpoints from the media gateway, said means adapted to dynamically associate further provides virtual gateways for mapping said at least one endpoint receiving service to a media gateway controller, such that each said virtual gateway appears as a media gateway to a media gateway controller and appears as a media gateway controller to a media gateway.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 55 words
The system of claim 25 further comprising: a) means to interface with a plurality endpoints of a media gateway; b) means to interface with a packet network to facilitate communication with said media gateway controller, and c) means to facilitate a media path to after media entity based on instruction from the media gateway controller.
Claim 30
Independent Claim 120 words
A method of associating endpoints of a media gateway with a plurality of media gateway controllers comprising: a) providing virtual gateways associated with a media gateway; b) associating at least one endpoint of at least one media gateway with one said virtual gateway such that said at least one endpoint can receive service from one of a plurality of media gateway controllers via the virtual gateway independent of a media gateway controller providing service to other endpoints from the media gateway; c) mapping signals received from the media gateway controller to the media gateway for the at least one endpoint; and d) mapping signals received from the media gateway for the at least one endpoint to the media gateway controller.
Claim 31
Independent Claim 120 words
A method of associating endpoints of a media gateway with a plurality of media gateway controllers comprising: a) providing virtual gateways associated with a media gateway; b) associating at least one endpoint of at least one media gateway with one said virtual gateway such that said at least one endpoint can receive service from one of a plurality of media gateway controllers via the virtual gateway independent of a media gateway controller providing service to other endpoints from the media gateway; c) mapping signals received from the media gateway controller to the media gateway for the at least one endpoint; and d) mapping signals received from the media gateway for the at least one endpoint to the media gateway controller.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method of claim 27 wherein providing virtual gateways associated with the media gateway comprises providing virtual gateways associated with the media gateway with a logical layer.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US6671263B1 Cited
US6603760B1 Cited
US6674713B1 Cited
US6449251B1 Cited
US6680952B1 Cited
US6611516B1 Cited
US6515985B2 Cited
US6631416B2 Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2007-09-28 2008-03-29 2008-09-28 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2011-09-28 2012-03-29 2012-09-28 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2015-09-28 2016-03-29 2016-09-28 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag