Nortel Networks Corporation

Northern Telecom Limited

Gregory S Graham

Michael Thomas

Kim Brian Holmes

Patrick Ma

Brian Joseph Bennefeld

Patrick S Ma

An Internet Protocol (IP) telephony system manages Gatekeeper subscriber load by assigning subscriber load among a plurality of Gatekeepers during the Gatekeeper discovery and registration process. A Registration Load Management Unit (RLMU) is primarily responsible for assigning subscriber load to the plurality of Gatekeepers. In one embodiment, the plurality of Gatekeepers are organized without a hierarchy structure and are made up of a plurality of Gatekeeper service nodes and a plurality of Gatekeeper Database nodes. The Gatekeeper service nodes provide the Registration, Admission, Status, Location, Call Set Up and other operating functions of the Gatekeeper while the plurality of Gatekeeper Database nodes store subscriber information. In a second embodiment, the plurality of Gatekeepers are organized in a hierarchy with a Root Gatekeeper at the top of the hierarchy and a plurality of Gatekeepers residing below the Root Gatekeeper in the hierarchy.

Scalable gatekeepers in an internet telephony system and a method of operation

A system comprises a first asynchronous transfer mode switch, a second asynchronous transfer mode switch, and a system control module. The first asynchronous transfer mode switch and the second asynchronous transfer mode switch are interconnected with one another via a physical interface. The first asynchronous transfer mode switch is in communication with the with the second asynchronous transfer mode switch via a virtual connection on the physical interface. The virtual connection has a corresponding bandwidth. The system control module is in communication with the first asynchronous transfer mode switch. The system control module is in communication with the second asynchronous transfer mode switch via the first asynchronous transfer mode switch and the physical interface. The system control module dynamically controls the corresponding bandwidth of the virtual connection over time. The system control module is centralized for the first asynchronous transfer mode switch and the second asynchronous transfer mode switch. The physical interface has a corresponding utilization level and further wherein the system control module periodicallly and continuouly checks the utilization level to determine what the corresponding bandwidth should be. A process comprises creating at least one virtual path extending from a first location to a second location through at least one asynchronous transfer mode switch for a customer in response to a customer request, selectively destroying at least one selected virtual channel of the at least one virtual channel of the virtual path as needed, checking each selected virtual channel of the at least one virtual channel that is created with the connection admission control module of each asynchronous transfer mode switch that the virtual path extend through to determine whether the selected virtual channel will fit in the virtual path, and checking the customer contract and the time of day to determine necessary adjustments.

Bandwidth management processes and systems for asynchronous transfer

A system comprises a system control module and a plurality of interconnected asynchronous transfer mode switches the interconnected asynchronous transfer mode switches are interconnected with one another via at least one physical interface to form a network. The network is used to transfer various types of information. Each asynchronous transfer mode switch has a connection admission control module to determine whether a virtual connection, such a virtual path, virtual channel, or grouping of virtual paths, can be connected through that particular asynchronous transfer mode switch. The virtual connection is formed from one asynchronous transfer mode switch to at least one other asynchronous transfer mode switch via a link of the at least one physical interface. The system control module connects to at least one asynchronous transfer mode switch and determines whether the virtual connection can be created in the network. A process of monitoring a utilization level of a grouping of a virtual path on a physical interface comprises checking the utilization level of the virtual path, updating an amount of available bandwidth for the virtual path, and comparing the amount of available bandwidth with a maximum threshold for the available bandwidth and setting an overload condition if the amount exceeds the maximum threshold and clearing the overload condition if the amount is below the maximum threshold. Service contracts governing a client's use of the network and ability to set up a virtual connection are also be checked in certain circumstances.

Growing community of inventors

Garland, TX, United States of America

Gregory S Graham