The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 11, 2003
Filed:
Dec. 23, 1998
Brian Joseph Bennefeld, Allen, TX (US);
Patrick SzeChing Ma, Plano, TX (US);
Gregory Scott Graham, Richardson, TX (US);
Michael Flynn Thomas, Plano, TX (US);
Nortel Networks LTD, St. Laurent, CA;
Abstract
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.