Abstract: Provided are methods, devices, and systems for maintaining a SIP survivable network. The present invention is adapted to allow SIP endpoints or User Agents to discover and select the controller or controllers that the SIP endpoint will register with. Selection of the controller or controllers may be based upon the relative attributes of the controllers and the needs of the SIP endpoint.

Abstract: Provided are methods, devices, and systems for maintaining a SIP survivable User Agent. The present invention is adapted to allow the User Agent to detect the status of the network, thus providing the User Agent to perform failover/failback operations. The User Agent may be adapted to determine the status of the network based on its own monitoring mechanisms and/or based on messages received from other network components.

Abstract: Provided are methods, devices, and systems for maintaining a SIP survivable network. The present invention may utilize messages, such as SIP NOTIFY messages, to trigger various network components to failover and failback based on the determined status of the SIP network.

Abstract: Provided are methods, devices, and systems for maintaining a SIP survivable User Agent. The present invention is adapted to allow the User Agent to detect the status of the network, thus providing the User Agent to perform failover/failback operations. The User Agent may be adapted to determine the status of the network based on its own monitoring mechanisms and/or based on messages received from other network components.

Abstract: Provided are methods, devices, and systems for maintaining a SIP survivable network. The present invention may utilize messages, such as SIP NOTIFY messages, to trigger various network components to failover and failback based on the determined status of the SIP network.

Abstract: Provided are methods, devices, and systems for maintaining a SIP survivable network. The present invention is adapted to allow SIP endpoints or User Agents to discover and select the controller or controllers that the SIP endpoint will register with. Selection of the controller or controllers may be based upon the relative attributes of the controllers and the needs of the SIP endpoint.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for call failover in a communication protocol for facilitating establishment of communication sessions between devices. For example, a method for maintaining, in the presence of a failure, an existing communication session between a first communication device and a second communication device in a communication system, wherein the communication session is established in accordance with an original signaling path between the first communication device and the second communication device, includes the following steps. Occurrence of a failure in the communication system is determined. An alternate signaling path is established between the first communication device and the second communication device such that the first communication device and the second communication device can continue the existing communication session using the alternate signaling path.

Abstract: A business performs a credit check on a customer's credit card number by utilizing the D-channel of an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) facility. The ISDN facility connects the business to a telecommunications network, which utilizes signaling system number 7 (SS7). Specifically, the ISDN Q.931 protocol is modified to allow the Q.931 FACILITY message to include: a) credit check request, b) a call reference number, and c) the customer's credit card number. This information is sent, via the ISDN D-channel, to the telecommunications network, which passes the information, via an SS7 Transaction Capability Application Part (TCAP) message, to a credit checking data base. A result from the credit checking data based is then passed back through the telecommunications network to the business on the D-channel of the ISDN facility.

Abstract: A call billing method and apparatus establishes an ISDN connection between the network and a called location which enables the called location to specify call billing information to the network, via the ISDN connection, on a call-by-call basis. The method provides the called party real time access to network rate tables to specify call billing parameters needed to generate a separate billing record for each call made to the called location. Other features enable the caller or called location to provide various types of information for call billing purposes.

Abstract: This invention relates to arrangements for providing a new spontaneous voice message service to any telephone customer at any telephone station when that customer encounters any destination that is busy or that does not answer. When a customer having a dual tone multifrequency (DTMF) station calls any destination that is busy or does not answer, the customer is invited, via an announcement identifying the new service, to record the caller's voice message. The announcement accompanies the returned busy tone or audible ring signal. The customer keys *867(=*VMS) and is then connected to a Voice Message Operations Center (VMOC) which prompts the customer to record the message. Advantageously, customers need not redial a VMOC number, their own number, and a destination number to reach a VMOC for storing the video message; the added convenience of this arrangement should stimulate substantial additional use of voice message service.