Abstract: A method includes, with a distributed telecommunication component, providing a plurality of first type nodes, each first type node configured to perform a signaling function. The method further include, with the distributed telecommunication component, providing a plurality of second type nodes, each second type node configured to perform a media bearing function. At least one of the plurality of bearer nodes is geographically separate by a predetermined distance from at least one of the plurality of control nodes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems, apparatus and methods for the computation and use of session, device and/or user signatures for determining communications session types, device types, and/or user signatures. An exemplary method in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes: receiving a first set of session control messages belonging to a first communications session, the first set of session control messages including at least one session control message; extracting a first set of features from the first set of session control messages; operating one or more neural networks to identify a group session signature to which the first set of session control messages corresponds based on the first set of features, the identified group session signature being one of a plurality of group session signatures.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems, apparatus and methods for the computation and use of session, device and/or user signatures for determining communications session types, device types, and/or user signatures. An exemplary system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes: a first device, the first device including: a receiver that receives a first set of session control messages belonging to a first communications session, said first set of session control messages including at least one session control message; a feature extractor that extracts a first set of device features from the first set of session control messages; and a first neural network that determines a device signature from the first set of session control messages based on said set of device features.

Abstract: The present invention relates to communications methods and apparatus dynamically detecting and/or mitigating anomalies in communications systems/networks.

Abstract: The present invention relates to communications methods, apparatus and systems for collecting metrics and/or traffic routing using SDN principles. In an exemplary method embodiment, the method includes the steps of: operating a SBC to: (i) receive a session initiation signal used to initiate a first media session; (ii) send to an SDN controller session identification information identifying a first RTCP packet stream corresponding to the first media session and causing said SDN controller to control a first open flow switch to establish an entry in a table to cause the first open flow switch to send a copy of the RTCP packets corresponding to the first RTCP packet stream to the SBC while also communicating the RTCP packets corresponding to the first RTCP packet stream towards the intended first RTCP packet stream destination.

Abstract: The present invention relates to communications methods and apparatus for determining whether a received call originated from an artificial intelligence system and the call handling procedures to be used on the received call based on whether or not the call was determined to have been originated from an artificial intelligence system. An exemplary method embodiment includes the steps of: receiving a first call; determining whether said first call originated from an artificial intelligence system; and when said first call is determined to have originated from an artificial intelligence system performing one or more artificial intelligence call handling operations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to communications methods, apparatus and systems for providing media micro flow services in a scalable manner using SDN principles. In an exemplary method embodiment a session border controller in a SDN network is operated to receive first signaling information for establishing a first media session, the first media session including a first media packet flow that passes through a first programmable switch of the SDN network; generate instructions to implement a media micro flow service on the first programmable switch through which the first media packet flow passes; and send the instructions to a SDN controller which controls the first programmable switch.

Abstract: A method includes, with a distributed telecommunication component, providing a plurality of first type nodes, each first type node configured to perform a control function. The method further includes, with the distributed telecommunication component, providing a plurality of second type nodes, each second type node configured to perform a bearer function. The method further includes, in response to a first type predetermined event, either changing a total number of the first type nodes or changing a total number of the second type nodes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for dynamically detecting and/or mitigating threats in communications systems. Exemplary methods and apparatus of the present invention allow for a combination of automated and operator controlled responses to threats. While an operator is provided an opportunity to provide input on how to respond to a threat, after one or more threats of a given type are identified, the system will automatically take corrective action without waiting for operator input and/or in the absence of operator input following notification of a threat.

Abstract: A method includes executing a Virtual Network Function (VNF) that includes a plurality of VNF components supported by a plurality of virtual machines, the virtual machines supported by a set of physical machines, the plurality of VNF components comprising a first group of VNF components and a second group of VNF components that is different than the first group, both the first group and the second group being independently scalable. The method further includes scaling the first group of VNF components in response to a change in demand for services associated with the first group.

Abstract: The present invention relates to communications methods and apparatus for detecting and/or mitigating split brain occurrences in high availability systems. A split brain condition being a condition wherein both a standby processing node and another processing node of a cluster of processing nodes included in a high availability system are both operating at the same time in an active mode of operation. An exemplary method embodiment of operating a high availability system including a plurality of processing nodes includes the steps of determining at a standby processing node that a failure condition exists, said standby processing node being one of the cluster of processing nodes; switching the standby processing node from a standby mode of operation to an active mode of operation in response to determining that a failure condition exists; and determining whether the high availability system is experiencing a split brain condition.

Abstract: Systems and methods which enable an authentication procedure to be used within the standard network security architecture to authenticate third party applications that are forbidden access to a particular secret key are disclosed. Third party smartphone applications that are unable to use SIM-based authentication due to being forbidden access to a SIM-based key are provided an alternate secret key for use in an EAP-AKA or EAP-SIM type procedure according to embodiments. An authentication server or other backend authentication infrastructure of embodiments requests authentication vectors from a backend system sharing the alternative secret key. Accordingly, the backend authentication platform of embodiments is adapted to know or detect that an application is using an alternative secret key (e.g., a secret key other than the SIM-based secret key) and to perform the appropriate procedure for the key type.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for efficient handling of registration messages by network equipment.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to communications apparatus, systems, and methods for preventing and/or minimizing session data clipping/loss when using the ICE protocol procedures on a session border controller. An exemplary method embodiment of operating a Session Border Controller (SBC) includes, receiving, at the SBC, an initial offer message from a first user equipment device directed to a second user equipment device, said initial offer message including one or more candidate addresses for the first user equipment device; and establishing a data path between the SBC and the second user equipment device in response to receiving said initial offer message prior to establishing a data session between the first user equipment device and the session border controller.

Abstract: A method performed by a computing system includes executing a web application container and in response to determining that a runtime web application for the web application container is not locally accessible, prompting a user for credentials. The method further includes sending the credentials to a configuration server and after sending the credentials to the configuration server, receiving a target uniform resource locator (URL). The target URL may point to a runtime web application on a first runtime web application server. The method further includes downloading the runtime web application to the computing system and executing the runtime web application.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for receiving, at a communication server, a web-based request for a real-time communication session, selecting, at the communication server, a number of applications based on information included in the web-based request to support the real-time communication session, the number of applications being from among the plurality of applications running on the one or more application servers, communicating with the one or more application servers to enable provision of the number of applications for the real-time communication session, and enabling the real-time communication session between a first device and a second device.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for receiving a request from a first device requesting a communication session with a second device; coordinating with a communication gateway and a registration database to determine whether the second device is registered with the communication server; enabling transmission of a first notification to the second device in response to determining that the second device is registered with the communication server, or enabling transmission of a second notification to the second device in response to determining that the second device is not registered with the communication server, the first notification and the second notification notifying the second device of the request for the communication session; receiving an indication of acceptance of the communication session from the second device; and coordinating with the communication gateway to start the communication session between the first device and the second device in response to receiving the indication of acceptance.

Abstract: A method performed by a communication server includes receiving a request from a first network entity to set up a communication session between a first user at a first device and a second user at a second device, wherein the first network entity is registered with the communication server, in response to the request, generating a token, wherein the token is configured to grant access to the communication session, sending the token to the first network entity, after sending the token to the first network entity, receiving the token from the first user at the first device, and causing the communication session to be set up between the first user at the first device and the second user at the second device according to the token.

Abstract: Communications methods, apparatus and systems for conserving Media Resource Function (MRF) resources by identifying streams of sessions, for example, non-real time streams, which can be routed to avoid use of MRF resources. An exemplary embodiment includes receiving by a SBC a session initiation request from a first device directed to a second device for a session including a plurality of streams; establishing a plurality of routes to the second device, said routes including at least a first route and a second route, the first route not including a media content processing entity and the second route including a media content processing entity; identifying from the streams for the session a first set of streams; said first set of streams including one or more streams that do not require media content processing; and routing one or more of the streams of the first set of streams via the first route.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods, systems and apparatus for providing efficient packet flow fillrate adjustments and providing protection against distributed denial of service attacks. One exemplary embodiment in accordance with the invention is a method of operating a communication system including the steps of receiving, at a session border controller, a first SIP invite request message; making a decision, at the session border controller, as to whether the first SIP invite request originated from an Integrated Access Device or an IP-PBX device; generating, at the SBC, a packet flow fillrate based on said decision as to whether the SIP invite request originated at an Integrated Access Device or an Internet Protocol-Private Branch Exchange (IP-PBX) device.