Patents by Inventor Nicholas Peter Larkin
Nicholas Peter Larkin has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 11218517Abstract: A media gateway and method with a media session manager function, a media processor function, and a media session state datastore function. The functions are provided by one or more instantiations which allow for independent scalability of the functions in the media gateway.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2020Date of Patent: January 4, 2022Assignee: Metaswitch Networks Ltd.Inventors: Andrew Caldwell, Nicholas Peter Larkin, Michael Jeffrey Evans, Matthew Williams
-
Patent number: 10834143Abstract: A telephony signalling element and method with a signalling processing function and a session datastore function. The signalling processing function has associated functions that are provided by one or more instantiations, and the session datastore function has associated functions that are provided by one or more instantiations. The instantiations allow for independent scalability of the functions in the telephony signalling element.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2018Date of Patent: November 10, 2020Assignee: Metaswitch Networks Ltd.Inventors: Andrew Caldwell, Charlie Stedman, David Reekie, Nicholas Peter Larkin
-
Publication number: 20200329076Abstract: A media gateway and method with a media session manager function, a media processor function, and a media session state datastore function. The functions are provided by one or more instantiations which allow for independent scalability of the functions in the media gateway.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2020Publication date: October 15, 2020Inventors: Andrew CALDWELL, Nicholas Peter LARKIN, Michael Jeffrey EVANS, Matthew WILLIAMS
-
Patent number: 10637893Abstract: A media gateway and method with a media session manager function, a media processor function, and a media session state datastore function. The functions are provided by one or more instantiations which allow for independent scalability of the functions in the media gateway.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2018Date of Patent: April 28, 2020Assignee: Metaswitch Networks Ltd.Inventors: Andrew Caldwell, Nicholas Peter Larkin, Michael Jeffrey Evans, Matthew Williams
-
Patent number: 10355979Abstract: The invention relates to sending media packets, such as SIP or RTP, via a media forwarding element which includes an anycast interface having an address shared with other media forwarding elements. If network topology changes or a media forwarding element becomes unavailable, then anycast messages may be routed to a different media forwarding element sharing the same anycast address. The new media element can then take over handling of the call from the first one.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2016Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: Metaswitch Networks LimitedInventor: Nicholas Peter Larkin
-
Publication number: 20190014157Abstract: A media gateway and method with a media session manager function, a media processor function, and a media session state datastore function. The functions are provided by one or more instantiations which allow for independent scalability of the functions in the media gateway.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2018Publication date: January 10, 2019Inventors: Andrew CALDWELL, Nicholas Peter LARKIN, Michael Jeffrey EVANS, Matthew WILLIAMS
-
Publication number: 20180352007Abstract: A telephony signalling element and method with a signalling processing function and a session datastore function. The signalling processing function has associated functions that are provided by one or more instantiations, and the session datastore function has associated functions that are provided by one or more instantiations. The instantiations allow for independent scalability of the functions in the telephony signalling element.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2018Publication date: December 6, 2018Inventors: Andrew CALDWELL, Charlie STEDMAN, David REEKIE, Nicholas Peter LARKIN
-
Patent number: 9641561Abstract: A method, system and computer program product are described for managing network communications to a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server capable of SIP processing using a SIP stack. A data packet is received from a network device. It is determined, from the data packet, whether the network device is a device recognized by the SIP server. Responsive to this determination, and before SIP processing using the SIP stack, it is determined whether the data packet conforms to a permitted configuration. The permitted configuration includes that data of the data packet indicates an unfragmented User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packet and that data indicative of SIP data in the received data packet matches a parsing rule. If the data packet conforms to the permitted configuration, it is passed to the SIP stack, if not it is discarded.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2015Date of Patent: May 2, 2017Assignee: METASWITCH NETWORKS LTDInventor: Nicholas Peter Larkin
-
Publication number: 20160352838Abstract: The invention relates to sending media packets, such as SIP or RTP, via a media forwarding element which includes an anycast interface having an address shared with other media forwarding elements. If network topology changes or a media forwarding element becomes unavailable, then anycast messages may be routed to a different media forwarding element sharing the same anycast address. The new media element can then take over handling of the call from the first one.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2016Publication date: December 1, 2016Inventor: Nicholas Peter Larkin
-
Patent number: 9497108Abstract: Measures for enabling media bypass of one or more session border controllers (SBCs) in a telecommunications network which includes a plurality of SBCs. An SBC receives an inbound offer message requesting setup of a media session between an originating endpoint device and a terminating endpoint device. The SBC transmits an outbound offer message to an ensuing SBC, wherein the originating endpoint device address comprised in the inbound offer message is re-written with an SBC address in the outbound offer message. The SBC receives an inbound answer message including a terminating endpoint device address. In response to receipt of the inbound answer message, the SBC transmits an outbound answer message to the originating endpoint device without re-writing the terminating endpoint device address, whereby the SBC and the ensuing SBC are bypassed in the media path for the media session.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2014Date of Patent: November 15, 2016Assignee: Metaswitch Networks Ltd.Inventor: Nicholas Peter Larkin
-
Publication number: 20160021150Abstract: A method, system and computer program product are described for managing network communications to a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server capable of SIP processing using a SIP stack. A data packet is received from a network device. It is determined, from the data packet, whether the network device is a device recognized by the SIP server. Responsive to this determination, and before SIP processing using the SIP stack, it is determined whether the data packet conforms to a permitted configuration. The permitted configuration includes that data of the data packet indicates an unfragmented User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packet and that data indicative of SIP data in the received data packet matches a parsing rule. If the data packet conforms to the permitted configuration, it is passed to the SIP stack, if not it is discarded.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2015Publication date: January 21, 2016Inventor: Nicholas Peter LARKIN
-
Patent number: 9191414Abstract: A method, system and computer program product are described for managing network communications to a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server capable of SIP processing using a SIP stack. A data packet is received from a network device. It is determined, from the data packet, whether the network device is a device recognized by the SIP server. Responsive to this determination, and before SIP processing using the SIP stack, it is determined whether the data packet conforms to a permitted configuration. The permitted configuration includes that data of the data packet indicates an unfragmented User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packet and that data indicative of SIP data in the received data packet matches a parsing rule. If the data packet conforms to the permitted configuration, it is passed to the SIP stack, if not it is discarded.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2012Date of Patent: November 17, 2015Assignee: METASWITCH NETWORKS LTDInventor: Nicholas Peter Larkin
-
Patent number: 9037729Abstract: There is provided a system, method and computer program product for managing network communications to a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server. In the system, a packet limiter receives packets relating to SIP messages from a network and selectively forwards said packets for initial SIP processing. A work scheduler then accesses the result of the initial SIP processing and determines whether to proceed with further SIP processing based on a level of system activity. If a level of system activity is such that the system should proceed with further SIP processing, then further SIP processing may be scheduled. Initial SIP processing may involve one or more of parsing, request handling and response handling. Further SIP processing may involve one or more of initiating a new dialog, processing SIP messages relating to an existing dialog and processing messages that do not require a dialog.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2012Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: METASWITCH NETWORKS LTD.Inventor: Nicholas Peter Larkin
-
Publication number: 20150030016Abstract: Measures for enabling media bypass of one or more session border controllers (SBCs) in a telecommunications network which includes a plurality of SBCs. An SBC receives an inbound offer message requesting setup of a media session between an originating endpoint device and a terminating endpoint device. The SBC transmits an outbound offer message to an ensuing SBC, wherein the originating endpoint device address comprised in the inbound offer message is re-written with an SBC address in the outbound offer message. The SBC receives an inbound answer message including a terminating endpoint device address. In response to receipt of the inbound answer message, the SBC transmits an outbound answer message to the originating endpoint device without re-writing the terminating endpoint device address, whereby the SBC and the ensuing SBC are bypassed in the media path for the media session.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2014Publication date: January 29, 2015Inventor: Nicholas Peter LARKIN
-
Patent number: 8812664Abstract: An apparatus in a LAN has first and second hardware interfaces to connect to the LAN. First and second monitoring request messages are transmitted to one or more devices in a first VLAN and one or more devices in a second VLAN respectively, via both the first and second hardware interfaces. The monitoring request messages use the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) or the Neighbor Discovery Protocol (NDP). First and second monitoring response messages are received via the first and/or second hardware interfaces in response to the first and second monitoring request messages respectively. A selection is made between the first and second hardware interfaces for performing data communication, based on the first and second monitoring response messages. The selection is performed independently for data communication via the first and second VLANs based on at least one characteristic of the first and second monitoring response messages respectively.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2012Date of Patent: August 19, 2014Assignee: Metaswitch Networks Ltd.Inventors: Nicholas Peter Larkin, Alastair Mitchell, Andy Tylee, Colin Tregenza Dancer, Steven Kennedy
-
Patent number: 8687640Abstract: There is provided a method of enabling media bypass for a media gateway in a telecommunications network which includes a plurality of media gateways via which a signaling path for transfer of signaling information for setup of a communication session between endpoint devices can be established and via which a media path for transfer of media data between the endpoint devices during the communication session can be established.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2011Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: Metaswitch Networks Ltd.Inventors: Michael Anthony Lyons, David Stephen Hammond, Nicholas Peter Larkin, Oliver James Carter
-
Publication number: 20130185445Abstract: A method, system and computer program product are described for managing network communications to a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server capable of SIP processing using a SIP stack. A data packet is received from a network device. It is determined, from the data packet, whether the network device is a device recognised by the SIP server. Responsive to this determination, and before SIP processing using the SIP stack, it is determined whether the data packet conforms to a permitted configuration. The permitted configuration includes that data of the data packet indicates an unfragmented User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packet and that data indicative of SIP data in the received data packet matches a parsing rule. If the data packet conforms to the permitted configuration, it is passed to the SIP stack, if not it is discarded.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2012Publication date: July 18, 2013Applicant: METASWITCH NETWORKS LTD.Inventor: Nicholas Peter Larkin
-
Publication number: 20130185416Abstract: An apparatus in a LAN has first and second hardware interfaces to connect to the LAN. First and second monitoring request messages are transmitted to one or more devices in a first VLAN and one or more devices in a second VLAN respectively, via both the first and second hardware interfaces. The monitoring request messages use the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) or the Neighbor Discovery Protocol (NDP). First and second monitoring response messages are received via the first and/or second hardware interfaces in response to the first and second monitoring request messages respectively. A selection is made between the first and second hardware interfaces for performing data communication, based on the first and second monitoring response messages. The selection is performed independently for data communication via the first and second VLANs based on at least one characteristic of the first and second monitoring response messages respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2012Publication date: July 18, 2013Applicant: METASWITCH NETWORKS LTD.Inventors: Nicholas Peter Larkin, Alastair Mitchell, Andy Tylee, Colin Tregenza Dancer, Steven Kennedy
-
Publication number: 20130179581Abstract: There is provided a system, method and computer program product for managing network communications to a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server. In the system, a packet limiter receives packets relating to SIP messages from a network and selectively forwards said packets for initial SIP processing. A work scheduler then accesses the result of the initial SIP processing and determines whether to proceed with further SIP processing based on a level of system activity. If a level of system activity is such that the system should proceed with further SIP processing, then further SIP processing may be scheduled. Initial SIP processing may involve one or more of parsing, request handling and response handling. Further SIP processing may involve one or more of initiating a new dialog, processing SIP messages relating to an existing dialog and processing messages that do not require a dialog.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2012Publication date: July 11, 2013Applicant: METASWITCH NETWORKS LTD.Inventor: Nicholas Peter Larkin
-
Patent number: RE47632Abstract: There is provided a method of enabling media bypass for a media gateway in a telecommunications network which includes a plurality of media gateways via which a signaling path for transfer of signaling information for setup of a communication session between endpoint devices can be established and via which a media path for transfer of media data between the endpoint devices during the communication session can be established.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2016Date of Patent: October 1, 2019Assignee: Metaswitch Networks LtdInventors: Michael Anthony Lyons, David Stephen Hammond, Nicholas Peter Larkin, Oliver James Carter