Abstract: Methods are disclosed for providing prepaid telephony service via an Internet protocol (IP) network system. A first method provides controlling at least one media agent or call routing station/switch of an IP network system for allowing and/or blocking call media streams from traversing through the media agent. A second method provides directing all signaling messages transmitted by a signaling agent or station and all media packets transmitting voice and data communications through at least one common device within the IP network system.

Abstract: A method of providing IP telephony services maps a telephony signaling protocol called party number nature of address indicator to an Internet signaling protocol nature of address indicator and a telephony signaling protocol called party number numbering plan indicator to an Internet signaling protocol numbering plan indicator.

Abstract: A method and system for providing intelligent network control services in IP telephony, wherein the system includes a location manager and an IP telephony proxy server. The location manager includes an interface to a legacy telephony service control entity and the IP telephony proxy server includes an IP interface to the location manager. If the IP telephony proxy server requires intelligent network services, then the IP telephony proxy server sends an IP telephony session initiation request to the called party at the location manager. The location manager uses the information to query the legacy telephony service control entity for routing information. When the location manager receives a routing response from the service control entity, the location manager maps the response to an IP telephony session control message back to the IP telephony proxy server.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a message associated with a device in a first domain. An identifier is determined for the device. The message is then sent to a load balancer where the message includes the identifier. The load balancer is then configured to send the message to a network device in a plurality of network devices. The network device is configured to process messages from the device. A second message may be received at the load balancer from a second domain. The second message may include the identifier for the device. The load balancer may then send the second message to the selected network device such that the first message and the second message are processed by the same network device.

Abstract: Providing service information includes receiving session initiation protocol (SIP) packets from a SIP proxy. Service information is extracted from the SIP packets. The service information describes a service provided to an access terminal associated with a subscriber. The service information is sent to a charging/enforcement point operable to charge the subscriber for the service.

Abstract: A method and system for providing intelligent network control services in IP telephony, wherein the system includes a location manager and an IP telephony proxy server. The location manager includes an interface to a legacy telephony service control entity and the IP telephony proxy server includes an IP interface to the location manager. If the IP telephony proxy server requires intelligent network services, then the IP telephony proxy server sends an IP telephony session initiation request to the called party at the location manager. The location manager uses the information to query the legacy telephony service control entity for routing information. When the location manager receives a routing response from the service control entity, the location manager maps the response to an IP telephony session control message back to the IP telephony proxy server.

Abstract: A method and system for providing intelligent network control services in IP telephony, wherein the system includes a location manager and an IP telephony proxy server. The location manager includes an interface to a legacy telephony service control entity and the IP telephony proxy server includes an IP interface to the location manager. If the IP telephony proxy server requires intelligent network services, then the IP telephony proxy server sends an IP telephony session initiation request to the called party at the location manager. The location manager uses the information to query the legacy telephony service control entity for routing information. When the location manager receives a routing response from the service control entity, the location manager maps the response to an IP telephony session control message back to the IP telephony proxy server.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method whereby the separate protocols: session initiation protocol SIP, resource reservation protocol RSVP, common open policy service COPS, and open settlement protocol OSP are used together to setup, maintain, and teardown Internet communications having an acceptable QoS. This process is accomplished by dynamically establishing RSVP policy based on SIP telephony requests to provide IP communications with QoS across the Internet. The QoS policy is installed in network elements at the request of the network elements.

Abstract: A system and method for associating a handoff address to a communication session includes determining one or more communication sessions are established in a first network. Each of one or more handoff addresses is associated with each of the one or more communication sessions. Associating each of the one or more handoff addresses is according to a temporal order of establishment of the one or more communication sessions.

Abstract: A method for signaling an Integrated Messaging System (IMS) on an Internet Protocol (IP) based network to deposit a message, including the steps of sending a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) SIP INVITE request to the IMS indicating a message deposit action; receiving a corresponding SIP message from the IMS agreeing to participate in the message deposit action; and sending an SIP acknowledge message to the IMS confirming receipt of the corresponding SIP message; and depositing the message in a destination mailbox. A method of signaling an IMS on an IP based network to retrieve a deposited message, the method including the steps of sending a SIP INVITE request to the IMS indicating a message retrieval action; receiving a corresponding SIP message from the IMS agreeing to participate in the message retrieval action; sending an SIP acknowledge message to the IMS confirming receipt of the corresponding SIP message; and retrieving the deposited message from a mailbox corresponding to known account information.

Abstract: An approach for processing voice calls over a packet switched network as to efficiently utilize the functionalities of a Voice Response Unit (VRU). According to one embodiment, a call originator, acting as a User Agent Client in accordance with the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), issues messages to establish a first call-leg with the VRU. The VRU performs digit collection to obtain information to authenticate the call originator and to authorize the voice call. Based upon the issued messages from the call originator, the VRU establishes a second call-leg with the call terminator. The VRU is released from the voice call after binding the call-legs to connect the call originator to the call terminator.

Abstract: A method and system for providing quality of service in an IP telephony session between a calling party and a called party establishes a high quality of service ATM virtual circuit for the session between first and second devices, each of the devices having ATM capability and IP capability. The first and second devices provide bidirectional translation between IP media and ATM media. The system transports IP media for the session between the calling party and the first device, and between said called party and a second device. The virtual circuit transports ATM media for the session between the first and second devices. An intelligent control layer provides IP and ATM signaling to set up the session.

Abstract: An illustrative intelligent network and method for providing voice telephony over ATM and closed user groups are provided that can provide significant advantages. A method for providing a closed user group service to authorize VToA calls includes determining the closed user group identifiers for a calling party, determining the closed user group identifiers for a called party, locating a common closed user group identifier that is common to the calling party and the called party, analyzing the privileges of the calling party in the common closed user group to determine if the calling party can make calls to other users of the common closed user group, and analyzing the privileges of the called party in the common closed user group to determine if the called party can receive calls from other users of the common closed user group. An illustrative intelligent network and data structure to provide closed user group services is also provided.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for providing prepaid telephony service via an Internet protocol (IP) network system. A first method provides controlling at least one media agent or call routing station/switch of an IP network system for allowing and/or blocking call media streams from traversing through the media agent. A second method provides directing all signaling messages transmitted by a signaling agent or station and all media packets transmitting voice and data communications through at least one common device within the IP network system. The methods further provide for continuously monitoring a subscriber's account balance and terminating the prepaid telephony service if the account balance is less than a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A method for combining Internet protocols in a Differentiated Services model environment is described. The Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and Common Open Policy Service (COPS) are combined together to provide methods of setting up a session and tearing down a session, while maintaining Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) policies. The Open Settlement Policy (OSP) is also combined with SIP and COPS.

Abstract: An illustrative intelligent network and method for providing voice telephony over Asynchronous Transfer Mode (“ATM”) and private address translation are provided that can provide significant advantages. The method includes generating an input ATM setup message at the calling party CPE that includes a VToA designator and a called party phone number, extracting information from the input ATM setup message, analyzing the information, designating an ATM address of a called party CPE to be stored in the first parameter of an output ATM setup message, determining if private address translation is needed, designating the ATM address of the called party CPE to be stored in a first instance of the second parameter of the output ATM setup message, designating an ATM address of an egress ATM edge switch to be stored in the first parameter of the output ATM setup message, and generating an output ATM setup message.

Abstract: A virtual private network includes an internet protocol (IP) network and a public switched telephone network (PSTN). An enterprise gateway is operably connected to the IP network. The enterprise gateway is operably connected to a switch of the PSTN through a direct access line (DAL). The set-up signaling for virtual private network calls and the calls themselves are transported across the internet protocol network and the public switched telephone network through the direct access line.

Abstract: A method and system for dynamically selecting a destination gateway to complete a call over a path supported at least in part by an IP telephony network and a public switched telephone network. The method and system further provide for dynamically detecting available gateways, dynamically removing failed and/or unavailable gateways, and automatically recovering failed and/or unavailable gateways after a predetermined period of time. A method is also provided for detecting available destination gateways using a ping method, where a message is transmitted to a plurality of destination gateways on a one-by-one basis to ascertain the availability status of each destination gateway.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for providing prepaid telephony service via an Internet protocol (IP) network system. A first method provides controlling at least one media agent or call routing station/switch of an IP network system for allowing and/or blocking call media streams from traversing through the media agent. A second method provides directing all signaling messages transmitted by a signaling agent or station and all media packets transmitting voice and data communications through at least one common device within the IP network system. The methods further provide for continuously monitoring a subscriber's account balance and terminating the prepaid telephony service if the account balance is less than a predetermined amount.

Abstract: An approach for processing voice calls over a packet switched network as to efficiently utilize the functionalities of a Voice Response Unit (VRU). According to one embodiment, a call originator, acting as a User Agent Client in accordance with the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), issues messages to establish a first call-leg with the VRU. The VRU performs digit collection to obtain information to authenticate the call originator and to authorize the voice call. Based upon the issued messages from the call originator, the VRU establishes a second call-leg with the call terminator. The VRU is released from the voice call after binding the call-legs to connect the call originator to the call terminator.