Methods, apparatus and systems to increase media resource function availability

The communications method of claiml wherein Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signaling is used between said first Session Border Controller, said first media content processing entity, said second Session Border Controller and said second media content processing entity, said method further comprising:

• assigning by said first Session Border Controller a first dialog identifier to the first media call flow;
• sending from said first Session Border Controller to said second Session Border Controller via said first media content media processing entity said first dialog identifier and an address for said first Session Border Controller;
• receiving at second Session Border Controller said first dialog identifier and said address for said first Session Border Controller;
• assigning by said first media content processing device a second dialog identifier to said first media call flow;
• storing, at said second Session Border Controller, said first dialog identifier, said address for said first Session Border Controller and said second dialog identifier corresponding to said first media call flow;
• sending from said second Session Border Controller to said first Session Border Controller via said first media content processing entity said second dialog identifier and an address for said second Session Border Controller;
• receiving, at said first Session Border Controller, said second dialog identifier and said address for said second Session Border Controller;
• storing, at said first Session Border Controller, said first dialog identifier, said address for said second Session Border Controller and said second dialog identifier corresponding to said first media call flow;
• and
• using, by said Session Border Controller that detects the status condition indicative of a failure condition, the dialog identifier and Session Border Controller address received from the Session Border Controller that did not detect the status condition indicative of a failure condition, to redirect the first call flow media.

A communications system comprising:

• a first Session Border Controller including a media call flow direction module configured to direct a first media call flow through a first media content processing entity to a second Session Border Controller, said first media call flow being part of a first call;
• said second Session Border Controller including an Input/Output interface configured to receive said first media call flow;
• said first media content processing entity configured to perform a media content processing function on the first media call flow;
• and
• at least one of said first and second Session Border Controllers including a detection module configured to detect a status condition indicative of a failure condition for the first media content processing entity and a redirection module configured to redirect the first media call flow for the first call so that the first media call flow passes through a second media content processing entity instead of through the first media content processing entity without terminating the first call when said detection module detects a status condition indicative of a failure condition for the first media content processing entity.

The communications system of claiml wherein Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signaling is used between said first Session Border Controller, said first media content processing entity, said second Session Border Controller and said second media content processing entity, said communications system further comprising:

• a dialog identifier assignment module included in said first Session Border Controller, said dialog assignment module configured to assign a first dialog identifier to the first media call flow;
• an Input/Output Interface included in said first Session Border Controller configured to send from said first Session Border Controller to said second Session Border Controller via said first media content media processing entity said first dialog identifier and an address for said first Session Border Controller;
• said Input/Output Interface included in said second Session Border Controller further configured to receive said first dialog identifier and said address for said first Session Border Controller;
• a dialog identifier assignment module included in said first media content processing device configured to assign a second dialog identifier to said first media call flow;
• a memory storage control module included in said second Session Border Controller configured to store in memory at said second Session Border Controller, said first dialog identifier, said address for said first Session Border Controller and said second dialog identifier corresponding to said first media call flow;
• said Input/Output Interface included in said second Session Border Controller further configured to send from said second Session Border Controller to said first Session Border Controller via said first media content processing entity said second dialog identifier and an address for said second Session Border Controller;
• said Input/Output Interface included in said first Session Border Controller further configured to receive said second dialog identifier and said address for said second Session Border Controller;
• a memory storage control module included in said first Session Border Controller configured to store in memory at said first Session Border Controller, said first Session Border Controller, said first dialog identifier, said address for said second Session Border Controller and said second dialog identifier corresponding to said first media call flow;
• and
• said redirection module further configured to use the dialog identifier and Session Border Controller address received from the Session Border Controller that did not detect the status condition indicative of a failure condition, to redirect the first media call flow.