Signaling state management system for packet network gateways

A method for processing signaling events from a telephone in a packet network, comprising:

• receiving an event/action state from a call agent that includes telephone signaling state information;
• detecting and accumulating signaling events from the telephone according to the event/action state received from the call agent;
• notifying the call agent when the signaling events identified by the event/action state have been detected;
• discontinuing accumulation and detection of the signaling events according to the event/action state and automatically changing into a quarantine state after notifying the call agent, the quarantine state queuing up all call signaling events from the telephone;
• receiving a new event/action state from the call agent including new telephone signaling state information;
• and
• accumulating and detecting the queued up signaling events from the quarantine state and new signaling events from the telephone according to the new event/action state.

A method for controlling how signaling events from a telephone are processed in a packet network, comprising:

• sending a signaling control state to a gateway that controls how the gateway detects and accumulates telephone signaling events;
• receiving notification from the gateway when all the signaling events specified in the signaling control state have been detected or accumulated and receiving in the notification as a batch message any signaling events accumulated by the gateway;
• generating a new signaling control state according to the received notification;
• and
• sending the new signaling control state to change how the detects and accumulates signaling events.