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US 7,466,714 B2Granted
Methods, systems, and computer program products for operating a communication network by dividing the network into multiple zones and defining policies that specify allowable communications between the zones
AssigneeAT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
InventorsRandy Stricklin, Troy Meuninck
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A communication network is operated by logically dividing the communication network into a plurality of zones. Policies are specified that define allowable communications between elements in different ones of the plurality of zones. Communications are blocked between elements in different ones of the plurality of zones that violate at least one of the policies.
Claims12
A method of operating a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network, comprising:
- logically dividing the (VoIP) network into a plurality of zones;
- specifying policies that define allowable communications between elements in different ones of the plurality of zones;
- and
- blocking communications between elements in different ones of the plurality of zones that violate at least one of the policies;
- wherein the plurality of zones comprises an inter-provider zone, a phone registration/management zone, a call feature zone, a media gateway zone, and an Internet/customer network zone;
- wherein specifying policies comprises:
- specifying a protocol to be used for communication between elements in the different ones of the plurality of zones;
- and
- specifying any zones to which an element may redirect a communication if the protocol is a Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) or a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).
6 more elements
A voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network, comprising:
- means for logically dividing the (VoIP) network into a plurality of zones;
- means for specifying policies that define allowable communications between elements in different ones of the plurality of zones;
- and
- means for blocking communications between elements in different ones of the plurality of zones that violate at least one of the policies;
- wherein the plurality of zones comprises an inter-provider zone, a phone registration/management zone, a call feature zone, a media gateway zone, and an Internet/customer network zone;
- wherein the means for specifying policies comprises:
- means for specifying a protocol to be used for communication between elements in the different ones of the plurality of zones;
- and
- means for specifying any zones to which an element may redirect a communication if the protocol is a Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) or a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).
6 more elements
A computer program product for operating a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network, comprising:
- a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code comprising:
- computer readable program code configured to logically divide the (VoIP) network into a plurality of zones;
- computer readable program code configured to specify policies that define allowable communications between elements in different ones of the plurality of zones;
- and
- computer readable program code configured to block communications between elements in different ones of the plurality of zones that violate at least one of the policies;
- wherein the plurality of zones comprises an inter-provider zone, a phone registration/management zone, a call feature zone, a media gateway zone, and an Internet/customer network zone;
- wherein the computer readable program code configured to specify policies comprises:
- computer readable program code configured to specify a protocol to be used for communication between elements in the different ones of the plurality of zones;
- and
- computer readable program code configured to specify any zones to which an element may redirect a communication if the protocol is a Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) or a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.