Voice over IP endpoint call admission

Abstract

The present invention is directed generally to an intelligent endpoint or communication device that can collect available bandwidth-related information metrics and/or perform call admission control functions. The present invention is further directed to an architecture comprising a switch or media server in communication with a plurality of subscriber communication devices in which the subscriber communication devices act as network nodes to collect available bandwidth-related information.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for controlling contact admission, comprising: 
 (a) receiving from a first user at a first endpoint at least one signal associated with initiation of a voice communication with at least a second endpoint;    (b) collecting bandwidth information associated with an expected quality of the voice communication by performing at least one of the following substeps: 
 (i) sending at least one test packet to the at least a second endpoint to obtain a first subset of bandwidth information;  
 (ii) requesting, from at least one intermediate entity in at least one communication path between the first and second endpoints, a second subset of bandwidth information; and  
 (iii) requesting, from a switch or media server in communication with the first endpoint and at least a second endpoint, a third subset of bandwidth information, the third subset of bandwidth information being associated with communications between endpoints other than the first and at least a second endpoints;  
   (c) comparing at least some of the collected bandwidth information with at least one threshold; and    (d) when the at least some of the collected bandwidth information fails to satisify the at least one threshold, at least one of (i) notifying the first user of a likelihood of a low quality of the communication and (ii) not permitting initiation of the communication between the first and at least a second endpoints.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one signal is a telephone number or an address on a data network and further comprising: 
 when the at least some of the collected bandwidth information satisfies the at least one threshold, permitting initiation of the communication between the first and at least a second endpoints.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second endpoints are one of an IP hard phone, an IP softphone, a telephone other than an IP hard phone and softphone, and a personal digital assistant.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bandwidth information comprises one or more of the following: received RTP packets, received RTP octets, round trip time, jitter buffer delay, jitter, packet loss burst size, a number of out-of-order packets, an out-of-order distance, Reservation Protocol status, call state, sender channel state, IP Differentiated Service Code Point, available bandwidth, router buffer size, a number of dropped packets by a router, router bandwidth utilization, and router processor utilization.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein substep (i) of the collecting step is performed.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first subset of bandwidth information comprises at least one of the following: received RTP packets, received RTP octets, round trip time, jitter buffer delay, jitter, packet loss burst size, a number of out-of-order packets, an out-of-order distance, and Reservation Protocol status.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein substep (ii) of the collecting step is performed and wherein the at least one intermediate entity is a router and/or an associated interface of the router.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the second subset of bandwidth information comprises at least one of the following: router buffer size, a number of dropped packets by a router, router bandwidth utilization, router processor utilization.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein substep (iii) of the collecting step is performed.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the third subset of bandwidth information comprises at least one of the following: received RTP packets, received RTP octets, round trip time, jitter buffer delay, jitter, packet loss burst size, a number of out-of-order packets, an out-of-order distance, and Reservation Protocol status.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the switch or media server performs the following steps: 
 receiving the at least one of a telephone number and address on a data network; and    receiving from the first endpoint a communication initiation message, wherein: 
 (i) when the communication initiation message indicates insufficient bandwidth is available for the communication, not connecting the first and at least a second endpoints; and  
 (ii) when the communication initiation message indicates sufficient bandwidth is available for the communication, connecting the first and at least a second endpoints.  
   
     
     
         12 . A communication device comprising, comprising: 
 an input operable to receive, from a first user, at least one signal associated with initiation of a voice communication with at least a second communication device;    a communication admission control agent operable to (a) collect bandwidth information associated with an expected quality of the voice communication by performing at least one of (i) sending at least one test packet to the at least a second communication device to obtain a first subset of bandwidth information; (ii) requesting, from at least one intermediate entity in at least one communication path between the first and second communication devices, a second subset of bandwidth information; and (iii) requesting, from a switch or media server in communication with the first and at least a second communication devices, a third subset of bandwidth information, the third subset of bandwidth information being associated with communications between communication devices other than the first and at least a second communication devices; (b) compare at least some of the collected bandwidth information with at least one threshold; and (c) when the at least some of the collected bandwidth information fails to satisfy the at least one threshold, at least one of (i) notifying the first user of a likelihood of a low quality of the communication and (ii) not permitting initiation of the communication between the first and at least a second communication devices.    
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one signal is a telephone number or an address on a data network and wherein, when the at least some of the collected bandwidth information satisfies the at least one threshold, the agent is operable to initiate the communication between the first and at least a second communication devices.  
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second communication devices are one of an IP hard phone, an IP softphone, a telephone other than an IP hard phone and softphone, and a personal digital assistant.  
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the bandwidth information comprises one or more of the following: received RTP packets, received RTP octets, round trip time, jitter buffer delay, jitter, packet loss burst size, a number of out-of-order packets, an out-of-order distance, Reservation Protocol status, call state, sender channel state, IP Differentiated Service Code Point, available bandwidth, router buffer size, a number of dropped packets by a router, router bandwidth utilization, and router processor utilization.  
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the agent performs (i).  
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the first subset of bandwidth information comprises at least one of the following: received RTP packets, received RTP octets, round trip time, jitter buffer delay, jitter, packet loss burst size, a number of out-of-order packets, an out-of-order distance, and Reservation Protocol status.  
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the agent performs (ii) and the at least one intermediate entity comprises a router and/or an associated interface of the router.  
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the second subset of bandwidth information comprises at least one of the following: router buffer size, a number of dropped packets by a router, router bandwidth utilization, router processor utilization.  
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the agent performs (iii).  
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the third subset of bandwidth information comprises at least one of the following: received RTP packets, received RTP octets, round trip time, jitter buffer delay, jitter, packet loss burst size, a number of out-of-order packets, an out-of-order distance, and Reservation Protocol status.  
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the switch or media server is operable to receive the at least one of a telephone number and address on a data network; and receive from the first endpoint a communication initiation message, and wherein: 
 (i) when the communication initiation message indicates insufficient bandwidth is available for the communication, the switch or media server does not connect the first and at least a second communication devices; and (ii) when the communication initiation message indicates sufficient bandwidth is available for the communication, the switch or media server connects the first and at least a second communication devices.    
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the first communication device is a subscriber of the switch or media server.  
     
     
         24 . A method for controlling contact admission, comprising: 
 (a) during a voice communication first and second communication devices, collecting bandwidth information associated with a quality of the voice communication;    (c) comparing at least some of the collected bandwidth information with at least one voice quality threshold; and    (d) when the at least some of the collected bandwidth information fails to satisfy the at least one voice quality threshold, informing at least one of a first and second user associated, respectively, of the first and second communication devices that the voice quality is below a selected level.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the voice communication is a live voice conversation between the first and second users.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the first and second communication devices are one of an IP hard phone, an IP softphone, a telephone other than an IP hard phone and softphone, and a personal digital assistant.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the collected bandwidth information comprises one or more of the following: received RTP packets, received RTP octets, round trip time, jitter buffer delay, jitter, packet loss burst size, a number of out-of-order packets, an out-of-order distance, Reservation Protocol status, call state, sender channel state, IP Differentiated Service Code Point, available bandwidth, router buffer size, a number of dropped packets by a router, router bandwidth utilization, and router processor utilization.  
     
     
         28 . A method for collecting bandwidth information, comprising: 
 (a) providing a switch or a media server in communication with a plurality of subscriber communication devices;    (b) selecting a first subscriber communication device;    (c) requesting bandwidth information from the first subscriber communication device;    (d) performing with the first subscriber communication device at least one of the following substeps: 
 (i) sending at least one test packet to another subscriber communication device to obtain a first subset of bandwidth information; and  
 (ii) requesting, from at least one intermediate node in at least one communication path between the first communication device and another communication device, a second subset of bandwidth information; and  
   (e) selecting a second subscriber communication device; and    (f) repeating steps (c) and (d) with respect to the second subscriber communication device.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising: 
 (g) selecting a third subscriber communication device; and    (h) requesting bandwidth information from the third subscriber communication device, wherein the third subscriber communication device does not perform step (d) with respect to the third communication device, when the third subscriber communication device is in use by a user.    
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the bandwidth information comprises a plurality of the following: received RTP packets, received RTP octets, round trip time, jitter buffer delay, jitter, packet loss burst size, a number of out-of-order packets, an out-of-order distance, Rescrvation Protocol status, IP Differentiated Service Code Point, available bandwidth, router buffer size, a number of dropped packets by a router, router bandwidth utilization, and router processor utilization.