Prioritized Call Sessions

Abstract

A local network call handling device is configured to establish multiple concurrent call sessions between local network end devices and an external network. When a prioritized end device attempts to establish a call session, the call handling device may initially determine if a first call session identifier is available. If so, the call session can be established using that first identifier. If the first identifier is in use for a call session of another end device, the call handling device may either use a different call session identifier for the prioritized end device session or may drop a pre-existing call session to free an identifier for use in connection with the prioritized end device.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving a signal indicating a request to establish a prioritized call session, wherein
 the signal is received at a call handling device over a first local interface thereof, 
 the call handling device includes a second local interface and an external network interface and is configured to communicate with a local first end device over the first local interface, with a local second end device over the second local interface and with the external network over the external network interface, and 
 the call handling device is further configured to establish call sessions between the first end device and the external network and between the second end device and the external network; 
   dropping a pre-existing call session, wherein the pre-existing call session is using a first call session identifier, and wherein the pre-existing call session is dropped by the call handling device responsive, at least in part, to the received signal; and   establishing the prioritized call session from the call handling device using the first call session identifier.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the call handling device is configured to communicate with a local third end device over the second local interface, and   the call handling device is further configured to establish concurrent call sessions between the second and third end devices and the external network, each of said concurrent call sessions using a different one of a plurality of call session identifiers, the plurality of call session identifiers including the first call session identifier, and further comprising   determining, at the call handling device and in response to a second signal received over the first local interface, whether the first call session identifier is in use;   upon determining that the first call session identifier is in use, selecting at the call handling device another call session identifier of the plurality; and   establishing a second prioritized call session from the call handling device using the selected call session identifier.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first local interface is an analog telephony interface,   the second local interface is a different type of interface, and   the external network interface is a packet data interface.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 receiving a signal comprises receiving a signal from an alarm system, and   the second end device comprises a cordless handset.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the call handling device is configured to establish voice call sessions between the second end device and the external network, and   the first call session identifier comprises a telephone number.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the call handling device is configured to establish voice call sessions between the second end device and the external network, and   the first call session identifier comprises a Network-based Call Signaling session identifier.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the call handling device is configured to communicate with a local third end device over the second local interface, and   the call handling device is further configured to establish concurrent call sessions between the second and third end devices and the external network, each of said concurrent call sessions using a different one of a plurality of call session identifiers, the plurality of call session identifiers including the first call session identifier, and further comprising   determining at the call handling device, in response to the received signal and prior to the dropping, that all call session identifiers of the plurality are in use for pre-existing call sessions.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first local interface is an analog telephony interface,   the second local interface is a different type of interface,   the call handling device includes a third local interface that is also an analog telephony interface and is configured to establish call sessions between a local third end device communicating through the third local interface and the external network, and further comprising   receiving a second signal over third local interface; and   in response to receiving the second signal, bridging the third end device into a pre-existing call session using the first call session identifier.   
     
     
         9 . A system, comprising:
 first and second local interfaces;   an interface to an external network; and   a processor, wherein the processor is configured to
 receive a signal over the first local interface indicating a request to establish a prioritized call session, 
 communicate with a local first end device over the first local interface, with a local second end device over the second local interface and with the external network over the external network interface, 
 establish call sessions between the first end device and the external network and between the second end device and the external network, 
 drop a pre-existing call session using a first call session identifier, wherein the pre-existing call session is dropped responsive, at least in part, to the received signal, and 
 establish the prioritized call session from the call handling device using the first call session identifier. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to
 communicate with a local third end device over the second local interface,   establish concurrent call sessions between the second and third end devices and the external network, each of said concurrent call sessions using a different one of a plurality of call session identifiers, the plurality of call session identifiers including the first call session identifier,   determine, in response to a second signal received over the first local interface, whether the first call session identifier is in use,   upon determining that the first call session identifier is in use, select another call session identifier of the plurality, and   establish a second prioritized call session using the selected call session identifier.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9  wherein
 the first local interface is an analog telephony interface, 
 the second local interface is a different type of interface, and 
 the external network interface is a packet data interface. 
 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein
 receiving a signal comprises receiving a signal from an alarm system, and   the second end device comprises a cordless handset.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein
 the processor is configured to establish voice call sessions between the second end device and the external network, and   the first call session identifier comprises a telephone number.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein
 the processor is configured to establish voice call sessions between the second end device and the external network, and   the first call session identifier comprises a Network-based Call Signaling session identifier.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to
 communicate with a local third end device over the second local interface,   establish concurrent call sessions between the second and third end devices and the external network, each of said concurrent call sessions using a different one of a plurality of call session identifiers, the plurality of call session identifiers including the first call session identifier, and   determine, in response to the received signal and prior to the dropping, that all call session identifiers of the plurality are in use for pre-existing call sessions.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a third local interface, and wherein
 the first local interface is an analog telephony interface,   the second local interface is a different type of interface,   the third local interface is also an analog telephony interface,   the processor is configured to establish call sessions between a local third end device communicating through the third local interface and the external network,   the processor is configured to receive a second signal over third local interface, and   the processor is configured to, in response to receiving the second signal, to bridge the third end device into a pre-existing call session using the first call session identifier.   
     
     
         17 . A system, comprising:
 a call handling device, the call handling device including a first analog telephony local communication interface and a second local communication interface, an external network interface, and at least one processor, wherein the call handling device is configured to
 communicate with an alarm system over the first local communication interface, 
 communicate with a second end device over the second local communication interface, 
 establish call sessions between the alarm system and the external network and between the second local end device and the external network, 
 receive a signal, over the first local communication interface and during a pre-existing call session over the second interface, indicating a request to establish a prioritized call session, 
 establishing the prioritized call session, so as to permit association of the prioritized call session with a first session identifier, without regard to whether the first session identifier is associated with the pre-existing call session. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the first session identifier is a telephone number, and wherein the call handling device is configured to
 establish call sessions using Session Initiation Protocol,   establish call sessions between the second end device and the external network by inserting a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) of the second local end device in SIP address From fields, and   establish call sessions between the alarm system and the external network by inserting a URI of the alarm system in SIP address From fields.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the call handling device is configured to
 determine, in response to the signal received from the alarm system over the first local communication interface, that a maximum number of concurrent call sessions are ongoing,   drop one of the ongoing call sessions in response to the determining, and   establishing the prioritized call session in response to the dropping.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising an alarm system in communication with the call handling device over the first local communication interface. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to
 determine that the pre-existing call session is using a first call session identifier,   drop the pre-existing call session in response to the determining, and   establishing the prioritized call session in response to the dropping.