Obtaining Services Through a Local Network

Abstract

A local network gateway may exchange signaling data for a voice communication session with an external network. The gateway may also exchange internal signaling information relating to that voice communication session across logical ports within the local network gateway using a local signaling protocol. A voice communication session can be established between the local gateway and an external network and bridged to local communication sessions between the local gateway and end points.

1 . A method, comprising:
 exchanging, across first and second logical ports within a local network gateway of a local network, internal signaling information relating to a voice communication session, wherein
 the first logical port is associated with a first communication session end point in the local network, and 
 the second logical port is associated with a second communication session end point in the local network; 
   in response to the internal signaling information exchanged across the first logical port, exchanging first end point signaling data with the first communication session end point using a first end point signaling protocol and a first physical interface; and   in response to the internal signaling information exchanged across the second logical port, exchanging second end point signaling data with the second communication session end point using a second end point signaling protocol and a second physical interface, wherein the second physical interface is different from the first physical interface and the second end point signaling protocol is different from the first end point signaling protocol.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the internal signaling information exchanged across the first and second logical ports utilizes a common format. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the voice communication session is a voice communication session between the local network gateway and an external network, and further comprising:
 exchanging external signaling data, with the external network at the local network gateway, for the voice communication session.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the second physical interface is a local wireless data interface. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the second communication session end point is a voice communication software client executing on a wireless device communicating with the local network gateway through the second physical interface. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the voice communication software client is a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) -based client and the second end point signaling protocol is SIP. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein exchanging external signaling data comprises exchanging Network-based Call Signaling (NCS) data. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 establishing the voice communication session between the local network gateway and the external network;   establishing a SIP-based communication session between the local network gateway and the second communication session end point; and   bridging the voice communication session and the SIP-based communication session at the local network gateway.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first physical interface is one of a Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) interface, a Cordless Advanced Technology-Internet and Quality (CAT-iq) interface, and an analog telephony interface. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 establishing the voice communication session between the local network gateway and the external network;   establishing a first local communication session between the local network gateway and the first communication session end point;   establishing a second local communication session between the local network gateway and the second communication session end point; and   bridging the voice communication session, the first local communication session and the second local communication session at the local network gateway.   
     
     
         11 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory, the at least one processor and the at least one memory configured to perform operations that comprise
 exchanging, within the apparatus and across first and second logical ports, internal signaling information relating to a voice communication session, wherein
 the first logical port is associated with a first communication session end point in a local network, and 
 the second logical port is associated with a second communication session end point in the local network, 
 
 in response to the internal signaling information exchanged across the first logical port, exchanging first end point signaling data with the first communication session end point using a first end point signaling protocol and a first physical interface, and 
 in response to the internal signaling data exchanged across the second logical port, exchanging second end point signaling data with the second communication session end point using a second end point signaling protocol and a second physical interface, wherein the second physical interface is different from the first physical interface and the second end point signaling protocol is different from the first end point signaling protocol. 
   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the internal signaling information exchanged across the first and second logical ports utilizes a common format. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the voice communication session is a voice communication session between the apparatus and an external network, and wherein the at least one processor and the at least one memory are configured to perform operations that comprise
 exchanging external signaling data, with the external network at the apparatus, for the voice communication session.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the second physical interface is a general-purpose local wireless data interface. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the second communication session end point is a voice communication software client executing on a wireless device communicating with the apparatus through the second physical interface. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the voice communication software client is a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) based client and the second end point signaling protocol is SIP. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein exchanging external signaling data comprises exchanging Network-based Call Signaling (NCS) data. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one processor and the at least one memory are configured to perform operations that comprise
 establishing the voice communication session between the apparatus and the external network,   establishing a SIP-based communication session between the apparatus and the second communication session end point, and   bridging the voice communication session and the SIP-based communication session at the apparatus.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the first physical interface is one of a Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) interface, a Cordless Advanced Technology-Internet and Quality (CAT-iq) interface, and an analog telephony interface. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one processor and the at least one memory are configured to perform operations that comprise
 establishing the voice communication session between the apparatus and the external network,   establishing a first local communication session between the apparatus and the first communication session end point,   establishing a second local communication session between the apparatus and the second communication session end point, and   bridging the voice communication session, the first local communication session and the second local communication session at the apparatus.   
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the apparatus is part of a system that comprises the wireless device. 
     
     
         22 . A tangible machine-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by one or more processors to perform operations that comprise:
 exchanging, across first and second logical ports within a local network gateway of a local network, internal signaling information relating to a voice communication session, wherein
 the first logical port is associated with a first communication session end point in the local network, and 
 the second logical port is associated with a second communication session end point in the local network; 
   in response to the internal signaling information exchanged across the first logical port, exchanging first end point signaling data with the first communication session end point using a first end point signaling protocol and a first physical interface; and   in response to the internal signaling information exchanged across the second logical port, exchanging second end point signaling data with the second communication session end point using a second end point signaling protocol and a second physical interface, wherein the second physical interface is different from the first physical interface and the second end point signaling protocol is different from the first end point signaling protocol.   
     
     
         23 . The tangible machine-readable storage medium of  claim 22 , wherein the internal signaling information exchanged across the first and second logical ports utilizes a common format.