Distributed call server supporting communication sessions in a communication system and method

Abstract

An apparatus, method, and computer program manage communication sessions that include a plurality of portions. Different processors handle each portion of a communication session. The apparatus, method, and computer program transfer the communication session from one of the processors to another of the processors during the different portions of the communication session.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for processing audio information of a communication session, comprising:
 encoding elements of audio information using a codec;   storing the encoded elements of audio information in memory;   receiving a request for a specific element of the stored audio information;   retrieving the requested specific element of the stored audio information from memory; and   providing the retrieved element of audio information to the communication session without encoding or decoding the retrieved element of audio information using a codec.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 maintaining counts of requests for specific elements of stored audio information;   caching specific elements of stored audio information in cache memory when counts of requests for those specific elements exceed at least one threshold;   receiving further requests for those specific elements of stored audio information; and   retrieving those specific elements of stored audio information from cache memory.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the specific elements of stored audio information comprise audio prompts and audio announcements. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein plural versions of specific elements of audio information are stored, each version being encoded by a respective audio codec. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus for processing audio information of a communication session, comprising:
 at least one codec operable to encode elements of audio information;   a memory operable to store the encoded elements of audio information;   a processor operable to:
 receive a request for a specific element of the stored audio information; 
 retrieve the requested specific element of the stored audio information from memory; and 
 provide the retrieved element of audio information to the communication session without encoding or decoding the retrieved element of audio information using a codec. 
   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the processor is further operable to:
 maintain counts of requests for specific elements of stored audio information;   caching specific elements of stored audio information in cache memory when counts of requests for those specific elements exceed at least one threshold;   receive further requests for those specific elements of stored audio information; and   retrieve those specific elements of stored audio information from cache memory.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the specific elements of stored audio information comprise audio prompts and audio announcements. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein plural versions of specific elements of audio information are stored, each version being encoded by a respective audio codec.