JP3667594B2 - Gateway system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an H.323 gatekeeper function that can accommodate a larger number of gateways in a single gatekeeper by dividing the gatekeeper function in a communication system using H.323 and implementing a part of the gatekeeper function in the gateway device. The gateway system is divided.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, an H.323 gateway system is used to relay communication according to ITU-T recommendation H.323, which is a standard specification of a service quality non-guaranteed LAN (for example, Ethernet, etc.) and communication other than H.323. Perform conversion. In the H.323 model, one zone consists of one gatekeeper and one or more endpoints (gateway or H.323 terminal). The gatekeeper controls the gateway by performing address conversion, access conversion control, bandwidth management, and the like. When there are many gateways in one zone, multiple gatekeepers can be prepared to avoid gatekeeper processing congestion, but gateways can be registered with only one gatekeeper at the same time, so gateways are configured for each gatekeeper. Divided into multiple zones.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the above prior art has the following problems.
[0004]
The first problem is that when the number of gateways remains the same and a multiple zone configuration is used, the call loss rate increases. The reason is that the effect of grouping becomes smaller as the scale of one zone is reduced. On the other hand, in order to maintain the call loss rate equivalent to that of one zone, the number of gateway facilities increases.
[0005]
The second problem is that there is an upper limit on the number of gateways that can be accommodated by the capability of the gatekeeper in the case of a one-zone configuration. In order to accommodate more gateways in one zone, higher performance gatekeepers must be used.
[0006]
To solve the above problems, the present invention divides the gatekeeper function in a communication system using H.323 and mounts a part of it in a gateway device, so that more gateways can be accommodated in one gatekeeper. An object of the present invention is to provide a gateway system that can do this.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the gateway system of the present invention is an H.264 standard. A master gatekeeper having a gateway control function including an address conversion function for communication with other zones, a zone management function and a call control signaling function in a communication system using H.323, and a gateway control function of the master gatekeeper . A proxy keeper having only an address translation function and a zone management function, and a plurality of gateway apparatuses accommodating gateways that perform protocol conversion for communication with other zones ; One zone described in H.323 is configured .
[0008]
With the above configuration, the gateway address translation request is processed by the proxy gatekeeper, and the load on the master gatekeeper is reduced.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0010]
Referring to FIG. 1, the present embodiment includes a master gatekeeper 1, a gateway device 2, and a network address & port number conversion device 3. The gateway device 2 includes a proxy gate keeper 21 and a gateway 22. The master gatekeeper 1 and the gateway device 2 constitute a zone 6 described in H.323, and communication with the gatekeeper 4 and the endpoint 5 in the other zone 7 passes through the network address & port number conversion device 3. And do it.
[0011]
As shown in FIG. 2, the functions of the conventional H.323 gatekeeper 8 are distributed by the master gatekeeper 1 and the proxy gatekeeper 21. The proxy keeper 21 has an address conversion function 21a and a zone management function 21b among the gateway control functions that are conventionally processed by the H.323 gatekeeper 8, and eliminates bottlenecks caused by concentration of access from the gateway. In addition to the address translation function 1a and the zone management function 1b, the master gatekeeper 1 includes an admission control function 1c, a bandwidth control function 1d, a call control signaling function 1e, a call authorization function 1f, a bandwidth management function 1g, and a call management function 1h. have.
[0012]
The network address & port number conversion device 3 has a function of converting a network address and a port number when any one of the master gatekeeper 1, the proxy gatekeeper 21, and the gateway 22 communicates with another zone 7. The port number is an address in the transport layer. In particular, by converting the network address and port number of the proxy gatekeeper 21 into the network address and port number of the master gatekeeper 1, the master gatekeeper 1 can replace the proxy gatekeeper 21 from the gatekeeper 4 and the endpoint 5 of the other zone 7. Seems to be a zone 6 gatekeeper.
[0013]
In addition to the conventional H.323 gateway function, the gateway 22 has a function of requesting the master gatekeeper 1 to participate in a call rejected by the proxy keeper 21 again.
[0014]
Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG.
[0015]
In FIG. 3, when the gateway 22 transmits to the end point 5, the participation request A <b> 1 is transmitted to the proxy keeper 21. The proxy gatekeeper 21 sends a position information request A2 to the gatekeeper 4 of the other zone 7 by the address conversion function. When the proxy gatekeeper 21 passes through the network address & port number conversion device 3 on the way, the network of the proxy gatekeeper 21 in the position information request A2 The position information request A3 in which the address & port number is converted into the network address & port number of the master gatekeeper 1 is transferred, and the position information request A3 is received by the gatekeeper 4.
[0016]
The gatekeeper 4 responds to the position information request A3 with a position information confirmation A4 including a transport address for signaling to the end point 5. When the position information confirmation A4 passes through the network address & port number conversion device 3 on the way, the position information obtained by converting the network address & port number of the master gatekeeper 1 in the position information confirmation A4 into the network address & port number of the proxy gatekeeper 21 Confirmation A5 is transferred, and the position information confirmation A5 is received by the proxy keeper 21. The proxy keeper 21 transmits a permission confirmation A6 to the gateway 22 if it accepts the participation request A1. The gateway 22 opens the signaling channel A7 for the transport address specified by the permission confirmation A6.
[0017]
On the other hand, in FIG. 4, when the gateway 22 transmits a participation request B1 that requires a function that the proxy keeper 21 does not have, the proxy keeper 21 transmits a participation refusal B6. The procedure from the location information request B2 to the location information confirmation B5 is the same as the procedure from the location information request A2 to the location information confirmation A5 in FIG. The gateway 22 that has received the participation refusal B6 transmits a participation request B7 to the master gatekeeper 1 again. If the master gatekeeper 1 accepts the participation request, the master gatekeeper 1 transmits a permission confirmation B8 to the gateway 22. The gateway 22 opens the signaling channel B9 for the transport address specified by the permission confirmation B8.
[0018]
In FIG. 5, a case where the master gatekeeper 1 relays the signaling channel will be described. This is different from the example of FIG. 4 in that, in the permission confirmation C8 that the master gatekeeper 1 notifies to the gateway 22, the signaling transport address of the master gatekeeper 1 is notified instead of the signaling transport address of the endpoint 5. . As a result, the signaling channel between the gateway 22 and the endpoint 5 is not directly opened, but the signaling channel C9 between the gateway 22 and the master gatekeeper 1 and the signaling channel C10 between the master gatekeeper 1 and the endpoint 5 are opened. The
[0019]
Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described using a specific example. For example, in FIG. 3, when a call is made from the gateway 22 to “012-345-6789”, which is an alias address of the endpoint 5, first, the alias address “012-345-6789” is sent from the gateway 22 to the proxy keeper 21. A request to join A1 is transmitted. The proxy gatekeeper 21 sends a location information request A2 to the gatekeeper 4 that accommodates the alias address “012-345-6789”, and the network address & port number conversion device 3 that passes through the header information in the header of the location information request A2 The position information request A3 in which the network address & port number “10.7.8.9:5001” of the proxy gatekeeper 21 in FIG. 1 is converted to the network address & port number “10.4.5.6:10001” of the master gatekeeper 1 is transferred. When receiving the information request A3, it appears that the master gatekeeper 1 has transmitted.
[0020]
The gatekeeper 4 responds to the position information request A3 with a position information confirmation A4 including the transport address “10.1.2.3:1720” for signaling to the end point 5. When the location information confirmation A4 passes through the network address & port number conversion device 3 on the way, the network address & port number “10.4.5.6:10001” of the master gatekeeper 1 in the header of the location information confirmation A4 is stored in the proxy gatekeeper 21. The position information confirmation A5 converted to the network address & port number “10.7.8.9:5001” is transferred, and the position information confirmation A5 is received not by the master gatekeeper 1 but by the proxy gatekeeper 21. Upon reception of the position information confirmation A5, the proxy keeper 21 obtains a transport address “10.1.2.3:1720” for the endpoint 5. Thereafter, a permission confirmation A 6 including the transport address “10.1.2.3:1720” for the endpoint 5 is transmitted to the gateway 22. The gateway 22 opens the signaling channel A7 for the designated transport address “10.1.2.3:1720”.
[0021]
In FIG. 4, when the gateway 22 sends a participation request B1 including user authentication to the proxy gatekeeper 21 in order to make a call to “012-345-6789”, which is an alias address of the endpoint 5, the proxy gatekeeper 21 authenticates. Since it has no function, it sends a participation refusal B6. The procedure from the transmission of the location information request B2 to the reception of the response of the location information confirmation B5 is the same as the procedure from the transmission of the location information request A2 to the location information confirmation A5 in FIG. The gateway 22 that has received the participation refusal B6 transmits a participation request B7 to the master gatekeeper 1 again. If the user authentication is successful and the participation request is accepted, the master gatekeeper 1 transmits a participation request B8 to the gateway 22. The gateway 22 opens the signaling channel B9 for the transport address specified by the permission confirmation B8.
[0022]
Further, in FIG. 5, when a call is made from the gateway 22 to “012-345-6789” which is an alias address of the endpoint 5, the procedure from the participation request C1 to the participation request C7 is changed from the participation request B1 to the participation request in FIG. The procedure is the same up to B7. In the master gatekeeper 1, the permission confirmation C8 including the transport address “10.4.5.6:1720” of the master gatekeeper 1 itself is given to the gateway 22 in place of the transport address “10.1.2.3:1720” for the endpoint 5 in the permission confirmation C8. Send. The gateway 22 opens a signaling channel C9 for the designated transport address “10.4.5.6:1720”. Further, the signaling channel C10 is opened from the master gatekeeper 1 to the transport address “10.1.2.3:1720” for the endpoint 5. The signaling channel C9 and the signaling channel C10 are signaling channels between the gateway 22 and the endpoint 5.
[0023]
Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7 differs from the examples of FIGS. 3 to 5 in that the proxy gatekeeper 21 can be seen from the gatekeeper of the zone 6 and the other zone 7 instead of the master gatekeeper 1.
[0024]
In FIG. 6, when the gateway 22 transmits to the end point 5, the participation request D <b> 1 is transmitted to the proxy keeper 21. The proxy gatekeeper 21 sends a position information request D2 to the gatekeeper 4 of the other zone 7 by the address conversion function, and obtains a transport address for signaling to the end point 5 in response to the position information confirmation D3. The proxy keeper 21 transmits a permission confirmation D4 to the gateway 22 if accepting the participation request D1. The gateway 22 opens the signaling channel D5 for the transport address specified by the permission confirmation D4.
[0025]
On the other hand, in FIG. 7, when the gateway 22 transmits a participation request E1 requesting a function that is not in the proxy keeper 21, the proxy keeper 21 transmits a participation refusal E4. The gateway 22 that has received the participation refusal E4 transmits a participation request E5 to the master gatekeeper 1 again. If the master gatekeeper 1 accepts the participation request, the master gatekeeper 1 transmits a participation request E6 to the gateway 22. The gateway 22 establishes a signaling channel E7 for the transport address specified by the participation request E6.
[0026]
Next, a specific example will be described. For example, in FIG. 6, when a call is made from the gateway 22 to “012-345-6789”, which is an alias address of the endpoint 5, first, the alias address “012-345-6789” is sent from the gateway 22 to the proxy keeper 21. A request to join D1 is transmitted. The proxy gatekeeper 21 sends a position information request D2 to the gatekeeper 4 that accommodates this alias address “012-345-6789”, and a transport address “10.1.2.3:1720 for the endpoint 5 in response to the position information confirmation D3. 'Get. Thereafter, the permission confirmation D4 including the transport address “10.1.2.3:1720” for the endpoint 5 is transmitted to the gateway 22. The gateway 22 opens the signaling channel D5 for the designated transport address “10.1.2.3:1720”.
[0027]
Further, in FIG. 7, when the gateway 22 transmits a participation request E1 including user authentication to the proxy keeper 21, the proxy keeper 21 does not have an authentication function, so a participation refusal E4 is transmitted. The gateway 22 that has received the participation refusal E4 transmits a participation request E5 to the master gatekeeper 1 again. If the user authentication is successful and the participation request is accepted, the master gatekeeper 1 transmits a participation request E6 to the gateway 22. The gateway 22 establishes a signaling channel E7 for the transport address specified by the participation request E6.
[0028]
Next, still another embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 8, 9 and 10, referring to FIG. 8, the proxy keeper 21 performs call control signaling in addition to the address translation function 21 a and the zone management function 22 B in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2. It differs from the examples of FIGS. 6 and 7 in that it has a function 21e. As a result, the signaling channel between the gateway 22 and the endpoint 5 is not directly established as shown in FIG. 9 by the determination of the proxy keeper 21, and the signaling channel F5 between the gateway 22 and the proxy keeper 21 and the proxy keeper 21 A signaling channel F6 with the end point 5 can be established.
[0029]
Referring to FIG. 10, in the present embodiment, in the permission confirmation G6 that the master gatekeeper 1 notifies the gateway 22, the signaling transport address of the master gatekeeper 1 is used instead of the signaling transport address of the endpoint 5. It is different in that it is notified. As a result, the signaling channel between the gateway 22 and the endpoint 5 is not directly established, but the signaling channel G7 between the gateway 22 and the master gatekeeper 1 and the signaling channel G8 between the master gatekeeper 1 and the endpoint 5 are established. The
[0030]
Each time a signal transmitted / received on the signaling channel G8 passes through the network address & port number conversion device 3, the network address and port number of the master gatekeeper 1 and the network address and port number of the proxy gatekeeper 21 are converted. As a result, from the end point 5, the signaling channel G 8 looks like the signaling channel G 9 established with the proxy keeper 21.
[0031]
Next, a specific example will be described. For example, in FIG. 9, when a call is made from the gateway 22 to “012-345-6789” which is an alias address of the endpoint 5, the alias address “012-345-6789” is sent from the gateway 22 to the proxy keeper 21. A request to join F1 is transmitted. The proxy gatekeeper 21 sends a position information request F2 to the gatekeeper 4 that accommodates the alias address “012-345-6789”, and the transport address “10.1.2.3:1720 for the endpoint 5 in response to the position information confirmation F3. 'Get. Thereafter, the authorization confirmation F4 including the transport address “10.4.5.6:1720” of the proxy gatekeeper itself is transmitted to the gateway 22 instead of the transport address for the endpoint 5. The gateway 22 opens the signaling channel F5 for the designated transport address “10.4.5.6:1720”.
[0032]
Further, the signaling channel F6 is opened from the proxy keeper to the transport address “10.1.2.3:1720” for the endpoint 5. The signaling channel F5 and the signaling channel F6 are signaling channels between the gateway 22 and the endpoint 5.
[0033]
In addition, in FIG. 10, when making a call from the gateway 22 to “012-345-6789”, which is an alias address of the endpoint 5, the procedure from the participation request G1 to the participation request G5 is performed from the participation request E1 of FIG. The procedure is the same up to E5. In the master gatekeeper 1, the permission confirmation G6 including the transport address “10.4.5.7:1720” of the master gatekeeper 1 itself instead of the transport address “10.1.2.3:1720” for the endpoint 5 in the permission confirmation G6 to the gateway 22. Send. The gateway 22 opens a signaling channel G7 for the designated transport address '10 .4.5.7: 1720 '. Further, a signaling channel G8 is opened from the master gatekeeper 1 to the transport address “10.1.2.3:1720” for the endpoint 5. The signaling channel G 7 and the signaling channel G 8 are the signaling channels between the gateway 22 and the endpoint 5.
[0034]
Here, the network address and port number of the master gate keeper 1 in the signal sent from the master gate keeper 1 to the endpoint 5 are the network address and port of the proxy gate keeper 21 when the network address & port number conversion device 3 is relayed. Converted to a number. Conversely, the network address and port number of the proxy gate keeper 21 in the signal sent from the end point 5 to the master gate keeper 1 are the network address and port number of the master gate keeper 1 when relaying the network address & port number conversion device 3. Is converted to Therefore, when viewed from the end point 5, the signaling channel G8 looks like the signaling channel G9 established with the proxy gatekeeper 21.
[0035]
As described above, when the gateway 22 makes a call to the endpoint 5, first, the proxy keeper 21 is requested to participate in H.323 communication. The proxy keeper 21 obtains the destination address of the endpoint 5 by the address conversion function. When accepting the participation request, the destination 22 address is included in the permission confirmation and notified to the gateway 22. If the participation request is not accepted, the gateway 22 is notified of participation refusal including the destination address.
[0036]
When the gateway 22 refuses participation, the gateway 22 requests the master gatekeeper 1 to participate in H.323 communication again. The master gatekeeper 1 determines whether or not to accept the gateway 22 participation request, and notifies the gateway 22 of permission confirmation or participation rejection. The gateway 22 receives a permission confirmation from the proxy gatekeeper 21 or the master gatekeeper 1 and then opens a signaling channel with the end point 5 to perform the subsequent H.323 procedure.
[0037]
As a result, it is possible to process more gateways than the number of gateways that can be processed by one gatekeeper.
[0038]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the present invention processes the gateway address translation request by the proxy gatekeeper in the gateway device and reduces the load on the master gatekeeper, so that the number of gateways that could conventionally be processed by one gatekeeper has been increased. Many gateways can be processed. As a result, as the number of gateways increases, there is no need to improve the processing capability of the gatekeeper or add a gatekeeper.
[0039]
Further, by processing the gateway address conversion request by the proxy keeper in the gateway device, the processing waiting time of the gateway that requires only address conversion can be shortened.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a gateway system of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of an H.323 gatekeeper.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of transmission and reception between a gateway and an endpoint.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of transmission and reception between a gateway and an endpoint.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of transmission and reception between a gateway and an endpoint.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of transmission and reception between a gateway and an end point.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of transmission and reception between a gateway and an endpoint.
FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram of an H.323 gatekeeper.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of transmission and reception between a gateway and an endpoint.
FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of transmission and reception between a gateway and an endpoint.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Master Gatekeeper 2 Gateway Device 3 Network Address & Port Number Conversion Device 4 Gatekeeper 5 Endpoint 6 H.323 Zone 7 Other Zone 21 Proxy Gatekeeper 22 Gateway

Claims (5)

H. A master gatekeeper having a gateway control function including an address conversion function for communication with other zones, a zone management function, and a call control signaling function in a communication system using H.323;
Comprises a plurality of gateway devices for accommodating the gateway protocol conversion communicate with proxy gatekeeper and other zones having only the address translation function and zone management functions of the gateway control functions this master gatekeeper has, H . A gateway system comprising one zone described in H.323 . The gateway system according to claim 1, wherein the proxy gatekeeper has only an address translation function, a zone management function, and a call control signaling function among the gateway control functions of the master gatekeeper .   3. The gateway system according to claim 1, wherein, when the gateway receives a participation refusal in response to the transmission of the participation request to the proxy gatekeeper, the gateway system transmits the participation request to the master gatekeeper. 4.   The network address & port number conversion device for converting a network address and a port number when any one of the master gatekeeper, the proxy gatekeeper, and the gateway communicates with another zone. Item 4. The gateway system according to any one of Items 3 to 3. When the master gate keeper notifies the gateway of the transport address for signaling of the master gate keeper and communicates with other zones, the network address & port number conversion device uses the network address and port number of the master gate keeper and the proxy gate keeper. The gateway system according to claim 4, wherein the network address and the port number are converted.

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