Patent ID: 9231785
Filing Date: 2016-01-05
CPC Classification: H04L,H04M

Claim Text:
1. A method for clearing a call in a communication network, the method comprising: detecting, by a processor of a call stateful network element in a signaling path of the call, a failure of an adjacent call stateful network element in the signaling path of the call, wherein the adjacent call stateful network element comprises a next hop network element in the signaling path, wherein the communication network comprises a voice over internet protocol network, wherein the failure of the adjacent call stateful network element in the signaling path of the call is detected via a heartbeat message from the processor of the call stateful network element to the adjacent call stateful network element, wherein the heartbeat message is sent independent of a plurality of calls processed by the call stateful network element including the call; identifying, by the processor, a plurality of existing calls that is affected by the failure of the adjacent call stateful network element, wherein the plurality of existing calls includes the call; sending, by the processor, a call release notification message via another adjacent call stateful network element in a call release path of each of the plurality of existing calls to notify a call stateful media component of each of the plurality of existing calls of the failure of the adjacent call stateful network element; monitoring, by the processor, a media path of the call for activity; and clearing, by the processor, the call when the media path of the call is inactive, wherein the media path is a different route from the signaling path.