Patent ID: 6229804
Filing Date: 2001-05-08
Classification: H04L,H04M

Abstract:
A method for placing a gatekeeper in a zone into a hierarchy among other gatekeepers in said zone, said zone containing at least said gatekeeper and a second gatekeeper, comprising the steps of:(a) assigning a first unique gatekeeper priority value to said gatekeeper and a second unique gatekeeper priority value to said second gatekeeper, said gatekeeper priority values for indicating the rank of said gatekeeper with respect to said second gatekeeper;(b) broadcasting a first active gatekeeper message from said gatekeeper, said message comprising at least in part the gatekeeper priority value assigned to said gatekeeper broadcasting said message, said first active gatekeeper message indicating an assertion of active gatekeeper status;(c) receiving said message at said second gatekeeper;(d) said second gatekeeper comparing said first unique gatekeeper priority value contained in said active gatekeeper message received from said gatekeeper with said second unique gatekeeper priority value; and(e) in response to the comparison in step (d), said second gatekeeper either: broadcasting a second active gatekeeper message, or not broadcasting a second active gatekeeper message, depending on the relationship between the second unique gatekeeper priority value for said second gatekeeper and the first unique gatekeeper priority value assigned to said gatekeeper;wherein said gatekeeper and said second gatekeeper may rank themselves in accordance with the relationship between said first unique gatekeeper priority value and said second unique gatekeeper priority value and thereby elect either said gatekeeper or said second gatekeeper be an active gatekeeper to respond to a gatekeeper request messages from an initiating Gateway/Terminal.