Patent ID: 7289429
Filing Date: 2007-10-30
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method to facilitate recovery of a communication session in a packet communications network involving communication flow though a plurality of nodes, the plurality of nodes including a first node, and at least one other node in the packet communications network, the communication session defining at least one data flow and path through the packet communications network, said method comprising: receiving one or more signaling messages in the path from the at least one other node in said plurality of nodes of said packet communications network, the one or more signaling messages being periodically sent between nodes of said plurality of nodes for maintaining the communications session, the one or more signaling messages further including information for enabling the first node to recover the state of the communication session after recovery from a fault without establishing a new communication session that would include at least one node that is not one of said plurality of nodes of said communications network; and restoring the communication session at the first node after recovery from a fault such that communication flow is restored through said plurality of nodes based at least in part on the information in said one or more signaling messages received from said at least one other node after restoration of the first node.