Patent ID: 7539179

Claim:
A method of controlling packet-switched calls, comprising: terminating a plurality of call signaling connections, each corresponding to one of a plurality of packet-switched calls, at a packet-switched signaling gateway, where each call signaling connection is packet-switched; communicating, over a number of sessions smaller than the plurality of call signaling connections, the signaling content of the call signaling connections from the signaling gateway to a primary media gateway controller; routing a plurality of packet-switched bearer streams, each corresponding to one of the packet-switched calls, to a media endpoint controlled by the primary media gateway controller, wherein the media endpoint is a media proxy; forwarding one of the packet-switched bearer streams from the media proxy to a media gateway also controlled by the primary media gateway controller; and prior to the forwarding, modifying the format of the forwarded packet-switched bearer stream within the media proxy.