Patent ID: 7613111

Claim:
A method for controlling media over packet resource assignment by a remote media gateway controller, the method comprising: (a) at a first media gateway controller configured to control a first media over packet resource, determining whether establishment of calls involving a second media over packet resource managed by a second media gateway controller would violate a policy of the first media gateway controller; (b) in response to determining that the establishment of calls to or from the second media over packet resource would violate a policy of the first media gateway controller, sending a message from the first media gateway controller to the second media gateway controller for limiting the establishment of calls involving the second media over packet resources; and (c) at the second media gateway controller: (i) receiving the message, and, in response, storing status information for the second media over packet resource to indicate that the second media over packet resource is blocked; and (ii) receiving a call signaling message from the first media gateway controller that results in selection of the second media over packet resource for a call, determining that the second media over packet resource is unavailable for the call based on the stored status information, and, in response to determining that the second media over packet resource is unavailable for the call, attempting to select an alternate media over packet resource for the call.