Patent ID: 8705518

Claim:
A system for providing a voice over internet protocol architecture having a plurality of layers, comprising: a plurality of border elements within a connectivity layer of the voice over internet protocol architecture, wherein the plurality of border elements comprises a first border element and a second border element, wherein each of the first and the second border elements is tasked with interfacing with only one of a plurality of different access protocols, wherein the plurality of different access protocols comprises a circuit switched network protocol and a plurality of different packet network protocols, wherein each of the first and the second border elements translates a respective access protocol to a common protocol, wherein the respective access protocols of the first and the second border elements are different, wherein each of the plurality of border elements comprises a processor; and a call control element within the connectivity layer, wherein the call control element comprises a processor, wherein each of the first and the second border elements provides call details to the call control element in accordance with the common protocol.