Patent ID: 7995561

Claim:
An apparatus for implementing logical trunk groups with session initiation protocol (SIP), the apparatus comprising: a first internal SIP-enabled network node and a second internal SIP-enabled network node that are configured to exchange SIP signaling messages, wherein the first internal SIP-enabled network node is coupled to at least one ingress trunk group and the second internal SIP-enabled network node is coupled to at least one egress trunk group; wherein network traffic between the first internal SIP-enabled network node and the second internal SIP-enabled network node is segregated into one or more SIP logical groups; wherein the SIP signaling messages associated with each logical group include a Route header that uniquely identifies the logical group between the first internal SIP-enabled network node and the second internal SIP-enabled network node; and wherein the Route header comprises a unique identifier for the logical group disposed adjacent to an IP address associated with an intermediate SIP-enabled network node through which the messages are to be routed.