Patent ID: 8542671

Claim:
A method of providing one or more enhanced features to a packet-based streaming communication system, the method comprising: identifying a type of communication represented by the exchange over the streaming communication system between parties to the communication, wherein the type of communication comprises one or more of a session control message, a routing message, a call control message, or a media exchange; determining one or more policies applicable to the exchange based on the type of communication; and enforcing the policies on exchanges between the parties to provide the one or more enhanced features wherein the one or more enhanced features include features for providing security, identity management, and telephone functions to a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service, wherein enforcing the policies on exchanges between the parties to provide the one or more enhanced features includes modifying a target address for the exchanges, and wherein enforcing the policies on the exchanges between parties comprises delegating at least one enforcement task to an endpoint of the exchange.