System and method for reestablishing, with a client device, a signaling session associated with a call in progress

1. A method for re-establishing, with a client device, a signaling session associated with a call in progress, comprising:

at a session border controller (SBC) separate from the client device:

monitoring, by the SBC, Internet protocol (IP) addresses of media packets received from the client device during a call in progress having an associated signaling session and detecting, by the SBC, a change in the IP address for the client device from the media packets, wherein the signaling session is terminated, wherein monitoring the IP addresses comprises:

receiving a first real time transport protocol (RTP) packet;

extracting and storing the IP address of the first RTP packet;

receiving a second RTP packet from the same media session as the first RTP packet;

extracting the IP address from the second RTP packet; and

comparing the IP address stored for first packet with the IP address extracted from the second RTP packet;

in response to detecting a change in the IP address for the client device from the media packets, sending a notification message from the SBC to the client device, wherein the notification message notifies the client device associated with the changed IP address to re-establish the signaling session;

receiving a registration message from the client device to re-establish the signaling session; and

re-establishing the signaling session for the call in progress.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving a registration message comprises receiving a session initiation protocol (SIP) registration message.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving a registration message comprises receiving a session initiation protocol (SIP) invite message.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising sending an acknowledgement message to the client device in response to the registration message.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting a change in the IP address of the client device includes detecting a change in the IP address in response to the client device being assigned a new IP address by a network and wherein the method further comprises re-establishing the signaling session with the client device using the new IP address.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the new IP address is assigned in response to the client device moving into a new network during the call.

7. A system for re-establishing a signaling session with a client device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory,

wherein the memory stores a signaling session table for storing IP addresses associated with signaling sessions for calls in progress involving client devices;

wherein the memory stores computer executable instructions that when executed by the processor implement a session border controller (SBC) for communicating with the client device and being separate from the client device;

the SBC including a module operable to detect, by comparing an IP address of a media packet from a media session involving the client device with an IP address stored for a signaling session associated with the media session in the signaling session table, a change in the IP address of the client device, wherein detecting a change in the IP address of the client device includes monitoring IP addresses comprising:

receiving a first real time transport protocol (RTP) packet;

extracting and storing the IP address of the first RTP packet;

receiving a second RTP packet from the same media session as the first RTP packet;

extracting the IP address from the second RTP packet; and

comparing the IP address stored for first packet with the IP address extracted from the second RTP packet; and

wherein the signaling session is terminated, and, in response to detecting the change in the IP address, the module is operable to send a notification message from the SBC to the client device, wherein the notification message notifies the client device associated with the changed IP address to re-establish the signaling session, to receive a registration message from the client device to re-register the signaling session, and, in response to the registration message, to re-establish the signaling session.

8. The system of claim 7 , the SBC is coupled between a server and a network address translator.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the media session comprises a real time transport protocol (RTP) media session and wherein the signaling session comprises a session initiation protocol (SIP) signaling session.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the module is configured to analyze successive media packets received for the media session to detect the change in the IP address.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the change in the IP address occurs in response to the client device being assigned a new IP address and wherein the module is configured to re-establish the signaling session using the new IP address.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the new IP address is assigned in response to the client device moving into a new network during the call.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon having stored thereon instructions, that when executed by a processor implement steps comprising:

at a session border controller (SBC) separate from the client device:

monitoring, by the SBC, Internet protocol (IP) addresses of media packets received from the client device during a call in progress having an associated signaling session and detecting, by the SBC, a change in the IP address for the client device from the media packets, wherein the signaling session is terminated, wherein monitoring the IP addresses comprises:

receiving a first real time transport protocol (RTP) packet;

extracting and storing the IP address of the first RTP packet;

receiving a second RTP packet from the same media session as the first RTP packet;

extracting the IP address from the second RTP packet; and

comparing the IP address stored for first packet with the IP address extracted from the second RTP packet;

in response to detecting a change in the IP address for the client device from the media packets, sending a notification message from the SBC to the client device, wherein the notification message notifies the client device associated with the changed IP address to re-establish the signaling session;

receiving a registration message from the client device to re-establish the signaling session; and

re-establishing the signaling session for the call in progress.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein receiving a registration message comprises receiving a session initiation protocol (SIP) registration message.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein receiving a registration message comprises receiving a session initiation protocol (SIP) invite message.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , comprising sending an acknowledgement message to the client device in response to the registration message.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein detecting a change in the IP address of the client device includes detecting a change in the IP address in response to the client device being assigned a new IP address by a network and wherein the method further comprises re-establishing the signaling session with the client device using the new IP address.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the new IP address is assigned in response to the client device moving into a new network during the call.