Voice over content centric networks

1. A computer-executed method for facilitating voice calls over a content centric network (CCN), comprising:

receiving, by a computer, from a CCN user a CCN packet containing an expressed interest in receiving voice calls directed to the CCN user, wherein the CCN packet can be addressed, located, and disseminated by a unique and persistent CCN name, wherein the CCN name contains authentication information, and wherein the CCN packet can be self-authenticated using the authentication information;

receiving from a second network a packet for a voice call directed to the CCN user, wherein the second network is not a CCN;

forwarding to the CCN user the packet received from the second network with a CCN name corresponding to the interest expressed by the CCN user after translating the received packet to a CCN packet format;

forwarding a second CCN packet from the CCN user for the voice call to the second network after translating the second CCN packet to a non-CCN packet format;

allowing a device in the second network to initiate and maintain the voice call directed to the CCN user based on a CCN name associated with the voice call, without maintaining state information associated with the voice call; and

allowing the voice call to be terminated when no interest message corresponding to the voice call is received from the CCN user for a predetermined period.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

expressing an interest in receiving outbound voice call requests from one or more CCN callers;

receiving an outbound voice call request from a CCN caller;

receiving an interest expressed by the CCN caller in receiving packets associated with the outbound voice call;

forwarding the outbound voice call request to a second network, wherein the second network is not a CCN;

in response, receiving a packet associated with the outbound voice call from the second network;

forwarding the packet associated with the outbound voice call to the CCN caller using a CCN name associated with the interest expressed by the CCN caller after translating the packet to a CCN packet format;

allowing the CCN caller to initiate and maintain the outbound voice call; and

allowing the outbound voice call to be terminated when no interest message corresponding to the outbound voice call is received from the CCN caller for a predetermined period.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising terminating the voice call after receiving from the CCN an expressed interest in not receiving voice calls directed to the CCN user.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sharing the load of facilitating voice calls to the CCN among a number of proxy servers, wherein a respective proxy server does not maintain state information associated with a voice call.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising digitally signing a respective CCN packet associated with the voice call such that the CCN packet can be verified by one or more nodes in the CCN.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving information about a public key associated with a CCN device;

configuring a publicly available directory of public keys, thereby allowing second network endpoints to discover those keys; and

securing communication by using an existing end-to-end second network security standard based on the public key.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving information indicative of which CCN devices are online, which CCN users have not expressed an interest in receiving voice calls, and which CCN users have expressed an interest in forwarding their calls; and

providing the received information outside of the CCN.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising forwarding the voice call outside of the CCN based on the received information.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising forwarding the voice call to a CCN voicemail system based on the received information.

10. An apparatus for facilitating voice calls over a content centric network (CCN), comprising:

a receiving mechanism configured to receive from a CCN user a CCN packet containing an expressed interest in receiving voice calls directed to the CCN user, wherein the CCN packet can be addressed, located, and disseminated by a unique and persistent CCN name, wherein the CCN name contains authentication information, and wherein the CCN packet can be self-authenticated using the authentication information;

a second receiving mechanism configured to receive from a second network a packet for a voice call directed to the CCN user, wherein the second network is not a CCN;

a first forwarding mechanism configured to forward to the CCN user the packet received from the second network with a CCN name corresponding to the interest expressed by the CCN user after translating the received packet to a CCN packet format; and

a second forwarding mechanism configured to forward a second CCN packet from the CCN user for the voice call to the second network after translating the second CCN packet to a non-CCN packet format;

wherein a device in the second network is allowed to initiate and maintain the voice call directed to the CCN user based on a CCN name associated with the voice call, without maintaining state information associated with the voice call; and

wherein the voice call is allowed to be terminated when no interest message corresponding to the voice call is received from the CCN user for a predetermined period.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 ,

further comprising an interest-expressing mechanism configured to express an interest in receiving outbound voice call requests from one or more CCN callers;

wherein the receiving mechanism is further configured to:

receive an outbound voice call request from a CCN caller; and

receive an interest expressed by the CCN caller in

receiving packets associated with the outbound voice call;

wherein the second forwarding mechanism is further configured to forward the outbound voice call request to a second network;

wherein the receiving mechanism is further configured to, in response, receive a packet associated with the outbound voice call from the second network,

wherein the second network is not a CCN;

wherein the second forwarding mechanism is further configured to forward the packet associated with the outbound voice call to the CCN caller using a CCN name associated with the interest expressed by the CCN caller after translating the packet to a CCN packet format;

wherein the CCN caller is allowed to initiate and maintain the outbound voice call; and

wherein the outbound voice call is allowed to be terminated when no interest message corresponding to the outbound voice call is received from the CCN caller for a predetermined period.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a voice-call termination mechanism configured to terminate the voice call after receiving from the CCN an expressed interest in not receiving voice calls directed to the CCN user.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a load-sharing mechanism configured to share the load of facilitating voice calls to the CCN among a number of proxy servers, wherein a respective proxy server does not maintain state information associated with a voice call.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a digital-signing mechanism configured to digitally sign a respective CCN packet associated with the voice call such that the CCN packet can be verified by one or more nodes in the CCN.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:

a third receiving mechanism configured to receive information about a public key associated with a CCN device;

a directory configuration mechanism configured to configure a publicly available directory of public keys, thereby allowing second network endpoints to discover those keys; and

a communication security mechanism configured to secure communication by using an existing end-to-end second network security standard based on the public key.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:

a fourth receiving mechanism configured to receive information indicative of which CCN devices are online, which CCN users have not expressed an interest in receiving voice calls, and which CCN users have expressed an interest in forwarding their calls; and

a presence-information provision mechanism configured to provide the received information outside of the CCN.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising a forwarding mechanism configured to forward the voice call to a CCN voicemail system based on the received information.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising a forwarding mechanism configured to forward the voice call outside of the CCN based on the received information.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for facilitating voice calls over a content centric network (CCN), the method comprising:

receiving from a CCN user a CCN packet containing an expressed interest in receiving voice calls directed to the CCN user, wherein the CCN packet can be addressed, located, and disseminated by a unique and persistent CCN name, wherein the CCN name contains authentication information, and wherein the CCN packets can be self-authenticated using the authentication information;

receiving from a second network a packet for a voice call directed to the CCN user, wherein the second network is not a CCN;

forwarding to the CCN user the packet received from the second network with a CCN name corresponding to the interest expressed by the CCN user after translating the received packet to a CCN packet format;

forwarding a second CCN packet from the CCN user for the voice call to the second network after translating the second CCN packet to a non-CCN packet format;

allowing a device in the second network to initiate and maintain the voice call directed to the CCN user based on a CCN name associated with the voice call, without maintaining state information associated with the voice call; and

allowing the voice call to be terminated when no interest message corresponding to the voice call is received from the CCN user for a predetermined period.

20. The storage device of claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises:

expressing an interest in receiving outbound voice call requests from one or more CCN callers;

receiving an outbound voice call request from a CCN caller;

receiving an interest expressed by the CCN caller in receiving packets associated with the outbound voice call;

forwarding the outbound voice call request to a second network, wherein the second network is not a CCN;

in response, receiving a packet associated with the outbound voice call from the second network;

forwarding the packet associated with the outbound voice call to the CCN caller using a CCN name associated with the interest expressed by the CCN caller after translating the received packet to a CCN packet format;

allowing the CCN caller to initiate and maintain the outbound voice call; and

allowing the outbound voice call to be terminated when no interest corresponding to the outbound voice call is received from the CCN caller for a predetermined period.