Self-forming VoIP network
A self-forming VoIP connection capability is described that may be superimposed over wired networks, wireless networks, or combinations thereof. As described herein, a local network cluster forms while isolated from a conventional SIP server, or alternately may exist as a cluster of network nodes and clients that later becomes isolated from a conventional SIP server by a break in the network. Either way, each network node thus enabled with distributed SIP registry functionality according to this invention independently constructs a local SIP registry and SIP server capability within that node. Subsequently, while isolated from a conventional SIP server, VoIP conversations among client devices connected to nodes within an isolated cluster will continue, and nodes and clients may join or leave an isolated cluster with conversations able to be initiated or continued while a node has network connectivity to the cluster.
1. A VoIP-capable network comprising:
one or more VoIP client devices;
two or more VoIP nodes forming an isolated cluster wherein the two or more VoIP nodes in the isolated cluster are in communication with one another;
wherein each of the VoIP client devices communicates with at least one VoIP node;
wherein each of the VoIP nodes further comprises a local SIP registry built by exchanging SIP information with the remaining VoIP nodes in the isolated cluster; and
wherein a first VoIP client device in communication with a first VoIP node establishes a communication with a second VoIP device in communication with a second VoIP node using the local SIP registries of the first VoIP node and the second VoIP node; and wherein said client device communications is maintained regardless of network connectivity status.
2. The VoIP-capable network of claim 1 , wherein the local SIP registries of the isolated VoIP nodes are updated as the VoIP nodes and the VoIP client devices begin communication with the isolated cluster and end communication with the isolated cluster.
3. The VoIP-capable network of claim 1 , wherein updates to the local SIP registry of a VoIP node are communicated to remaining VoIP nodes in the isolated cluster by broadcasting one or more information packets containing local SIP registry information of the VoIP node.
4. The VoIP-capable network of claim 1 , wherein the local SIP registry of a VoIP node is updated according to information received from another VoIP nodes in the isolated cluster in special information packets that each contain local SIP registry information of another VoIP node.
5. The VoIP-capable network of claim 1 , wherein each VoIP node has the ability to function as a DHCP server to assign IP addresses to clients in communication with the VoIP node.
6. The VoIP-capable network of claim 5 , wherein the IP addresses are assigned from a range of IP addresses produced by a random number generator on each VoIP node.
7. The VoIP-capable network of claim 1 , further comprising means of connecting the isolated cluster to an external network, wherein upon connection to an external network, the SIP registry of an external SIP server connected to the external network is updated to include SIP registry information from the VoIP nodes.
8. A method of maintaining VoIP capabilities within a network comprising:
forming a cluster of two or more initially isolated network nodes
establishing communications between two or more client devices by way of the initially isolated network nodes, wherein in a first configuration, at least two of said initially isolated network nodes are in communication with each other but not in communication with an external SIP server, and wherein each of said at least two initially isolated network nodes supports VoIP communications based on a local SIP registry contained in each of the said nodes according to the method of:
communicating with at least one other initially isolated node to exchange SIP registry information;
updating the local SIP registry in said node as new information is acquired;
sending and receiving VoIP packets from a sender isolated node to one or more recipient isolated nodes based on said local SIP registry functionality when a client device in communication with the sender node establishes communication with a client device in communication with the recipient node.
9. The method of claim 8 further comprising changing said cluster from the first configuration to a second configuration wherein in the second configuration the said cluster is in communication with an external SIP server containing an external SIP registry; and updating the external SIP registry with the local SIP registries of each of said nodes comprising said cluster.
10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising updating the local SIP registries of the isolated nodes as nodes and clients join and leave the isolated cluster.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein updates to the local SIP registry of each node is communicated to remaining nodes in the cluster by broadcasting an information packet containing the local SIP registry information.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein each node functions as a DHCP server to assign IP addresses to clients connected to the node.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the IP addresses are assigned from a range of IP addresses produced by a random number generator on each node.
14. A VoIP capable network comprising:
a first initially isolated network node in communication with at least two VoIP clients, wherein the first isolated node further comprises a local SIP registry wherein said SIP registry contains address identifiers for each VoIP clients in communication with the first node; and
wherein VoIP communication between said at least two VoIP clients are initiated by utilizing the local SIP registry.
15. The VoIP capable network of claim 14 , wherein the local SIP registry of the first isolated node is updated as the VoIP clients establish or terminate a network connection with the first isolated node.
16. The VoIP capable network of claim 14 , wherein the first isolated node further comprises communications means with other isolated notes wherein the first isolated node broadcasts its SIP registry information to other nodes in communication with the first node.
17. The VoIP capable network of claim 14 , wherein first isolated node comes into communication with other isolated nodes to form a cluster, and the local SIP registry information of each isolated node in the cluster is updated according to information received from other isolated nodes in the cluster.
18. The VoIP capable network of claim 14 , wherein the first isolated node further comprises a DHCP server to assign IP addresses to clients in communication with the first node.
19. The VoIP-capable network of claim 18 , wherein the IP addresses are assigned from a range of IP addresses produced by a random number generator on the first isolated node.
20. The VoIP capable network of claim 18 , wherein each node in the cluster has the ability to function as a DHCP server to assign IP addresses to clients connected to that node.
21. The VoIP-capable network of claim 20 , wherein each node in the cluster assigns IP addresses from a range of IP addresses produced by a random number generator on that node.
22. The VoIP capable network of claim 14 , wherein the information contained in an external SIP server is updated with the local SIP registry of the first isolated node upon establishment of a network connection with an external network containing the external SIP server.