Telecommunication network
View Patent ↗A telecommunication network 30 for telecommunications between telecommunication end point devices 36,37,38 , such as telephones or video phones, the telecommunication network 30 comprising a plurality of telecommunication device control systems 40 implemented by a computer system. Each telecommunication device control system 40 is shared by telecommunication end point devices 36,37,38 allocated to it and is configured to control communication connections involving telecommunications originating from telecommunication end point devices 36,37,38 allocated to it and other telecommunication end point devices. At least some functionality of the plurality of telecommunication device control systems 40 is shared by at least some parts of the computer system.
1. A telecommunication network for telecommunications between telecommunication end point devices, the telecommunication network comprising:
a plurality of PBXs implemented by a computer system comprising a single hardware platform, each PBX being shared by telecommunication end point devices allocated to it, and each PBX being configured to control communication connections involving telecommunications originating from telecommunication end point devices allocated to it and other telecommunication end point devices,
wherein at least some functionality of the plurality of PBXs shared between the plurality of PBXs is configured to be stored in a memory of the computer system,
wherein the computer system is configured to:
receive a request for a telecommunication event;
determine telecommunication resource requirements for the telecommunication event;
allocate, based on the telecommunication resource requirements, resources of a first PBX of the plurality of PBXs to implement the telecommunication event by allocating resources of the first PBX that are on a public internet side of a firewall; and
allocate, based on the telecommunication resource requirements, resources of a second PBX of the plurality of PBXs to implement the telecommunication event by allocating resources of the second PBX that are on a private side of the firewall.
2. A telecommunication network according to claim 1 , wherein one of the PBXs is allocated to each of the telecommunication end point devices according to one or more of the following:
geographical location of a telecommunication end point device,
latency of communications with the telecommunication end point device,
available bandwidth of communication to and/or from the telecommunication end point device,
monetary cost of communication to and/or from the telecommunication end point device, and
impact on maintaining service level agreements to and/or from the telecommunication end point devices.
3. A telecommunication network according to claim 2 , further comprising a provisioning computer system configured to allocate one of the plurality of PBXs to each of the telecommunication end point devices and wherein the provisioning computer system is further configured to allocate computerized telecommunication resources to each telecommunication end point device.
4. A telecommunication network according to claim 3 , wherein the computerized telecommunication resources comprise one or more of the following:
media resource,
border controller for controlling telecommunication across a border, and
conference call controller.
5. A telecommunication network according to claim 4 , wherein the computerized telecommunication resources comprise a plurality of conference call controllers.
6. A telecommunication network according to claim 5 , wherein the provisioning computer system is configured to allocate telecommunication end point devices to one of the conference call controllers of the plurality of conference call controllers based on at least one predetermined criterion.
7. A telecommunication network according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one predetermined criterion comprise one or more of:
physical proximity of telecommunication end point device to a conference call controller,
the number of conference call controllers on the telecommunication network,
the number of media streams between conference call controllers, and
the number of telecommunications end point devices forming the conference call.
8. A telecommunication network according to claim 4 , wherein the computerized telecommunication resources are configured to be shared by some of the plurality of telecommunication end point devices.
9. A telecommunication network according to claim 1 , wherein the PBXs are configured to control a telecommunication end point device connected to the Internet once a valid identity of the telecommunication end point device is received from the telecommunication end point device.
10. A telecommunication network according to claim 9 , wherein the identity comprises at least one of a signal generated in response to a hardware token applied to the telecommunication end point device and/or credentials entered into a user interface of the telecommunication end point device.
11. A telecommunication network according to claim 1 , wherein functionality of the first PBX of the plurality of PBXs is at least partially shared by the second PBX of the plurality of PBXs.
12. A telecommunication network according to claim 1 , wherein the at least some functionality of the plurality of PBXs shared between the plurality of PBXs comprises information associated with at least one of a border controller, conference bridge, address book, dial plan, presence detection, or divert-to-mobile.
13. A telecommunication network according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of PBXs are implemented on the single hardware platform.
14. A telecommunication network according to claim 13 , wherein a telecommunication end point device of the telecommunication end point devices is allocated to two or more PBXs.
15. A telecommunication network according to claim 1 , wherein the computer system is configured to allocate resources of the first PBX of the plurality of PBXs to implement the telecommunications event by allocating resources of the first PBX under control of a different telecommunication device that includes an internet protocol telephone.