SIP signalling

1. A SIP call server running software for initialising and managing SIP calls and configured to establish a UDP connection with a client via a firewall in which a UDP pinhole may only be opened by messages sent from the client side of the firewall, the server comprising:

a hardware input port for receiving TCP SIP INVITE messages sent in order to establish a call with a call initiator;

a response message generator for generating at least one TCP response message in response to receipt of a TCP SIP INVITE message, the at least one TCP response message specifying UDP as the new transport protocol wherein said at least one TCP response message is one of a SIP 180 message and a SIP 200 message; and

a hardware output port for sending said at least one TCP response message to the call initiator.

2. A SIP call server according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one TCP response message specifies UDP as the new transport protocol using the “Contact” header.

3. A SIP call server according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one TCP response message is a “200 OK” response message specifying UDP as the new transport protocol.

4. A SIP call server according to claim 1 , wherein said hardware output port sends subsequent, messages to the call recipient using UDP.

5. A method of controlling a SIP call server for initialising and managing SIP calls, to establish a UDP connection with a client via a firewall in which a UDP pinhole may only be opened by messages sent from the client side of the firewall, the method being performed on a SIP server and comprising:

receiving, on said SIP server, a TCP SIP INVITE message sent in order to establish a call with a call initiator;

generating, on said SIP server, at least one TCP response message in response to receipt of a TCP SIP INVITE message, the at least one TCP response message specifying UDP as the new transport protocol wherein said at least one TCP response message is one of a SIP 180 message and a SIP 200 message; and

sending, from said SIP server, said at least one TCP response message to the call initiator.

6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein said at least one TCP response message specifies UDP as the new transport protocol using the “Contact” header.

7. A method according to claim 5 , wherein said at least one TCP response message is a “200 OK” response message specifying UDP as the new transport protocol.

8. A method according to claim 5 , further comprising sending subsequent messages from said SIP server to the call initiator using UDP.

9. A SIP call server for initialising and managing SIP calls and configured to establish a UDP connection with a client via a firewall in which a UDP pinhole may only be opened by messages sent from the client side of the firewall, the server comprising:

a processor;

a memory connected to the processor, the memory being operable to provide instructions to the processor for processing;

a call initiator arranged for generating a SIP INVITE message, the SIP INVITE specifying that response messages should be sent using UDP as the transport protocol; and

a hardware output port for sending said SIP INVITE message to a call recipient using TCP as the transport protocol.

10. A SIP call server according to claim 9 , wherein said SIP INVITE message specifies UDP as the response transport protocol using the “Via” header.

11. A SIP call server according to claim 9 , wherein said hardware output port sends an acknowledgement message using UDP, in response to a received response message.

12. A SIP call server according to claim 9 , wherein said hardware output port sends subsequent messages to the call recipient using UDP.

13. A method of controlling a SIP call server for initialising and managing SIP calls, to establish a UDP connection with a client via a firewall in which a UDP pinhole may only be opened by messages sent from the client side of the firewall, the method being performed on a SIP server and comprising:

generating, on said SIP server, a SIP INVITE message, the SIP INVITE message specifying that response messages should be sent using UDP as the transport protocol; and

sending, from said SIP server, said SIP INVITE message to a call recipient using TCP as the transport protocol.

14. A method according to claim 13 , wherein said SIP INVITE message specifies UDP as the response transport protocol using the “Via” header.

15. A method according to claim 13 , further comprising sending, from said SIP server, an acknowledgement message using UDP in response to a received response message.

16. A method according to claim 13 , wherein subsequent messages to the call recipient are sent using UDP.

17. A SIP user agent hardware device running software for initialising and managing SIP calls and configured to establish a UDP connection with a server via a firewall in which a UDP pinhole may only be opened by messages sent from the SIP user agent side of the firewall, the hardware device comprising:

a call initiator arranged for generating a SIP INVITE message and specifying in the SIP INVITE message that response messages should be sent using UDP as the transport protocol;

a hardware output port for sending said SIP INVITE message using TCP as the transport protocol to a server; and

a hardware input port arranged to receive response messages to determine if the call set up has been successful, wherein

said call initiator is further arranged to generate a SIP ACK message using UDP as the protocol, in response to receipt of a response message by said hardware input port, and

said hardware output port sends said SIP ACK message.

18. A SIP user agent hardware device according to claim 17 , wherein said SIP INVITE message specifies UDP as the transport protocol using the “Contact” header.

19. A SIP user agent hardware device according to claim 17 , wherein said hardware output port sends subsequent messages to the server using UDP.

20. A method of controlling a SIP user agent for initialising and managing SIP calls, to establish a UDP connection with a server via a firewall in which a UDP pinhole may only be opened by messages sent from the SIP user agent side of the firewall, the method being performed on a SIP user agent and comprising:

generating, on said SIP user agent, a SIP INVITE message and specifying in the SIP INVITE message that response messages should be sent using UDP as the transport protocol;

sending, from said SIP user agent, said SIP INVITE message using TCP as the transport protocol to a server;

receiving, on said SIP user agent, response messages to determine if the call set up has been successful;

generating, on said SIP user agent, a SIP ACK message using UDP as the protocol, in response to receipt of a response message by said SIP user agent; and

sending said SIP ACK message from said SIP user agent.

21. A method according to claim 20 , wherein said SIP INVITE message specifies UDP as the transport protocol using the “Contact” header.

22. A method according to claim 20 , wherein subsequent messages to the server are sent using UDP.

23. A SIP user agent hardware device running software for initialising and managing SIP calls and configured to establish a UDP connection with a server via a firewall in which a UDP pinhole may only be opened by messages sent from the SIP user agent side of the firewall, the hardware device comprising:

a hardware input port responsive to TCP SIP INVITE messages from a call initiator;

a message generator arranged to generate at least one configuration message in response to receipt of a TCP SIP INVITE message; and

a hardware output port for sending said at least one configuration message using UDP as the transport protocol, wherein

said message generator also generates a response message in response to receipt of said TCP SIP INVITE message, the response message specifying that further messages should be sent using UDP as the transport protocol wherein said response message is one of a SIP 180 message and a SIP 200 message; and

said hardware output port sends said response message to the call initiator.

24. A SIP user agent hardware device according to claim 23 , wherein said response message specifies UDP as the new transport protocol using the “Contact” header.

25. A SIP user agent hardware device according to claim 23 , wherein said hardware output port sends subsequent messages to the server using UDP.

26. A method of controlling a SIP user agent for initialising and managing SIP calls, to establish a UDP connection with a server via a firewall in which a UDP pinhole may only be opened by messages sent from the SIP user agent side of the firewall, the method being performed on a SIP user agent and comprising:

receiving, on said SIP user agent, a TCP SIP INVITE message from a call initiator;

generating, on said SIP user agent, at least one configuration message in response to receipt of said TCP SIP INVITE message;

sending, from said SIP user agent, said at least one configuration message using UDP as the transport protocol;

generating, on said SIP user agent, a response message in response to receipt of said TCP SIP INVITE message, the response message specifying that further messages should be sent using UDP as the transport protocol wherein said response message is one of a SIP 180 message and a SIP 200 message; and

sending said response message from said SIP user agent to the call initiator using TCP as the transport protocol.

27. A method according, to claim 26 , wherein said response message specifies UDP as the new transport protocol using the “Contact” header.

28. A method according to claim 26 , wherein subsequent messages to the server are sent, from the SIP user agent, using UDP.