System and method for automatic voice over IP endpoint configuration

1. A telecommunications method, comprising:

transmitting a VoIP configuration discover message from a VoIP endpoint to multiple VoIP feature servers to identify features provided, wherein at least one of said VoIP feature servers comprises a telephony feature access server interfacing a private branch exchange to an IP network;

receiving at said VoIP endpoint, in response to said VoIP configuration discover message, a configuration offer message from the VoIP feature servers, said configuration offer message identifying features supported by a responding VoIP feature server;

transmitting a VoIP configuration request message from the VoIP endpoint over said IP network to one or more VoIP feature servers, the VoIP configuration request message indentifying features desired to be implemented at the VoIP endpoint;

receiving at said VoIP endpoint, in a response to said VoIP configuration request message, from said VoIP feature servers, said configuration acknowledge message acknowledging features to be provided by the responding VoIP feature server;

accessing a memory by the VoIP endpoint for configuration information corresponding to the supported features responsive to the configuration offer message, wherein the configuration information is not included in the configuration offer message;

configuring said VoIP endpoint responsive to said configuration acknowledge message with the configuration information from the memory; and

transmitting a feature availability protocol packet message by a newly-added feature server directly to the VoIP endpoint without being requested by the VoIP endpoint, wherein the feature availability protocol packet message indicates feature availability of the newly-added feature server.

2. The telecommunications method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said transmitting the VoIP configuration discover message from the VoIP endpoint comprises transmitting according to an IP multicast protocol.

3. The telecommunications method in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the configuration acknowledge message comprises information regarding supported features.

4. The telecommunications method in accordance with claim 3 , wherein said feature availability protocol packet message is transmitted in a multicast format.

5. A telecommunications system, comprising:

a packet network;

a plurality of VoIP endpoints coupled to said network;

a plurality of VoIP feature servers coupled to said network, wherein at least one of said VoIP feature servers comprises a telephony feature access server interfacing a private branch exchange to said network;

wherein said VoIP endpoints are adapted to send configuration request messages to said feature servers after having received a configuration offer message in response to a configuration discover message, the configuration request message identifying features desired to be implemented at the VoIP endpoints and the configuration offer message identifying features supported by a responding feature server; and

wherein the VoIP endpoints are configured to access memories for configuration information responsive to the configuration offer message indicative of features and configure themselves according to the configuration information, wherein the configuration information is not included in the configuration offer message;

wherein a newly-added VoIP feature server is adapted to issue a feature availability message directly to the VoIP endpoints on said network without being requested by the endpoints, wherein the feature availability message indicates feature availability of the newly-added VoIP feature server.

6. The telecommunications system in accordance with claim 5 , wherein said configuration request messages are sent in an IP multicast format.

7. The telecommunications system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein said VoIP endpoints are adapted to implement configuration options responsive to said configuration information.

8. The telecommunications system in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the feature availability message is issued in an IP multicast format.

9. The telecommunication system in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said VoIP endpoints respond to said feature availability message with unicast configuration discover messages.

10. The telecommunications system in accordance with claim 5 , wherein said VoIP endpoints respond to said feature availability message with unicast configuration discover messages.

11. The telecommunications system in accordance with claim 5 , wherein said private branch exchange is a Hicom private branch exchange.

12. The telecommunications system in accordance with claim 11 , wherein said feature server translates to and from protocols used by a VoIP system and Siemens Cornet protocol.

13. A telecommunications device, comprising:

an IP interface;

means for sending an IP configuration discover message to multiple feature servers to identify features supported; and

means for receiving, responsive to the IP configuration discover message, a configuration offer message from the feature servers, said configuration offer message identifying features supported by a responding feature server;

means for sending an IP configuration request to one or more feature servers, the IP configuration request message identifying features desired to be implemented at the telecommunications device;

means for receiving a configuration acknowledgement message responsive to said IP configuration request, said configuration acknowledgement message identifying features to be provided by said responding feature server;

means for accessing a memory for configuration information not included in the configuration offer message and configuring said device in accordance with said configuration information; and

means for receiving a feature availability information message directly from a newly-added feature server which is transmitted without being requested by the telecommunications device, wherein the feature availability information message indicates feature availability of the newly-added feature server.

14. The telecommunications device in accordance with claim 13 , wherein said sending means comprises a multicast IP sending means.

15. The telecommunications device in accordance with claim 14 , wherein said sending means comprises a unicast IP sending means.

16. The telecommunications device in accordance with claim 14 , wherein said sending means further includes means for responding to said feature availability information.

17. A telecommunications method, comprising:

attaching an IP multimedia feature server to an IP network, the network including a plurality of IP endpoints;

sending a multicast message to said IP endpoints by the IP multimedia feature server when attached to the IP network without being requested by the IP endpoints, wherein the multicast message indicates available features of said feature server;

retrieving configuration information from configuration memories in the IP endpoints, wherein the configuration information is not included in the multicast message; and

updating said IP endpoints with the configuration information to accommodate said feature server responsive to a configuration request from said IP endpoints, the configuration request identifying features desired to be implemented at the IP endpoints, and after receiving an indication at said IP endpoints of features supported by a corresponding IP multimedia feature server.