Cloud VoIP Bypass for IP Media Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
VoIP systems are prone to quality issues due to reliance on IP networks, which can be unreliable and of poor quality, especially for small businesses with single connection paths, leading to disruptions in voice calls.
Innovation Solution
A cloud computing VoIP system that includes a Software as a Service (SaaS) site with a gateway and call manager, coupled to both IP and PSTN networks, allowing for media monitoring, bypass to secondary networks like cellular networks, and dynamic switching to ensure call quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If IP network is used for VoIP calls, then cost is reduced and advanced features are enabled, but call quality and reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the network path into two independent parts: IP network for call control and signaling, and PSTN network for media transmission. This segmentation allows each network to be optimized for its specific function, with PSTN providing reliable voice transport while IP network provides advanced features and low cost.
Solution Approach 2:
Gateways act as intermediaries that connect the IP network and PSTN network. The gateways translate and coordinate between the two networks, enabling the hybrid architecture where call control remains on IP while media flows through PSTN, thus resolving the contradiction between IP-based features and PSTN-based reliability.
2Reliability
If PSTN bypass is implemented for media, then call quality is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as an IP network endpoint and a PSTN interface. It handles call control signaling from the IP network while simultaneously managing media transmission to and from the PSTN, thus consolidating multiple functions into a single device and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-establishes the hybrid call path during call setup, with the gateway configured to route media through PSTN before the actual voice conversation begins. This preliminary configuration ensures that when voice traffic flows, the reliable PSTN path is already in place, avoiding the need for complex real-time switching decisions.
3Reliability
If hybrid IP-PSTN architecture is used, then fault tolerance is improved, but operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway automatically manages the hybrid architecture operations, including automatic detection of call type, automatic routing decisions, and automatic coordination between IP and PSTN networks. This self-service capability eliminates the need for manual intervention in complex hybrid operations, thus improving ease of operation despite the sophisticated underlying architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
The cloud computing VoIP system includes a software as a service (SaaS) site and one or more additional sites. The SaaS site includes a gateway and a call manager and is coupled for communication across an IP network and the PSTN. The call manager includes a media monitoring module, a bypass module, a PSTN control module and a GUI module. The SaaS site handles and controls voice and video calls over the IP network and the PSTN for endpoints at the one or more additional sites. In another embodiment, the cloud computing VoIP system is also coupled to a cellular network and the endpoints include an associated cellular phone. The cloud computing VoIP system also includes a method for falling back to a secondary network, namely the cellular network, when there is insufficient quality on a primary network.