VOIP MODEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING VOIP SERVICE

Abstract

A voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) modem (100) includes a service determination module (111), a circuit determination module (112), a line determination module (113), and a command determination module (115). The service determination module determines whether asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) service is available. The circuit determination module determines whether a subscriber line interface circuit (SLIC) chip is normal. The line determination module determines whether a public switched telephone network (PSTN) line is idle. The command determination module determines whether a media gateway control protocol (MGCP) command is successfully exchanged. If ADSL service is available, the SLIC chip is normal, the PSTN line is idle, and the MGCP command is successfully exchanged, the VoIP modem determines that VoIP service is available. A method for detecting whether VoIP service is available is also provided.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a communication system of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a communication system of another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of functional modules of a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) modem of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of functional modules of a VoIP modem of another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a method for detecting VoIP service of a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method for detecting VoIP service of a still further exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method for determining whether a gateway is reachable of FIG. 6.

Claims

1. A voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) modem, comprising: a service determination module, for determining whether asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) service is available;a circuit determination module, for determining whether a subscriber line interface circuit (SLIC) chip is normal;a line determination module, for determining whether a public switched telephone network (PSTN) line is idle; anda command determination module, for determining whether a media gateway control protocol (MGCP) command is successfully exchanged;wherein if ADSL service is available, the SLIC chip is normal, the PSTN line is idle, and the MGCP command is successfully exchanged, the VoIP modem determines that VoIP service is available.

2. The VoIP modem as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a gateway determination module, for determining whether a gateway is reachable.

3. The VoIP modem as claimed in claim 2, wherein the gateway determination module transmits an Internet control message protocol (ICMP) echo request to the gateway, and determines whether the gateway is reachable by determining whether an ICMP echo reply is received from the gateway.

4. The VoIP modem as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a register and an ADSL chip for storing a default value in the register, and the service determination module determines whether ADSL service is available according to the default value from the register.

5. The VoIP modem as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a register and the SLIC chip for storing a default value in the register, and the circuit determination module determines whether the SLIC chip is normal according to the default value from the register.

6. The VoIP modem as claimed in claim 1, wherein the line determination module determines whether the PSTN line is idle by determining whether a loop current is detected.

7. The VoIP modem as claimed in claim 1, wherein the MGCP command comprises a restart in progress (RSIP) command, and the command determination module comprises a restart determination submodule, for sending a RSIP command to a call agent and determining whether a RSIP response is received from the call agent.

8. The VoIP modem as claimed in claim 7, wherein the RSIP response comprises an endpoint identifier (EPT ID), and the command determination module further comprises an identifier determination submodule, for determining whether the EPT ID in the RSIP response is valid.

9. The VoIP modem as claimed in claim 8, wherein the identifier determination submodule determines whether the EPT ID in the RSIP response is valid by determining whether the EPT ID in the RSIP response is the same as an EPT ID of the VoIP modem.

10. The VoIP modem as claimed in claim 1, wherein the MGCP command comprises a notify (NTFY) command, and the command determination module comprises a notice determination submodule, for sending an NTFY command to a call agent and determining whether a NTFY response is received from the call agent.

11. The VoIP modem as claimed in claim 1, wherein the MGCP command comprises an audit endpoint (AUEP) command, and the command determination module comprises an audit determination submodule, for determining whether an AUEP command is received from a call agent.

12. A method for detecting whether voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) service is available, comprising: determining whether asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) service is available;determining whether a subscriber line interface circuit (SLIC) chip is normal if ADSL service is available;determining whether a public switched telephone network (PSTN) line is idle if the SLIC chip is normal;determining whether a media gateway control protocol (MGCP) command is successfully exchanged if the PSTN line is idle; anddetermining that VoIP service is available if the MGCP command is successfully exchanged.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising: providing a gateway;transmitting an Internet control message protocol (ICMP) echo request to the gateway;determining whether an ICMP echo reply is received from the gateway; anddetermining that the gateway is reachable if the ICMP echo reply is received.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising: determining whether the number of times for transmitting the ICMP echo request is less than a default number of times if no ICMP echo reply is received; anddetermining that the gateway is unreachable if the number of times for transmitting the ICMP echo request is not less than the default number of times.

15. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the step of determining whether the PSTN line is idle comprises: determining whether a loop current is detected; anddetermining that the PSTN line is idle if the loop current is detected.

16. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the step of determining whether an MGCP command is successfully exchanged comprises: providing a call agent;sending a restart in progress (RSIP) command to the call agent;determining whether a RSIP response from the call agent;determining whether an endpoint identifier (EPT ID) in the RSIP response is valid if the RSIP response is received from the call agent;sending a notify (NTFY) command to the call agent if the EPT ID in the RSIP is valid;determining whether a NTFY response is received from the call agent;determining whether an audit endpoint (AUEP) command is received from the call agent if the NTFY response is received from the call agent; anddetermining that VoIP service is available if the AUEP command is received from the call agent.

17. A method for detecting availability of voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) service, comprising steps of: detecting availability of physical communication connection service;determining normality of a subscriber line interface circuit (SLIC) chip when said physical communication connection service is available; anddetecting exchange of a media gateway control protocol (MGCP) command through said physical communication connection service when said SLIC chip is normal; anddetermining VoIP service is available through said physical communication connection service when said MGCP command is successfully exchanged.