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The number of holes that are opened in a firewall for internet telephony is limited to a first hole used for call control and a second hole used for audio traffic. Fixed destination ports for telephony traffic and call control traffics are created at a destination. Media streams are received at the telephony fixed destination port. The source of each media stream is commanded to provide a unique identifier for each media stream arriving at the destination from each source. Each media stream is identified by a unique identifier provided by the source. The unique identifier for each media stream is communicated to the destination by each source over call control. All telephony traffic is received only at the fixed destination port or telephony and all call control is received only at the fixed destination port for call control.
1. A method of communication between at least two private branch exchanges including a source private branch exchange and a destination private branch exchange, the method comprising:
sending a first media stream from the source private branch exchange to a first port predetermined for media streams at the destination private branch exchange;
sending a first control stream from the source private branch exchange to a second port predetermined for control streams at the destination private branch exchange;
wherein the first control stream comprises a first unique identifier of the first media stream;
wherein the first port and the second port have port numbers different from each other;
sending a second media stream from the destination private branch exchange to a third port predetermined for media streams at the source private branch exchange;
sending a second control stream from the destination private branch exchange to a fourth port predetermined for control streams at the source private branch exchange;
wherein the second control stream comprises a second unique identifier of the second media stream; and
wherein the third port and the fourth port have port numbers different from each other.
2. The method of
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7. A method of receiving telephony traffic over an IP network, the method comprising:
receiving at least a first media stream in a first port for telephony data traffic at a first one of the plurality of destinations;
receiving at least a second media stream in the first port predetermined for telephony data traffic at a second one of the plurality of destinations;
receiving at least a first call control stream in a second port predetermined for call control traffic at the first one of the plurality of destinations;
wherein the first call control stream comprises a first unique identifier of the first media stream; and
receiving at least a second call control stream in the second port predetermined for call control traffic at the second one of the plurality of destinations;
wherein the second call control stream comprises a second unique identifier of the second media stream; and
wherein the first port and the second port have port numbers different from each other.
8. The method of
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Appendix A contains the following files in one CD-ROM (of which two identical copies are attached hereto), and is a part of the present disclosure and is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety:
The files of Appendix A form source code in the language C for implementing a media stream server, call controller and media stream control, for use with an illustrative implementation of this invention as described more completely below.
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
A PBX (private branch exchange) provides interconnections among internal telephone lines that are connected to telephone instruments at a single facility (such as a law office). The PBX also interconnects the internal telephone lines to a smaller number of external telephone lines (also called "trunks") of a telephone company. Such PBXs provide a number of features of the type described in, for example, "DEFINITY Communications System, Generic 1 and Generic 3 and System 75, 8410 Voice Terminal User's Guide," pages 5–8, 1994, published by AT&T GBCS Documentation Development, Middletown, N.J., 07748-1998.
There is a growing trend towards audio communications taking place over packet-switched networks, such as the Internet, instead of directly on the telephone network (that provides only circuit switching and is sometimes called "public switched telephone network (PSTN)"). Such audio communications can be facilitated by various types of devices such as: (1) specialized PBXs (also called "packet-switching PBXs") that directly connect to packet-switched networks, (2) gateways that connect circuit-switching devices to packet-switched networks and (3) software tools that connect personal computers to packet-switched networks. One example of a packet-switching PBX, as seen in
In this example, the packet-switching PBX includes one or more telephony switches 1 and 2, each of which has twelve ports that can be connected either to internal telephone lines or to external telephone lines. In addition, each of telephony switches 1 and 2 includes a digital port that is connected to an Ethernet 3 for communication therebetween. For example, if telephone instrument 4 needs to be connected to telephone instrument 5, switch 1 routes the call via Ethernet 3 to switch 2. Information carried by any call routed over Ethernet 3 is divided into a number of portions; each portion placed in a packet (such as a Universal Datagram Protocol (UDP) packet conforming to the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) Internet Protocol (IP) used over the Internet) that is transmitted between switches 1 and 2. TCP and UDP both travel on top of the IP. TCP is a session- and connection-oriented protocol. UDP carries packets with nothing in the UDP portion itself to identify any stream, or connection.
An example of a conventional gateway for circuit-switching PBXs is an Internet Telephony Server which includes a PSTN interface board 11, as seen in
One example of a software tool for use in a personal computer is an audio conferencing tool described in "vat—LBNL Audio Conferencing Tool", published May 1996 and available at wwwnrg-ee-lbl-gov%vat. The packets generated by this tool conform to the Real-Time Transport Protocol (RTP) as described in "RTP: A Transport Protocol for Real-Time Applications", Network Working Group, January 1996, which is available from the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) website as Request for Comment (RFC) 1889, www-ietf-org%rfc%rfc1889.txt?number=1889. RTP provides end-to-end network transport functions suitable for applications transmitting real-time data, such as audio, video, or simulation data, over multicast or unicast network services.
Data packets sent on an RTP stream carry only a hint as to which call the data packets relate to. In RTP packets, the hint comes in the form of 32 bit (i.e., 4 byte) identifiers which help locate the generator of the data in the packet. However, as the identifier is not centrally generated, cases arise where two sources generate the same identifier, and thus 'collide' on the use of a particular pattern in these 32 bits. In this case, the sources simply choose a new identifier, and the recipients are left to figure out what has happened. RTP itself does not contain a mechanism to keep the identifiers unique.
Classical RTP requires that either all ports of the firewall be opened or that the firewall recognize that the incoming data is RTP data. Firewalls typically operate by rejecting (i.e., discarding) incoming traffic which is destined for ports (either TCP or UDP) whose operational security is not known. Essentially, the firewall closes the ports for incoming traffic unless someone (e.g., the administrator of the firewall) can vouch that the destination port has a trusted program digesting the information. With RTP, the ports are 'unspecified', so the administrator could end up with having to open up many, or all of the UDP ports to allow the voice traffic to come in. While a field in the IP header of a UDP packet explicitly states that the following payload data is UDP payload data, there is no further identification in the UDP packet that the UDP payload data is RTP data. RTP data travels inside a UDP datagram as a payload of UDP. Since there is no tag or identifier in the incoming data packet itself that identifies the incoming data as RTP data, the destination must be informed that incoming data is RTP data. If the receiving system does not know that data coming in on a particular port is RTP data, then the receiving system usually discards such data. There are a few heuristics which can be applied to the RTP header to take a guess as to whether it is RTP. Routers use these heuristics to compress RTP headers, but their compression techniques, when inadvertently applied, are not destructive. However, the routers are only looking for compressible data and not looking at the data in order to route the data or identify the data as belonging to any particular call's media stream. The routers merely seek to exploit the compressible aspects of an RTP header, if in fact, there is such a header on a particular packet.
A method of sending telephony traffic over Ethernet is disclosed. A fixed destination port for telephony traffic is created at a destination. A fixed destination port for call control traffic is also created at the destination. A plurality of media streams are received at the telephony fixed destination port. The source of each media stream is commanded to provide a unique identifier for each media stream arriving at the destination from each source. Each media stream is identified by a unique identifier provided by the source. Transmission of packetized data to a fixed destination port for all audio traffic and all call control traffic allows the number of holes in the firewall of a system to be kept to a minimum.
A method of limiting telephony traffic to a single hole in a firewall is also disclosed. A fixed destination port is created for telephony traffic at a destination. A first hole is opened in a firewall corresponding to the fixed destination port for telephony. A fixed destination port is created for call control traffic at the destination. A second hole in the firewall is opened corresponding to the fixed destination port for call control. A plurality of media streams are received at the telephony fixed destination port. The source of each media stream is commanded to provide a unique identifier for each media stream arriving at the destination from each source. Each media stream is identified by a unique identifier provided by the source of each media stream.
This invention will be more fully understood in light of the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying drawings.
Use of the same reference symbols in different figures indicates similar or identical items.
IP nodes (e.g., telephony switches) are connected by IP networks over a number of different systems, e.g., Ethernet 10/100/1G, T1, DSL, Cable, PSTN, etc. Audio communication over packet-switched networks can involve an audio stream passing through a firewall. Firewalls exist at the boundaries between a trusted internal internet and an untrusted external internet. Firewalls are controlled by a combination of software and hardware. A firewall is programmed to allow packets destined for known ports to enter those ports and to reject those packets with unknown destination ports. Firewalls protect against incoming traffic only and have filtering rules as to what packets are to be let through. Filtering rules are implemented by a system manager. Incoming traffic authorized by the filtering rules of the firewall to enter the destination computer system is said to pass through a "hole" in the firewall. Packets in the incoming traffic are pre-set at the source computer with the target port number and/or IP address of the destination computer. If the firewall guarding the destination system does not recognize the incoming packets as authorized to enter the destination port number (i.e., not authorized to pass through the "hole" in the firewall) to which the packet has been directed by the source computer, the packet will not be allowed through (i.e., processed any further) and the packet will be dropped.
One goal of the system administrator of a computer network is to limit unauthorized outside access to the computer system. The system administrator starts with a completely closed system (i.e., no outside traffic is allowed in) and opens up a number of ports to allow access for web traffic and Telnet access. TCP port 80 is the port number commonly assigned by system administrators for incoming web traffic. Other port numbers may be used for File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and Telnet access. The system administrator obtains these commonly assigned port numbers from industry guidelines which suggest which port numbers should be used for a particular use. The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) houses the many unique parameters and protocol values necessary for operation of the Internet and its future development. These parameters and protocol values may be found at www-iana-org%numbers.htm. Types of numbers range from unique port assignments to the registration of character sets. A copy of the list of port numbers may be found at www-isi-edu%in-notes%iana%assignments%port-numbers. It is from these lists that port numbers were obtained for use in conjunction with an embodiment of the invention, as seen below.
In accordance with the invention, an embodiment of the invention includes using RTP protocol in a manner that allows all incoming audio traffic to be directed through a single "hole" in the firewall (i.e., directed to one specific port) set aside for incoming audio traffic at a destination system.
As data packets sent via UDP are not self-identifying in RTP, it is necessary for the source system to send a control message via TCP to the destination system that identifies the incoming media stream of data packets. The control message identifies the data packets by the IP address of the source system and the source port number from which the data packets originate. The call control message is sent via a call control mechanism that informs the destination (i.e., receiving) system which data packet corresponds to a particular call (i.e., media stream).
The call control mechanism communicates information about the call (i.e., call identifier, source port number, source IP address, destination port number, destination IP address) to both the source and destination systems. The communication of this call control information between systems is referred to as "call control". Call control is transmitted between the source and destination systems through a second "hole" in the firewall (i.e., a second specific port in each system) set aside for all call control traffic. This second hole uses a destination port number set aside for TCP protocol. The destination port number for TCP is always a specific port number (e.g., port number 5002) chosen by the user for system-wide use. The call control stream from the source (i.e., sender) to the destination (i.e., receiver) identifies the source IP address, the source port number of the sender and a call identifier (which is a token 32 bits) to the receiver. A control signal can be received either before or after the data traffic starts. However, the receiving IP telephony switch discards any data traffic received before the control signal is received as the switch is sensitive to both IP address and port number. RTP allows a new source port number to be used every time a telephone call is established. The source and destination media streams are identified by their IP addresses and UDP port numbers. The destination port number for UDP is always a specific port number (e.g., port number 5004) chosen by the user for system-wide use, but the source port number for UDP traffic varies for each call. This specific port number is chosen pursuant to the IANA guidelines mentioned above. Each media stream has its own unique pair of IP addresses and UDP source port number. The destination port number chosen by the user for the call control stream on TCP is port 5002 but any port number may be chosen by the user, pursuant to the IANA guidelines mentioned above. The actual call control mechanism used to transport the above-identified information is not a critical aspect of one embodiment; the only addition to a normal call control mechanism, in one embodiment, is transfer of information relating to the source port number of the sender.
In accordance with one embodiment, a call control mechanism may be based on International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Recommendation H.323. The ITU is an international organization within which governments and the private sector coordinate global telecom networks and services. ITU Recommendation H.323 (11/00) "Packet-Based Multimedia Communications Systems" discloses a conventional method of transmitting destination port information over call control. This method may be modified to transfer source port information of a sender, as described elsewhere herein.
In accordance with one embodiment, the call control mechanism is based on Request for Comments (RFC) 2543: "Session Initiation Protocol" (SIP) (March 1999) developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), an international community of network designers, operators, vendors, and researchers concerned with the evolution of the Internet architecture. SIP discloses an application-layer control (signaling) protocol for creating, modifying and terminating sessions with one or more participants. These sessions include Internet multimedia conferences, Internet telephone calls and multimedia distribution. Members in a session can communicate via multicast or via a mesh of unicast relations, or a combination of these. SIP Invitations used to create sessions and carry session descriptions which allow participants to agree on a set of compatible media types. SIP supports user mobility by proxying and redirecting requests to the user's current location. Users can register their current location. SIP is not tied to any particular conference control protocol. SIP is designed to be independent of the lower-Layer transport protocol and can be extended with additional capabilities. RFC 2543 is available at www-ietf-cnri.reston-va-us% rfc%rfc2543.txt?number=2543 and discloses a conventional method of transmitting destination port information over call control. This method may also be modified to transfer source port information of a sender, as described herein.
This system of media stream identification, based on pairs of IP addresses and UDP source port numbers, is not limited to audio traffic, but is also applicable to video stream data.
In accordance with the invention,
For purposes of clarity, the following description relates to a call from one telephone instrument to another telephone instrument. The initiator of a telephone call picks up the handset of the first telephone 30A. Generation of a dial tone occurs in the telephony switch to which the handset is connected. The media stream is not established until the user 'dials a number', e.g., the three-digit extension of a colleague in a remote office. Generators of the media stream always send the data to the same destination port number regardless of which PBX to the media stream is directed to. Each PBX is set to receive incoming traffic at the same destination port number every other PBX in the system is set to receive incoming traffic at. This UDP destination port number for the incoming RTP data is compiled into computer code (e.g., language C) and programmed into each PBX. In the alternative, the destination port number for UDP traffic could be chosen at runtime and sent between telephony switches, i.e., the destination port number could be chosen during the runtime of the telephony switch, as opposed to the destination port number being assigned some value during the compilation of software which runs in the switch. Software compilation occurs at the factory of the switch manufacturer. The resulting software program is loaded into the telephony switch. After power is applied to the switch, the program runs, and eventually, assigns these port numbers. This destination port number is provided to the administrator of the firewall who then configures the firewall to allow incoming RTP data traffic through to the designated destination UDP port number. The ultimate destinations of the media streams may differ but the same destination port number on each PBX is used for incoming traffic. The initiator of the call then dials a desired number or extension and the telephone 36N at the destination rings regardless of where the destination telephone 36N and its associated PBX 35 are located. The telephone number dialed is the destination ID of the telephone 36N to which the call is directed (e.g., going to a particular destination PBX 35 and physical port number (e.g., port number 3) of the destination PBX 35). The physical 'ports' on the PBX are also referred to as 'slots' (i.e., port number 3 is slot number 3). The dialed number is sent to a call control mechanism located within the PBX 31A connected to the call initiator's telephone. The call control mechanism uses programmed instructions to determine the destination IP address from the dialed number by searching for the dialed number in the configuration database 37A of the PBX 31A. The search yields the IP address and a unique 32-bit identifier of the destination (i.e., dialed) telephone 36N. Each telephone extension in the system is associated with an IP address as well as a 32-bit identifier unique to that extension. The call control mechanism sends messages over call control stream 99A to destination PBX 35 using TCP protocol. In order for media stream 98A to be received at the destination telephone 36N, media stream 98A must pass through a firewall 34 guarding the destination system. Although there might be a firewall 32A guarding the call initiator's system, the firewall 32A guarding the call initiator's system ignores media stream 98A from the caller's PBX 31A to the receiver's PBX 35 as the call is outgoing and not incoming. However, as RTP is unidirectional, the receiver will generate its own media stream to communicate with the caller. This second media stream (not shown for clarity) must pass through the firewall 32A guarding the call initiator's system. The receiver of the call (i.e., destination telephone 36N) is informed of the source port number for each individual call originating elsewhere by an external mechanism (i.e., a call control mechanism) pre-programmed into and distributed across all of the switches. Each PBX involved in a telephone call functions as part of the call control, as stated in more detail below. The individual PBX's call control function depends on whether the PBX is the PBX sending a call or the PBX receiving a call. The call control mechanism is programmed such that a source port number identifying the source of a call is generated by the source PBX 31A and then communicated to the destination PBX 35. This call control is done through a second hole in the destination firewall through which the TCP messages pass to the call control mechanism in the destination PBX 35. The two PBX 31A, 35 communicate with each other and exchange messages through the call control holes in the firewalls 32A, 34. The destination PBX 35 then knows a call is coming and generates signals to the destination telephone 36N. It is the destination PBX 35 that rings the attached telephone 36N. The media stream starts when the destination telephone 36N is answered. Each firewall needs two holes: one for TCP port number 5002 and one for UDP port number 5004. The distributed call control (i.e., the communication of call control between the PBXs involved in the call) is communicated to TCP port number 5002; consequently passing through the hole in the firewall corresponding to TCP port number 5002. The media streams (all of them) are transmitted through the firewall hole for UDP port number 5004. Call control communication is transmitted over TCP protocol to TCP port number 5002 and the media stream RTP is transmitted over UDP protocol to UDP port number 5004. Essentially, the port number and IP address of the sending PBX 31A is communicated to the receiving PBX 35. The receiving PBX 35 uses this information to identify the call (i.e., the receiving PBX 35 can find all other data associated with the call based on this information alone).
The 32-bit call identifier is unique across all PBXs within a single customer environment. Every time a new call is initiated, a new call identifier is created. For example, the new call identifier may be created by incrementing the previous call identifier by one. The call identifier, used as a "tag", or "index" for the call, is unique among all other extant calls in the telephony system. Inside the system, there are several tables that contain information about pieces and parts of each call. These tables usually contain the call identifier, so that any particular piece can be correlated with the call. The call may include several media streams, each stream with its own endpoint port number. But, wherever a data structure describes such a media stream, that data structure is indexed (i.e., tagged) with the call identifier.
An endpoint exchange (i.e., the communication of the source port number to the destination PBX 35) occurs when the receiver of the call picks up the telephone 36N. The source port number is generated by the initiator PBX 31A and retained in the initiator PBX switch 31A. The call control mechanism is used to establish the two independent media streams, by symmetric exchange of IP address and UDP port number pairs. The result is two media streams; the initiator's voice to the receiver's earpiece and the receiver's voice to the initiator's earpiece. The symmetric establishment of the two media streams take place concurrently, not sequentially, and occurs before the receiving telephone is answered. Since the destination port number of each PBX 31A, 35 is always the same (e.g., TCP port 5002 and UDP port 5004), neither the initiator's firewall 32A nor the receiver's firewall 34 needs to be adjusted.
In accordance with the invention, while the above call is in progress, a second telephone call may be placed from handset 30I to destination handset 36A and a third call from handset 30N to destination handset 30I. The second and third calls each obtain a unique source port number in the manner outlined above. The call control communication for each call, regardless of whether the source handset is 30A, 30I or 30N, is transmitted over TCP protocol to TCP port number 5002 of PBX 35 and the media stream RTP is transmitted over UDP protocol to UDP port number 5004 of PBX 35.
In accordance with the invention, as seen in
There is a potential timing delay because data could arrive at firewall 34 of the destination system before the destination system is notified that data is coming. If that incoming data arrives before the call control mechanism is made aware of an incoming call, the incoming data is dropped by the destination system. The timing delay occurs with respect to the timing of (a) the source port being communicated to the receiving system and (b) the media stream flowing to that receiving system. For example, if the media stream packets for a new stream arrive at the receiving system before the distributed call control has communicated the new source port number, then the receiving PBX 35 drops these packets as the receiving PBX 35 requires the source port number to identify which conversation the media stream belongs to. The receiving PBX 35 must be informed of the source parameters (i.e., port number & IP address) as these parameters identify the call and where data for the call is originating.
In accordance with the invention, a system can be run with one or more PBX. Two PBXs can be in the same building or in different buildings or even in different cities and the collection of these PBXs, and associated equipment, make up the phone system. The phone systems (PBXs) communicate with each other via transmission control protocol (TCP) internet protocol (IP). TCP/IP and Universal Datagram Protocol (UDP)/IP are standard methods of sending data (e.g., voice), including streaming media. In the layering approach to networking protocols, TCP travels on top of IP. UDP also travels on top of IP. Layering of network protocols is common practice and well-known in the art. Voice data is usually sent over UDP/IP, although it can also be sent over TCP/IP. However, the UDP/IP domain is preferred as UDP/IP is better suited to the timely aspects of conversational audio. The salient timely aspect of conversational audio is: (1) if the data is late, the data is useless. TCP functions so as to guarantee the correct, ordered delivery of data (even in the face of network loss or temporary outages) though at the cost that the data may come slowly. In a voice system, the timely delivery of data is of high importance to maintaining a coherent conversation. A user can have a PBX at the home of the user, connected to an internet service provider (ISP) via Digital Subscriber Line (DSL). Two or more PBX communicate using their Internet addresses. As seen in
The configuration database 37A, . . . 37I, . . . 37N, 38 of each PBX 31A, . . . 31I, . . . 31N, 35 contains the IP address of all the other PBXs that make up the PBX system for a particular business and where every telephone extension in the system is located. A "telephony management system" (TMS) (not shown) is implemented as a personal computer (PC) with a user management interface, including but not limited to a Graphical User Interface (GUI), to inform the TMS about any new PBX added to the system. The TMS also updates the configuration database 37A, . . . 37I, . . . 37N, 38 of each PBX as to the IP address and telephone extensions associated with the new PBX. This information is entered into the system manually by the system administrator or someone similar who uses the management interface in the telephony management system (TMS) to add the new PBX. The exact manner of how the PBX is connected to the Internet is not essential to the practice of this invention.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the following example is an illustration of the telephony system of
In accordance with the invention, as seen in
When a person in the Boston office wishes to call a person in the San Jose office, the Boston person picks up a telephone and dials a SJ extension (e.g., ext. 586). The Boston PBX 41 searches for ext. 586 in its extension table (i.e., configuration database). The configuration database lists extension 586 as being attached to slot or port number 3 of the SJ PBX 42. The Boston PBX 41 then transmits a call control message (via TCP/IP port 5002) to the SJ PBX 42 instructing the SJ PBX 42 to create a media stream. At this time, the Boston PBX 41 does not instruct the SJ PBX 42 to send the SJ-to-Boston media stream 46 to any particular port number on the Boston PBX 41. Since the Boston PBX 41 has its own media stream 45 going from Boston to SJ, there are now two media streams; one from Boston to SJ 45 and another from SJ to Boston 46. The control stream 43, 44 between the two PBX 41, 42 always exists as the control stream is used not only to communicate the source port for the media streams, but also for other functions not salient to the claimed invention. The TCP control stream is always directed to a particular destination port (e.g., 5002) chosen by the manufacturer of the system. The use of port 5002 as the TCP port is in the source code. This constant destination port number may be changed to any other number as long as the change is made on a system-wide basis.
When the extension in SJ is dialed, the Boston PBX 41 creates a Boston-to-SJ media stream 45. In the process of doing this, the SJ PBX 42 sends a message over the SJ-to-Boston control stream 44 requesting the operating system inside the Boston PBX 41 to transmit a unique port number (i.e., the source UDP port number being used by the Boston-to-SJ media stream 45) to identify the incoming media stream 45 from the Boston PBX 41. The source UDP port number communicated to the SJ PBX 42 is one that is not already in use by another media stream. Meanwhile, the SJ PBX 42 receives a message, over the Boston-to-SJ control stream 43, from the Boston PBX 41 requesting the SJ PBX 42 create a media stream and a UDP port number to identify that media stream. The SJ PBX 42 sends a TCP/IP message to Boston with a SJ UDP port number for the SJ media stream 46. Thus, the UDP port number from which each media stream originates varies per call, regardless of whether the media stream originates from the Boston PBX 41 or the SJ PBX 42. However, both the Boston PBX 41 and the SJ PBX 42 use the identical UDP port number to receive incoming media streams.
The SJ PBX 42 creates the SJ media stream 46 and unique port number which the SJ PBX 42 sends to the Boston PBX 41, via call control, identifying that a particular call originated at a particular port number. The Boston PBX 41 may request that the SJ PBX 42 provide a source port number or the SJ PBX 42 may, as part of the call control of the SJ PBX 42, automatically do so when the SJ PBX 42 creates its media stream. Both mechanisms are used. Depending upon the exact ordering of the events in the call setup (or call handoff sequence, for the case of call transfer), one or both of the mechanisms will effect the exchange. In the case of both, the excess work is discarded by the system. The Boston PBX 41 also has the programmed ability to request the UDP port number of an extant media stream in order to cover overlap in the asynchronous execution of these two symmetric algorithms. The destination port number for TCP is always 5002. The designation of which destination port number is used for UDP and which is used for TCP all comes from software within the PBX. The destination port number is compiled into the code running in the PBXs. At this point, the Boston PBX 41 has a media stream 45 uniquely identified by the IP address of the Boston PBX 41 and the UDP source port number of the Boston PBX 41 obtained when the media stream 45 was created. In SJ, the SJ media stream 46 is created and uniquely identified by the SJ IP address and SJ source port number obtained.
Each system must transfer the UDP source port number for a particular media stream from its PBX back to the PBX at the destination of the media stream. The UDP source port numbers are not transferred inside the media stream. The data inside the media stream must be uniquely identified so that the data is routed to the appropriate destination. The Boston PBX 41 sends the port number of its media stream to the SJ PBX 42 in the control stream in a different message (i.e., an "endpoint" information message) from the first message sent to command the SJ PBX 42 to create the media stream. The SJ PBX 42 does likewise. It is the unique identification of each media stream that allows the receiver task in a destination PBX to sort through a plurality of media streams from various sources and send each media stream to its intended destination. The key is to communicate the UDP port number from the source of the media stream to the destination of the media stream. Every media packet being sent from the SJ PBX 42 to the Boston PBX 41 has a destination and source IP addresses as well as destination and source port numbers. Meanwhile, the Boston PBX 41 is doing the same thing (i.e., sending packets with destination and source IP addresses as well as destination and source port numbers).
Essentially, the Boston PBX 41 sends the UDP port number of its media stream to SJ PBX 42 and the SJ PBX 42 does likewise. Both Boston and SJ send endpoint information messages to each other, including an identifier of the call and, most importantly, the UDP port number of the media stream associated with the call. This endpoint information informs each PBX that voice communication can start. This is the key to communicating the UDP port number from the source of the media stream to a recipient destination.
Port 5002 is the port number chosen by the maker of the PBX for the TCP call control hole in the firewall. Any port number could have been chosen but once chosen, the port number is fixed across the private branch exchange system. Any change in port number must be made on a system-wide basis. The TCP/IP messages are sent to the TCP port 5002, which like the UDP port number, is also chosen arbitrarily.
Port 5004 is recommended by the RTP RFC standard for UDP transmission, REF 1890, RTP Profile for Audio and Video Conferences with Minimal Control, January 1996, www-letf-org%rfc%rfc1890.txt. However, as stated above, the chosen number does not matter as long as the number is fixed across the private branch exchange system. The User is usually not authorized to change this number. The firewall administrator is usually the only one authorized to open a hole at this chosen port number.
While the data payload of each packet does not contain any identifying information, the header of each packet does contain IP address and port number information. A typical voice packet in the media stream on a Local Area Network (LAN) includes the following: Ethernet header (14 bytes), IP header (20 bytes, including the destination IP address and source IP address), UDP header (8 bytes, including destination and source port numbers), RTP header (12 bytes), and payload (10 to 160 bytes).
The two source port numbers, one for each half of a conversational media stream, are generated asynchronously by the two systems. While the destination port number varied per each call in prior systems, the instant system uses a fixed destination port which allows the system administrator to keep the holes in the firewall to a minimum. The uniquely generated source port number of each media stream is what enables the PBX to identify and distinguish which packet belongs to a particular call.
In accordance with the invention, the actual mechanism for transmission of the uniquely identifying source port number is through the call control mechanism.
Multi switch control 51 is the replication agent for any existing call from one PBX over to another PBX. As stated above, both PBXs run the same functional blocks of code, i.e., both the 'calling' PBX and the 'called' PBX contain ms_ctrl 51, ms_svr 52 and call controller 53 (which contains the calling PBX's ms_ctrl). The replication agent is the ms_ctrl within the call controller 53 which allows the two (or more) PBX to act as if they were a single PBX.
The media stream server 52 sends and receives RTP data (i.e., payload). The media stream server 52 gathers data from the telephone instrument and sends that gathered data as RTP data. The media stream server 52 also performs the opposite function by taking RTP data from the network and converting that data into a form compatible with the telephone instrument.
The media stream server (ms_svr) 52 includes five tasks: (1) a command task that communicates with the call controller 53 to determine the media streams that collectively define a single call; (2) a receiver task that takes data from the network; (3) a sender task that sends data to the network; (4) a player task that works with the receiver task to manage the incoming data jitter buffers; and (5) a proxy task that forwards the media to voice mail in a format compatible with voice mail.
As the media stream server 52 and multi switch control 51 do not communicate directly with each other, the call controller 53 is an intermediary between the two functions. The call controller 53 is necessary to communicate the source port numbers between media stream server 52 and multi switch control 51. Communication between the call controller 53 and media stream control is focused on call replication 57. Call replication is a generic term applied to all communication between the media stream server 52 and the multi switch control 51 regarding the set-up and identification of each media stream.
As discussed in more detail below, several messages run between the media stream server 52 and the call controller 53. These messages include "mscreate" 73, "udp_port" 55, "add_node_req" 56, and "set endpoint" 76.
In accordance with the invention, as seen in
Outgoing data originates from a microphone 69A of the telephone and is run through a codec 69B. Data from the codec 69B is then passed to the Digital Signal Processor (DSP) 69C. The DSP 69C takes individual samples of data from the network buffers, and meters them out to Digital-to-Analog Converters (DACs) located on the line card in the telephony switch in an exact time sequence. The DSP 69C then sends the data to the sender task 64. The sender task 64 breaks up the data and places it into a particular network buffer 60 which then sends the data out of media stream server (ms_svr) 52. The data is sent as RTP packets, encapsulated with UDP, IP, and Ethernet headers. The command task 62 is in communication with the linked lists 61 and with the outside system (not shown).
The command task 62 sets up the UDP source port number, manages the communication channels running between the command task and call control 53 as well as the asynchronous communication with the call control 53 in the PBX. The command task 62 opens two communications channels, or pipes, to call controller 53. The two pipes, collectively known as 'the command pipe', are the request pipe ("pipe_ms_ctl_cmds") and the response pipe ("pipe_ms_ctl_resps"). The request pipe is used to send requests from the call controller 53 to the command task 62 and the response pipe is used to send responses back to the call controller 53 from the command task 62. The command task 62 reads off of the command pipe. Each task (sender, receiver, command, proxy) ends up as an infinite loop.
In accordance with the invention, as seen in
The first possible command is media stream create ("mscreate") 73. The end result of this command is the creation of a media stream. This command may be generated by the call controller 53 in response to local or remote telephone being used. In summary, the command task 62 calls to "set up RTP header" and generates a UDP source port number which is saved in the linked list 61 data structure (See 73A). An outgoing packet template is prepared with a header for later use by "sendbuf" 73B. This template is used over and over every time a packet is sent as the UDP port number has been inserted into the packet template 73B. After receiving a message "udp_port" 55, mscreate 73 will then send the UDP source port number back to call control 53 for transmission back to remote node 73C. The command task then waits for a command from the command pipe 71. This command task initiates the media stream for the call. After that, the next thing to be done is to add the extension for the call. The next thing the call controller 53 does is "add_slot" which adds a slot.
The second possible command is to add a node ("add node") 74. In summary, "add node" adds a node to the system even though it is not aware of which port this information is for, informs the system a node was added, and puts the port information into the media stream node (msnode), searches for the media stream identifier (i.e., the unique number of the media stream), finds the media stream node with that particular IP address, and sends a reply (to the request to add a node) to the call controller 53 saying that the task of adding a node to the data structure 61 has been done. This command augments the data structure, or builds the data structure 61, which is shared by all the media stream tasks. This data structure is not strictly for use by the Receiver task as the sender uses it also for outgoing voice data. It must be noted that the source port number is unknown to the destination PBX at this time. A message "add_node_req" 56, requesting that a node be added, is sent to the call controller 53 which is informed when "add_node" is done 77. The command task then waits for a command from the command pipe 71.
The third possible command is to add a slot 75. In summary, the "add slot" command is used whereby the slot is added as a local extension to the media stream (i.e., a structure representing the local port is linked on to the local media stream), and then informs call control that it is done.
This command sends a message, "add_slot_req", from the call controller 53 to the command task. The command adds a data structure (i.e., slot) representing the local port to the media stream for use by the Sender and Player tasks 75A. A message is sent informing call controller that "add_slot" is done 77. The command task then waits for a command from the command pipe 71.
The fourth possible command is to "set_endpoint" 76. This command searches for a media stream based on a unique number that is the media stream identifier (e.g. call identifier) 76A. The command finds the remote node ("ms_node") having the same IP address and no port number 76B. The command then inserts the port number into the ms_node list 76C. A message is sent informing call controller that "set_endpoint" is done 77. The command task then waits for a command from the command pipe 71.
In accordance with the invention,
In accordance with the invention, the media stream node linked list 61 is used by the receiver task 63 to find a particular remote node, as seen in
The receiver task uses the linked list of remote nodes and walks through this list to find the particular remote node. The receiver task transfers the information over to the player task which then searches for the media stream which has a pointer to the extension list, as seen in
In accordance with the invention, as seen in
The sender task 64 gets data from the handset microphones 69A (a CODEC 69B is used to convert the data to a usable format). The sender task 64 takes incoming data off local extensions (DSP data essentially). The sender task runs every 10 milliseconds by taking in coming DSP data off the local extensions and building the outgoing buffers 60. When a buffer 60 fills up, the sender task 64 sends out the full buffer of payload by using the command, "sendbuf". After building up data from DSP 69C, "sendbuf" searches through the linked list 61 to determine if any media streams are related to the full buffer of payload in order to send data out to each remote node that is attached to the media stream whose buffer is full. The command "sendbuf" attaches the RTP header. The UDP port number is created when the media stream is created. The UDP header is created and includes the UDP port number previously created. UDP source port number is filled into buffer. This UDP port number is associated with the media stream moving data from the source telephony switch (e.g., the microphone on a handset) to another telephony switch (e.g., to be played out of the speaker on another handset). A query is needed to get the number out of the operating system.
During "ms_create" in the command task, the operating system is instructed to assign a port number but the operating system keeps the number to itself. The port number assigned from the operating system is queried. The port number assigned is saved in the linked data structures, and are used by the sender task.
In accordance with the invention, as seen in
As seen in
The proxy task ends up going through "send_buf", as discussed above. The proxy task forwards the media to voicemail in a form voicemail likes (i.e., proxy task changes the format). Proxy task sends data to the network and stands between voicemail and an extension. Proxy task is sending data from one PBX to another PBX; 10 millisecond packets are changed into 125 millisecond packets linearly encoded. All media packets to and from the network uses the constant destination port number and varying source port number.
The call controller 53 encompasses everything other than the media stream server 52 and the multi switch control 51. In summary, the call controller 53 interacts with the command process. The command "create call" creates a unique media stream identifier used to identify a media stream at the media stream layer and then adds parties. The call controller 53 uses the media stream identifier to create a unique media stream, gets UDP port number and stores it. If remote parties are involved in the call, then the remote parties are informed of the unique source port number via TCP message through the msctrl mechanism. However, this message is not sent until call controller 53 knows there are remote parties.
In accordance with the invention, as seen in
If the dialed party is not at a remote node, the call controller 53 sends an "add slot" message to the command process 184. The call controller 53 then once again waits for a call setup event or endpoint event 110.
If there is an endpoint event, call controller 53 sends a "set endpoint" message to the command process 190. The call controller 53 again waits for a call setup event or endpoint event 110.
There are alternative ways to identify the source of each call other than by source port number. As stated above, the RTP header in each media stream packet is 12 bytes in size. The RTP header is comprised of 4 bytes of time stamp, a 2 byte sequence number, 4 bytes for synchronous source identifier (SSRC), and 2 bytes for RTP header extensions.
The SSRC can be used to uniquely identify the source of media stream being sent. However, the SSRC can be changed at any point by the media stream generator. Systems could use the SSRC to identify the media stream source but the method to do so is more complex than identifying by source port number. In order to use the SSRC, the media generator requires a control channel to communicate the changes in SSRC in a time-sensitive, synchronized fashion in order to avoid loss of data. The source could change the SSRC in the middle of a call. However, if someone else uses the same identifier, the media streams of each user using the same identifier collide and both sources have to use new SSRC numbers. Thus, the SSRC is one way to use the RTP header to identify media streams.
The header extension could be used to identify the source of the media streams but this method is less efficient since the network data representing the stream will be larger, consuming more network bandwidth. This method may also be less efficient when deployed with available routing equipment, which, upon recognition of such a header extension, may cease to compress packets traveling over a slow network link.
The 2 bytes in the RTP header for extensions can describe the encodings for payload type and the existence of merged conference streams (i.e. conference calling). These 2 bytes can also indicate the existence of extensions (i.e., whether the header has been extended). These two bytes can be made to stand for whatever the user wants the two bytes to indicate, including, but not limited to, the source of the RTP data.
The above-described embodiments of the present invention are merely meant to be illustrative and not limiting. It will thus be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects. Therefore, the appended claims encompass all such changes and modifications as falling within the true spirit and scope of this invention.
Patent Citations
Non-Patent Citations
Referenced by
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TV Info
Episode PremiereOctober 04, 2011
Show Period2003 - now
Production CompanyCBS, Paramount, Belisarius Prod., thinkfilm
Cast and Crew
DirectorArvin Brown
ScreenwriterNicole Mirante-Matthews
Main Cast
- Mark Harmon as NCIS Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs
- Michael Weatherly as NCIS Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo
- Sean Murray as NCIS Special Agent Timothy McGee
- Cote de Pablo as Mossad Liaison Officer Ziva David
- Pauley Perrette as Abby Sciuto
- David McCallum as Dr. Donald Mallard
- Rocky Carroll
- Brian Dietzen
- Lauren Holly as Jenny Shepard
- Alimi Ballard
- Matthew Willig
Additional Cast
The murder of Navy Lieutenant Rance Booth one early morning on a park bench leads the team to ask a lot of questions they can't answer. The lieutenant was murdered at close range with a silver-tipped bullet that Abby can't seem to link to a weapon and further investigation in Rance's work leads the team to a think tank, Telles, that is so top secret most don't know it exists. Digging deeper into Rance's phone records from the morning he was shot, McGee encounters a startling discovery - the third phone call was to Penelope Langdon, McGee's grandmother! Penny is reluctant to talk about her involvement and continues to deflect McGee's questions. The team discovers another suspect - a Lawrence Pike who was an original member working with the think tank and ultimately banned by the deceased founder, Max Ellswood. Emails spelling out trouble are also found in Booth's account, all from his Telles boss, Vince Westfal, regarding an Anax Principle. Questioning More...Vince, McGee's gaze falls upon older photographs behind him and is startled to realize the his grandmother is in them. Penny was a part of the team originally creating what our guys now know as "The Anax Principle." She explains that it was a weapon of destruction and how, in the past, she tried to go to the press to get the word out, but the project was abandoned. It was picked up again with Rance and the two of them were again going to go to the press to expose the evil. Gibbs and McGee escort Penny to her "meet" with her reporter firend but they find him shot to death with same weapon used to kill Rance. Abby does a trace and finally discovers the weapon leads them back to an army military person. They discover the only one who fits the profile is Max Ellswood - which is impossible. Or is it? The team moves into high gear to protect Penny who comes face to face with a man she thought was long dead and who has now come to kill her.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Letters to the Editor: 07.16.12
Mario H. Marroquin, Alice
VA is broken
When General Shinseki was appointed the head of Veteran Affairs I was sure he would be a positive force for the betterment of the agency. He has been a total failure. The problem with the VA is the administration of the daily business that takes place.
The split of the San Antonio VA and the South Texas VA is now two messes instead of one. I have been trying to get dental work for three years and they keep sending me a voucher for teeth cleaning. I have been seeing a cardiologist with my personal insurance.
The doctors don't want to see VA patients because the VA takes six or more months to pay the bill. The medical staff at the clinic do their best working in a broken system. Until the administration is brought under control the VA will be a second-class organization.
Jill Capotosto, Environment Texas
Protect Texans' health
Once again, the courts have spoken in favor of limiting the dangerous carbon pollution that fuels global warming ("Federal court upholds EPA's global warming rules," June 26). The even better news is that the Environmental Protection Agency is about to set common sense limits on the largest sources of this pollution — if polluters and their allies in Congress don't obstruct their progress.
The June 26 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington D.C. did not mince words; it said the EPA was "unambiguously correct" in its determination that the Clean Air Act required the EPA to limit emissions of carbon pollution. And for good reason — the science is undeniable that carbon pollution fuels climate change, which leads to dirty air that threatens the health of Texans, especially those with asthma and other respiratory problems.
Thankfully, the EPA is developing carbon pollution limits this summer for new power plants, cars, and light trucks, which are the largest sources of carbon pollution. But polluters and some in Congress are trying to stop the EPA from doing its job and cleaning up this pollution. Enough is enough.
Environment Texas applauds the EPA for working to protect Texans' health and our environment, and urges Texas' elected officials to do the same.
Clarence Calaway, Robstown
Why is America not a priority?
After reading the July 8 article "U.S. commits to help Afghanistan," to the tune of $16 billion in aid, I would like to express my feelings.
After almost ten years of spending trillions of taxpayers' dollars and the many thousands of American troops who will never come home again, now Hillary Rodham Clinton wants to spend billions of American taxpayers' dollars for defense and cooperation, all for a broader relationship with Afghanistan, while we have hungry people walking the streets and sleeping under bridges. Is Afghanistan coming to our aid?
My question is: Will this ever stop and can we just let the foreign countries take care of themselves? As a Korean War veteran, I saw firsthand they would rather we leave them alone. We need to try taking care of our own backyard. We can help by bringing our troops home and protecting our borders. The politicians of this country need to take their minds off other countries long enough to take a long look at the leadership of this country.
America is the greatest country in the world; why not take care of this country first? We are not, or should not be, loan sharks. If we were, we certainly should ask for credit scores. All our politicians should be on a salary only and awaken from their dream world.
Loleat Kalman, Kingsville
Military service is choice
In response to the article "Support the troops with your money, families say " on July 5, it is well and good to give if you have money to spare, but it is not right to make those who haven't been in the military to feel guilty about it.
We are not in a draft situation and nobody was forced to join the military. My husband was in the Navy for 20 years and loved it. He never complained about anyone not joining — it was a free choice.
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text:
However, he and NHS Scotland clinical director Professor Jason Leitch acknowledged there are still some aspects which need further attention.
Prof Leitch said some hospital services may need to be centralised in order to enhance the quality and safety of care.
The probe into NHS Lanarkshire's hospitals began last summer after routine checks flagged-up high death rates at two of its three hospitals.
In December a damning report raised a number of serious issues including gaps in medical cover, inadequate checks on deteriorating patients and nurse shortages.
Yesterday Mr Neil told Holyrood's Health and Sport committee: "I am pleased that the focus on patient safety and quality of care has increased significantly in recent months, and I am reassured that this focus will continue.
"In particular, the creation of a dedicated patient safety team, led by an experienced Head of Patient Safety, is helping to embed patient safety throughout the organisation." Controversial plans to cut the number of A&E departments in Lanarkshire from three to two were reversed by the SNP when they formed a minority government.
While the Scottish Government is not revisiting this debate, Prof Leitch said yesterday: "In the longer term they may need some redesign of services. It may be that the best thing for safe and quality care is some services will not be provided on all three sites."
The current spread of orthopaedic services had already been flagged-up as requiring attention by Healthcare Improvement Scotland, who carried out the mortality rates review.
An extra £3.1m is being invested in frontline nurses in Lanarkshire as a result of the review, according to Mr Neil. The rotas for medical staff have also been examined with government support officials.
However, Prof Leitch said: "There are still pockets of challenge as there are throughout Scotland, particularly with senior decision makers, where recruitment is a difficulty."
Ian Ross, NHS Lanarkshire chief executive, said: "We fully accepted the recommendations from the review and regret that we did not always meet the high standards of care we want for our patients."
He said the board had acted immediately to develop an action plan following the recommendations and appreciated the support they had received.


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Colourful Hostel Garden
Create an inviting vignette with plants.
"'Best Hostel Porch Ever' is the title the photographer gave this picture, and I find it fitting," says Gayla. "While I am not a big fan of the usual red pom-pom flower geranium, the collection huddled together and growing in a mish-mash of pots is warm and inviting, especially since it is a hostel."
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We welcome your feedback on Houseandhome.com. H&H reserves the right to remove any unsuitable personal remarks made about the bloggers, hosts, homeowners and/or guests we feature. Please keep your comments focused on decorating, design, cooking and other lifestyle topics. Adopt a tone you would be willing to use in person and do not make slanderous remarks or use denigrating language. If you see a comment that you believe violates any of the guidelines outlined above, please click "Flag as inappropriate." Thank you.


text:
OSU's key players during Les Miles era included Billy Bajema, Corey Hilliard
Greg Richmond. Under Miles, Richmond moved from linebacker to defensive end and became a pass-rushing force. His 21 1/2 career sacks rank third at OSU.
Darrent Williams. Taking a chance on the undersized Williams in their first recruiting class, the Cowboys found a lockdown corner.
Kevin Williams. A raw athlete out of Arkansas, Williams evolved into a dominant defensive tackle and a top-10 NFL draft pick under Miles. Check him out in OSU's 16-13 win over OU in 2001.
The Woods brothers. The argument can be made that Rashaun is the greatest OSU receiver ever. Who made more clutch plays? D'Juan followed as another reliable wideout, and Donovan quarterbacked an Alamo Bowl team and unselfishly moved to linebacker and made plays.


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Unless his craziness makes his teammates play worse, I'll take him.
Unless his craziness makes his teammates play worse, I'll take him.
Games are won on run differential -- scoring more than your opponent. Runs are runs, scored or prevented they all count the same. Worry about scoring more and allowing fewer, not which positions contribute to which side of the equation or how "consistent" you are at your current level of performance.
No thanks. Guys like this can be more trouble then they are worth in the clubhouse.
I dumped him off my FL team pretty quick.
"panic" only comes from having real expectations
"panic" only comes from having real expectations
However, accusing the umps of being against you is something that can adversely affect the whole team. At the very least, you will not be getting the benefit of any close calls with him on the team.
There's crazy and then there's just plain stupid.
"Imagination is more important than knowledge." -- Albert Einstein
Brutus (06-04-2013)
You know what trainwrecks say to each other about weird people?
"Wow, that guy sure is a Milton Bradley."
Whether or not chemistry is overrated, I wouldn't like him having the opportunity to influence our young players with his antics and attitude.
I was just watching Piniella's press conference after the Cubs/Sox game and Lou said that he told Bradley to take off his uniform and go home during the game after he apparently destroyed a water cooler and threw his helmet. He said that this has been a common occurrence with Bradley and he is tired of it. Piniella also said that he followed him up to the clubhouse and they exchanged some words.
You could tell by Piniella's tone that he is about done with this guy. He looked completely disgusted.
"Imagination is more important than knowledge." -- Albert Einstein
I wonder which signing Lou liked better, the Fukodome signing or the Bradley signing?
The Rally Onion wants 150 fans before Opening Day.
Board Moderators may, at their discretion and judgment, delete and/or edit any messages that violate any of the following guidelines: 1. Explicit references to alleged illegal or unlawful acts. 2. Graphic sexual descriptions. 3. Racial or ethnic slurs. 4. Use of edgy language (including masked profanity). 5. Direct personal attacks, flames, fights, trolling, baiting, name-calling, general nuisance, excessive player criticism or anything along those lines. 6. Posting spam. 7. Each person may have only one user account. It is fine to be critical here - that's what this board is for. But let's not beat a subject or a player to death, please.


text:
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You can now invite anyone to meet at your favorite Starbucks.
Limited-time feature
29 year old woman | Altamonte Springs, FL, USA | Seeking men 25-35 within 40 miles
Make me laugh!
I am looking for someone that likes to have fun and laugh. I'm an artist, I like to oil paint and enjoy art. I am currently in grad school and work full time. Just got out of a serious relationship, So I'm not looking to jump into anything. Not really sure what I'm looking for at this point but would love to meet someone who could make me laugh. For me it's all about personality and how I click with a person. I'm a fun little quirky girl looking for a fun little quirky guy. Disclaimer: I'm scatterbrained and forgetful, I'm extremely independent, and I don't like to be told what to do. I'm an awesome cook, but I'm not going to bring you a sandwich, So if you're that type of guy you can just look elsewhere. I know how to treat a guy right, but I won't stand to be disrespected... just how my momma raised me.
Coffee and conversation , Cooking , Dining out , Hobbies and crafts , Museums and art , Music and concerts , Exploring new areas , Shopping/Antiques , Travel/Sightseeing
Other types of exercise, Running, Walking / Hiking, Weights / Machines, Yoga
I exercise 1-2 times per week.
I have Cats
2 new baby kittens
I like artsy and dive bars, anywhere that you can carry on a conversation really. I went to Italy and would love to plan another trip to Europe once my career is established. Also love traveling to the northern states to visit family and friends.
Kurt Vonnegut, cats, working out, painting and art, beer, laughing, shopping, all types of music (indie and classic rock are my favorite), Oh and let's not forget cupcakes and unicorns. Gotta have a sweet side after all.
Kick back have a few beers, hang out with friends and family, antiquing, flea marketing, painting, traveling, furniture restoration
Probably some text book... school keeps me pretty busy. Ok, it was statistics if you must know, but i didn't enjoy it!
Z{{Cta}} {{#if HasMoreInfo}} ?{{CtaSecondary}} {{/if}}
|What she is looking for
|5'2" (157cms)
|3'0" (91cms) to 8'11" (271cms)
|Body type:
|Slender, About average, Athletic and toned
|Black, Blue, Brown, Grey, Green, Hazel
|Dark brown
|Auburn / Red, Black, Light brown, Dark brown, Blonde, Salt and pepper, Silver, Dark blonde, Grey, Platinum
|Occasionally, Daily, Cigar aficionado, Yes, but trying to quit
|No preference
|No preference
Work full time at a health facility while in school.
|$25,001 to $35,000
|No preference
|Never Married
|No preference
|Have kids:
|No preference
|Wants kids:
|Not sure
|Definitely, Someday, Not sure, Probably not, No
|White / Caucasian
|White / Caucasian
|No preference
Open to people from different religions, but personally don't hold any beliefs and don't like being judged.
|No preference
|Graduate degree
|Some college, Associates degree, Bachelors degree, Graduate degree, PhD / Post Doctoral
Finishing up the grad degree. If you're curious its in School Psychology. Look it up, not the same as School Counselor...


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Corned Beef-Cabbage Pizza
24 Jun 2009
I found this Corned Beef-Cabbage Pizza recipe when I was searching for something different. I tried, served and is now happy that I did - believe me, this Corned Beef-Cabbage Pizza was an instant hit. Check out the recipe of Corned Beef-Cabbage Pizza.
|Refrigerated pizza crust dough
|1 Can (10 oz)
|Cooking spray
|1 Tablespoon
|Deli corned beef
|2 Ounce, thinly sliced
|Angel hair slaw
|10 Ounce (1 Bag)
|1⁄4 Teaspoon
|1⁄8 Teaspoon
|Fat free traditional pasta sauce
|3⁄4 Cup (12 tbs)
|Part skim mozzarella cheese
|2 Ounce, finely shredded
|Grated parmesan cheese
|1⁄4 Cup (4 tbs)
Preheat oven to 425°.
Unroll dough; pat dough into bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of a 13 x 9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 425° for 7 minutes or until crust begins to brown.
Remove from oven; set aside.
Cut corned beef crosswise into thin strips, and set aside.
Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium heat until hot.
Add slaw, salt, and pepper; saute 7 minutes or until wilted.
Set aside.
Spread sauce over pizza crust, and spread slaw mixture over sauce.
Top with corned beef, and sprinkle with cheeses.
Bake at 425° for 14 minutes or until crust is golden.
Serve immediately.
Recipe Summary
Course:Side Dish
Rate It
0 Comments
Corned Beef-Cabbage Pizza Recipe


text:
Does anybody have any info on the bare shelves in the magic shop? All the Adams stuff is gone.
The last couple times we've been there the employees hint at something going on with DLA management and I was encouraged today to express my dissatisfaction with the merchandise being offered in the shop.
The joy buzzers, squirting nickels, fake blood, etc. - all of it is gone. My boys don't care to go into the shop anymore.
A look online at Magic Makers Inc website says that Adams has been acquired. This would explain it but when I mentioned that to the employee today I was told something else was going on.
City Hall had no clue when I went and asked what was up. They gave me the corporate address to write to.
Anybody know what's going on?


text:
Moran asks for Mark Center to be put on hold
Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) is asking for the Mark Center project to be put on hold.Comment
Children and Botox
Would you inject an 8-year-old with Botox?Comment
West Springfield High puts prom, senior activities on hold after senior prank
The West Springfield High School's principal has put a hold on all senior activities after a food fight in the school's cafeteria. Some students say the school is going too far.37 Comments
National Zoo experts try to save species from extinction
At a facility in Front Royal, Va., Smithsonian National Zoo experts are using cutting-edge techniques to save the lives of endangered species and prevent extinction.Comment
Oprah helps local organization help kids
A locally based organization called is working to serve some of the city's most at-risk children. As it turns out, the organization's biggest patron is Oprah Winfrey.Comment
Two Metro operators run red lights
Two Metro operators drove their trains through red signals this past month. Metro said it removed the drivers, but passengers worry about safety.Comment
Power restored on National Mall
A brief power outage cloaked the National Mall in darkness Thursday evening.Comment
Oprah's make-up artists divulges his secrets
Reggie Wells did Oprah's makeup show after show and for eleven years worth of magazine covers. Each time, Wells waited to hear a few simple words from Oprah once she was done with hair and makeup.
Nine arrested after Henry Wise high school fight
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Cory Casciato
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Sportscenter will refer to this as DraytGate
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We're all worried about our stud 4 star running back's feelings from TTUN's PIPELINE because we just lost another position coach to the NFL. #2015BuckeyeProblems
Our backfield also has 4 of the top 15 shots at winning the Heisman. #2015BuckeyeProblems
but in all seriousness, that Drayton timing was weird.
Chris Carter is gone
Munger and Hill will most likely be in the rotation of "run stoppers." They are actually both bigger than Schutt. That's 4 good interior lineman. Maybe bulk someone else up and Id say we're ready to go
This just speaks volumes to the kind of people, not just players, that Urban brings to Ohio State. This kid has a bright future and I couldn't be more proud of the people we are bringing to Ohio State, especially Burrow.
Our D-Line depth will be fine. Tyquan Lewis, Michael Hill, Don Munger, Tommy Schutt, Sam Hubbard, Jalyn Holmes, Bosa and Washington? And that's even leaving room for Sprinkle, Slade, or Thompson to contribute. And maybe someone we just signed like Cornell. Larry Johnson will have these boys ready to go. Oh and btw, Holmes is gonna be a stud.
This just makes the longest 4 weeks of my life even longer. I literally woke up yesterday, checked my phone, saw it was December 25th and said "Damn. Still 7 more days." And then I slowly remembered that December 25th is actually Christmas too
This is exactly what us Buckeye fans wanted when Urban was hired. Big time recruiting classes, big time games and to knock out the SEC en route to a title. This game is the biggest one we've had in a long time. I had a guy at work asking me about this game and he doesn't even have cable or internet, much less care about football. And I'm not even in Ohio!
I'd take Henry over Yeldon any day.
I'm not just saying this bc I'm a Buckeye fan. But if we beat Bama, I don't know who in their right mind would bet against this team. And we would be underdogs initially, but I'm sure that line would change towards favoriting Ohio State
So you're saying we have to wait until Alabama falls asleep before we can kill them
Great article but I think you forgot about Alabama's closest call. When LSU had the ball on Alabama's 6 yard line.. with 1 minute left tied 10-10
So.. you just graduated from the greatest university in the world who happens to be a part of the inaugural College Football Playoff with a 3rd string quarterback playing against possibly one of the top 5 dynasties in college football history and you start a thread complaining about being disappointed in Braxton Miller's demeanor at graduation. We have football players beating up women, beating up children, killing people and you're on here slamming Braxton Miller for not wearing his graduation cap right. Take that degree of yours and apply at TMZ
I remember Coleman, Langford and Cobb from this year. Melvin Gordon just doesn't seem to ring a bell
Who is Melvin Gordon?
Amazingly enough, that 2013 class brought in 2 of the top 10 linebackers in the nation and neither one was named Darron Lee
Speak for yourself, if we win a national championship, I'll be celebrating and partying and basking in glory and trolling everybody I can find until the spring game rolls around. I've been on the opposite end of that s#%@ for 11 years
Why should I have to play these regular season games if I came here to win CHAMPIONSHIPS, I ain't come to play regular season games, regular season games are POINTLESS -Cardale MF Jones
I'd say they are already looking at him. When I say "they" I mean Florida.
Miss St
Maybe I'm wrong but there's no way they can go 4-2 in these games. Why is "more than 8" the magic number Birm? Their wins have all been at home against ULM (?), UTM (???), a weak Vandy team, South Carolina and Ohio. But it sounds like he's headed to UK anyways.
Baylor beats TCU 61-58 and its an amazing win and Baylor could win it all. If Ohio State beats TCU 61-58, its an ugly win, our defense is horrible, Fickell should be fired, it shouldn't have been that close, we'd drop in the polls, not any "style points", and we couldn't compete with an SEC team.
What happened against Cincy was 4 good passes
If it comes down to it, I'd say that a 4 loss Stanford team or a 3 loss SEC West team would get the nod over a 1 loss Big Ten team
I want to see a copy of JT Barrett's birth certificate. Looks like a senior out there on the field. Congrats on Player of the Week young man.


text: Piano music, corsages and words of congratulations greeted the honorees and their guests at the Leaders in Educational Excellence Awards ceremony (LEEA). The event was Oct. 24, at the River's Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud. Over 450 people attended the event to honor 152 educators who were ...Read More


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33 search results for M.I.A. new album
The Bravery strike out on their own after Green Day tour
Type: Post | Date: Thursday, Aug 20, 2009New album, new tour, new single all in the works
Hitfix Goes to the Grammys: Who will win the big awards?
Type: Post | Date: Wednesday, Feb 4, 2009Coldplay should win big, unless Plant & Krauss kick "Sand" in their face
2009 Grammy Awards - Complete Winners and Nominees
Type: Article | Date: Sunday, Feb 8, 2009Jay-Z, Lil' Wayne, Jennifer Hudson, Radiohead, Metallica, Duffy, Alicia Keys, Ne-Yo, Mary J Blige, Justice, George Carlin already winners


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Written on: 20/07/2009
This Waptrick site is Awesome ! But i wish you could access it from your pc . then transfer it to my phone because my service provider makes me pay to use the net ........... :( but its a great site :)
" Efficient, Fast , Quality " Read More
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How Long Will You Live? Check the Strength of Your Handshake
Whenever I meet another guy, I always make sure that my handshake is firm and assertive, just like my dad taught me. Most men were raised to give a firm handshake when meeting someone. A firm handshake means that you're a "man," and that you mean what you say and stand for something. A firm handshake gains immediate respect, while a limp hand places you in a submissive position. Now, a firm handshake may mean more than that.


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PRINCE2 training courses (London)
- Courses
- Why PRINCE2?
- Why choose us?
- Testimonials
If you're looking to obtain certification in PRINCE2, you've come to the right place. There are two levels of PRINCE2 certification for you to choose from: Foundation and Practitioner. Choose Re-registration if you have already passed Practitioner and want to keep your professional certification up to date.
PRINCE2 Foundation - 2.5 days [click here]
This course is ideal if you're already working on or would like to begin working on PRINCE2 projects. PRINCE2 Foundation is the entry level PRINCE2 qualification and is usually achieved by taking a 2.5 day classroom course.
During this course, you gain an understanding of the PRINCE2 framework and its terminology. At the end of the course you take a 1 hour multiple choice exam containing 75 questions and must score a minimum of 35 correct answers to pass. The UK national average pass rate* for this examination is 97%.
After the PRINCE2 Foundation course, you can progress to the PRINCE2 Practitioner course if you want to further develop your project management career.
This course is also available as a 2 day weekend course.
PRINCE2 Foundation & Practitioner - 4.5 days [click here]
PRINCE2 Practitioner is the higher level PRINCE2 qualification. This course is ideal if you want to develop your project management career because it's a qualification commonly demanded by many employers.
This classroom course combines both the Foundation and Practitioner courses. It's the most popular way to study for the Practitioner certificate and in total lasts for 4.5 days and includes both examinations.
If you pass either or both of the exams, you will receive a certificate. If you pass the Practitioner exam you can call yourself a PRINCE2 Registered Practitioner for a period of 5 years.
This course is also available as a 4 day weekend course, which takes place over 2 consecutive weekends.
PRINCE2 Practitioner - 2 days [click here]
This course is ideal if you want to develop your project management career and already passed the PRINCE2 Foundation exam previously. Even if you took the Foundation exam many years ago you can still take this course.
This course is a 2 day classroom course and focuses on preparing you for taking the PRINCE2 Practitioner examination. At the end of the course you take the 2.5 hour multiple choice exam containing 80 questions and you must score a minimum of 44 correct answers to pass. The UK national average pass rate* for this examination is 73%.
A pre-requisite for taking the Practitioner examination is that you must have already passed the Foundation examination.
This course is also available as a 2 day weekend course.
PRINCE2 Re-registration - 2 days [click here]
If you passed your PRINCE2 Practitioner examination more than 3 years ago, this 2 day course is for you. This PRINCE2 Re-registration course shares the same syllabus as the PRINCE2 Practitioner course but the exam is shorter than the Practitioner exam – only 1 hour with 30 questions. You need to score 17 out of 30 correct answers to pass.
If you pass the exam, you are able to continue to call yourself a PRINCE2 Registered Practitioner for a further 5 years.
Our fully accredited online eLearning is included as part of this course.
This course is also available as a 2 day weekend course.
Note: If you previously studied PRINCE2 Foundation using the 2005 version of the manual, then our PRINCE2 Refresher & Practitioner course would be ideal to refresh your knowledge and help you achieve the Practitioner qualification.
Note: Since 2012 we have surpassed the UK national average pass rate by achieving pass rates of 99% and 83% for Foundation and Practitioner examinations.
Start working on PRINCE2 projects!
PRINCE2 (the second version of PRojects IN Controlled Environments) is the de-facto standard project management method in the UK, as well as being widely used internationally. PRINCE2 can be tailored to meet the needs of any project in any industry.
More than one million people have now taken PRINCE2 exams worldwide, and PRINCE2 continues to be the world's number one professional project management qualification.
Why choose a PRINCE2 training course?
- You can get the project management job you've been missing out on
- You gain full knowledge and understanding of PRINCE2
- You can gain the world's most popular project management qualification
Course benefits
- You don't need prior knowledge or experience of PRINCE2
- You can gain certification in only 2 to 5 days
- You gain insights from an approved PRINCE2 trainer
- You gain practical techniques you can apply on your projects
- You gain confidence to begin managing your projects
- Your accreditation in a global project management qualification can boost your career
Why choose us?
- You don't need to spend too long preparing - our pre-course study is just 3-4 hours, compared with 16+ hours required by many training providers
- Your training and exam preparation is from a highly experienced approved PRINCE2 trainer
- Your all-inclusive price includes tuition, manual, materials and exam fees
- You get your Foundation exam result on the same day
- You can easily travel to our central London location next to Farringdon and Barbican stations
- You'll be trained by specialists in PRINCE2 project management - we only train in the subjects we're good at
Knowledge Train's PRINCE2 training courses are designed to improve your chances of success, whether you want to manage, work on or support projects. We're a PRINCE2 Accredited Training Organisation, which means that you can be confident that our PRINCE2 training courses conform to the highest standards of project management training.
All of our PRINCE2 training courses have exceptional examination pass rates at both Foundation and Practitioner levels.
Finding the best PRINCE2 training
We are not the only PRINCE2 training provider; if you are considering different providers for your PRINCE2 course, we would strongly encourage you to read this article: Selecting your PRINCE2 training provider.
Average rating of 4.5 based on 365 reviews
"Knowledge Train were advocating a more targeted approach to pre-work. I wasn't disappointed. The course was logical, progressive and run by an extremely knowledgeable and professional trainer." Peter Eates, Programme Manager, Lloyds Register
"I would like to convey my sincere thanks to you for providing such an excellent and enjoyable course for both the PRINCE2 Foundation & Practitioner. The standard of tuition provided has been very impressive and I am delighted at having passed both exams. I can highly recommend Knowledge Train, having previously attended the Introduction to Project Management one day course earlier this June. Everything was organised in a highly professional manner, yet with a friendly atmosphere geared to getting each candidate through the exam. Thanks once again!" Jeff Preston, Senior Traffic Control Engineer, Transport for London
"People at Knowledge Train set realistic expectations, have very clear objectives for their courses, and work with you to achieve those objectives. You can feel that they are invested in creating a didactic atmosphere that is both relaxing and academically strong. Success in obtaining the certification is just a natural outcome. I would be saying the same even if I had not obtained my PRINCE2 certification" Mounir Ouanaimi, Director of Admissions, Northwestern University in Qatar
"I have taken week long training courses with other training providers in the past but Knowledge Train is exceptional. The one thing that I like about Knowledge Train is the ease and pace at which the PRINCE2 course was delivered. There was no requirement to read the manual from back to back as other course providers would ask you to do. The course delivery was smooth, easy to understand, enjoyable and hardly any pressure. The course tutor was remarkable and took time to ensure that everyone had a good understanding of PRINCE2 in every way possible. I would surely recommend Knowledge Train to my peers." Trish Adeoti, Project Manager, National Policing Improvement Agency
"The PRINCE2 training course was very intensive, but the trainer made it as fun as possible. He gave a lot of guidance in the right direction, the venue was suitably located and the immediate environment was comfortable and quite conducive to studying. Knowledge Train's PRINCE2 training is excellent value for money. I am glad I decided to go with Knowledge Train." Fola Odujinrin, Asset Development Advisor, Thurrock Council
"I found the course well structured, and the trainer extremely well informed – there was a great balance between home learning and class room based examples that led to a successful passing of the exams. I would recommend this course to anyone who wishes to do PRINCE2 – and especially anyone who feels nervous about not having done any classroom based learning for a while." Jessica Weaver, Events Production Manager, Institution of Civil Engineers
"This is just a quick note to say many thanks for your efforts in putting together such a great course. The facilities were good and the pre-course materials were well designed and prepared me well for the course. The course content has given me a better understanding of project management and the skills will be put to good use almost immediately. The course instructor was really good! He structured the content well and took us through the manual and process in a very well organised way.
There is no doubt that you will see me again in the future for the "Practitioner" bit after I have put the new skills to use and have got some more experience!
Once again, many thanks to the entire team for making this course happen." Mark Hawkins, Techology Manager, Merlin
"The course was comprehensive and the instructor was excellent, helpful and always had the answers! I enjoyed the 5 days study. Thanks Knowledge Train for the pleasant environment. The first exam was easy (Foundation) but the Practitioner one is tough and it needs real preparation. The Practitioner exam is an open book but there is no time to look in the book. I recommend the students to answer the two sample exams at least 3 times to be ready. Best" Nasser Mubarak AL-Malki, Director of IT Department, PEIE
"The PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner course run by Knowledge Train over 1 week is very intense, however their delivery is professional, tightly run and leaves you with the confidence that you will pass first time. I would recommend to all potential students to have a read through the training material at least 2 weeks before the course start date, as going in cold can be extremely daunting. Having familiarised yourself with the main concepts prior to the course start, it will be much easier to fly through the exams!" Danielle Cobb, Business Analyst/Project Manager
"The course was well structured and the trainer was excellent. The learning environment in terms of the facilities were ideal, and we all really benefitted from the class sizes which meant personal contact with our teacher was maximised. I would recommend Knowledge Train wholeheartedly to anyone interested in PRINCE2." Christopher Wallbridge, Senior Experience Executive, MESH Planning


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The Zone System is actually a fairly simple system of managing exposure and development to squeeze what you want out of the scene first onto the film, and then onto your preferred paper - ideally consistent with what you wanted in the first place. Once you understand the core concepts, the practical application amounts to taking a couple of readings to determine exposure and corresponding development.Originally Posted by zenrhino
The problem is that the basic concepts leave room for a lot of technical precision, and a wide range of interpretations of what is necessary to get to the desired result. The details relating to the technical precision can get confusing, so various people have made money from writing "better" explanations, or devising related, but somewhat different, systems. Consistent with human nature, fanaticism for one approach over another tends to creep in, too.


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1927-S $20 MS66 NGC. Like many other issues in the Saint-...
2004 March Portland, OR Signature Sale #344
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This is a superlative example, and even a casual glance shows that this coin is decidedly better than MS65. The surfaces display bright satiny mint luster and are well struck throughout. Close examination with a magnifier shows a couple of shallow marks on each side, but one would be hard pressed to find any that could be used as pedigree identifiers. The coin has a lovely orange-gold coloration with a faint trace of lilac interspersed. Struck from an intermediate die state, there is just the slightest evidence of die bulging evident below the lettering in LIBERTY on the obverse, and a die crack runs through the eagle's beak on the reverse.
Only a small handful of 1927-S twenties are known today better than MS65. Only two other pieces have been so graded by NGC with two finer (11/03), while PCGS has only certified one coin in MS66 with one piece finer (10/03). It has been nine years since Heritage has handled a high grade 1927-S. In 1995 we sold an MS67 for $181,500. This particular piece just recently surfaced at the Long Beach show and was consigned there to the National Money Show Auction. It is fresh and has not appeared in any recent auctions or price lists as it has been off the market for more than 50 years. A wonderful opportunity for the specialist in the Saint-Gaudens series of double eagles. (#9188) (Registry values: N1) (NGC ID# 26GJ, PCGS# 9188)
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Revised Edition by James L. Halperin, Mark R. Borckardt, Mark Van Winkle, Jon Amato, and Gregory J. Rohan, with special contributor David W. Akers
The Coinage of Augustus Saint-Gaudens is an issue-by-issue examination of these two artistically inspired series of gold coins.
Each date and mintmark is reviewed with up-to-date information, much of which has never been previously published. The book is based on
two extraordinary collections: The Phillip H. Morse collection and the Dr. and Mrs. Steven L. Duckor collection.
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January 15, 2005 03:14:20 GMT
Alicia is going to sing America the Beautiful at the Super Bowl XXXIX this year's game
Alicia admits to be very excited that she is, for her very first time, going to sing at the Super Bowl (XXXIX) this year's game where she will sing The America Beautiful song made famous by Ray Charles, an artist she admires and respect very much.
In that February 6, 2005 game, Alicia will perform along with 150 students from the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind which will be a very touching and memorable moment for Alicia herself.
© AceShowbiz.com


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Thread: A Mad Tea-Party
May 27th, 2009 #1
A Mad Tea-Party
Hey. So I've got this comic I've been working on for a while. It's about two girls whose parents are genetically-engineered soldiers. Thought I'd post some pages here (these aren't in order or anything, just random pages). You can read the whole thing on my site. Cheers!
Jonathon Dalton
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A Mad Tea-Party (it's a webcomic)