Apparatus and method for telephony service interface to software switch controller

• US 20010036176A1
• Filed: 02/28/2001
• Published: 11/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gregory D. Girard
• Original Assignee: Gregory D. Girard
• Inventors: Girard, Gregory D.
• Application Number:
  US09/796,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20010036176A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1245 where a network other than PSTN/ISDN interconnects two PSTN/ISDN networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0407 using a stored programme control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1305 Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13056 Routines, finite state machines
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13166 Fault prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13292 Time division multiplexing, TDM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling

Abstract

An apparatus and method achieve a level of telephony application functionality commensurate with TDM (Time Division Multiplex) device interfaces used in legacy PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) voice and facsimile telephony applications. The apparatus and method rely upon the architectural model embraced by VOP (Voice Over Packet) carrier network network standards, and include network elements and a protocol framework. The apparatus and method build upon the SIP model to incorporate essential telephony application functions previously only available using a PSTN infrastructure. The telephony service interface incorporates mechanisms for both call control and media control operations. Together, the apparatus and method transition the legacy PSTN telephony application services model to a data-centric model by exploiting the switching and digital signal processing capacity of a software switch controller and a media gateway defined as core network elements in the VOP carrier network

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a telephony application server;

a software switch controller; and

one or more media gateways that are under control of the software switch controller, wherein a telephony application program running on the telephony application server communicates with the software switch controller and the one or more media gateways that are under control of the software switch controller through a QOS IP network according to a fully-specified telephony service interface.

2. The system of

claim 1

wherein the telephony service interface includes features that are supported utilizing existing VOP carrier network elements as shared resources capable of simultaneously supporting signaling plane operations and bearer plane operations.

3. The system of

claim 1

wherein the server, the controller, and the one or more media gateways operate in an interdependent fashion to enable voice and facsimile telephony software application programs running on the telephony application server to achieve a level of functionality commensurate with Time Division Multiplex device interfaces used in legacy PSTN voice and facsimile telephony applications.

4. The system of

claim 1

including media and signaling/control pathways that pass through the QOS IP network to exploit the software switch controller and said one or more media gateways that are under control of the software switch controller as a virtualized connectivity resource capable of explicitly or implicitly invoking well known call control and media control functions defined for that endpoint relationship as described by telephony service interface.

5. The system, of

claim 1

wherein there exist signaling plane operations that are a subset of the telephony service interface and wherein said signaling plane operations are supported using a SIP signaling pathway established for initial call setup.

6. A telephony service interface which implements a protocol framework used to establish a normalized relationship between two or more actual or virtual telephone endpoints, both of which reside in an IP connectivity domain.

7. The telephony service interface of

claim 6

which also establishes both signaling and bearer pathways through a QOS IP network in accordance with a normalized telephone endpoint model.

8. The telephony service interface of

claim 6

wherein any actual or virtual telephone endpoint that complies with the exact protocol framework implemented by the telephony service interface is considered to be “

normalized” and

as a result may make full use of the well known call control and media control functions defined for that endpoint relationship as described by the telephony service interface.

9. The telephony service interface of

claim 6

wherein a telephony application session occurs when one of the participating normalized endpoints in the call terminates on a telephony application server and is under control of a telephony application program.