Telecommunications systems

• US 20030026278A1
• Filed: 10/01/2002
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: DuRee, Albert Daniel, Christie, Joseph Michael, Wiley, William Lyle, Gardner, Michael Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 6,931,008 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/426
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5601 Transfer mode dependent, e.g. ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/563 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5663 Support of N-ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3081 ATM peripheral units, e.g. policing, insertion or extraction
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

The invention is a system for providing virtual connections through an ATM interworking multiplexer on a call-by-call basis. A signaling processor receives signaling for a call and selects the virtual connection for the call. The signaling processor generates control messages that identify the selection and transfers the control messages to the ATM interworking multiplexer that accepted the access connection for the call. The multiplexer converts user information from the access connection into ATM cells for transmission over the virtual connection in accord with the control messages.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a narrowband system configured to receive and process a first signaling message and a user communication to transfer a second signaling message and the user communication;

an interworking system coupled to the narrowband system and configured to interwork between the user communication including a first header identifier and the user communication received by the narrowband system, and to interwork between the user communication transferred by the narrowband system and the user communication including a second header identifier; and

a broadband system coupled to the interworking system and configured to route the user communication including the first header identifier to the interworking system based on the first header identifier, and to route the user communication including the second identifier from the interworking system based on the second header identifier.

2. The communication system of claim 1 further comprising:

a processing system configured to receive and process the second signaling message from the narrowband system to transfer a control message to the interworking system indicating the second header identifier; and

wherein;

the interworking system is configured to receive the control message indicating the second header identifier, and in response to the control message, to interwork between the user communication transferred by the narrowband system and the user communication including the second header identifier.

3. The communication system of claim 1 further comprising:

a processing system configured to receive and process a third signaling message to transfer a control message indicating the first header identifier to the interworking system; and

wherein;

the interworking system is configured to receive the control message indicating the first header identifier, and in response to the control message, to interwork between the user communication including the first header identifier and the user communication received by the narrowband system.

4. The communication system of claim 1 further comprising a processing system configured to receive and process a third signaling message to transfer the first signaling message to the narrowband system.

5. The communication system of claim 1 further comprising a processing system configured to receive and process the second signaling message from the narrowband system to transfer a fourth signaling message.

6. The communication system of claim 1 further comprising a processing system configured to receive and process a third signaling message to select the first header identifier.

7. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the narrowband system is configured to receive and process the first signaling message to provide a routing service for the user communication.

8. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the narrowband system is configured to receive and process the first signaling message to provide a billing service for the user communication.

9. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the narrowband system is configured to receive and process the first signaling message to provide an operator service for the user communication.

10. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the narrowband system is configured to receive and process the first signaling message to provide a calling card service for the user communication.

11. A method of operating a communication system comprising a narrowband system, an interworking system coupled to the narrowband system, and a broadband system coupled to the interworking system, the method comprising:

in the broadband system, routing a user communication including a first header identifier to the interworking system based on the first header identifier;

in the interworking system, interworking between the user communication including the first header identifier and the user communication to be received by the narrowband system;

in the narrowband system, receiving and processing a first signaling message and the user communication to transfer a second signaling message and the user communication;

in the interworking system, interworking between the user communication transferred by the narrowband system and the user communication including a second header identifier; and

in the broadband system, routing the user communication including the second identifier from the interworking system based on the second header identifier.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

in a processing system, receiving and processing the second signaling message from the narrowband system to transfer a control message to the interworking system indicating the second header identifier; and

in the interworking system, receiving the control message indicating the second header identifier, and wherein interworking between the user communication transferred by the narrowband system and the user communication including the second header identifier comprises interworking in response to the control message.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

in a processing system, receiving and processing a third signaling message to transfer a control message indicating the first header identifier to the interworking system; and

in the interworking system, receiving the control message indicating the first header identifier, and wherein interworking between the user communication including the first header identifier and the user communication received by the narrowband system comprises interworking in response to the control message.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising, in a processing system, receiving and processing a third signaling message to transfer the first signaling message to the narrowband system.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising, in a processing system, receiving and processing the second signaling message from the narrowband system to transfer a fourth signaling message.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising, in a processing system, receiving and processing a third signaling message to select the first header identifier.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising, in the narrowband system, receiving and processing the first signaling message to provide a routing service for the user communication.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising, in the narrowband system, receiving and processing the first signaling message to provide a billing service for the user communication.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising, in the narrowband system, receiving and processing the first signaling message to provide an operator service for the user communication.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising, in the narrowband system, receiving and processing the first signaling message to provide a calling card service for the user communication.