Processing network communication control messages

• US 20030046404A1
• Filed: 08/30/2002
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Beauchamps, Caroline M O, Felton, Paul J, Clarke, Philip M, Baker, Shaun S, OʼNeill, Alan W
• Granted Patent: US 7,243,162 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/169 Special adaptations of TCP, UDP or IP for interworking of IP based networks with other networks protocols for interworking, protocol conversion H04L69/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/327 in the session layer [OSI layer 5]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06

Abstract

The invention provides a method, data processing system and software for processing control messages constructed in accordance with a first communications protocol for use in a communications network. Each control message includes a first address identifier having a format defined by the first protocol. The method comprises the step of processing said control message to derive a second address identifier from said first identifier, said second identifier having a format defined by a second communications protocol; and, the step of re-formatting said control message for transmission, in accordance with said second protocol, to a network system associated with said second address identifier. The first communications protocol may be Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and the second communication protocol Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP). The invention allows messages to be readily processed and diverted from a SIP defined destination URL address identifier to a corresponding SMTP defined destination URL address identifier for the same user or end system. In this way users may send SIP messages to SMTP address identifiers using the SMTP network protocol and infrastructure (416) and SMTP messages to SIP address identifiers using the SIP network protocol and infrastructure (408, 410, 412).

Claims

1. A method for processing control messages constructed in accordance with a communications signalling protocol for use in a communications network, each control message including a first address identifier formatted for use in said signalling protocol;

said method comprising the steps of;

i) processing said control message to derive a second address identifier from said first identifier, said second identifier having a format defined by a data transfer protocol; and

,

ii) re-formatting said control message for transmission, in accordance with said data transfer protocol, to a network system associated with said second address identifier.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein a control message is processed in accordance with steps i) and ii) in response to a detected delivery failure of said control message to a network system associated with said first address identifier.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said control message is processed in response to said first address identifier being identified as an invalid address identifier.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein said control message is processed in response to said network system associated with said first address identifier failing to respond to said message.

5. A method according to any one of claims 2 to 3 further comprising the step of selecting a pre-determined error message for transmission to said network device associated with said second address in accordance with a respective failure mode associated with said detected control message delivery failure.

6. A method according to claim 5 further comprising the step of linking said control message to said pre-determined message for transmission to said network device associated with said second address identifier.

7. A method according to claim 5 or claim 6 wherein said pre-determined message comprises executable code, or an network address identifier for accessing executable code, wherein said code is capable of processing said control message in accordance with said signalling protocol.

8. A method according to any one of claims 5 to 7 wherein said predetermined message comprises a pre-defined data structure for registering said first address identifier with an address database associated with said signalling protocol.

9. A method according to any preceding claim wherein said first address identifier comprises at least one address component and said step of processing said message comprises constructing said second address identifier to include at least one component of said first address.

10. A method to claim 9 wherein said second address identifier is contained in said first address identifier and said method comprises the step of parsing said control message to identify said first address identifier and determine said second address identifier from said first address identifier.

11. A method according to any preceding claim wherein said signalling protocol is an application layer control protocol.

12. A method according to claim 10 wherein said application layer control protocol conforms to Session Initiation Protocol

13. A method according to any preceding claim wherein said data transfer protocol is an application layer protocol.

14. A method according to any preceding claim wherein said data transfer protocol conforms to an Internet mail transfer protocol.

15. A software program for implementing a method according to any proceeding claims.

16. A system for processing control messages constructed in accordance with a first communications protocol for use in a communications network, each control message including a first address identifier having a format defined by said signalling protocol;

said system comprising;

a processor for processing said control message to derive a second address identifier from said first identifier, said second identifier having a format defined by a second communications protocol; and

,

a message constructor for re-formatting said control message for transmission, in accordance with said data transfer protocol, to a network device associated with said second address identifier.