Channel allocation in a network element

• US 20040017799A1
• Filed: 07/14/2003
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Pulkka, Pekka
• Granted Patent: US 7,720,048 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/15 in relation to multipoint traffic arrangements for broadcast or multicast in data networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/72 using reservation actions during connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/822 Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/828 Allocation of resources per group of connections, e.g. per group of users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13102 Common translator
• 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 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling

Abstract

This invention relates to the allocation of communication channels. The idea of the invention is to form different channel groups with a group specific identifier in the IP network side of a network element between a PSTN and IP network. Each group represents a certain type of channel, for example, alarm calls, area codes, companies, etc. The PSTN network side of the net-work element forms a single group due to the need of a unique SPC. A channel is associated with the right group according to the information of the calling or called party in the call signaling, such as an E.164 number or a signaling IP address. The information is linked to the group identifier.

Claims

1. An arrangement for allocating communication channels in the network element between a PSTN network and an IP network, which element comprises a control part and a cross-connection part, characterized in that the channels on the IP network side of the network element are arranged into several groups, which are provided with group-specific identifiers for identifying the groups to where the channels are allocated.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the network element is a media gateway converting communication channels provided in one type of network to the format required in another type of network.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that there are several overlapping groups formed so that a channel can be a member of several groups.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the channels on the PSTN network side of the network element are arranged into one group.

5. An arrangement according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the groups are controlled by the control part.

6. An arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the control part searches for the right group for the incoming channel, the channel coming from the PSTN network.

7. An arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the control part searches for the right group for the incoming channel, the channel coming from the IP network.

8. An arrangement according to claim 6 or 7, where the control part and the cross-connection part use a control channel for communication with each other, the channel carrying an Add command characterized in that the control part and the cross-connection part use an optional field in the Add command for carrying the group identifier.

9. An arrangement according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the groups are managed by network management.

10. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the arrangement of the channels is based on the area codes of the channels.

11. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the arrangement of the channels is based on the customers of the channels.

12. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the arrangement of the channels separates alarm calls into the own group.

13. A method for allocating communication channels in the network element between a PSTN network and an IP network, characterized by forming several manageable groups of IP channels, which are used when an incoming channel is directed to the right group, the method comprises steps of:

searching for the desired group for the incoming channel,

checking the resources of the group,

reserving capacity in the group if there is enough capacity to reserve, and after the reserving,

reserving a connection for the channel in the network element.