ATM gateway system

• US 20040090973A1
• Filed: 10/15/2003
• Published: 05/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Christie, Joseph Michael, Nelson, Tracy Lee, Wiley, William Lyle, Duree, Albert Daniel, Gardner, Michael Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 7,239,644 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/125 One of the channel pulses or the synchronisation pulse is also used for transmitting monitoring or supervisory signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/247 ATM or packet multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4608 LAN interconnection over ATM networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5619 Network Node Interface, e.g. tandem connections, transit switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5626 Network management, e.g. Intelligent nets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/563 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5672 Multiplexing, e.g. coding, scrambling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/254 Centralised controller, i.e. arbitration or scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/255 Control mechanisms for ATM switching fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3009 Header conversion, routing tables or routing tags
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13102 Common translator
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13104 Central control, computer control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1329 Asynchronous transfer mode, ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13296 Packet switching, X.25, frame relay
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1338 Inter-exchange connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0016 Arrangements providing connection between exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 : Provisions for signalling

Abstract

The invention is a system for modifying the VPI/VCIs in ATM cells transferred between two ATM systems on a call-by-call basis. A signaling processor receives signaling for the call and selects a new VPI/VCI for the call. The signaling processor generates a control message that identifies the old and new VPI/VCIs and transfers the control message to an ATM gateway. The ATM gateway modifies the old VPI/VCI in the ATM cells to the new VPI/VCI.

Claims

1. A method of operating a signaling processor to process a Signaling System Seven (SS7) message for a call having a called number and a caller number;

wherein a first gateway will receive user communications for the call, the method comprising;

receiving the SS7 message into an Integrated Services User Part (ISUP) process;

if the SS7 message is an Initial Address Message (IAM), then creating an origination process for the call having data from the IAM;

executing the origination process to determine if the caller number is authorized;

if the caller number is authorized, then executing the origination process to determine if the called number is legitimate;

if the called number is legitimate, then executing the origination process to select a second gateway based on the called number;

in response to selecting the second gateway, creating a termination process for the call;

executing the termination process to verify that the second gateway can handle the call;

if the second gateway can handle the call, then executing the termination process to select an identifier for routing the call from the first gateway to the second gateway; and

transferring a control message to the first gateway indicating the selected identifier, wherein the first gateway receives the user communications for the call and adds the identifier to user communications for the call, and wherein a packet system routes the user communications from the first gateway to the second gateway based on the identifier.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the signaling processor does not include a switching fabric.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the signaling processor does not receive the user communications.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising transferring an Address Complete Message (ACM) from the ISUP process.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising transferring an Answer Message (ANM) from the ISUP process.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising transferring a Release Message (REL) from the ISUP process.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising transferring a Release Complete Message (RLC) from the ISUP process.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an Answer Message (ANM) for the call into the ISUP process;

transferring the ANM from the ISUP process to the termination process; and

executing the termination process to process the ANM, and in response, transferring another control message to the first gateway with instructions to cut-through the call.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a Release Message (REL) for the call into the ISUP process;

transferring the REL from the ISUP process to the origination process; and

executing the origination process to process the REL, and in response, transferring another control message to the first gateway with instructions to terminate the call

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising accessing a Service Control Point (SCP) to process the called number.

11. A software product for operating a signaling processor to process a Signaling System Seven (SS7) message for a call having a called number and a caller number, wherein a first gateway will receive user communications for the call, the method comprising:

software configured to direct the signaling processor to receive the SS7 message into an Integrated Services User Part (ISUP) process, and if the SS7 message is an Initial. Address Message (IAM), then to create an origination process for the call having data from the IAM and execute the origination process to determine if the caller number is authorized, and if the caller number is authorized, then to execute the origination process to determine if the called number is legitimate, and if the called number is legitimate, then to execute the origination process to select a second gateway based on the called number, and in response to selecting the second gateway, to create a termination process for the call and execute the termination process to verify that the second gateway can handle the call, and if the second gateway can handle the call, then to execute the termination process to select an identifier for routing the call from the first gateway to the second gateway and transfer a control message to the first gateway indicating the selected identifier, wherein the first gateway receives the user communications for the call and adds the identifier to user communications for the call, and wherein a packet system routes the user communications from the first gateway to the second gateway based on the identifier; and

hardware that stores the software.

12. The software product of claim 11 wherein the signaling processor does not include a switching fabric.

13. The software product of claim 11 wherein the signaling processor does not receive the user communications.

14. The software product of claim 11 wherein the software is further configured to direct the signaling processor to transfer an Address Complete Message (ACM) from the ISUP process.

15. The software product of claim 11 wherein the software is further configured to direct the signaling processor to transfer an Answer Message (ANM) from the ISUP process.

17. The software product of claim 11 wherein the software is further configured to direct the signaling processor to transfer a Release Complete Message (RLC) from the ISUP process.

18. The software product of claim 11 wherein the software is further configured to direct the signaling processor to receive an Answer Message (ANM) for the call into the ISUP process, transfer the ANM from the ISUP process to the termination process, and execute the termination process to process the ANM, and in response, transfer another control message to the first gateway with instructions to cut-through the call.

19. The software product of claim 11 wherein the software is further configured to direct the signaling processor to receive a Release Message (REL) for the call into the ISUP process, transferring the REL from the ISUP process to the origination process, and execute the origination process to process the REL, and in response, transfer another control message to the first gateway with instructions to terminate the call

20. The software product of claim 11 wherein the software is further configured to direct the signaling processor to access a Service Control Point (SCP) to process the called number.

16. The software product of claim 111 wherein the software is further configured to direct the signaling processor to transfer a Release Message (REL) from the ISUP process.