ATM Telecommunications Systems and Method for Routing Narrow Band Traffic
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A telecommunications system comprising:
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a broadband digital communications network;
a call routing server configured to determine, for a call, a set of candidate routes, the set of candidate routes including one or more routes through the broadband digital communications network, the routes in the set of candidate routes comprising one or more alternative connections in the broadband digital communications network, and being determined independently of any connections established in the broadband digital communications network; and
a connection controller configured to establish one or more connections in the broadband digital communications network on the basis of a route in the set of candidate routes, the connection being for transmitting traffic in respect of the call.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A telecommunications system comprises an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network having uncommitted bandwidth, and a plurality of adaptive grooming routers (AGR) coupled to the network. The AGRs comprise a group adapted to function as a virtual transit exchange whose fabric and control are distributed over the group. The visual comprising the AGRs incorporates independent connection control and call routing functions and has means for determining the current system status whereby to set up narrow band connections across the ATM network based on that status determination.
3 Citations
134 Claims
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1. A telecommunications system comprising:
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a broadband digital communications network; a call routing server configured to determine, for a call, a set of candidate routes, the set of candidate routes including one or more routes through the broadband digital communications network, the routes in the set of candidate routes comprising one or more alternative connections in the broadband digital communications network, and being determined independently of any connections established in the broadband digital communications network; and a connection controller configured to establish one or more connections in the broadband digital communications network on the basis of a route in the set of candidate routes, the connection being for transmitting traffic in respect of the call. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A node for use in a telecommunications system comprising a broadband digital communications network, the node comprising:
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a call routing server configured to determine, for a call, a set of candidate routes, the set of candidate routes including one or more routes through the broadband digital communications network, the routes in the set of candidate routes comprising one or more alternative connections in the broadband digital communications network, and being determined independently of any connections established in the broadband digital communications network; and a connection controller configured to establish one or more connections in the broadband digital communications network on the basis of a route in the set of candidate routes, the connection being for transmitting traffic in respect of the call. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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35. A call routing server for use in a telecommunications system comprising a broadband digital communications network, the call routing server comprising:
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a call routing information determiner configured to determine, for a call, a set of candidate routes, the set of candidate routes including one or more routes through the broadband digital communications network, the routes in the set of candidate routes comprising one or more alternative connections in the broadband digital communications network, and being determined independently of any connections established in the broadband digital communications network. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A connection controller for use in a telecommunications system comprising a broadband digital communications network and a call routing server, the connection controller comprising:
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a connection establisher configured to establish one or more connections in the broadband digital communications network on the basis of a route in a set of candidate routes determined by the call routing server, the connection being for transmitting traffic in respect of the call. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A telecommunications system comprising:
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a broadband digital communications network; means for determining, for a call, a set of candidate routes, the set of candidate routes including one or more routes through the broadband digital communications network, the routes in the set of candidate routes comprising one or more alternative connections in the broadband digital communications network, and being determined independently of any connections established in the broadband digital communications network; and means for establishing one or more connections in the broadband digital communications network on the basis of a route in the set of candidate routes, the connection being for transmitting traffic in respect of the call.
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66. A node for use in a telecommunications system comprising a broadband digital communications network, the node comprising:
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means for determining, for a call, a set of candidate routes, the set of candidate routes including one or more routes through the broadband digital communications network, the routes in the set of candidate routes comprising one or more alternative connections in the broadband digital communications network, and being determined independently of any connections established in the broadband digital communications network; and means for establishing one or more connections in the broadband digital communications network on the basis of a route in the set of candidate routes, the connection being for transmitting traffic in respect of the call.
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67. A call routing server for use in a telecommunications system comprising a broadband digital communications network, the call routing server comprising:
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means for determining, for a call, a set of candidate routes, the set of candidate routes including one or more routes through the broadband digital communications network, the routes in the set of candidate routes comprising one or more alternative connections in the broadband digital communications network, and being determined independently of any connections established in the broadband digital communications network.
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68. A connection controller for use in a telecommunications system comprising a broadband digital communications network, the connection controller comprising:
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means for establishing one or more connections in the broadband digital communications network on the basis of a route in a set of candidate routes determined by the call routing server, the connection being for transmitting traffic in respect of the call.
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69. A method of establishing a call in a telecommunications system comprising a broadband digital communications network;
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determining, for a call, a set of candidate routes, the set of candidate routes including one or more routes through the broadband digital communications network, the routes in the set of candidate routes comprising one or more alternative connections in the broadband digital communications network, and being determined independently of any connections established in the broadband digital communications network; and means for establishing one or more connections in the broadband digital communications network on the basis of a route in the set of candidate routes, the connection being for transmitting traffic in respect of the call.
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70. A method of determining call routing information for use in a telecommunications system comprising a broadband digital communications network, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining, for a call, a set of candidate routes, the set of candidate routes including one or more routes through the broadband digital communications network, the routes in the set of candidate routes comprising one or more alternative connections in the broadband digital communications network, and being determined independently of any connections established in the broadband digital communications network. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91)
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92. A method in a telecommunications system comprising a broadband digital communications network, the method comprising:
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establishing one or more connections in the broadband digital communications network on the basis of a route in a set of candidate routes determined by the call routing server, the set of candidate routes including one or more routes through the broadband digital communications network, the routes in the set of candidate routes comprising one or more alternative connections in the broadband digital communications network, and being determined independently of any connections established in the broadband digital communications network
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93. A telecommunications system comprising:
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a broadband digital communications network; a call routing server configured to make at least an initial call routing decision in respect of a call independently of any connections established in the network specifically for transmitting call traffic in the network; and a connection controller configured to establish one or more connections in the network for transmitting traffic in respect of the call thereby to give effect to the at least initial call routing decision, the connection being for transmitting traffic in respect of the call.
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94. A node for use in a telecommunications system comprising a broadband digital communications network, the node comprising:
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a call routing server configured to make at least an initial call routing decision in respect of a call independently of any connections established in the network specifically for transmitting traffic in respect of the call; and a connection controller configured to establish one or more connections in the network for transmitting traffic in respect of the call thereby to give effect to the at least initial call routing decision, the connection being for transmitting traffic in respect of the call.
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95. A call routing server for use in a telecommunications system comprising a broadband digital communications network, the call routing server comprising:
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an initial call routing decision maker configured to make at least an initial call routing decision independently of any connections established in the network specifically for transmitting traffic in respect of the call.
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96. A connection controller use in a telecommunications system comprising a broadband digital communications network, the connection controller comprising:
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a receiver configured to receive an at least initial call routing decision made by a call routing server independently of any connections being established in the network specifically for transmitting traffic in respect of the call, and a connection establisher configured to establish one or more connections in the network for transmitting traffic in respect of the call thereby to give effect to the at least initial call routing decision.
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97. A method of routing calls in a telecommunications system comprising a broadband digital communications network, the method comprising the following steps:
making at least initial call routing decisions in respect of a call independently of any connections being established in the network specifically for transmitting traffic in respect of the call.
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98. A telecommunications system comprising:
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a broadband digital communications network, and a connection controller for establishing, maintaining, and removing connections in the network, the connections being for transmitting call traffic, wherein the connection controller is arranged to determine at source a route across the network for a connection and to establish the connection by forwarding a message through the network, the message indicating the route. - View Dependent Claims (99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109)
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110. A connection controller for use in a telecommunications system comprising a broadband digital communications network, the connection controller being for establishing a connection in the network for transmitting call traffic, the connection controller comprising:
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a source route determiner configured to determine, at source, a route across the network for the connection, and a connection establisher configured to establish the connection by forwarding a message through the network, the message indicating the route. - View Dependent Claims (111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120)
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121. A telecommunications system comprising:
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a broadband digital communications network, and means for establishing, maintaining, and removing connections in the network, the connections being for transmitting call traffic, wherein the means for establishing, maintaining, and removing connections is arranged to determine at source a route across the network for a connection and to establish the connection by forwarding a message through the network, the message indicating the route.
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122. A connection controller for use in a telecommunications system comprising a broadband digital communications network, the connection controller being for establishing a connection in the network for transmitting call traffic, the connection controller comprising:
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means for determining at source a route across the network for the connection, and means for establishing the connection by forwarding a message through the network, the message indicating the route.
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123. A method of establishing a connection in a broadband digital communications network of a telecommunications system, the connection being for transmitting call traffic, the method comprising:
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determining at source a route across the network for the connection, and establishing the connection by forwarding a message through the network, the message indicating the route. - View Dependent Claims (124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132)
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133. A telecommunications system comprising:
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a broadband digital communications network, and means for determining a route through the network for a connection, the connection being for transmitting call traffic; means for establishing a message specifying nodes in the network comprising the route of the connection through the network; and means for forwarding said message to each of the nodes in the route in a forward direction of said connection and passing said or another message back through the route by way of acknowledging establishment of said connection.
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134. A method of establishing a connection in a broadband digital communications network of a telecommunications system, the connection being for transmitting call traffic, the method comprising:
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determining a route through the network for the connection; establishing a message specifying nodes in the network comprising the route of the connection through the network; forwarding said message to each of the nodes in the route in a forward direction of said connection and passing said or another message back through the route by way of acknowledging establishment of said connection.
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Specification