Communication system for converting ISDN signaling protocol between local and public network having first group of mandatory elements and second group of non-mandatory elements
First Claim
1. A communication system arranged to receive ISDN D channel information in a Q.931 protocol message over a first communication channel, said system including a control unit connected to said first channel and connected over a communication facility, including one or more second communication channels, to at least one station terminal, said system further includingat said control unitmeans for converting a received Q.931 protocol message which controls call connections over said first channel using said D channel information, into a local protocol message for controlling communications with said at least one station terminal over said facility on a per second channel basis, said local protocol message controlling said at least one station terminal, said local protocol message includinga first group of information elements containing mandatory Q.931 protocol message information elements anda second group of information elements derived from a third group of information elements selected from one or more sets of information elements including 1) a first set of non-mandatory Q.931 protocol message information elements, and, 2) a second set of local information elements obtained from a data memory accessible by said control unit andat said at least one station terminalmeans for receiving said local protocol message and for controlling a calling state of at least one second channel of said at least one station terminal.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A communication system operates compatibly with a public or private switching network using a Q.931 protocol for basic rate ISDN communications. Communications between a control unit and station terminals of the system use a local protocol which is a modification of the Q.931 protocol. This local protocol includes one segment including the mandatory elements of the Q.931 protocol and a second segment derived by converting the optional elements of the Q.931 protocol into a local codeset which controls the user interface circuits at each station terminal. The local protocol enables call control between the control unit and each station terminal to be managed on a bearer channel basis while call control between the system and the network is managed on a call appearance basis using the standard Q.931 protocol. The local protocol provides for communicating line selection and feature activation commands from the terminal to the control unit, using simple button commands.
76 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A communication system arranged to receive ISDN D channel information in a Q.931 protocol message over a first communication channel, said system including a control unit connected to said first channel and connected over a communication facility, including one or more second communication channels, to at least one station terminal, said system further including
at said control unit means for converting a received Q.931 protocol message which controls call connections over said first channel using said D channel information, into a local protocol message for controlling communications with said at least one station terminal over said facility on a per second channel basis, said local protocol message controlling said at least one station terminal, said local protocol message including a first group of information elements containing mandatory Q.931 protocol message information elements and a second group of information elements derived from a third group of information elements selected from one or more sets of information elements including 1) a first set of non-mandatory Q.931 protocol message information elements, and, 2) a second set of local information elements obtained from a data memory accessible by said control unit and at said at least one station terminal means for receiving said local protocol message and for controlling a calling state of at least one second channel of said at least one station terminal.
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12. A station terminal arranged to communicate ISDN D channel control information in a Q.931 control protocol message over a communication facility to a control unit, said terminal comprising
means for receiving information over said facility from said control unit, said information being received in a local protocol message format having a first group of information elements including a first group of control information elements containing mandatory elements of said Q.931 protocol messages for controlling a call setup at station terminal and a second group of control information elements derived from a third group of information elements selected from one or more sets of information elements including 1) a first set of non-mandatory Q.931 protocol message information elements, and, 2) a second set of local information elements obtained from a data memory accessible by said control unit and means for controlling user interactions with said terminal, via said user-interface device, using said second group of control information elements.
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18. A control unit for use in a communication system including at least one station terminal connected over a communication facility to said control unit, said control unit also connected to an external communication channel, said control unit comprising
means for receiving ISDN D channel call control information in a Q.931 control protocol message over said external communication channel, means for converting a received Q.931 control protocol message which controls call connections over said first channel using said D channel information, into a local protocol message for controlling communications with said at least one station terminal over said facility on a per second channel basis, said local protocol message controlling said at least one station terminal, said local protocol message including a first group of information elements containing mandatory Q.931 protocol message information elements for establishing a call connection between said control unit and said at least one station terminal and a second group of information elements derived from a third group of information elements selected from one or more sets of information elements including 1) a first set of non-mandatory Q.931 protocol message information elements, and 2) a second set of local information elements obtained from a data memory accessible by said control unit and means for sending said local protocol message over said facility to said at least one station terminal.
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22. A method of operating a communication system arranged to receive ISDN D channel information in a Q.931 protocol message over a first communication channel, said system including a control unit connected to said first channel and connected over a communication facility, including one or more second communication channels, to at least one station terminal, said method comprising the steps of
at said control unit converting a received Q.931 protocol message which controls call connections over said first channel using said D channel information, into a local protocol message, controlling communication with said at least one station terminal, over said facility on a per second channel basis, said local protocol message controlling said at least one station terminal, said local protocol message including a first group of information elements containing mandatory Q.931 protocol message information elements and a second group of information elements derived from a third group of information elements selected from one or more sets of information elements including 1) a first set of non-mandatory Q.931 protocol message information elements and 2) a second set of local information elements obtained from a data memory accessible by said control unit, and at said at least one station terminal controlling a calling state of at least one second channel of said at least one station terminal.
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23. A method of operating a station terminal arranged to communicate ISDN D channel control information in a Q.931 control protocol message over a communication facility to a control unit, said method comprising the steps of
receiving information over said facility from said control unit, said information being received in a local protocol message format having a first group of information elements including a first group of control information elements containing mandatory elements of said Q.931 protocol messages for controlling a call setup at said station terminal and a second group of control information elements derived from a third group of information elements selected from one or more sets of information elements including 1) a first set of non-mandatory Q.931 protocol message information elements, and, 2) a second set of local information elements obtained from a data memory accessible by said control unit and controlling user interactions with said terminal, via said user-interface device, using said second group of control information elements.
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24. A method of operating a control unit for use in a communication system including at least one station terminal connected over a communication facility to said control unit, said control unit also connected to an external communication channel, said method comprising the steps of
receiving ISDN D channel call control information in a Q.931 control protocol message over said external communication channel, converting a received Q.931 control protocol message which controls call connections over said first channel using said D channel information, into a local protocol message for controlling communications with said at least one station terminal over said facility on a per second channel basis, said local protocol message controlling said at least one station terminal, said local protocol message including a first group of information elements containing mandatory Q.931 protocol message information elements for controlling a call setup at said at least one station terminal and a second group of information elements derived from a third group of information elements selected from one or more sets of information elements including 1) a first set of non-mandatory Q.931 protocol message information elements, and, 2) a second set of local information elements obtained from a data memory accessible by said control unit and sending said local protocol message over said channel to said at least one station terminal.
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25. A communication system arranged to receive ISDN D channel information in a Q.931 protocol message over a first communication channel, said system including a control unit connected to said first channel and connected over a communication facility, including one or more second communication channels, to at least one station terminal, said system further including
at said control unit means for converting a received Q.931 protocol message, which controls call connections over said first channel using said D channel information, into a local protocol message for controlling communications with said at least one station terminal over said facility, on a per second channel basis, said local protocol message controlling said at least one station terminal, said local protocol message including a first group of information elements containing mandatory Q.931 protocol message information elements and a second group of information elements derived from 1) non-mandatory Q.931 protocol message information elements and 2) local information elements obtained from a data memory accessible by said control unit and at said at least one station terminal means for receiving said local protocol message and for controlling a calling state of at least one second channel of said at least one station terminal.
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26. A method of operating a communication system arranged to receive ISDN D channel information in a Q.931 protocol message over a first communication channel, said system including a control unit connected to said first channel and connected over a communication facility, including one or more second communication channels, to at least one station terminal, said method including the steps of
at said control unit converting a received Q.931 protocol message, which controls call connections over said first channel using said D channel information, into a local protocol message, controlling communications with said at least one station terminal over said facility, on a per second channel basis, said local protocol message controlling said at least one station terminal, said local protocol message including a first group of information elements containing mandatory Q.931 protocol message information elements and a second group of information elements derived from 1) non-mandatory Q.931 protocol message information elements and 2) local information elements obtained from a data memory accessible by said control unit and at said at least one station terminal receiving said local protocol message and for controlling a calling state of at least one second channel of said at least one station terminal.
Specification