Data packet switch apparatus and method with enhanced charge assessment capability
First Claim
1. Apparatus for transporting data packets received from data systems located in telephone local access transport areas and for implementing enhanced services to control operation of a telephone local access transport area switching network to interconnect calling and called parties comprising:
- means for terminating data links interconnecting the apparatus with at least one of said data systems and switching systems of telephone local access transport areas,means, responsive to receipt of data packets from data systems requesting transport of the data packets to a destination data system and from switching systems requesting enhanced services, for assessing charges for use of the apparatus based on each received data packet in accordance with transport and enhanced service requests of each received data packet,means coupled with said terminating and assessing means for accumulating a total of said charges incurred by at least one telephone local access transport area to be billed for data packet use of the apparatus,means, responsive to receipt of said data packets for transporting ones of the data packets to the destination data system, for generating other data packets identifying telephone switch interconnection information required to control telephone local access transport area switching systems to interconnect the calling and called parties in accordance with the enhanced services and transmitting the generated data packets over one of the data links to the telephone local access transport area switching network.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and method of operation for transporting data packets between data systems located in telephone local access transport areas and for implementing enhanced services to control operation of a telephone local access transport area switching network to interconnect calling and called parties in accordance with requested ones of the enhanced services. The apparatus is interconnected with the data systems and switching systems and is responsive to receipt of dam packets from originating data systems requesting transport of data packets to destination data systems and from switching systems requesting an enhanced service for assessing a charge for use of the apparatus by each received data packet. A central processor accumulates assessed charges incurred by each data system and switching system for data packet use of the apparatus in transmitting transport data packets to destination data systems and for providing enhanced services to switching systems to control the switching systems to interconnect the calling and called parties in accordance with requested enhanced services to be billed to the telephone local access transport area.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. Apparatus for transporting data packets received from data systems located in telephone local access transport areas and for implementing enhanced services to control operation of a telephone local access transport area switching network to interconnect calling and called parties comprising:
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means for terminating data links interconnecting the apparatus with at least one of said data systems and switching systems of telephone local access transport areas, means, responsive to receipt of data packets from data systems requesting transport of the data packets to a destination data system and from switching systems requesting enhanced services, for assessing charges for use of the apparatus based on each received data packet in accordance with transport and enhanced service requests of each received data packet, means coupled with said terminating and assessing means for accumulating a total of said charges incurred by at least one telephone local access transport area to be billed for data packet use of the apparatus, means, responsive to receipt of said data packets for transporting ones of the data packets to the destination data system, for generating other data packets identifying telephone switch interconnection information required to control telephone local access transport area switching systems to interconnect the calling and called parties in accordance with the enhanced services and transmitting the generated data packets over one of the data links to the telephone local access transport area switching network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. Apparatus for transporting data packets between data systems located in telephone local access transport areas and for implementing enhanced services to control operation of a telephone local access transport area switching network to interconnect calling and called parties comprising:
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means for terminating data links each interconnecting the apparatus with data systems of said of telephone local access transport areas and switching systems of a telephone local access transport area switching network, means, coupled with said means for terminating data links, for identifying transport and enhanced service requests and telephone local access transport area data systems and switching systems that generate a received data packet, and means for recording said transport and enhanced service requests and said telephone local access transport area data system and switching system identities for data packets received during a predetermined interval of time, processing means coupled with said identifying and recording means for interrogating said identifying means and recording means during said predetermined interval of time and storing said recorded transport and enhanced service requests and telephone local access transport area data systems and switching system identities on storage apparatus of said processing means, means for determining a charge for use of the apparatus by each received packet data in accordance with the stored transport and enhanced service requests and telephone local access transport area data and switching system identities and assessing the determined charge against each received data packet, means coupled to said determining means for accumulating a total of said assessed data packet apparatus use charges incurred by each data system and switching system of said telephone local access transport areas to be billed to the telephone local access transport area for data packet use of the apparatus, and means, coupled with said identifying means and recording means and responsive to receipt of a transport data packet requesting transport, for transmitting the transport data packet over said data links to telephone local access transport area destination data system and to receipt of a data packet requesting an enhanced service for generating another data packet identifying telephone switch interconnection information required to control said telephone local access transport area switching systems to interconnect calling and called parties in accordance with the enhanced service and transmitting the generated data packet over the data links to the telephone local access transport area switching network.
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8. Apparatus for transporting data packets between data systems located in telephone local access transport areas and for implementing enhanced services to control operation of a telephone local access transport area switching network to interconnect calling and called parties comprising:
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data links each interconnecting said data systems of telephone local access transport areas and switching systems of a telephone local access transport area switching network with the apparatus, means, coupled with the data links and responsive to receipt of data packets incoming on said data links, for identifying transport and enhanced service requests, said data systems and switching systems having generated the incoming data packet, and means for recording said transport and enhanced service requests and said data system and switching system identities for data packets received during a predetermined interval of time, processing means coupled with said identifying and recording means for interrogating said identifying and recording means during said predetermined interval of time and storing said recorded transport and enhanced service requests and data system and switching system identities into storage apparatus of said processing means, means for determining a charge for use of the apparatus by each received data packet in accordance with the stored transport and enhanced service requests and data system and switching system identities and assessing the determined charge against each received data packet, means coupled to said determining means for accumulating a total of said use charges incurred by each data system and switching system of a telephone local access transport area to be billed to an owner of the telephone local access transport area for data packet use of the apparatus, and means coupled with said identifying and recording means and responsive to receipt of a transport data packet requesting transport for transmitting the transport data packet over the data links to a destination data system of said data systems and to receipt of a data packet requesting an enhanced service for generating another data packet identifying telephone switching interconnection information required to control said telephone local access transport area switching system to interconnect calling and called parties in accordance with the enhanced service and transmitting the other data packet over said data links on the telephone local access transport area switching network.
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9. A network for implementing enhanced services to control operation of switching systems to interconnect calling and called parties wherein the network has nodes interconnected by transmission paths for enabling data systems and switching systems connected with the nodes to exchange data packets with the network comprising:
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data links each interconnecting the data systems and switching systems of a telephone local access transport area switching network with one of the nodes, node processing means, coupled with the data links and responsive to receipt of data packets incoming on said data links, for recording transport and enhanced service requests and identities of data systems and switching systems having generated the received data packet, means, coupled with said node processing means and responsive to receipt of a transport data packet requesting transport, for transmitting the transport data packet over the data links to a telephone local access transport area destination data system, and means responsive to receipt of a data packet requesting an enhanced service, for generating another data packet identifying telephone switch interconnected information required to control a telephone local access transport area switching system to interconnect calling and called parties in accordance with the enhanced services and transmitting the other data packet over the data links to the telephone local access transport area switching network, and network processing means, coupled by a transmission path with said node processing means, for interrogating said node processing means and for determining a charge for use of the network by each received data packet in accordance with the stored transport and enhanced service requests and data system and switching system identities and assessing the determined charge against each received data packet and for accumulating a total of said assessed use charges incurred by each data system and switching system of a telephone local access transport area to be billed to the telephone local access transport area for data packet use of the network.
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10. A method of operating apparatus for implementing transport and enhanced services for telephone local access transport area data systems and switching systems connected by data links with nodes of the apparatus comprising steps of:
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receiving data packets at the nodes from at least one of originating data systems and switching systems and recording requests therein for transport of data packets to a destination system and an enhanced service of a switching system for interconnection information required to control the switching systems to interconnect calling and called parties in accordance with the requests, and assessing charges at the node for use of the apparatus based on received data packets in accordance with transport and enhanced service requests and identify of said at least one, and accumulating a total of said charges at a central processor incurred by said at least one to be billed to the telephone local access transport area for data packet use of the apparatus, transporting ones of the data packets to the destination system and generating other data packets identifying interconnection information required to control telephone local access transport area switching systems to interconnect the calling and called parties in accordance with the requests and transmitting the generated data packets over the data links to the telephone local access transport area switching systems. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of operating apparatus for implementing transport and enhanced services for telephone local access transport area data systems and switching systems connected by data links with nodes of the apparatus comprising steps of:
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receiving, at said nodes, data packets conveying transport and enhanced service requests identifying said data and switching systems from which said data packets were received, recording said identified transport and enhanced service requests and said data systems and switching systems identities for said data packets received at one of the nodes during a predetermined interval of time, interrogating the node during the predetermined interval of time and storing said recorded transport and enhanced service requests and said transport and switching systems identities in storage apparatus of a central processor, determining a charge for use of the apparatus by each received data packet in accordance with the recorded transport and enhanced service requests and the transport and switching systems identities and assessing the determined charge against each received data packet, accumulating a total of the use charges incurred by each data system and switching system of a telephone local access transport area to be billed to the telephone local access transport area for data packet use of the apparatus, transporting ones of the data packets to a destination data system and generating other data packets identifying interconnection information required to control telephone local access transport area switching systems to interconnect the calling and called parties in accordance with the identified enhanced service requests and transmitting the generated other data packets over one of the data links to the identified telephone local access transport area switching systems.
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Specification