Method of establishing a connection as well as an exchange, service computer and communications network

• US 5,926,536 A
• Filed: 05/22/1997
• Issued: 07/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel Alsthom Compagnie Generale d'Electricite (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Stahl, Uwe, Orlamunder, Harald
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US08/861,665
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 379/207, 379/209, 379/219, 379/220, 379/221, 379/229, 379/230, 379/211, 379/210, 379/202
• US Class Current: 379/221.07
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/62 for connecting to private branch exchanges

Abstract

A requesting terminal signals a call request (CALL) to a control unit of a first communications network. The control unit then determines whether sufficient capacity is available in the first communications network to establish the connection requested by the call request. In the event of insufficient capacity, the control unit transmits an overload message (DAT) to the requesting terminal. It only initiates an alternative establishment of the requested connection via another, second communications network after it receives an acknowledge message (ACK) issued by the requesting terminal.

Claims

1. Method of establishing a connection wherein a requesting terminal (TEA) signals a call request (CALL) to a control unit of a first communications network (KN1), and wherein the control unit determines whether sufficient capacity is available in the first communications network (KN1) for establishing the connection requested by the call request, characterized in that in an absence of sufficient capacity, the control unit sends an overload message (DAT) to the requesting terminal (TEA), and initiates an alternative establishment of the requested connection through another, second communications network only upon reception of an acknowledge message (ACK) from the requesting terminal (TEA).

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the call request (CALL) is signaled by the requesting terminal (TEA) of the first communications network (KN1).

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the call request (CALL) requests an establishment of a connection to a requested terminal (TEB) of the first communications network (KN1).

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that in the absence of sufficient capacity, a release message is sent from the control unit to the requesting terminal when sufficient capacity in the communications network is determined again.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the establishment of the requested connection is initiated by the control unit upon receipt of an acknowledge message sent by the requesting terminal in response to the release message from the control unit.

6. Exchange (EX1) of a first communications network (KN1), comprising means for transmitting messages to and receiving messages including a call request (CALL) from a requesting terminal (TEA), and a control unit for determining whether sufficient capacity is available in the first communications network (KN1) for establishing a requested connection in response to the call request (CALL), characterized in that the control unit initiates a transmission of an overload message (DAT) to the requesting terminal (TEA) if insufficient capacity is determined, and initiates an alternative establishment of the requested connection through another, second communications network (KN2) only upon reception of an acknowledge message (ACK) from the requesting terminal (TEA).

7. Service computer for a first communications network or for two or more communications networks, comprising means for transmitting messages to and receiving messages including a call request from a requesting terminal, and a control unit for determining whether sufficient capacity is available in the first communications network or in a first of the two or more communications networks for establishing a requested connection in response to the call request, characterized in that the control unit initiates a transmission of an overload message to the requesting terminal if insufficient capacity is determined, and initiates an alternative establishment of the requested connection through another, second communications network only upon reception of an acknowledge message from the requesting terminal.

8. A service computer as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the service computer is a service control unit connected to at least one service switching point of the first communications network or of each of the two or more communications networks.

9. Communications network (KN1) for establishing a connection in response to a requesting terminal of the communications network signaling a call request to a control unit of the communications network for determining whether sufficient capacity is available in the communications network for establishing the connection requested by the call request, wherein in an absence of sufficient capacity, the control unit sends an overload message to the requesting terminal and initiates an alternative establishment of the requested connection through another communications network only upon receipt of an acknowledge message from the requesting terminal.