Telecommunications tandem system for circuit-based traffic

• US 6,014,378 A
• Filed: 11/22/1996
• Issued: 01/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Christie, legal representative, by Jean M., DuRee, Albert Daniel, Nelson, Tracy Lee, Wiley, William Lyle, Gardner, Michael Joseph, Christie, deceased, Joseph Michael, Christie, legal representative, by Joseph S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US08/755,268
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 370/351-357, 370/395, 370/397, 370/396, 370/398, 370/399, 370/410, 370/466, 370/465, 370/524
• US Class Current: 370/356
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5619 Network Node Interface, e.g. tandem connections, transit switching
• 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: H04M 3/42297 with number portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

The invention is a tandem system for providing a tandem connection for circuit-based traffic. This tandem system comprises an ATM cross-connect, ATM interworking multiplexers, and a signaling processor. The multiplexer converts the traffic received by the tandem system into ATM where it is routed through the cross-connect and re-converted back into the circuit-based format at an ATM interworking multiplexer. The signaling processor controls the virtual connections and out going circuit-based connections used by the multiplexers.

Claims

1. A telecommunications tandem system for providing a tandem connection for a call, wherein the tandem system comprises;

a first ATM interworking multiplexer that is operational to receive circuit-based traffic for the call from a first circuit-based connection, to convert the circuit-based traffic into ATM cells that identify a selected virtual connection based on a first control message, and to transmit the ATM cells;

an ATM cross-connect that is connected to the first ATM interworking multiplexer and that is operational to receive the ATM cells from the first ATM interworking multiplexer and to route the ATM cells based on the selected virtual connection identified in the ATM cells;

a second ATM interworking multiplexer that is connected to the ATM cross-connect and that is operational to receive the ATM cells from the ATM cross-connect, to convert the ATM cells into the circuit-based traffic, and to transmit the circuit-based traffic over a selected second circuit-based connection based on a second control message; and

a signaling processor that is linked to the first ATM multiplexer and the second ATM multiplexer and that is operational to receive and process telecommunications signaling for the call to select the virtual connection and the second circuit-based connection, to provide the first control message for the call to the first ATM multiplexer, and to provide the second control message for the call to the second ATM multiplexer, wherein the first control message identifies the first circuit-based connection and the selected virtual connection, wherein the second control message identifies the selected virtual connection and the selected second circuit-based connection, and wherein the first circuit based connection, the selected virtual connection, and the selected second circuit based connection form the tandem connection.

2. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the tandem system is operational to provide the tandem connection for the call between two circuit-based switches.

3. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the tandem system is operational to provide the tandem connection for the call between two circuit-based switching networks.

4. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the tandem system is operational to provide the tandem connection for the call between a circuit-based switch and an enhanced services platform.

5. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the selected virtual connection is provisioned from the first ATM interworking multiplexer to the second ATM interworking multiplexer through the ATM cross-connect before the call.

6. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the circuit-based connections are DS0 connections.

7. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the first ATM multiplexer and the second ATM multiplexer are incorporated into a single ATM multiplexer.

8. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the first control message and the second control message are incorporated into a single control message.

9. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the first ATM multiplexer, the second ATM multiplexer, and the ATM cross-connect are physically located at the same site.

10. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the signaling processor, the first ATM multiplexer, the second ATM multiplexer, and the ATM cross-connect are physically located at the same site.

11. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the telecommunications signaling is a call set-up message.

12. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the telecommunications signaling is a Signaling System #7 Initial Address Message (SS7 IAM).

13. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the signaling processor is operational to select the connections for the call based on a called number in the telecommunications signaling.

14. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the signaling processor is operational to select the connections for the call based on an NPA in a called number in the telecommunications signaling.

15. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the signaling processor is operational to select the connections for the call based on an NXX in a called number in the telecommunications signaling.

16. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the signaling processor is operational to select the connections for the call based on an NPA-NXX in a called number in the telecommunications signaling.

17. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the signaling processor is operational to select the connections for the call based on a destination network identified in the telecommunications signaling.

18. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the signaling processor is operational to select the connections for the call based on a transit network selection code in the telecommunications signaling.

19. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the signaling processor is operational to select the connections for the call based on a carrier identification perameter in the telecommunications signaling.

20. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the signaling processor is operational to select the connections for the call based on a nature of address in the telecommunications signaling.

21. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the signaling processor is operational to select the connections for the call based on a network element identified in the telecommunications signaling.

22. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the signaling processor is operational to select the connections for the call based on a local route number in the telecommunications signaling.

23. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the signaling processor is operational to select the connections for the call based on a trunk group to be used for the call.

24. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the tandem system is operational to apply echo cancellation to the call.

25. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the tandem system is operational to exchange ATM traffic with an ATM system for another call.

26. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the tandem system is operational to exchange B-ISDN signaling with an ATM system for another call.

27. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the tandem system is operational to provide the tandem connection between an incumbent local exchange carrier and a competitive local exchange carrier for the call.

28. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the tandem system is operational to provide the tandem connection between a first competitive local exchange carrier and a second competitive local exchange carrier for the call.

29. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the tandem system is operational to provide the tandem connection between a local exchange carrier and an interexchange carrier for the call.

30. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the tandem system is operational to provide the tandem connection between a local exchange carrier and an international carrier for the call.

31. The tandem system of claim 1 wherein the tandem system is operational to provide the tandem connection between an interexchange carrier and an international carrier for the call.

32. A method for operating a telecommunications tandem system for providing a tandem connection for a call, wherein the method comprises;

receiving circuit-based traffic for the call into a first ATM multiplexer from a first circuit-based connection;

receiving telecommunications signaling for the call into a signaling processor;

processing the telecommunications signaling in the signaling processor to select an ATM connection and a second circuit-based connection for the call;

providing a first control message from the signaling processor to the first ATM interworking multiplexer wherein the first control message identifies the first circuit-based connection and the selected ATM connection;

providing a second control message from the signaling processor to a second ATM interworking multiplexer wherein the second control message identifies the selected ATM connection and the selected second circuit-based connection;

converting the circuit-based traffic in the first ATM multiplexer into ATM cells that identify the selected ATM connection based on the first control message;

transmitting the ATM cells from the first ATM multiplexer to an ATM cross-connect;

routing ATM cells from the ATM cross-connect to the second ATM multiplexer based on the selected ATM connection that is identified in the ATM cells;

receiving the ATM cells into the second ATM multiplexer over the selected ATM connection;

converting the ATM cells in the second ATM multiplexer into the circuit-based traffic; and

transmitting the circuit-based traffic over the selected second circuit-based connection for the call based on the second control message, wherein the first circuit-based connection, the selected ATM connection, and the selected second circuit-based connection form the tandem connection.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the tandem system provides the tandem connection for the call between two circuit-based switches.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein the tandem system provides the tandem connection for the call between two circuit-based switching networks.

35. The method of claim 32 wherein the tandem system provides the tandem connection for the call between a circuit-based switch and an enhanced services platform.

36. The method of claim 32 wherein the selected ATM connection is provisioned from the first ATM interworking multiplexer to the second ATM interworking multiplexer through the ATM cross-connect before the call.

37. The method of claim 32 wherein the circuit-based connections are DS0 connections.

38. The method of claim 32 wherein the first ATM multiplexer and the second ATM multiplexer are incorporated into a single ATM multiplexer.

39. The method of claim 32 wherein the first control message and the second control message are incorporated into a single control message.

40. The method of claim 32 wherein the first ATM multiplexer, the second ATM multiplexer, and the ATM cross-connect are physically located at the same site.

41. The method of claim 32 wherein the signaling processor, the first ATM multiplexer, the second ATM multiplexer, and the ATM cross-connect are physically located at the same site.

42. The method of claim 32 wherein the telecommunications signaling is a call set-up message.

43. The method of claim 32 wherein the telecommunications signaling is a Signaling System #7 Initial Address Message (SS7 IAM).

44. The method of claim 32 wherein the signaling processor selects the connections for the call based on a called number in the telecommunications signaling.

45. The method of claim 32 wherein the signaling processor selects the connections for the call based on an NPA in a called number in the telecommunications signaling.

46. The method of claim 32 wherein the signaling processor selects the connections for the call based on an NXX in a called number in the telecommunications signaling.

47. The method of claim 32 wherein the signaling processor selects the connections for the call based on an NPA-NXX in a called number in the telecommunications signaling.

48. The method of claim 32 wherein the signaling processor selects the connections for the call based on a destination network identified in the telecommunications signaling.

49. The method of claim 32 wherein the signaling processor selects the connections for the call based on a transit network selection code in the telecommunications signaling.

50. The method of claim 32 wherein the signaling processor selects the connections for the call based on a carrier identification perameter in the telecommunications signaling.

51. The method of claim 32 wherein the signaling processor selects the connections for the call based on a nature of address in the telecommunications signaling.

52. The method of claim 32 wherein the signaling processor selects the connections for the call based on a network element identified in the telecommunications signaling.

53. The method of claim 32 wherein the signaling processor selects the connections for the call based on a local route number in the telecommunications signaling.

54. The method of claim 32 wherein the signaling processor selects the connections for the call based on a trunk group to be used for the call.

55. The method of claim 32 wherein the tandem system applies echo cancellation to the call.

56. The method of claim 32 wherein the tandem system exchanges ATM traffic with an ATM system for another call.

57. The method of claim 32 wherein the tandem system exchanges B-ISDN signaling with an ATM system for another call.

58. The method of claim 32 wherein the tandem system provides the tandem connection between an incumbent local exchange carrier and a competitive local exchange carrier for the call.

59. The method of claim 32 wherein the tandem system provides the tandem connection between a first competitive local exchange carrier and a second competitive local exchange carrier for the call.

60. The method of claim 32 wherein the tandem system provides the tandem connection between a local exchange carrier and an interexchange carrier for the call.

61. The method of claim 32 wherein the tandem system provides the tandem connection between a local exchange carrier and an international carrier for the call.

62. The method of claim 32 wherein the tandem system provides the tandem connection between an interexchange carrier and an international carrier for the call.