Methods and arrangements for involving remote communication systems in a corporate network

• US 6,081,520 A
• Filed: 03/12/1997
• Issued: 06/27/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Enterprise Systems Technologies S.a.r.l. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Kaschulla, Heinz, Krueger, Uwe
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): SLAVITT, MITCHELL R
• Application Number:
  US08/820,342
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: 370/522, 370/524, 370/410, 370/230, 370/357, 370/422, 370/426, 379/93.02, 379/229, 379/225, 379/156, 379/207, 395/200.57, 395/200.58, 395/200.59
• US Class Current: 370/357
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0435 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1307 Call setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13138 Least cost routing, LCR
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13224 Off-net subscriber, dial in to/out from network, teleworking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13299 Bus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13384 Inter-PBX traffic, PBX networks, e.g. corporate networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/62 for connecting to private branch exchanges

Abstract

Given a connection setup from a private, remote communication system (AKS), indicated selection information (wi) is evaluated and, dependent on the evaluation result, a communication connection (KV) is set up to an ISDN communication network (ISDN) or a communication connection (KV) is set up via the ISDN communication network (ISDN) to a corporate network (CN). A "Least Cost Routing" evaluation enables a cost-beneficial routing of communication connections (KV) initialized via a remote communication system (AKS).

Claims

1. A method for controlling communication connections between at least one first communication network and remote communication systems connected to communication terminal equipment, via a second communication network, comprising the steps of:

initiating a connection setup via the remote communication system by a respective communication terminal equipment thereof, the respective communication terminal equipment indicating selection information;

evaluating the indicated selection information and providing an evaluation result, thereof;

dependent on the evaluation result effecting one of the following,

setting up a communication connection to the second communication network with the indicated selection information,

or deriving an additional, predetermined selection information from the indicated selection information, with which a connection is set up via the second communication network to the at least one first communication network, the indicated selection information being communicated to the at least one first communication network in a selection information sub-field of a signaling in the connection setup.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first communication network is a private communication network and the second communication network is an ISDN communication network, whereby the signaling corresponds to ISDN signaling.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the ISDN signaling is realized according to standardized Euro-ISDN signaling, the indicated selection information being communicated in a sub-addressing of the Euro-ISDN signaling.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

checking the communication network access authorization of the respective incoming communication connection in the at least one first communication network using the communicated selection information of the calling communication terminal equipment connected to the remote communication system;

setting up, given confirmed authorization, the incoming communication connection and, for further routing, communicating the indicated selection information to the at least one communication network; and

rejecting when authorization is not confirmed, the incoming communication connection.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

communicating, in addition to the indicated selection information identification information in the selection information sub-field of the signaling;

additionally checking authorization of a respective incoming communication connection in the at least one first communication network using the communicated identification information;

setting up, when authorization is confirmed, the incoming communication connection and, for further routing, communicating the indicated selection information to the at least one communication network; and

rejecting, when authorization is not confirmed, the incoming communication connection.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises, in the remote communication systems;

storing information indicating internal selection information allocated to the at least one first communication network;

comparing, in a connection setup, the indicated selection information to the stored information and providing a comparison result; and

setting up, given a comparison result indicating an internal selection information, a communication connection via the second communication network to the at least one first communication network.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the remote communication systems the method further comprises:

storing further selection information for communication terminal equipment to which a communication connection is routed via the at least one first communication network for saving call charges;

comparing, given a connection setup, the indicated selection information to the further selection information and, given a coincidence thereof, setting up the communication connection to the at least one first communication network via the second communication network.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein communication connections from remote communication systems are set up to communication terminals of the at least one first communication network that are defined by the predetermined selection information.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the indicated selection information communicated in the selection information sub-field is evaluated in the at least one first communication network and, after determining internal selection information, the respective communication connection is routed to an appertaining communication terminal equipment of the first communication network.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the indicated selection information communicated in the selection information sub-field is evaluated in the at least one first communication network and, after determining external selection information, the respective communication connection is routed via the respective first communication network to a further communication terminal in a destination area of the second communication network that is defined by the indicated selection information.

11. A network access apparatus with at least one communication terminal to a remote communication system and at least one communication terminal to a second communication network, comprising:

system for evaluating selection information indicated in a setup of communication connections initiated by the remote communication system and for activating further systems dependent on an evaluation result, thereof;

system for setup of communication connections to the second communication network using the evaluated indicated selection information; and

system for deriving additional predetermined selection information from the evaluated indicated selection information, and system for setup of communication connections to at least one first communication network using the additional selection information, the indicated selection information being communicated to the at least one first communication network in a selection information sub-field of a signaling during the connection setup.

12. The network access apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the communication network terminals are ISDN communication terminals with an ISDN signaling according to standardized Euro-ISDN signaling, the indicated selection information being communicated in a sub-addressing of the Euro-ISDN signaling.

13. The network access apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the apparatus further comprises systems for inserting stored, additional identification information into the selection information sub-field of the signaling.

14. The network access apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

system for storing information representing internal selection information allocated to the at least one first communication network;

system for comparing the selection information indicated given a connection setup to the information; and

system for setting up a communication connection to the at least one first communication network given a comparison result indicating an internal selection information.

15. The network access apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

system for storing further selection information of communication terminal equipment to which a communication connection is routed via the at least one first communication network for saving call charges;

system for comparing respective selection information indicated in a connection setup to the further selection information; and

system for setup of a communication connection to the at least one first communication network given a coincidence of the selection information.

16. A network access apparatus with at least one communication terminal to a remote communication system and at least one communication terminal to a second communication network, comprising:

system for evaluating selection information indicated in a setup of communication connections initiated by the remote communication system and for activating further systems dependent on an evaluation result, thereof;

system for setup of communication connections to the second communication network using the evaluated indicated selection information;

system for deriving additional predetermined selection information from the evaluated indicated selection information, and system for setup of communication connections to at least one first communication network using the additional selection information, the indicated selection information being communicated to the at least one first communication network in a selection information sub-field of a signaling during the connection setup; and

at least one communication terminal to the remote communication system is at least one of the Euro-ISDN communication terminal, an ISDN primary terminal and an analog communication terminal.

17. The network access apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

at least one terminal unit that is connected to an administration and maintenance terminal unit; and

a control unit having a program structure realizing switching-oriented layer-3 functions, having a program structure realizing administration and maintenance administration and control, and having a table that stores the internal and external selection information as well as identification information.

18. The network access apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the terminal unit is at least two ISDN basic terminal units realizing layer 1 and 2 of an ISDN basic terminal.

19. The network access apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the terminal unit is an ISDN primary terminal unit realizing an ISDN primary terminal.

20. The network access apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the terminal unit is formed by an HKZ terminal unit realizing an analog HKZ terminal.

21. A network access device with at least respectively one communication terminal connected to first and second communication networks, the device further comprising:

system for checking respectively transmitted dial information of a communication connection incoming from the second communication network for a communication network authorization;

system for forwarding the respective incoming communication connection with the transmitted dial when authorization is not confirmed;

system for rejecting the incoming communication connection when authorization is not confirmed;

a plurality of terminal units and a control unit that is connected to all units;

the control unit having a message switching technology-program structure for switching oriented control of the communication connections;

the control unit having an authorization-program structure for checking communication connections that are incoming from the second communication network;

the control unit having a translation-program structure for translation of selection information that is transmitted, indicated in a sub-selection information field of the selection information;

the control unit having an administration technology-program structure for administration of all program structures; and

the control unit having a storage for storage of internal selection information and external selection information.

22. The network logon apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the terminal unit is at least two ISDN primary terminal units respectively realizing an ISDN primary terminal that are connected to one another via a multi-vendor integration protocol bus realizing a multi-vendor integration protocol.

23. The network logon apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the terminal unit is formed by a plurality of ISDN basic terminal units respectively realizing an ISDN basic terminal.

24. The network access device according to claim 21, wherein the access device further comprises:

system for checking identification information that is additionally transmitted in the sub-selection information field for additional authorization checking;

system for setup of a respectively incoming communication connection in at least one, first communication network with the transmitted, indicated selection information when authorization has been found; and

system for rejecting the respectively incoming communication connection when authorization has not been found.