Method, system and apparatus for telecommunications control

• US 6,108,341 A
• Filed: 05/20/1998
• Issued: 08/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1994
• 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, Joseph Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US09/082,181
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 370/351, 370/360, 370/395, 370/396, 370/397, 370/400, 370/410, 370/389, 370/392, 370/398, 370/399, 370/409, 370/522, 379/201, 379/207, 379/94, 379/220, 379/221, 379/112
• US Class Current: 370/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/125 One of the channel pulses or the synchronisation pulse is also used for transmitting monitoring or supervisory signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/247 ATM or packet multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/561 Star, e.g. cross-connect, concentrator, subscriber group equipment, remote electronics
• 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: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/20 Support for services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/253 using establishment or release of connections between ports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/255 Control mechanisms for ATM switching fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3009 Header conversion, routing tables or routing tags
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/50 Overload detection or protection within a single switching element
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13102 Common translator
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13104 Central control, computer control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13167 Redundant apparatus
• 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 2213/1329 Asynchronous transfer mode, ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13296 : Packet switching, X.25, frame relay
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13349 : Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1338 : Inter-exchange connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13399 : Virtual channel/circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13527 : protocols - X.25, TCAP etc.
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0016 : Arrangements providing connection between exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 : Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 : Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/54566 : Intelligent peripherals, adjunct processors

Abstract

The present invention includes a method, system, and apparatus for providing communication control. The invention includes a method in which signaling is processed externally to a switch before it is applied by the network elements. The processor is able to select network characteristics and signal the network elements based the selections. A network employing the processing method is also included, as well as a signaling system that employs the processing method.

Claims

1. A telecommunications network that comprises:

a plurality of devices wherein a plurality of the devices are switches;

a processor that communicates with the switches only through telecommunications signaling, wherein the processor is operational to receive telecommunications signaling messages from outside of the telecommunications network, process the telecommunications signaling messages to select characteristics for communications paths for telecommunications network users, and generate and transmit new telecommunications signaling messages that are based at least in part on the selected characteristics;

a plurality of links between the processor and the devices wherein the plurality of links are operational to transmit the new signaling messages from the processor to the devices and wherein the devices do not receive the signaling messages from outside of the telecommunications network; and

a plurality of connections between the devices wherein the devices and connections are operational to form the communications paths for the telecommunications network users in response to the new telecommunications signaling messages.

2. The network of claim 1 wherein at least one of the devices is an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) switch.

3. The network of claim 1 wherein at least one of the devices is an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) multiplexer.

4. The network of claim 1 wherein at least one of the devices is comprised of an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) multiplexer and an ATM switch that are connected together.

5. The network of claim 1 wherein at least one of the devices is a packet switch.

6. The network of claim 1 wherein at least one of the devices is a server.

7. The network of claim 1 wherein a portion of the signaling messages received by the processor are Signaling System #7 Initial Address Messages.

8. The network of claim 1 wherein the communications paths transfer voice.

9. The network of claim 1 wherein the communications paths transfer data.

10. The network of claim 1 wherein the network comprises a local telecommunications network.

11. The network of claim 1 wherein the network comprises a long distance telecommunications network.

12. The network of claim 1 wherein the network comprises a is a connection-oriented network.

13. The network of claim 1 wherein the network comprises a an international network.

14. The network of claim 1 wherein the network comprises a satellite network.

15. The network of claim 1 wherein the network comprises a wireless network.

16. The network of claim 1 wherein the network comprises a local exchange network.

17. The network of claim 1 wherein the network comprises an interexchange network.

18. The network of claim 1 wherein the network comprises a transit network.

19. The network of claim 1 wherein the network comprises a national network.

20. The network of claim 1 wherein the network comprises a personal communications system (PCS) network.

21. The network of claim 1 wherein the network comprises a virtual private network.

22. The network of claim 1 wherein the network comprises a local area network.

23. The network of claim 1 wherein the network comprises a metropolitan area network.

24. The network of claim 1 wherein the network comprises a wide area network.

25. A communication system for transferring communications, the system comprising:

a first device operational to receive the communications and to transfer the communications in response to a first message;

a second device operational to receive the communications from the first device and to transfer the communications in response to a second message;

a first processor that is external to the first device and that is operational to receive information related to the communications, to process the information to generate and transmit the first message wherein the first message is configured to cause the first device to transfer the communications to the second device, and to process the information to generate and transmit a third message; and

a second processor that is external to the second device and that is operational to receive the third message, to process the third message to generate and transmit the second message wherein the second message is configured to cause the second device to transfer the communications.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein at least one of the devices is an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) switch.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein at least one of the devices is an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) multiplexer.

28. The system of claim 25 wherein at least one of the devices is comprised of an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) multiplexer and an ATM switch that are connected together.

29. The system of claim 25 wherein at least one of the devices is a packet switch.

30. The system of claim 25 wherein at least one of the devices is a server.

31. The system of claim 25 wherein the information is a Signaling System #7 Initial Address Message.

32. The system of claim 25 wherein the communications comprises voice communications.

33. The system of claim 25 wherein the communications comprises data communications.

34. The system of claim 25 wherein the system comprises a local telecommunications network.

35. The system of claim 25 wherein the system comprises a long distance telecommunications network.

36. The system of claim 25 wherein the system comprises a is a connection-oriented network.

37. The system of claim 25 wherein the system comprises a an international network.

38. The system of claim 25 wherein the system comprises a satellite network.

39. The system of claim 25 wherein the system comprises a wireless network.

40. The network of claim 25 wherein the system comprises a local exchange network.

41. The network of claim 25 wherein the system comprises an interexchange network.

42. The network of claim 25 wherein the system comprises a transit network.

43. The network of claim 25 wherein the system comprises a national network.

44. The network of claim 25 wherein the system comprises a personal communications system (PCS) network.

45. The network of claim 25 wherein the system comprises a virtual private network.

46. The network of claim 25 wherein the system comprises a local area network.

47. The network of claim 25 wherein the system comprises a metropolitan area network.

48. The network of claim 25 wherein the system comprises a wide area network.