System and method for transporting a call

• US 6,178,170 B1
• Filed: 05/13/1997
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG), Harley R. Ball
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Christie, Joseph Michael, Sucharczuk, Mark, Duree, Albert Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): TON, DANG T
• Application Number:
  US08/855,621
• Time in Patent Office: 1,351 Days
• Field of Search: 370/395, 370/389, 370/464, 370/465, 370/466, 370/335, 370/337, 370/410, 370/474, 370/471, 370/472, 370/473, 370/351, 370/352, 370/468, 370/477, 370/522, 370/469, 375/241, 375/242, 375/240, 380/23, 348/348, 348/394, 379/95.13, 379/93.14, 379/93.09, 379/219, 379/229, 379/230, 379/231
• US Class Current: 370/395.61
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5602 Bandwidth control in ATM Networks, e.g. leaky bucket
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling

Abstract

A system and method for transporting a call having call signaling and voiceband user communications through an asynchronous transfer mode system identifies when compression, encryption, or another processing option has been applied to the voiceband user communications. A first signaling processor processes the call signaling to identify a selected first connection and a processing option, such as a compression method, to be applied to the voiceband user communications. The first signaling processor transports a control message to a first interworking unit identifying the selected connection and the selected compression method. The first interworking unit compresses the voiceband user communications with the selected compression method, sets a convergence sublayer indicator bit as an indicator in an asynchronous transfer mode cell, fills the cell with the compressed voiceband user communications, and transports the cell over the selected connection. A second interworking unit receives the asynchronous transfer mode cell, and interworks the cell according to a decompression method for the voiceband user communications if the convergence sublayer indicator bit is set.

Claims

1. A system for transporting a call having user communications and call signaling, the system comprising:

a signaling processor adapted to receive the call signaling, to process the call signaling to select a connection, and to transport a control message that identifies the selected connection; and

an interworking unit adapted to receive the user communications in a communication format, to receive the control message from the signaling processor, to process the user communications according to an identified processing option, to interwork the user communications between the communication format and an asynchronous transfer mode format, to set a convergence sublayer indicator in the asynchronous transfer mode formatted user communications to indicate that the user communications are processed according to the processing option, and to transport the processed user communications in the asynchronous transfer mode format over the selected connection.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the processing option comprises a compression method.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the compression method comprises a 32 kilo-bits per second adaptive difference pulse code modulation compression method.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the processing option comprises an encryption method.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the signaling processor is adapted to select the processing option and to identify the selected processing option in the control message.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the signaling processor is adapted to select the processing option and to transport a second control message to the interworking unit that identifies the selected processing option.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the interworking unit is adapted to select the processing option using a static lookup table.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the interworking unit is adapted to select the processing option based on the selected connection over which the interworking unit transports the processed user communications in the asynchronous transfer mode format.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising a second interworking unit adapted to receive the processed user communications in the asynchronous transfer mode format from the interworking unit, to identify the convergence sublayer indicator bit, and to interwork the asynchronous transfer mode formatted processed user communications according to a second processing option to convert the asynchronous transfer mode formatted processed user communications to user communications having a second communication format if the convergence sublayer indicator bit is set.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the second processing option comprises a decompression method.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the second processing option comprises a de-encryption method.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the signaling processor is adapted to transport a second control message that identifies the selected connection and wherein the system further comprises a second signaling processor adapted to receive the second control message from the signaling processor, to determine the second processing option, and to transport a third control message to the second interworking unit identifying the second processing option.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the second processing option comprises a decompression method.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising a first communication device adapted to transport the user communications in the communication format to the interworking unit.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising a second communication device adapted to receive the user communications in the second communication format from the second interworking unit.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the communication format and the second communication format are the same.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the communication format and the second communication format are a sixty-four kilo-bits per second pulse code modulation format.

18. A system for transporting a call having user communications and call signaling, the system comprising:

a first signaling processor adapted to receive the call signaling, to process the call signaling to select a first connection, to transport a first control message that identifies the selected first connection, and to transport a second control message that identifies the selected first connection;

a first interworking unit adapted to receive the user communications in a first communication format, to receive the first control message from the signaling processor, to process the user communications according to a first processing option, to interwork the processed user communications between the first communication format and asynchronous transfer mode cells that identify the selected first connection, to set an indicator in the asynchronous transfer mode cells to indicate that the user communications are processed according to the first processing option, and to transport the asynchronous transfer mode cells over the selected first connection;

a second signaling processor adapted to receive the second control message identifying the selected first connection, to process the second control message to select a second connection, and to transport a third control message identifying the selected second connection; and

a second interworking unit adapted to receive the third control message from the second signaling processor and to receive the asynchronous transfer mode cells over the selected first connection from the first interworking unit, to interwork the asynchronous transfer mode cells according to a second processing option to convert the asynchronous transfer mode cells to user communications having a second communication format if the indicator is set, and to transport the user communications over the selected second connection in the second communication format.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the first processing option comprises a compression method.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the compression method comprises an adaptive difference pulse code modulation compression method.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the second processing option comprises a decompression method.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein the first processing option comprises an encryption method.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the second processing option comprises a de-encryption method.

24. The system of claim 18 wherein the second processing option comprises a decompression method.

25. The system of claim 18 wherein the second processing option comprises a de-encryption method.

26. The system of claim 18 wherein the first signaling processor is adapted to select the first processing option and to identify the selected first processing option in the first control message.

27. The system of claim 18 wherein the first signaling processor is adapted to select the first processing option and to transport a fourth control message to the first interworking unit that identifies the selected first processing option.

28. The system of claim 18 wherein the first interworking unit is adapted to select the first processing option using a static lookup table.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the first interworking unit is adapted to select the first processing option based on the selected first connection over which the first interworking unit transports the asynchronous transfer mode cells.

30. The system of claim 18 wherein the second signaling processor is adapted to select the second processing option and to identify the selected second processing option in the third control message.

31. The system of claim 18 wherein the second signaling processor is adapted to select the second processing option and to transport a fourth control message to the second interworking unit that identifies the selected second processing option.

32. The system of claim 18 wherein the second interworking unit is adapted to select the second processing option using a static lookup table.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the second interworking unit is adapted to select the second processing option based on the selected first connection over which the second interworking unit receives the asynchronous transfer mode cells.

34. The system of claim 32 wherein the second interworking unit is adapted to select the second processing option based on the selected second connection over which the second interworking unit transports the user communications in the second communication format.

35. The system of claim 34 further comprising a first communication device adapted to transport the user communications in the first communication format to the first interworking unit.

36. The system of claim 35 further comprising a second communication device adapted to receive the user communications in the second communication format from the second interworking unit over the selected second connection.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the first communication format and the second communication format each comprise a sixty-four kilo-bits per second pulse code modulation format.

38. The system of claim 18 wherein:

the second interworking unit further is adapted to receive second user communications in the second communication format, to process the second user communications according to a third processing option, to interwork the processed second user communications between the second communication format and second asynchronous transfer mode cells that identify a selected third connection, to set a second indicator in the second asynchronous transfer mode cells to indicate that the user communications are processed according to the third processing option, and to transport the second asynchronous transfer mode cells over the selected third connection; and

the second interworking unit adapted to receive the second asynchronous transfer mode cells over the selected third connection from the second interworking unit, to interwork the second asynchronous transfer mode cells according to a fourth processing option to convert the second asynchronous transfer mode cells to second user communications having a fourth communication format if the second indicator is set, and to transport the second user communications over a selected fourth connection in the fourth communication format.

39. A system for transporting a call having voiceband user communications, the system comprising:

a first interworking unit adapted to receive the voiceband user communications in a first communication format, to process the voiceband user communications according to a first processing option, to convert the user communications to asynchronous transfer mode cells that identify a selected connection, to set a convergence sublayer indicator bit in the asynchronous transfer mode cells to identify that the voiceband user communications have been processed according to the first processing option, and to transport the asynchronous transfer mode cells over the selected connection; and

a second interworking unit adapted to receive the asynchronous transfer mode cells over the selected connection, to identify the convergence sublayer indicator bit, and to interwork the asynchronous transfer mode cells according to a second processing option to convert the asynchronous transfer mode cells to voiceband user communications having a second communication format if the convergence sublayer indicator bit is set.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein the first processing option comprises a compression method.

41. The system of claim 40 wherein the compression method comprises a 16 kilo-bits per second adaptive difference pulse code modulation compression method.

42. The system of claim 40 wherein the second processing option comprises a decompression method.

43. The system of claim 39 wherein the first processing option comprises an encryption method.

44. The system of claim 43 wherein the second processing option comprises a de-encryption method.

45. The system of claim 39 wherein the second processing option comprises a decompression method.

46. The system of claim 39 wherein the second processing option comprises a de-encryption method.

47. The system of claim 39 wherein the first interworking unit is adapted to select the first processing option using a static lookup table.

48. The system of claim 47 wherein the first interworking unit is adapted to select the first processing option based on the selected connection over which the first interworking unit transports the asynchronous transfer mode cells.

49. The system of claim 47 wherein the system further comprises a communication device adapted to transport the voiceband user communications in the first communication format over a selected second connection to the first interworking unit and wherein the first interworking unit is adapted to select the first processing option based on the selected second connection over which the second interworking unit receives the voiceband user communications in the first communication format.

50. The system of claim 39 wherein the second interworking unit is adapted to select the second processing option using a static lookup table.

51. The system of claim 50 wherein the second interworking unit is adapted to select the second processing option based on the selected connection over which the second interworking unit receives the asynchronous transfer mode cells.

52. The system of claim 50 wherein the system further comprises a communication device adapted to receive the voiceband user communications in the second communication format over a selected second connection and wherein the second interworking unit is adapted to select the second processing option based on the selected second connection over which the second interworking unit transports the voiceband user communications in the second communication format.

53. The system of claim 39 wherein the first communication format and the second communication format are the same.

54. The system of claim 53 wherein the first communication format and the second communication format comprise a sixty-four kilo-bits per second pulse code modulation format.

55. The system of claim 39 wherein:

the second interworking unit further is adapted to receive second user communications in the second communication format, to process the second user communications according to a third processing option, to interwork the processed second user communications between the second communication format and second asynchronous transfer mode cells that identify a selected third connection, to set a second convergence sublayer indicator bit in the second asynchronous transfer mode cells to indicate that the user communications are processed according to the third processing option, and to transport the second asynchronous transfer mode cells over the selected third connection; and

the second interworking unit adapted to receive the second asynchronous transfer mode cells over the selected third connection from the second interworking unit, to interwork the second asynchronous transfer mode cells according to a fourth processing option to convert the second asynchronous transfer mode cells to second user communications having a fourth communication format if the second convergence sublayer indicator bit is set, and to transport the second user communications over a selected fourth connection in the fourth communication format.

56. A system for transporting a call having voiceband user communications, the system comprising:

a first communication device adapted to transport the voiceband user communications in a first communication format;

a first interworking unit adapted to receive the voiceband user communications from the first communication device, to compress the voiceband user communications according to a selected compression method, to convert the user communications to asynchronous transfer mode cells that identify a selected connection, to set a convergence sublayer indicator bit in the asynchronous transfer mode cells to indicate that the voiceband user communications have been compressed, and to transport the asynchronous transfer mode cells over the selected connection;

a second interworking unit adapted to receive the asynchronous transfer mode cells from the first interworking unit over the selected connection, to identify the convergence sublayer indicator bit, to convert the asynchronous transfer mode cells to the voiceband user communications with a second communication format according to a selected decompression method if the convergence sublayer indicator bit is set, and to transport the decompressed voiceband user communications in the second communication format; and

a second communication device adapted to receive the decompressed voiceband user communications from the second interworking unit.

57. The system of claim 56 wherein the compression method comprises a 16 kilo-bits per second adaptive difference pulse code modulation compression method.

58. The system of claim 56 wherein the selected decompression method comprises a sixty-four kilo-bits per second pulse code modulation decompression method.

59. The system of claim 56 wherein the first interworking unit is adapted to select the selected compression method using a static lookup table.

60. The system of claim 59 wherein the first interworking unit is adapted to select the selected compression method based on the selected connection over which the first interworking unit transports the asynchronous transfer mode cells.

61. The system of claim 59 wherein the first communication device is adapted to transport the voiceband user communications in the first communication format over a selected second connection to the first interworking unit and wherein the first interworking unit is adapted to select the selected compression method based on the selected second connection over which the second interworking unit receives the voiceband user communications in the first communication format.

62. The system of claim 56 wherein the second interworking unit is adapted to select the selected decompression method using a static lookup table.

63. The system of claim 62 wherein the second interworking unit is adapted to select the selected decompression method based on the selected connection over which the second interworking unit receives the asynchronous transfer mode cells.

64. The system of claim 62 wherein the second communication device is adapted to receive the voiceband user communications in the second communication format over a selected second connection and wherein the second interworking unit is adapted to select the selected decompression method based on the selected second connection over which the second interworking unit transports the voiceband user communications in the second communication format.

65. The system of claim 56 wherein the first communication format and the second communication format are the same.

66. The system of claim 65 wherein the first communication format and the second communication format comprise a sixty-four kilo-bits per second pulse code modulation format.

67. A method for transporting a call having voiceband user communications through an asynchronous transfer mode system, the voiceband user communications having a first communication format, the method comprising:

processing the voiceband user communications with a first processing option;

interworking the processed voiceband user communications from the first communication format to asynchronous transfer mode cells that identify a selected connection;

setting an indicator in the asynchronous transfer mode cells to indicate that the voiceband user communications have been processed with the first processing option;

transporting the asynchronous transfer mode cells on the selected connection;

receiving the asynchronous transfer mode cells and examining the indicator to determine if the indicator is set; and

interworking the asynchronous transfer mode cells to the voiceband user communications with a second communication format according to a second processing option if the indicator is set.

68. The method of claim 67 wherein processing the voiceband user communications with a first processing option comprises compressing the voiceband user communications with a compression method.

69. The method of claim 67 wherein processing the voiceband user communications with a first processing option comprises encrypting the voiceband user communications with an encryption method.

70. The method of claim 67 wherein setting an indicator comprises setting a convergence sublayer indicator bit.

71. The method of claim 70 wherein examining the indicator comprises examining the convergence sublayer indicator bit.

72. The method of claim 67 wherein the second processing option comprises a decompression method.

73. The method of claim 67 wherein the second processing option comprises a de-encryption method.

74. The method of claim 67 wherein the first communication format comprises a sixty-four kilo-bits per second pulse code modulation format.

75. The method of claim 67 wherein the second communication format comprises a sixty-four kilo-bits per second pulse code modulation format.

76. A method for transporting a call through an asynchronous transfer mode system, the call having voiceband user communications, the method comprising:

processing the voiceband user communications with a first processing option;

setting an indicator in an asynchronous transfer mode cell and filling the asynchronous transfer mode cell with processed voice user communications, the asynchronous transfer mode cell identifying a selected connection;

transporting the asynchronous transfer mode cell over the selected connection and receiving the asynchronous transfer mode cell;

processing the asynchronous transfer mode cell according to a second processing option if the indicator is set.

77. The method of claim 76 wherein processing the voiceband user communications with a first processing option comprises compressing the voiceband user communications with a compression method.

78. The method of claim 76 wherein processing the voiceband user communications with a first processing option comprises encrypting the voiceband user communications with an encryption method.

79. The method of claim 76 wherein setting an indicator comprises setting a convergence sublayer indicator bit.

80. The method of claim 76 wherein the second processing option comprises a decompression method.

81. The method of claim 76 wherein the second processing option comprises a de-encryption method.

82. A method for transporting a call through an asynchronous transfer mode system, the call having voiceband user communications located in an asynchronous transfer mode cell, the method comprising:

setting a convergence sublayer indicator bit in the asynchronous transfer mode cell if the voiceband user communications are processed with a selected compression method;

transporting the asynchronous transfer mode cell; and

processing the asynchronous transfer mode cell with a selected decompression method for the voiceband user communications in a communication format if the convergence sublayer indicator bit in the asynchronous transfer mode cell is set.

83. The method of claim 82 further wherein the communication format comprises a sixty-four kilo-bits per second pulse code modulation format.

84. The method of claim 82 further comprising transporting the voiceband user communications in the communication format over a selected connection to a communication device.

85. A method for transporting a call through an asynchronous transfer mode system, the call having voiceband user communications and call signaling, the method comprising:

processing the call signaling in a first signaling processor to select a connection;

transmitting a control message from the first signaling processor identifying the selected connection;

receiving the control message and the voiceband user communications in a first interworking unit and processing the voiceband user communications with a first processing option in the first interworking unit;

setting an indicator in an asynchronous transfer mode cell, filling the cell with processed voiceband user communications, and transporting the cell over the selected connection from the first interworking unit;

receiving the cell in a second interworking unit and processing the cell in the second interworking unit according to a second processing option if the indicator is set.

86. The method of claim 85 wherein processing the voiceband user communications with a first processing option comprises compressing the voiceband user communications with a compression method.

87. The method of claim 85 wherein processing the voiceband user communications with a first processing option comprises encrypting the voiceband user communications with an encryption method.

88. The method of claim 85 further comprising selecting the first processing option in the first signaling processor.

89. The method of claim 85 further comprising selecting the first processing option in the first interworking unit.

90. The method of claim 85 wherein setting an indicator comprises setting a convergence sublayer indicator bit.

91. The method of claim 85 wherein the second processing option comprises a decompression method.

92. The method of claim 85 wherein the second processing option comprises a de-encryption method.

93. The method of claim 85 further comprising selecting the second processing option in a second signaling processor and identifying the second processing option in the second control message transported to the second interworking unit by the second signaling processor.

94. The method of claim 85 further comprising selecting the second processing option in the second interworking unit.

95. The method of claim 85 further comprising:

processing second call signaling in the second signaling processor to select a second connection;

transmitting a second control message from the second signaling processor identifying the selected second connection;

receiving the second control message and second voiceband user communications in the second interworking unit and processing the second voiceband user communications with a third processing option in the second interworking unit;

setting a second indicator in a second asynchronous transfer mode cell, filling the second cell with processed second voiceband user communications, and transporting the second cell over the selected second connection from the second interworking unit;

receiving the second cell in the first interworking unit and processing the second cell in the first interworking unit according to a third processing option if the second indicator is set.

96. A system for transporting a call having voiceband user communications through an asynchronous transfer mode system, the system comprising:

a first communication device adapted to transport the call in a communication format;

a second communication device adapted to receive the call;

a first signaling processor adapted to transport a first control message identifying a selected compression method and a selected first connection and to transport a second control message identifying the selected compression method;

a first interworking unit adapted to receive the voiceband user communications from the first communication device, to receive the first control message from the first signaling processor, to compress the voiceband user communications according to the selected compression method identified in the control message, to convert the compressed voiceband user communications to asynchronous transfer mode cells that identify the selected first connection, and to transport the asynchronous transfer mode cells on the selected first connection;

a second signaling processor adapted to receive and process the second control message and, in response thereto, to transport a third control message identifying a selected decompression method and a selected third connection; and

a second interworking unit adapted to receive the asynchronous transfer mode cells from the first interworking unit, to receive the third control message from the second signaling processor, to convert the asynchronous transfer mode cells according to the selected decompression method identified in the third control message to the voiceband user communications in a format processable by the second communication device, and to transport the user communications to the second communication device.

97. The system of claim 96 wherein the compression method comprises an adaptive difference pulse code modulation compression method.

98. The system of claim 96 wherein the decompression method comprises a pulse code modulation decompression method.