Telecommunications network
First Claim
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1. A telecommunications network, comprising:
- a plurality of central office switching systems coupled by local links to customer terminals;
trunks interconnectiion the central office switching systems, for carrying communications switched to and from the local links via the central office switching systems;
an interoffice signaling network comprising a signaling transfer point for carrying call set-up related signaling messages in a first protocol between the central office switching systems; and
an interface coupled to the signaling transfer point of the interoffice signaling network and for coupling to an open-access, non-proprietary internetwork connecting spaced dissimilar networks and using transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) to link the dissimilar networks;
wherein the interface performs two-way protocol conversions between the first protocol and TCP/IP to enable communication of call set-up related signaling messages for the telecommunications network over the internetwork.
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Abstract
A system and method for controlling on a worldwide basis two or more telecommunications networks which are themselves capable of exercising a form of common channel signaling network control. The system uses an architecture in which a destination telecommunications network having common channel signaling control is connected to an originating telecommunications network having common signaling control through a call set up and control methodology which provides ad hoc connection between the two spaced telecommunication networks and common channel signaling networks via an unrelated world wide data network which preferably constitutes the Internet.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A telecommunications network, comprising:
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a plurality of central office switching systems coupled by local links to customer terminals;
trunks interconnectiion the central office switching systems, for carrying communications switched to and from the local links via the central office switching systems;
an interoffice signaling network comprising a signaling transfer point for carrying call set-up related signaling messages in a first protocol between the central office switching systems; and
an interface coupled to the signaling transfer point of the interoffice signaling network and for coupling to an open-access, non-proprietary internetwork connecting spaced dissimilar networks and using transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) to link the dissimilar networks;
wherein the interface performs two-way protocol conversions between the first protocol and TCP/IP to enable communication of call set-up related signaling messages for the telecommunications network over the internetwork. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of setting up a call between a first terminal coupled by a local link to a program controlled switching system in a first switched telecommunications network and a second terminal coupled by a local link to a program controlled switching system in a second switched telecommunications network, comprising the steps of:
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detecting dialing of a number by the first terminal;
in response to the detection, creating a first signaling packet identifying the dialed number, the first signaling packet being in an interoffice signaling protocol of the first switched telecommunications network;
transmitting the first signaling packet to a first interface to an internetwork separate from the first and second switched telecommunications networks;
encapsulating the first signaling packet in a packet of a second protocol compatible with the internetwork;
transmitting the packet of the second protocol via the internetwork to a second interface between the internetwork and the second switched telecommunications network;
transmitting the first signaling packet from the second interface to a node of the second switched telecommunications network;
based on information in the node of the second switched telecommunications network deciding to proceed with call processing;
based on the decision, creating a second signaling packet in an interoffice signaling protocol of the second switched telecommunications network;
transmitting the second signaling packet to the second interface to the internetwork;
encapsulating the second signaling packet in another packet of the second protocol compatible with the internetwork;
transmitting said another packet of the second protocol via the internetwork to the first interface; and
responsive to the receipt of said another packet of the second protocol in the first switched telecommunications network, establishing a communication path between the first and second terminals at least in part via the local links and the program controlled switching systems in the first and second switched telecommunications networks. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of setting up a call between a first terminal coupled by a local link to a program controlled switching system in a first switched telecommunications network and a second terminal coupled by a local link to a program controlled switching system in a second switched telecommunications network, comprising the steps of:
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detecting dialing of a number by the first terminal, the dialed number corresponding to the second terminal;
in response to the detection, creating a first signaling packet identifying the dialed number, the first signaling packet being in a first protocol, the first protocol being a common channel interoffice signaling protocol;
transmitting the first signaling packet to a first interface coupled to an open-access, non-proprietary internetwork connecting spaced dissimilar networks, the internetwork being separate from the first and second switched telecommunications networks;
encapsulating the first signaling packet of the common channel interoffice signaling protocol in a packet of a second protocol compatible with the internetwork;
transmitting the packet of the second protocol via the internetwork to a second interface between the internetwork and the second switched telecommunications network;
responsive to the receipt of the packet of the second protocol via in the second switched telecommunications network, determining whether the second terminal is busy; and
responsive to determining that the second terminal is not busy, establishing a communication path between the first and second terminals at least in part via the local links and the program controlled switching systems in the first and second switched telecommunications networks. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
responsive to determining that the second terminal is not busy, creating a second signaling packet in a signaling protocol of the second switched telecommunications network;
transmitting the second signaling packet to the second interface to the internetwork;
encapsulating the second signaling packet packet of the second protocol compatible with the internetwork;
transmitting said another packet via the internetwork to the first interface; and
initiating the step of establishing the communication path, in response to the receipt of said another packet in the first switched telecommunications network.
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17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the signaling protocol of the second switched telecommunications network is the same as the first protocol.
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18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the first protocol comprises SS7 protocol.
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19. A telecommunications system, comprising:
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a first switched telecommunications network comprising;
first switching offices interconnected by first trunks for providing selective call communications over local links to first subscriber terminals, and a first common channel signaling system logically separate from the first trunks and interconnecting the switching offices for carrying signaling regarding call processing in a common channel signaling protocol;
a second switched telecommunications network comprising;
second switching offices interconnected by second trunks for providing selective call communications over local links to second subscriber terminals, and a second common channel signaling system logically separate from the second trunks and interconnecting the second switching offices for carrying signaling regarding call processing in a common channel signaling protocol;
an open-access, non-proprietary internetwork connecting spaced dissimilar networks and using transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) to link the dissimilar networks;
a first interface having routing capabilities, coupled to the first common channel signaling system and the internetwork, for communicating common channel signaling protocol messages to and from the first common channel signaling system over the internetwork in TCP/IP; and
a second interface having routing capabilities, coupled to the second common channel signaling system and the internetwork, for communicating common channel signaling protocol messages to and from the second common channel signaling system over the internetwork in TCP/IP, wherein the first and second interfaces enable exchange of common channel signaling protocol messages over the internetwork between the first and second common channel signaling systems. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A telecommunications network, comprising:
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a plurality of central office switching systems coupled by local links to customer terminals;
trunks interconnecting the central office switching systems, for carrying communications switched to and from the local links via the central office switching systems;
a common channel interoffice signaling network logically separate from the trunks, for transporting signaling regarding call processing in a common channel signaling protocol to and from the central office switching systems; and
an interface coupled to the common channel interoffice signaling network and for coupling to an open-access, non-proprietary internetwork connecting spaced dissimilar networks and using an internet protocol to link, wherein the interface performs two-way protocol conversions between the common channel signaling protocol and the internet protocol to enable communication of at least some of the signaling regarding call processing over the internetwork. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification