Method and apparatus for processing multi-protocol communications

• US 6,278,697 B1
• Filed: 07/29/1997
• Issued: 08/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Brody, George, Cheng, Zye K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US08/902,056
• Time in Patent Office: 1,484 Days
• Field of Search: 370/466, 370/467, 370/469, 370/401, 370/398, 370/310, 370/316, 370/319-321, 370/337, 370/342, 370/344, 370/347, 370/431, 370/442, 370/441, 370/465
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method and apparatus for processing multi-protocol communications via a single system is accomplished by receiving a message from a first communications device wherein the message includes the identity of at least a first communications device and a second communications device. When the first communications device utilizes a different communications protocol than the second communication device, the messages transceived between the two communication devices are converted by an appropriate communication protocol. Such conversion is done by first converting an incoming message having a first communication protocol format into a message having a generic communication protocol format. The message having the generic communication protocol format is then converted into a message having a second communication protocol format, which message is subsequently routed to the second communication device.

Claims

1. A method for processing multiple types of communications, the method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a message from a first communication device, wherein the message includes at least identity of the first communication device and identity of a second communication device, wherein the first communication device utilizes a first communication protocol and the second communication device utilizes a second communication protocol;

b) identifying a first communication protocol server based on the first communication protocol;

c) preparing, by the first communication protocol server, a generic protocol message from the message;

d) identifying a second communication protocol server based on the second communication protocol;

e) transmitting a generic protocol message directly from the first communication protocol server to the second communication protocol server; and

f) converting, by the second communication protocol server, the generic protocol message in to a second formatted message based on the second communication protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprises identifying the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol as supporting at least one of:

a wireless communication, a wireline communication, a fixed wireless communication, or a satellite communication.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprises, when the first communication protocol or the second communication protocol is to support the wireless communication, identifying the first communication protocol or the second communication protocol to be at least one of:

Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Personal Communication Services (PCS), Global Systems for Mobile (GSM), Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS), or Personal Access Communication Systems (PACS).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises determining the message to be at least one of:

a voice communication, a facsimile communication, a data communication, or a multi-media communication.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises identifying, by the first communication protocol server, the second communication protocol server based on the identity of the second communication device.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprises identifying the second communication protocol server by performing a look-up within a Home Location Register to obtain a subscriber profile of the second communication device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises identifying, by a communication switch, the second communication protocol server based on the second communication protocol.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises identifying, by a communication switch, the second communication protocol server based on the second communication device.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprises, prior to step (c), transmitting the message to the first communication protocol server, wherein the message includes identity of the second communication protocol server.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprises, prior to step (c), determining whether a communication between the first communication device and the second communication device is serviceable by a regional network or global network.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprises, when the communication is serviceable by the regional network,

routing, by a regional switch, the message to the first communication protocol server, wherein the first communication protocol server is coupled to the regional switch via a local area network; and

routing, by the regional switch, the second message to the second communication device.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprises, when the communication is serviceable by the global network,

routing, by a regional switch, the message to the first communication protocol server, wherein the first communication protocol server is coupled to the regional switch via a wide area network;

and

routing the second message to the second communication device via the wide area network.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises determining the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol by performing a translation table look-up.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises preparing the generic protocol message to have a format based on data messaging.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises receiving the message from a switch, wherein the message is formatted based on the first communication protocol.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises determining identity of a third communication device from the message.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprises:

identifying a third communication protocol server from the identity of the third communication device;

sending the generic protocol message to the third communication protocol server; and

converting, by the third communication protocol server, the generic protocol message in to a third message formatted based on a third communication protocol.

18. A method for processing multiple types of communications, the method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving communication information, via communication infrastructure, from a first communication device;

b) determining from the communication information at least a first party identity that identifies the first communication device and a second party identity that identifies a second communication device;

c) determining whether the first communication device and the second communication device utilize a similar communication protocol;

d) when the first and second communication devices utilize a different communication protocol, converting, by a first communication protocol server, at least a portion of the communication information in to a generic protocol message;

e) transmitting, by the first communication protocol server, the generic protocol message to a second communication protocol server; and

f) converting, by the second communication protocol server, the generic protocol message in to a second message having a format based on a second communication protocol of the second communication device.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprises, when the first communication device and the second communication device utilize the similar communication protocol, routing the at least a portion of the communication information to a second communication device identified by the second party identity.

20. An apparatus for processing multiple types of communication, the apparatus comprising:

a communications switch that includes;

a plurality of wireless communication interfaces, wherein at least a first one of the wireless communication interfaces provides an interface for first wireless protocol communications and at least a second one of the wireless communication interfaces provides an interface for second wireless protocol communications; and

a communications processor operably coupled to the plurality of wireless communication interfaces;

a plurality of communication protocol servers operably coupled to the communication processor, wherein at least a first one of the plurality of communication protocol servers functions as a server for the first wireless protocol communications and wherein at least a second one of the plurality of communication protocol servers functions as a server for the second wireless protocol communications, each of the plurality of the communication protocol servers includes;

a protocol converter that converts a received message having one of a plurality of communication protocols in to a first message having a generic protocol format; and

a protocol inverter that converts a received second message having the generic protocol format in to a message having the one of the plurality of communication protocols.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the communications switch further comprises at least one wireline interface that provides an interface for one of:

telephone service, internet service, fixed wireless access, or cable service.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the communications switch further comprises at least one satellite interface that provides an interface for satellite service.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first and second wireless protocol communications are different wireless protocols from a set of:

Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Personal Communication Services (PCS), Global Systems for Mobile (GSM), Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS), or Personal Access Communication Systems (PACS).

24. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprises a Home Location Register operably coupled to the plurality of communication protocol servers, wherein the Home Location Register contains a plurality of subscriber profiles.

25. An apparatus for processing multiple types of communication, the apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving communication information, via communication infrastructure, from a first communication device, wherein the communication information includes at least one of;

a first message, identity of a first communication device, or identity of a second communication device;

protocol determining means for determining whether the first communication device and the second communication device utilize a similar communication protocol;

converting means for converting the first message having a format based on a first communication protocol utilized by the first communication device in to a generic protocol message, when the first communication device and the second communication device utilize different communication protocols;

inverting means for inverting the generic protocol message in to a second message having a format based on a second communication protocol utilized by the second communication device when the first communication device and the second communication device utilize different communication protocols; and

transmitting means for transmitting the second message to the second communication device via the communication infrastructure.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 further comprises a home location register operably coupled to the protocol determining means.

27. The apparatus of claim 25 further comprises:

second converting means for converting a third message having a format based on the second communication protocol utilized by the second communication device in to a second generic protocol message;

second inverting means for inverting the second generic protocol message in to a fourth message having a format based on the first communication protocol utilized by the first communication device.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 further comprises a multiplexer operably coupled between the receiving means and the transmitting means, wherein the protocol determining means provides a control signal to the multiplexer allowing the multiplexer to pass a message from the receiving means to the transmitting means when the first and second communication devices utilize the same communication protocol.