System and method for allowing communication between networks having incompatible addressing formats

• US 6,307,931 B1
• Filed: 06/19/1998
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Vaudreuil, Gregory M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIEU, BENNY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US09/100,260
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 379/229, 379/230, 379/207.02, 379/219, 379/220.01, 370/352, 370/353, 370/389, 370/400, 370/401, 709/236, 709/238, 709/246, 709/313
• US Class Current: 379/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal

Abstract

For use with a network having a limited address format, a system for, and method of, allowing the network to transmit a message to a non-compliant reply-to address without the network and a telecommunications infrastructure employing the same. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a compliant address generator that generates a spurious surrogate address employable within the network in lieu of the non-compliant reply-to address, the spurious surrogate address complying with the address format of the network and (2) a database manager, coupled to the compliant address generator, that stores a record containing the non-compliant reply-to address and the spurious surrogate address in an associated database to allow the non-compliant reply-to address to be substituted for the spurious surrogate address to permit the message to be transmitted to without the network.

Claims

1. For use with a first network having a limited address format, a system for allowing said first network to communicate with a second network with an incompatible address format, comprising:

a compliant address generator that generates a spurious surrogate address employable within said first network in lieu of a non-compliant reply-to address in said second network, said spurious surrogate address complying with said format but dissociated from addresses of said first network; and

a database manager, coupled to said compliant address generator, that stores a record containing said non-compliant reply-to address and said spurious surrogate address in an associated database to allow said non-compliant reply-to address to be substituted for said spurious surrogate address to permit a message to be transmitted to said second network.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said record contains a time stamp, said database manager deleting said record as a function of said time stamp.

3. The system as recited in claim 2 wherein said database manager detects subsequent messages with said reply-to address and alters said time stamp in response thereto.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said first network is a telephone network, said limited address format is a telephone number format and said non-compliant address is an electronic mail address.

5. The system as recited in claim 4 wherein said telephone network is a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

6. The system as recited in claim 4 wherein said telephone network is a private branch exchange (PBX).

7. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said spurious surrogate address complies with a dialing plan of said first network.

8. For use with a first network having a limited address format, a method of allowing said first network to communicate with a second network with an incompatible address format, comprising:

generating a spurious surrogate address employable within said first network in lieu of said non-compliant reply-to address in said second network, said spurious surrogate address complying with said format but dissociated from addresses of said first network; and

storing a record containing said non-compliant reply-to address and said spurious surrogate address in an associated database to allow said non-compliant reply-to address to be substituted for said spurious surrogate address to permit a message to be transmitted to said second network.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said record contains a time stamp, said method comprising deleting said record as a function of said time stamp.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 further comprising:

detecting subsequent messages with said reply-to address; and

altering said time stamp in response thereto.

11. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said first network is a telephone network, said limited address format is a telephone number format and said non-compliant address is an electronic mail address.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said telephone network is a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

13. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said telephone network is a private branch exchange (PBX).

14. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said spurious surrogate address complies with a dialing plan of said first network.

15. A telecommunications infrastructure, comprising:

a first network having a limited address format;

a second network having an expanded address format that includes non-compliant addresses; and

a system for allowing said first network to transmit a message to a non-compliant reply-to address in said second network, including;

a compliant address generator that generates a spurious surrogate address employable within said first network in lieu of said non-compliant reply-to address, said spurious surrogate address complying with said format but dissociated from addresses of said first network, and

a database manager, coupled to said compliant address generator, that stores a record containing said non-compliant reply-to address and said spurious surrogate address in an associated database to allow said non-compliant reply-to address to be substituted for said spurious surrogate address to permit said message to be transmitted to said second network.

16. The infrastructure as recited in claim 15 wherein said record contains a time stamp, said database manager deleting said record as a function of said time stamp.

17. The infrastructure as recited in claim 16 wherein said database manager detects subsequent messages with said reply-to address and alters said time stamp in response thereto.

18. The infrastructure as recited in claim 15 wherein said first network is a telephone network, said limited address format is a telephone number format and said second network is a computer network.

19. The infrastructure as recited in claim 18 wherein said telephone network is a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

20. The infrastructure as recited in claim 18 wherein said telephone network is a private branch exchange (PBX).

21. The infrastructure as recited in claim 16 wherein said spurious surrogate address complies with a dialing plan of said first network.