Method and apparatus for routing internet calls

• US 6,327,258 B1
• Filed: 12/31/1996
• Issued: 12/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alcatel USA Sourcing L.P. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel USA Sourcing L.P. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Deschaine, Stephen A., Hager, Kevin W., Ward, Ronald L., Traupman, Edward P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): YAO, KWANG BIN
• Application Number:
  US08/777,817
• Time in Patent Office: 1,799 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/389, 370/392, 370/395, 370/229, 370/235, 370/236, 370/400, 370/401, 370/402, 370/403, 370/404, 370/405, 379/89, 379/90.01, 379/88.17, 379/220, 379/221, 379/230, 379/242, 379/243
• US Class Current: 370/356
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2883 ATM DSLAM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5645 Connectionless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/367 Traffic or load control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/122 where the PSTN/ISDN access is used as an access to networks other than PSTN/ISDN access arrangements to networks other than PSTN/ISDN H04M7/0066; access arrangements to public data networks H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13199 Modem, modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1329 Asynchronous transfer mode, ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A telecommunications network (10) includes a public switched telephone network (12) and an Internet data network (14). The Internet data network (14) includes an Internet routing element (24) and a line access switch (26). The Internet routing element (24) is coupled to end office switches (16) and local switches (18) of the public switched telephone network (12) by modem trunks (30). The modem trunks (30) provide the Internet routing element (24) with Internet calls re-routed from the public switched telephone network (12) to prevent the Internet calls from congesting trunks (22) of the public switched telephone network (12). The Internet calls are received at an ATM multiplexer (58) within the Internet routing element (24). The ATM multiplexer (58) includes a pool of modems (60) that converts the analog signal on the modem trunks (30) into digital data. The ATM multiplexer (58) includes an ATM cell adaptation unit (66) that converts the digital data into ATM cells for transmission to an Internet Service Provider (42) over an ATM network (48). The ATM multiplexer (58) generates addressing information for the ATM cells through interworkings with signaling protocols of Internet calls. The line access switch includes a similar ATM multiplexer (94) to re-route Internet calls prior to entering the public switched telephone network (12).

Claims

1. A telecommunications network, comprising:

a line access switch operable to transfer telecommunications signals for calls to and from a subscriber;

an originating end office switch operable to transfer telecommunications signals for calls routed to and from the line access switch;

a tandem switch network operable to transfer telecommunications signals for calls routed to and from the originating end office switch;

a terminating end office switch operable to transfer telecommunications signals for calls routed to and from the tandem switch network, the terminating end office switch operable to transfer telecommunications signals for calls routed to and from an information service provider;

a data network operable to transfer telecommunications signals for a call between the subscriber and the information service provider, the data network receiving the call originating from the subscriber and destined for the information service provider as redirected by any one of the line access switch, the originating end office switch, and the tandem switch network;

a signal transfer point operable to supervise call routing at the line access switch, the originating end office switch, the terminating end office switch, and the tandem switch network, the signal transfer point operable to identify the call originating from the subscriber and destined for the information service provider, the signal transfer point operable to provide call routing instructions to any one of the line access switch, the originating end office switch, and the tandem switch network to redirect the call over the data network identified as originating from the subscriber and destined for the information service provider the signal transfer point operable to determine which one of the line access switch, the originating end office switch, the tandem switch network the call is to be directed from in response to parameters associated with the subscriber.

2. The telecommunications network of claim 1, wherein the line access switch directs the call originating from the subscriber and destined for the information service provider to the originating end office switch in response to call routing instructions from the signal transfer point upon determination of congestion in a communication link between the line access switch and the data network.

3. The telecommunications network of claim 1, wherein the originating end office switch directs the call originating from the subscriber and destined for the information service provider to the tandem switch network in response to call routing instructions from the signal transfer point in an event of congestion in a communications link between the originating end office switch and the data network.

4. The telecommunications network of claim 1, wherein the tandem switch network directs the call originating from the subscriber and destined for the information service provider to the terminating end office switch in response to call routing instructions from the signal transfer point in an event of congestion on a communication link between the tandem switch network and the data network.

5. The telecommunications network of claim 1, wherein the signal transfer point uses SS7 messaging to identify and redirect the call originating from the subscriber and destined for the information service provider.

6. The telecommunications network of claim 1, wherein the data network receives the call originating at the subscriber and destined for the information service provider from any of the line access switch, the originating end office switch, and the tandem switch network in an asynchronous transfer mode cell format, the data network transferring the call to the information service provider in the asynchronous transfer mode cell format.

7. The telecommunications network of claim 1, wherein the parameters associated with the subscriber include a number of calls destined for the information service provider originating from the subscriber.

8. A method of routing data calls in a public switched telephone network, comprising steps of:

receiving a call from a subscriber at a local line access switch;

determining whether the call is destined for an information service provider;

redirecting the call from the local line access switch onto a data network and away from a public switched telephone network upon identifying the call as being destined for the information service provider and in response to parameters associated with the subscriber, the data network transferring the call to the information service provider;

determining whether a communication link is available between the local line access switch and the data network;

directing the call from the local line access switch to an originating end office switch in the public switched telephone network when the communication link between the local line access switch and the data network is not available.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising steps of:

receiving the call from the local line access switch at an originating end office switch;

determining whether the call is destined for the information service provider;

redirecting the call from the originating end office switch to the data network and off of the public switched telephone network upon identifying the call as being destined for the information service provider and in response to parameters associated with the subscriber.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising steps of:

determining whether a communication link is available between the originating end office switch and the data network;

directing the call from the originating end office switch to a tandem switch network in the public switched telephone network when the communication link between the originating end office switch and the data network is not available.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising steps of:

receiving the call from the originating end office switch at the tandem switch network;

determining whether the call is destined for the information service provider;

redirecting the call from the tandem switch network to the data network and off of the public switched telephone network upon identifying the call as being destined for the information service provider and in response to parameters associated with the subscriber.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising steps of:

determining whether a communication link is available between the tandem switch network and the data network;

directing the call from the tandem switch network to a terminating end office switch in the public switched telephone network when the communication link between the tandem switch network and the data network is not available, the terminating end office switch providing communication service to and from the information service provider.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising steps of:

receiving the call from the tandem switch network at the terminating end office switch;

directing the call to the information service provider, the call being routed from the subscriber to the information service provider over the public switched telephone network when congestion exists, resources are unavailable, or in response to parameters associated with the subscriber in redirecting the call to the data network.

14. A method of redirecting data calls at a line access switch, comprising steps of:

receiving a data call from a subscriber;

providing a through path for the data call to an originating end office switch;

receiving routing instruction for the data call;

establishing a redirect path for the data call to bypass the originating end office switch in response to the routing instructions and parameters associated with the subscriber;

placing the data call onto the redirect path;

providing the originating end office switch with a do not disturb message to indicate that the subscriber is not available for another call.