Method, system and apparatus for telecommunications control

• US 6,366,586 B1
• Filed: 05/20/1998
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Christie, Joseph Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US09/082,049
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 370/351, 370/352-356, 370/360, 370/395, 370/396-399, 370/410, 370/426, 370/422, 370/524, 379/230
• US Class Current: 370/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/125 One of the channel pulses or the synchronisation pulse is also used for transmitting monitoring or supervisory signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/247 ATM or packet multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/561 Star, e.g. cross-connect, concentrator, subscriber group equipment, remote electronics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/563 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5672 Multiplexing, e.g. coding, scrambling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/20 Support for services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/253 using establishment or release of connections between ports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/255 Control mechanisms for ATM switching fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3009 Header conversion, routing tables or routing tags
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/50 Overload detection or protection within a single switching element
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13102 Common translator
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13104 Central control, computer control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13167 Redundant apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1329 Asynchronous transfer mode, ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13296 : Packet switching, X.25, frame relay
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13349 : Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1338 : Inter-exchange connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13399 : Virtual channel/circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13527 : protocols - X.25, TCAP etc.
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0016 : Arrangements providing connection between exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 : Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 : Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/54566 : Intelligent peripherals, adjunct processors

Abstract

The present invention includes a method, system, and apparatus for providing communication control. The invention includes a method in which signaling is processed externally to a switch before it is applied by the network elements. The processor is able to select network characteristics and signal the network elements based the selections. A network employing the processing method is also included, as well as a signaling system that employs the processing method.

Claims

1. A method of operating a processing system to control a packet communication system for a user communication, the method comprising:

receiving a signaling message for the user communication from a narrowband communication system into a signaling processing system;

processing the signaling message in the signaling processing system to generate a query message;

transferring the query message from the signaling processing system to a service processing system;

processing the query message in the service processing system to select a network code that identifies a network element to provide egress from the packet communication system for the user communication and to generate a response message indicating the network code;

transferring the response message indicating the network code from the service processing system to the signaling processing system;

processing the response message in the signaling processing system to generate a control message indicating the network code; and

transferring the control message indicating the network code from the signaling processing system to the packet communication system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the service processing system comprises a Service Control Point (SCP).

3. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the signaling message comprises processing an Initial Address Message (IAM).

4. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the signaling message comprises processing a Signaling System #7 (SS7) message.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the signaling message comprises processing a Q.931 message.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the signaling message comprises processing in-band signaling.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the query message to select the network code comprises processing caller number information in the query message.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the query message to select the network code comprises processing called number information in the query message.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the signaling message to generate and transfer the query message comprises processing caller number information in the signaling message.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the signaling message to generate and transfer the query message comprises processing called number information in the signaling message.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in the service processing system, processing geographic information to select the network code.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in the service processing system, processing load balancing information to select the network code.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in the service processing system, processing time of day information to select the network code.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in the service processing system, processing a network alarm to select the network code.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the network code comprises a logical address of the network element.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in the signaling processing system, processing the response message to select a DS0 connection to provide the egress from the packet communication system.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in the signaling processing system, processing the response message to select a wireless connection to provide the egress from the packet communication system.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the network element comprises a switch.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the network element comprises a multiplexer.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the network element comprises a server.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the network element comprises a service platform.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the user communication comprises voice.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the signaling processing system and the service processing system are external to any communication switches.

24. A processing system to control a packet communication system for a user communication, the processing system comprising:

a service processing system configured to receive and process a query message to select a network code that identifies a network element to provide egress from the packet communication system for the user communication, and to generate and transfer a response message indicating the network code; and

a signaling processing system configured to receive and process a signaling message from a narrowband communication system to generate and transfer the query message and to receive and process the response message to generate and transfer a control message indicating the network code to the packet communication system.

25. The processing system of claim 24 wherein the service processing system comprises a Service Control Point (SCP).

26. The processing system of claim 24 wherein the signaling message comprises an Initial Address Message (IAM).

27. The processing system of claim 24 wherein the signaling message comprises a Signaling System #7 (SS7) message.

28. The processing system of claim 24 wherein the signaling message comprises a Q.931 message.

29. The processing system of claim 24 wherein the signaling message comprises in-band signaling.

30. The processing system of claim 24 wherein the service processing system is configured to process caller number information in the query message to select the network code.

31. The processing system of claim 24 wherein the service processing system is configured to process called number information in the query message to select the network code.

32. The processing system of claim 24 wherein the signaling processing system is con figured to process caller number information in the signaling message to generate and transfer the query message.

33. The processing system of claim 24 wherein the service processing system is configured to process called number information in the signaling message to generate and transfer the query message.

34. The processing system of claim 24 wherein the service processing system is configured to process geographic information to select the network code.

35. The processing system of claim 24 wherein the service processing system is configured to process load balancing information to select the network code.

36. The processing system of claim 24 wherein the service processing system is configured to process time of day information to select the network code.

37. The processing system of claim 24 wherein the service processing system is configured to process a network alarm to select the network code.

38. The processing system of claim 24 wherein the network code comprises a logical address of the network element.

39. The processing system of claim 24 wherein the signaling processing system is configured to process the response message to select a DS0 connection to provide the egress from the packet communication system.

40. The processing system of claim 24 wherein the signaling processing system is configured to process the response message to select a wireless connection to provide the egress from the packet communication system.

41. The processing system of claim 24 wherein the network element comprises a switch.

42. The processing system of claim 24 wherein the network element comprises a multiplexer.

43. The processing system of claim 24 wherein the network element comprises a server.

44. The processing system of claim 24 wherein the network element comprises a service platform.

45. The processing system of claim 24 wherein the user communication comprises voice.

46. The processing system of claim 24 wherein the signaling processing system and the service processing system are external to any communication switches.