Broadband telecommunications system interface

• US 6,430,195 B1
• Filed: 11/22/1996
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG), Harley R. Ball
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Christie, Joseph Michael, Nelson, Tracy Lee, Wiley, William Lyle, Duree, Albert Daniel, Gardner, Michael Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, STEVEN H D
• Application Number:
  US08/755,523
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• Field of Search: 370/465, 370/466, 370/433, 370/435, 370/437, 370/439, 370/522, 370/907, 370/395, 370/384, 370/467, 370/434, 370/436, 370/438, 370/463, 370/524, 370/400, 370/385, 379/399, 379/220, 379/224, 379/229, 379/231, 379/225, 379/230
• US Class Current: 370/465
• 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 2012/5619 Network Node Interface, e.g. tandem connections, transit switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5626 Network management, e.g. Intelligent nets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/563 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5663 Support of N-ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5672 Multiplexing, e.g. coding, scrambling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/101 using crossbar or matrix
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/205 Quality of Service based
• 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 49/3081 ATM peripheral units, e.g. policing, insertion or extraction
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0435 Details
• 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 2213/1313 Metering, billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• 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 2213/13375 : Electronic mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1338 : Inter-exchange connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13513 : UPT - personal as opposed to terminal mobility, inc. number portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13531 : virtual networks - inc. PVN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 : Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 : Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

The invention is a system for interfacing an ISDN or non-ISDN system with a broadband system. The broadband system can be an ATM system. The invention can process the ISDN signaling to select ATM connections and then interwork the ISDN connections with the selected ATM connections. The invention can interwork ISDN signaling and SS7 signaling. The invention can also process SS7 signaling to select ISDN connections and then interwork ATM connections with the selected ISDN connections. The invention can also interwork ISDN systems with non-ISDN systems.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system that provides an interface between a broadband system and an ISDN system for a telecommunications call, the telecommunications system comprising:

a signaling processor that is operational to process SS7 signaling, to select a broadband connection for the call, and to provide a control message that identifies the selected broadband connection and causes an ATM multiplexer to convert the ISDN bearer communications into broadband bearer communications;

a signaling converter that is operational to convert ISDN signaling into the SS7 signaling and to provide the SS7 signaling to the signaling processor;

the ATM multiplexer that is operational to receive the ISDN signaling from the ISDN system and to provide the ISDN signaling to the signaling converter, to receive the ISDN bearer communications from the ISDN system and to receive the control message from the signaling processor, to convert the ISDN bearer communications into the broadband bearer communications in response to receiving the control message, and to transmit the broadband bearer communications to the broadband system on the selected broadband connection based on the control message; and

a first link between the ATM multiplexer and the signaling converter that is operational to carry the ISDN signaling, a second link between the signaling converter and the signaling processor that is operational to carry SS7 signaling, and a third link between the signaling processor and the ATM multiplexer that is operational to carry the control messages.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the system provides an interface between the broadband system and the ISDN system for another telecommunications call wherein:

the signaling processor is further operational to process other signaling from the broadband system for the other call, to select an ISDN connection for the other call, to provide another control message for the other call that identifies the selected ISDN connection, and to provide other SS7 signaling for the other call to the signaling converter;

the signaling converter is further operational to convert the other SS7 signaling into other ISDN signaling and to provide the other ISDN signaling to the ATM multiplexer;

the ATM multiplexer is further operational to provide the other ISDN signaling to the ISDN system, to receive other broadband communications for the other call from the broadband system, to receive the other control message from the signaling processor, to convert the other broadband communications into other ISDN communications, and to transmit the other ISDN communications to the ISDN system on the selected ISDN connection based on the other control message.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the signaling processor is also operational to exchange Signaling System #7 (SS7) signaling with the broadband system.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the broadband system is an ATM system.

5. A telecommunications system for use between an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) system and a ISDN system for telecommunications calls, the telecommunications system comprising:

a signaling processing system that is operational to process call signaling from the ISDN system and from the ATM system, to select at least one of an ISDN connection and an ATM connection for each call, and to provide control messages that identify the selected connections and cause an ATM multiplexer to interwork bearer communications between the ISDN system and the ATM system on the selected connections; and

the ATM multiplexer that is operational to exchange the call signaling between the ISDN system and the signaling processing system, to receive the control messages from the signaling processing system, and to interwork bearer communications between the ISDN system and the ATM system on the selected connections in response to receiving the control messages.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the signaling processing system is also operational to interwork the ISDN signaling and Signaling System #7 (SS7) signaling.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the signaling processing system is also operational to interwork ISDN set-up messages and Signaling System #7 (SS7) Initial Address Messages (IAMs).

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the signaling processing system is also operational to process a Signaling System #7 (SS7) Initial Address Message to select the ATM connection.

9. The system of claim 5 wherein the selected ATM connection is provisioned through an ATM cross-connect before the call.

10. The system of claim 5 wherein the signaling processing system is also operational to process a Signaling System #7 (SS7) Initial Address Message to select the ISDN connection.

11. The system of claim 5 wherein the ISDN connection is designated by a DS0.

12. The system of claim 5 further comprising an ATM cross-connect coupled to the ATM multiplexer.

13. The system of claim 5 wherein the signaling processing system is further operational to exchange Signaling System #7 (SS7) signaling with the ATM system.

14. The system of claim 5 wherein the ATM multiplexer is further operational to provide ringback.

15. The system of claim 5 wherein the ATM multiplexer is further operational to interwork between ISDN signaling and Signaling System #7 (SS7) signaling.

16. The system of claim 5 wherein the ATM multiplexer is further operational to interwork between communications and signaling from another system and ISDN bearer communications and ISDN signaling.

17. The system of claim 5 further including at least one link between the signaling processing system and the ATM multiplexer that is operational to carry the ISDN signaling and the control messages.

18. A telecommunications system that interworks between an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) system and a ISDN for telecommunication calls, the telecommunications system comprising:

a signaling processor that is operational to process SS7 signaling, to select at least one of an ISDN connection and an ATM connection for each call, and to provide control messages that identify the selected connections and cause an ATM multiplexer to interwork bearer communications between the ISDN system and the ATM system on the selected connections;

a signaling converter that is operational to interwork ISDN signaling and SS7 signaling and to exchange SS7 signaling with the signaling processor; and

an ATM multiplexer that is operational to exchange ISDN signaling between the ISDN system and the signaling converter, to receive the control messages from the signaling processor, and to interwork bearer communications between the ISDN system and the ATM system on the selected connections in response to receiving the control messages.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising a first link between the ATM multiplexer and the signaling converter that is operational to carry the ISDN signaling, a second link between the signaling converter and the signaling processor that is operational to carry SS7 signaling, and a third link between the signaling processor and the ATM multiplexer that is operational to carry the control messages.

20. A telecommunications system that interworks between an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) system and another communications system for telecommunications calls, the telecommunication system comprising:

an ISDN converter that is operational to interwork between bearer communications and signaling from the other communications system and ISDN bearer communication and ISDN signaling,

a signaling processing system that is operational to process the ISDN signaling and signaling from the ATM system, to select at least one of an ISDN connection and an ATM connection for each call, and to provide control messages that identify the selected connections and cause an ATM multiplexer to interwork the bearer communications between the ISDN converter and the ATM system on the selected connections;

an ATM multiplexer that is operational to exchange the ISDN signaling between the ISDN converter and the signaling processing system, to receive the control messages from the signaling processing system, and to interwork the bearer communications between the ISDN converter and the ATM system on the selected connections in response to receiving the control messages;

at least one link between the ATM multiplexer and the signaling processing system that is operational to carry the ISDN signaling and the control messages, and

at least one connection between the ISDN converter and the ATM multiplexer that is operational to carry the ISDN bearer communications and the ISDN signaling.

21. A telecommunications system that interworks between an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) system and another communications system for telecommunications call, the telecommunications system comprising:

a signaling processor that is operational to process SS7 signaling, to select at least one of an ISDN connection and an ATM connection for each call, and to provide control messages that identify the selected connections and cause an ATM multiplexer to interwork bearer communications between the ISDN converter and the ATM system on the selected connections;

an ISDN converter that is operational to interwork the bearer communications and signaling from the other communications system with ISDN bearer communication and ISDN signaling;

an SS7 converter that is operational to interwork the ISDN signaling and the SS7 signaling and to exchange the SS7 signaling with the signaling processor;

an ATM multiplexer that is operational to exchange the ISDN signaling between the ISDN converter and the SS7 converter, to receive the control messages from the signaling processor, and to interwork the bearer communications between the ISDN converter and the ATM system on the selected connections in response to receiving the control messages;

a linking means between the ATM multiplexer and the SS7 converter for carrying the ISDN signaling, between the SS7 converter and the signaling processor for carrying the SS7 signaling, and between the signaling processor and the ATM multiplexer for carrying the control messages; and

a connection between the ATM multiplexer and the ISDN converter that is operational to carry the ISDN bearer communications and the ISDN signaling.

22. A telecommunications system for use between an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) system and a ISDN system for telecommunications calls, the telecommunications system comprising:

a signaling processing system that is operational to process call signaling from the ISDN system and from the ATM system, to select at least one of an ISDN connection and an ATM connection for each call, and to provide control messages that identify the selected connections and cause an ATM multiplexer to interwork bearer communications between the ISDN system and the ATM system on the selected connections; and

the ATM multiplexer that is operational to exchange the call signaling between the ISDN system and the signaling processing system, to receive the control messages from the signaling processing system, to interwork bearer communications between the ISDN system and the ATM system on the selected connections in response to receiving the control messages, and to interconnect other incoming bearer communications from the ISDN system with other outgoing bearer communications to the ISDN system based on the control messages.

23. A method for operating a telecommunications system that interworks between an ISDN system and an Asyncronous Transfer Mode (ATM) system for telecommunications calls, the method comprising:

receiving ISDN signaling and ISDN bearer communications into the telecommunications system;

converting the ISDN signaling into Signaling System #7 (SS7) signaling;

processing the SS7 signaling to select ATM connections; and

interworking the ISDN bearer communications with the selected ATM connections.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

receiving SS7 signaling and ATM communications into the telecommunications system;

processing the SS7 signaling to select ISDN connections; and

interworking the ATM communications with the selected ISDN connections.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

receiving additional ISDN signaling and additional ISDN bearer communications into the telecommunications system;

converting the additional ISDN signaling into additional Signaling System #7 (SS7) signaling;

processing the additional SS7 signaling to select ISDN connections; and

interconnecting the additional ISDN bearer communications with the selected ISDN connections.

26. A method for operating a telecommunications system that interworks between an ISDN system and an Asyncronous Transfer Mode (ATM) system for a telecommunications calls from callers, the method comprising:

receiving ISDN set-up messages from the ISDN system into the telecommunications system;

converting the ISDN set-up messages into Signaling System #7 (SS7) Initial Address Messages (IAMs);

processing the SS7 IAMs to select ATM connections to the ATM system;

receiving ISDN bearer communications from the ISDN system;

interworking the ISDN bearer communications with the selected ATM connections to the ATM system.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

receiving other SS7 IAMs from the ATM system into the telecommunications system;

processing the other SS7 IAMs to select ISDN connections;

receiving ATM communications from the ATM system;

interworking the ATM communications with the selected ISDN connections.

28. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

receiving additional ISDN set-up messages from the ISDN system into the telecommunications system;

converting the additional ISDN set-up messages into additional Signaling System #7 (SS7) Initial Address Messages (IAMs);

processing the additional SS7 IAMs to select ISDN connections to the ISDN system;

receiving ISDN bearer communications from the ISDN system;

interconnecting the additional ISDN bearer communications with the selected ISDN connections to the ISDN system.

29. A method for operating a telecommunications system that interworks between an Asyncronous Transfer Mode (ATM) system and a non-ISDN system for telecommunications calls, the method comprising:

receiving signaling and bearer communications from the non-ISDN system into the telecommunications system;

converting the non-ISDN signaling and non-ISDN bearer communications into ISDN signaling and ISDN bearer communications;

converting the ISDN signaling into Signaling System #7 (SS7) signaling;

processing the SS7 signaling to select ATM connections; and

interworking the ISDN bearer communications with the selected ATM connections.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

receiving SS7 signaling and ATM communications into the telecommunications system;

processing the SS7 signaling to select ISDN connections;

interworking the ATM communications with the selected ISDN connections;

converting the ISDN bearer communications and the ISDN signaling from the ISDN connection into non-ISDN bearer communications and non-ISDN signaling.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the non-ISDN system is an Extended Superframe (ESF) system.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein the non-ISDN system is a Superframe (SF) system.