System for managing telecommunications

• US 6,480,493 B1
• Filed: 03/25/1999
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• 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, Wiley, William Lyle, Duree, Albert Daniel, Gardner, Michael Joseph, Sbisa, Daniel Charles, Bahl, Bobby Chand
• Primary Examiner(s): RAO, SEEMA SRINIVAS
• Application Number:
  US09/276,217
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• Field of Search: 370/264, 370/270, 370/282, 370/286, 370/287, 370/384, 370/389, 370/410, 370/522, 370/524, 370/351-360, 370/395-399, 370/465-467, 370/474, 370/395.2, 370/395.3, 379/219, 379/220, 379/230, 379/207, 379/127, 379/229, 379/344, 379/345, 379/406, 379/410, 379/114.06, 379/406.06
• US Class Current: 370/395.2
• 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 2012/5672 Multiplexing, e.g. coding, scrambling
• 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 49/254 Centralised controller, i.e. arbitration or scheduling
• 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 11/0478 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 includes a system for processing telecommunications signaling. Signaling for a call is received into a signaling processor. The signaling processor processes the call and generates new signaling incorporating the processing. The new signaling is transferred to network elements as appropriate. The signaling processor is not coupled to a switch matrix and only communicates with the network elements over signaling links.

Claims

1. An Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) communications system comprising:

an ATM multiplexer configured to receive user communications, convert the user communications into ATM communications, and transfer the ATM communications;

an ATM switch configured to receive a control message, receive the ATM communications, and transfer the ATM communications over a selected ATM connection in response to the control message; and

a processor that is external to the ATM switch and configured to receive information related to the user communications, process the information to select the ATM connection, generate the control message that identifies the selected ATM connection, and transmit the control message.

2. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the information is a call set-up signaling message and the processor is further configured to process the call set-up signaling message to select echo cancellation for the user communications, generate an echo cancellation instruction, and transmit the echo cancellation instruction.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising an echo canceller configured to receive the echo cancellation instruction, receive the user communications, cancel echo in the user communications in response to the echo cancellation instruction, and transfer the user communications after canceling the echo.

4. The communication system of claim 2 wherein the call set-up signaling message is an initial address message.

5. The communication system of claim 4 wherein the processor is further configured to receive and process a release message.

6. The communication system of claim 5 wherein the processor is further configured to receive and process an answer message.

7. The communication system of claim 6 wherein the processor is further configured to receive and process an address complete message.

8. The communication system of claim 7 wherein the processor is further configured to receive and process a release complete message.

9. The communication system of claim 2 wherein the processor is further configured to process a called number from the call set-up signaling message to select the ATM connection.

10. The communication system of claim 9 wherein the called number is an 800 type number.

11. The communication system of claim 9 wherein the called number is a virtual private network number.

12. The communication system of claim 9 wherein the called number is a mobile number.

13. The communication system of claim 2 wherein the processor is further configured to process the call set-up signaling message to validate a call.

14. The communication system of claim 2 wherein the processor is further configured to process an automatic number identification in the call set-up signaling message to select the ATM connection.

15. The communication system of claim 2 wherein the processor is further configured to process a signaling link selection code in the call set-up signaling message to select the ATM connection.

16. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to generate billing information for the ATM communications.

17. A method for using an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) communications system, the method comprising:

receiving information related to user communications into a processor that is external to an ATM switch;

processing the information to select an ATM connection;

generating a control message that identifies the selected ATM connection;

transmitting the control message from the processor;

receiving the control message into the ATM switch;

receiving the user communications into an ATM multiplexer;

converting the user communications into ATM communications;

transferring the ATM communications from the ATM multiplexer;

receiving the ATM communications into the ATM switch; and

transferring the ATM communications from the ATM switch over the selected ATM connection in response to the control message.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the information is call set-up signaling message and further comprising:

processing the call set-up signaling message to select echo cancellation for the user communications;

generating an echo cancellation instruction; and

transmitting the echo cancellation instruction from the processor.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

receiving the echo cancellation instruction into an echo canceller;

receiving the user communications into the echo canceller;

canceling echo in the user communications; and

transferring the user communications from the echo canceller after canceling the echo.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the call set-up signaling message is an initial address message.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising receiving a release message into the processor and processing the release message.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising receiving an answer message into the processor and processing the answer message.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising receiving an address complete message into the processor and processing the address complete message.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising receiving a release complete message into the processor and processing the release complete message.

25. The method of claim 18 wherein processing the call set-up signaling message to select the ATM connection comprises processing a called number.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein processing the called number comprises processing an 800 type number.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein processing the called number comprises processing called party mobility information.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein processing the called number comprises processing a virtual private network number.

29. The method of claim 18 wherein processing the call set-up signaling message to select the ATM connection comprises validating a call.

30. The method of claim 18 wherein processing the call set-up signaling message to select the ATM connection comprises processing an automatic number identification.

31. The method of claim 18 wherein processing the call set-up signaling message to select the ATM connection comprises processing a signaling link selection code.

32. The method of claim 17 further comprising generating billing information for the ATM communications in the processor.