Public telephone network, intelligent network, and internet protocol network services interworking

• US 6,611,533 B1
• Filed: 06/17/1999
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Genband US LLC (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Coffin, Russ, Qaddoura, Emad, Le, Liem, Wurch, Donald, Liao, Monling
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US09/334,964
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 709/236, 709/230, 709/232, 370/466, 370/467
• US Class Current: 370/467
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method are provided for interworking the public telephone network and the IP network. The public telephone network transports a TCAP message in a first format, and the IP network transports an encapsulated TCAP message in a second format. A first interface communicates with the public telephone network, and exchanges TCAP messages therewith. A second interface communicates with the IP network, and exchanges encapsulated TCAP messages therewith. A processor operably connected to at least one of said first interface and said second interface translates TCAP messages in the first format to/from the encapsulated TCAP message in the second format. The processor is further adapted for forwarding TCAP messages in both formats to the respective network. The first format can be an SS7 protocol format, while the second format can be an IP protocol format as used in the IP network. Various message structures and encapsulation techniques are provided. Network addressing and routing functions are included. An apparatus for exchanging encapsulated TCAP messages with the IP network is provided. A system for interworking a public telephone network and an IP network is provided. The system comprises a first network node, a second network node, and at least one interworking apparatus having a processor adapted for exchanging TCAP messages with the public telephone network and the IP network, as described. Related methods for interworking between the IP network and the public telephone network are provided.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing signaling and service interworking between a public telephone network and an internet protocol network, wherein the public telephone network transmits and receives a:

message in a first format of a first type and the internet protocol network transmits and receives a message in a second format of a second type, and wherein the apparatus comprises;

a first interface for communicating with the public telephone network, said first interface adapted to exchange messages in the first format of the first type with the public telephone network;

a second interface for communicating with the internet protocol network, said second interface adapted to exchange messages in the second format of the second type with the internet protocol network; and

a processor, operably connected to at least one of said first interface and said second interface, wherein said processor is adapted for translating the message received in the first format from the public telephone network into the second format, such that public telephone network addressing and routing information in the message received is converted for the internet protocol network, and wherein said processor is adapted for forwarding the message encapsulated in the second format to the internet protocol network, such that signaling and service interworking can thereby be provided by exchanging messages between the public telephone network and the internet protocol network.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said processor is further adapted for translating the message received from the internet protocol network in the second format, such that the internet protocol network addressing and routing information in the message received is converted for the public telephone network, and wherein said processor is adapted for forwarding the message in the first format to the public telephone network.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first format translated by said processor is an SS7 protocol format, and wherein the second format translated by said processor is an IP protocol format.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first said interface is adapted to exchange TCAP messages with the public telephone network, wherein said second interface is adapted to exchange TCAP messages with the internet protocol network, wherein the first type of message is an SS7 TCAP message, and wherein the second type of message is an encapsulated TCAP message.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first said interface is adapted to exchange ISUP messages with the public telephone network, wherein said second interface is adapted to exchange ISUP messages with the internet protocol network, wherein the first type of message is an SS7 ISUP message, and wherein the second type of message is an encapsulated ISUP message.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a storage memory operably connected to said processor for maintaining addressing and routing information relating to the public telephone network and the internet protocol network.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the storage memory contains a table correlating a plurality of internet protocol network node addresses and a plurality of public telephone network signaling node addresses, and wherein said processor is responsive to said storage memory for remapping an address of an incoming signaling message received into one of said first interface and said second interface, prior to forwarding an outgoing signaling message representative of the incoming message with a remapped address through the other of said first interface and said second interface.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein each internet protocol network node address stored in said storage memory comprises an IP address and a port number, and wherein each public telephone network node address stored in said storage memory comprises a point code and a circuit identification code, for permitting said processor to convert ISUP messages received from at least one of the public telephone network and the internet protocol network into a format compatible with the other of the public telephone network and the internet protocol network.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein each internet network node address stored in said storage memory comprises an IP address and a port number, and wherein each public telephone network node address stored in said storage memory comprises a destination point code and a subsystem number, for permitting said processor to convert TCAP messages received from at least one of the public telephone network and the internet protocol network into a format compatible with the other of the public telephone network and the internet protocol network.

10. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said processor is adapted to serve as a signaling end point for the public telephone network.

11. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said processor is further adapted to serve as a signaling transfer point to the public telephone network.

12. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said processor and said first interface are adapted to operate as one or more SS7 signaling links selected from the group consisting of an A link, a B link, a D link, and an E link for interfacing with the public telephone network.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said processor and said second interface are adapted to operate as one or more pseudo SS7 signaling links selected from the group consisting of an A link ad an E link, so as to emulate the respective SS7 signaling for interfacing with the internet protocol network.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said processor is further adapted to exchange signaling messages with the public telephone network and the internet protocol network such that load sharing of signaling messaging traffic can be provided by said processor between network entities in at least one of the public telephone network and the internet protocol network.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said processor is further adapted to exchange signaling messages with the public telephone network and the internet protocol network such that hot standby processing of signaling messaging traffic can be provided by said processor between network entities in at least one of the public telephone network and the internet protocol network.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said processor is further adapted to reroute a signaling message received from one of the public telephone network and the internet protocol network to a backup network destination entity in the other of the public telephone network and the internet protocol network when the signaling message cannot be delivered to a primary network destination entity.

17. A method for providing signaling interworking between a public telephone network and an internet protocol network, comprising the steps of:

receiving at least one of an ISUP message and a TCAP message from the public telephone network in an SS7 protocol format;

extracting at least one of the ISUP message and the TCAP message from the SS7 protocol format; and

encapsulating at least one of the ISUP message and the TCAP message in an IP protocol format, such that at least one of the ISUP message and the TCAP message can respectively be forwarded to the internet protocol network to permit signaling interworking therethrough.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of transmitting at least one of the encapsulated ISUP message and the encapsulated TCAP message in the IP protocol format to a network node in the internet protocol network, after said encapsulating step.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of decapsulating at least one of the encapsulated ISUP message and the encapsulated TCAP message in the IP protocol format received by the network node in the internet protocol network, to respectively permit recovery of at least one of the original ISUP message and the original TCAP message.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the step of forwarding at least one of the received ISUP message and the received TCAP message in the SS7 protocol format to the public telephone network, after said decapsulating step.

21. A method for selectively interworking the public telephone network and the IP network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a TCAP message from the public telephone network in a first format;

extracting the TCAP message from the first format; and

encapsulating the TCAP message in a second format, such that the TCAP message can be forwarded to the IP network to permit interworking therethrough.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the first format is an SS7 protocol format, and wherein the second format is an IP protocol format.

23. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of transmitting the encapsulated TCAP message to a network node in the IP network, after said encapsulating step.

24. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of decapsulating the encapsulated TCAP message received by the network node in the IP network, to permit recovery of the original TCAP message.

25. The method according to claim 21, wherein the second format is an IP protocol format, further comprising the steps of:

encapsulating a TCAP message originating in the network node in the IP network in the IP protocol format, such that the TCAP message can be forwarded through the IP network; and

transmitting the encapsulated TCAP message to the IP network.

26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

receiving an encapsulated TCAP message at a second network node in the IP network;

decapsulating the encapsulated TCAP message received at the second network node in the IP network; and

extracting the TCAP message from the decapsulated TCAP message in the IP protocol format, without altering the TCAP characteristics thereof.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the first format is an SS7 protocol format, the method further comprising the steps of:

formatting the extracted TCAP message into the SS7 protocol format; and

transmitting the TCAP message in the SS7 protocol format to the public telephone network.

28. The method according to claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

receiving the TCAP message at the second network node in the public telephone network; and

extracting the TCAP message from the TCAP message in the SS7 protocol format received at the second network node in the public telephone network, such that the TCAP message originating in the network node in the IP network can be recovered.

29. An apparatus for exchanging encapsulated TCAP messages with an IP network and a PTN, wherein the IP network is adapted to transmit and receive a second type of message in a second format, and wherein the apparatus comprises:

a first interface for communicating with the IP network said first interface adapted to exchange encapsulated TCAP message in the second format with the IP network; and

a processor operably connected to said first interface, wherein said processor is adapted for extracting a TCAP message from an encapsulated TCAP message in the second format received from the IP network through said first interface, and wherein said processor is adapted to encapsulate a TCAP message and forward the encapsulated TCAP message in the second format to the IP network through said first interface, such that encapsulated TCAP messages in the second format can be exchanged from the PTN to the IP network.

30. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the second format is an IP protocol format, and wherein the second type of message is an encapsulated TCAP message in the IP protocol format.

31. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said processor is further adapted to execute TCAP software applications.

32. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said processor is further adapted to provide telephony services to the IP network and PTN.

33. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said processor is further adapted to execute STIP software applications such that SCCP primitives can be provided to TCAP software applications for exchanging TCAP messages therewith.

34. The apparatus according to claim 29, further comprising a translation device having an IP network interface for communicating therewith and having a public telephone network interface for communicating therewith, said translation device operably connected to the apparatus through the IP network interface and to the public telephone network, said translation device adapted for receiving an encapsulated TCAP message from the apparatus through the IP network and forwarding a representative TCAP message to the public telephone network, said translation device further adapted for receiving a TCAP message from the public telephone network and forwarding a representative encapsulated TCAP message to the apparatus through the IP network, such that TCAP messages can be exchanged between the apparatus and the public telephone network through the IP network.

35. An apparatus for selectively interworking a public telephone network and an IP network, wherein the public telephone network transmits and receives a TCAP message in a first format and the IP network transmits and receives a second type of message in a second format, wherein the apparatus comprises:

a first interface for communicating with the public telephone network, said first interface adapted to exchange TCAP messages in the first format with the public telephone network;

a second interface for communicating with the IP network, said second interface adapted to exchange the second type of messages in the second format with the IP network; and

a processor, operably connected to at least one of said first interface and said second interface, wherein said processor is adapted for translating the TCAP message received in the first format from the public telephone network, encapsulating the TCAP message in the second format, and forwarding the encapsulated TCAP message to the IP network.

36. The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the first format is an SS7 protocol format, and wherein the second format is an IP protocol format.

37. The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said processor is further adapted for translating an encapsulated TCAP message received from the IP network and forwarding a TCAP message in the first format to the public telephone network.

38. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the second type of message is an encapsulated TCAP message, wherein the first format is an SS7 protocol format, and wherein the second format is an IP protocol format.

39. The apparatus according to claim 37, further comprising a storage memory operably connected to said processor for maintaining addressing and routing information relating to the public telephone network and the IP network.

40. The apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the storage memory contains a table correlating a plurality of IP network node addresses and a plurality of public telephone network node addresses, and wherein said processor is responsive to said storage memory for remapping an address of an incoming message received into one of said first interface and said second interface, prior to forwarding an outgoing message representative of the incoming message with a remapped address through the other of said first interface and said second interface.

41. The apparatus according to claim 40, wherein each IP network node address comprises an IP address and a port number, and wherein each public telephone network node address comprises a destination point code and a public telephone addressing parameter selected from the group consisting of a global title and a subsystem number.

42. The apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said processor is adapted to serve as a signaling end point for the public telephone network, and wherein said processor is adapted to serve as a transit signaling point for the IP network.

43. The apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said processor is adapted to provide addressing and routing approximate to SCCP addressing and routing to the IP network and SCCP addressing and routing to the public telephone network.

44. The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said processor is further adapted to provide signaling transfer point functions and represent a network node in the public telephone network.

45. The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said processor is further adapted to execute a STIP software application program, forward the encapsulated TCAP message to the IP network, and represent a network node in the IP network.

46. The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said processor translates the TCAP message received from the public telephone network without altering the TCAP characteristics thereof.

47. The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the TCAP message in the first format received by the public telephone network has a TCAP portion, an SCCP portion, and an MTP portion, and wherein the second format forwarded to the IP network comprises an encapsulated TCAP message having at least a TCAP portion, a STIP portion, and an IP protocol portion, after translation by said processor.

48. The apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the encapsulated TCAP message further comprises a transport portion selected from the group consisting of TCP, UDP, and another Internet transport portion disposed between the STIP portion and the IP protocol portion in the second message format.

49. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said processor translates the encapsulated TCAP message received from the IP network without altering the TCAP characteristics thereof.

50. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the second message format comprises an encapsulated TCAP message received from the IP network having at least a TCAP portion, a STIP portion, and an IP protocol portion, and wherein the second message format comprises a TCAP message forwarded to the public telephone network having at least a TCAP portion, an SCCP portion, and an MTP portion, after translation by said processor.

51. The apparatus according to claim 50, wherein the encapsulated TCAP message further comprises a transport portion disposed between the STIP portion and the IP protocol portion.

52. A system for selectively interworking a public telephone network and an IP network, comprising:

a first network node;

a second network node; and

at least one interworking apparatus, operably connected to at least one of said first network node and said second network node, wherein each interworking apparatus further comprises;

a first interface for communicating with the public telephone network, said first interface adapted to exchange TCAP messages in a first format with the public telephone network;

a second interface for communicating with the IP network, said second interface adapted to exchange Internet messages in a second format with the IP network; and

a processor, operably connected to said first interface and said second interface, wherein said processor is adapted for extracting a TCAP message received in the first format from the public telephone network and forwarding an encapsulated TCAP message in the second format to the IP network, and wherein said processor is adapted for translating an encapsulated TCAP message received in the second format from the IP network and forwarding a TCAP message in the first format to the public telephone network.

53. The system according to claim 52, wherein the first format is an SS7 protocol format, and wherein the second format is an IP protocol format.

54. The system according to claim 52, wherein said first network node comprises part of the public telephone network and is operably connected to said first interface, and wherein said second network node comprises part of the IP network and is operably connected to said second interface, such that said first network node and said second network node are each connected to said at least one interworking apparatus.

55. The system according to claim 52, wherein said first network node and said second network node each comprise a processor, wherein the first format is an SS7 protocol format, wherein the processor in said first network node is adapted to exchange TCAP messages in the SS7 protocol with said at least one interworking apparatus, and wherein the processor in said second network node is adapted to exchange encapsulated TCAP messages with said at least one interworking apparatus, such that said first network node and said second network node can exchange TCAP messages through said at least one interworking apparatus.

56. The system according to claim 55, wherein each processor is adapted to execute a TCAP application software program, such that the TCAP application software programs in said first network node and said second network node can communicate through said at least one interworking apparatus.

57. The system according to claim 52, comprising a first interworking apparatus and a second interworking apparatus, wherein said first interworking apparatus is operably connected to said first network node, wherein said second interworking apparatus is operably connected to said second network node, and wherein said first interworking apparatus and said second interworking apparatus are operably connected.

58. The system according to claim 57, wherein said first network node comprises part of a first public telephone network, wherein said second network node comprises part of a second public telephone network, and wherein said first interworking apparatus and said second interworking apparatus are operably connected through the IP network, such that said first network node and said second network node are operably connected through said first interworking apparatus and said second interworking apparatus.

59. The system according to claim 57, wherein said first interworking apparatus and said second interworking apparatus provide signaling transport functions between said first public telephone network and said second public telephone network.

60. The system according to claim 57, wherein said first interworking apparatus and said second interworking apparatus provide at least one function selected from the group consisting of calling name delivery, local number portability, automatic recall, and automatic callback, between said first public telephone network and said second public telephone network.

61. The system according to claim 57, wherein said first public telephone network and said second public telephone network are the same public telephone network.

62. The system according to claim 57, wherein said first network node comprises part of a first IP network, wherein said second network node comprises part of a second IP network, and wherein said first interworking apparatus and said second interworking apparatus are operably connected through a public telephone network, such that said first network node and said second network node are operably connected through said first interworking apparatus and said second interworking apparatus.

63. The system according to claim 62, wherein said first IP network and said second IP network are the same IP network.

64. The system according to claim 52, wherein said first network node comprises a public telephone terminal operably connected to the public telephone network, wherein said second network node comprises an IP telephone terminal operably connected to the IP network, and wherein said at least one interworking apparatus serves to interconnect the IP telephone terminal and the public telephone terminal, so as to permit the IP telephone terminal to place a telephone call through the IP network and the public telephone network to the public telephone terminal.

65. The system according to claim 52, wherein said first network node comprises a public telephone network node operably connected to the public telephone network requesting short message services, wherein said second network node comprises a short message services server operably connected to the IP network, and wherein said at least one interworking apparatus serves to interconnect the first and second network nodes, so as to permit the IP network based short message services server to provide short message services to the public telephone network subscribers.

66. The system according to claim 52, wherein said first network node comprises a public telephone network node operably connected to the public telephone network requesting a telephony based service through TCAP messaging, wherein said second network node comprises a telephony based service server operably connected to the IP network, and wherein said at least one interworking apparatus serves to interconnect said first and second network nodes, so as to permit the services server on the IP network to provide the telephony based service to the public telephone network.

67. An apparatus for selectively interworking the public telephone network and the IP network, comprising:

means for communicating with the public telephone network, wherein said means for communicating with the public telephone network is adapted to exchange TCAP messages over the SS7 protocol format with the public telephone network;

means for communicating with the IP network, wherein said means for communicating with the IP network is adapted to exchange TCAP messages over the IP protocol format with the IP network; and

means for translating a TCAP message received in the SS7 protocol format from the public telephone network and forwarding an encapsulated TCAP message in the IP protocol format to the IP network.

68. The apparatus according to claim 67, further comprising means for translating an encapsulated TCAP message received from the IP network and forwarding a TCAP message in the SS7 protocol to the public telephone network.

69. A system for selectively interworking the public telephone network and the IP network, comprising:

a first network node;

a second network node; and

at least one interworking apparatus, operably connected to at least one of said first network node and said second network node, wherein each interworking apparatus further comprises;

means for communicating with the public telephone network adapted to exchange TCAP messages over the SS7 protocol format with the public telephone network;

means for communicating with the IP network adapted to exchange TCAP messages over the IP protocol format with the IP network; and

means for translating, operably connected to at least one of said means for communicating with the public telephone network and said means for communicating with the IP network, wherein said means for translating is adapted to translate a TCAP message received in the SS7 protocol format from the public telephone network and forward an encapsulated TCAP message in the IP protocol format to the IP network, and wherein said means for translating is adapted to translate an encapsulated TCAP message received in the IP protocol format from the IP network and forward a TCAP message in the SS7 protocol format to the public telephone network.

70. An apparatus for exchanging signaling messages with an internet protocol network, wherein the internet protocol network is adapted to transmit and receive messages in a second format of a second type, and wherein the apparatus comprises:

a first interface for communicating with the internet protocol network, said first interface adapted to exchange messages in the second format of the second type with the internet protocol network;

a processor operably connected to said first interface, wherein said processor is adapted for processing a message of the second type encapsulated in the second format received from the internet protocol network through said first interface, and wherein said processor is further adapted to forward a message of the second type in the second format to the internet protocol network, such that signaling and service interworking can thereby be provided by exchanging encapsulated messages with the internet protocol network; and

wherein said processor and said first interface are adapted to operate as one or more pseudo SS7 signaling link selected from the group consisting of an A link and an E link, so as to emulate the respective SS7 signaling link for interfacing with the internet protocol network.

71. The apparatus according to claim 70, wherein the second format translated by said processor is an IP protocol format for encapsulating the message of the second type therein.

72. The apparatus according to claim 71, wherein the message of the second type translated by said processor comprises at least one of an encapsulated TCAP message and an encapsulated ISUP message.

73. The apparatus according to claim 70, wherein said processor is adapted to execute a software application program to operate as at least one of a signaling end point, a service switching point, a service control point, and a call server/ca controller.

74. A system for providing signaling and service interworking between a public telephone network and an internet protocol network, comprising:

a first network node, operably connected to the public telephone network;

a second network node, operably connected to the internet protocol network; and

at least one interworking apparatus, operably connected to at least one of said first network node and said second network node, wherein each interworking apparatus further comprises;

a first interface for communicating with the public telephone network, said first interface adapted to exchange ISUP messages and TCAP messages in a first format with the public telephone networks;

a second interface for communicating with the internet protocol network, said second interface adapted to exchange ISUP messages and TCAP messages in a second format with the internet protocol network; and

a processor, operably connected to said first interface and said second interface, wherein said processor is adapted for extracting at least one of an ISUP message and a TCAP message received in the first format from the public telephone network and forwarding an encapsulated message containing at least one of an ISUP message and a TCAP message in the second format to the internet protocol network, and wherein said processor is adapted for translating an encapsulated message containing at least one of an ISUP message and a TCAP message in the second format received from the internet protocol network and forwarding at least one of an ISUP message and a TCAP message in the first format to the public telephone network.

75. The system according to claim 74, wherein the first format translated by said processor is an SS7 protocol format, and wherein the second format translated by said processor is an IP protocol format.

76. The system according to claim 74, wherein said first network node comprises part of the public telephone network and is operably connected to said first interface, and wherein said second network node comprises part of the internet protocol network and is operably connected to said second interface, such that said first network node and said second network node are each connected to said at least one interworking apparatus and can communicate therethrough.

77. The system according to claim 76, wherein said first network node and said second network node each comprise a processor, wherein the first format is an SS7 protocol format, wherein the processor of said first network node is adapted to exchange at least one of an ISUP message and a TCAP message in the SS7 protocol with said at least one interworking apparatus, and wherein the process of said second network node is adapted to exchange encapsulated messages containing at least one of an ISUP message and a TCAP message with said at least one interworking apparatus, such that said first network node and said second network node can exchange at least one of an ISUP message and a TCAP message through said at least one interworking apparatus.

78. The system according to claim 77, wherein each processor is adapted to execute a TCAP application software program, such that the TCAP application software programs in said first network node and said second network node can communicate through said at least one interworking apparatus and exchange telephony services.

79. The system according to claim 74, wherein each processor is adapted to execute an ISUP application software program, such that the ISUP application software programs in said first network node and said second network node can communicate through said at least one interworking apparatus and exchange telephony signaling.

80. The system according to claim 74, comprising a first interworking apparatus and a second interworking apparatus, wherein said first interworking apparatus and said second interworking apparatus are operably connected to each other such that messages are exchanged therebetween, wherein are least one of said first interworking apparatus and said second interworking apparatus it further operably connected to said first network node, wherein at least one of said first interworking apparatus and said second interworking apparatus is further operably connected to said second network node, such that messages can be exchanged between said first network node and said second network node through the operably connected interworking apparatuses.

81. The system according to claim 80, wherein said first interworking apparatus and said second interworking apparatus are adapted to emulate at least one pseudo SS7 signaling link selected from the group consisting of an A link and an E link, so as to emulate the respective SS7 signaling link for interfacing with said second network node through the internet protocol network.

82. The system according to claim 80, wherein said first interworking apparatus and said second interworking apparatus are adapted to emulate at least one SS7 network reliability function selected from the group consisting of load sharing, active standby operation, primary/backup operation, network node bypass, and failover operations between said second network node and said first and second interworking apparatuses.

83. The system according to claim 82, wherein said second network node further comprises a processor executing a software application program, such that said second network node is adapted to operate as at least one of a signaling end point, a service switching point, a service control point, and a call server/call controller.

84. An apparatus for providing signaling and service interworking between a public telephone network and all internet protocol network, comprising:

means for communicating with the public telephone network, wherein said means for communicating with the public telephone network is adapted to exchange at least one of an ISUP message and a TCAP message over the SS7 protocol format with the public telephone network;

means for communicating with the internet protocol network, wherein said means for communicating with the internet protocol network is adapted to exchange at least one of an encapsulated ISUP message and an encapsulated TCAP message over the IP protocol format with the internet protocol network; and

means for translating at least one of the ISUP message and the TCAP message in the SS7 protocol format received from the public telephone network and respectively forwarding at least one of the encapsulated ISUP message and the encapsulated TCAP message in the IP protocol format to the internet protocol network.

85. The apparatus according to claim 84, further comprising means for translating at least one of an encapsulated ISUP message and an encapsulated TCAP message received from the internet protocol network and respectively forwarding at least one of an ISUP message and a TCAP message in the SS7 protocol to the public telephone network.

86. A system for providing signaling and service interworking between a public telephone network and an internet protocol network, comprising:

a first network node, operably connected to the public telephone network;

a second network node, operably connected to the internet protocol network; and

at least one interworking apparatus, operably connected to at least one of the said first network node and said second network node, wherein each interworking apparatus further comprises;

means for communicating with the public telephone network adapted to exchange ISUP messages and TCAP messages over the SS7 protocol format with the public telephone network;

means for communicating with the internet protocol network adapted to exchange encapsulated ISUP messages and encapsulated TCAP messages over the IP protocol format with the internet protocol network; and

means for translating, operably connected to at least one of said means for communicating with the public telephone network and said means for communicating with the internet protocol network wherein said means for translating is adapted to translate at least one of an ISUP message and a TCAP message received in the SS7 protocol format from the public telephone network, and adapted to respectively forward at least one of an encapsulated ISUP message and an encapsulated TCAP message in the IP protocol format to the internet protocol network.

87. The system according to claim 86, wherein said means for translating is adapted to translate at least one of an encapsulated ISUP message and an encapsulated TCAP message in the IP protocol format received from the internet protocol network and respectively forward at least one of an ISUP message and a TCAP message in the SS7 protocol format to the public telephone network.