Telecommunications network

• US 6,625,170 B1
• Filed: 04/14/1999
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Farris, Robert D., Curry, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuongchau Ba
• Application Number:
  US09/291,037
• Time in Patent Office: 1,623 Days
• Field of Search: 370/401, 370/351, 370/410, 370/408, 370/355, 370/352, 370/522, 370/466, 370/467, 379/89, 379/93.15
• US Class Current: 370/467
• 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 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/00 Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1302 Relay switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1304 Coordinate switches, crossbar, 4/2 with relays, coupling field
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13216 Code signals, frame structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13292 Time division multiplexing, TDM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13333 Earth satellites
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13383 Hierarchy of switches, main and subexchange, e.g. satellite exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13405 : Dual frequency signaling, DTMF
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 : Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 : involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems

Abstract

A system and method for controlling on a worldwide basis two or more telecommunications networks which are themselves capable of exercising a form of common channel signaling network control. The system uses an architecture in which a destination telecommunications network having common channel signaling control is connected to an originating telecommunications network having common signaling control through a call set up and control methodology which provides ad hoc connection between the two spaced telecommunication networks and common channel signaling networks via an unrelated world wide data network which preferably constitutes the Internet.

Claims

1. A method of setting up a call between a first terminal coupled by a local link to a program controlled switching system in a first switched telecommunications network and a second terminal coupled by a local link to a program controlled switching system in a second switched telecommunications network, comprising the steps of:

detecting dialing of a number by the first terminal;

in response to the detection, creating a first signaling packet identifying the dialed number, the first signaling packet being in an interoffice signaling protocol of the first switched telecommunications network;

transmitting the first signaling packet to a first interface to an internetwork separate from the first and second switched telecommunications networks;

encapsulating the first signaling packet in a packet of a second protocol compatible with the internetwork;

transmitting the packet of the second protocol via the internetwork to a second interface between the internetwork and the second switched telecommunications network;

transmitting the signaling packet from the second interface to a node of the second switched telecommunications network;

based on information in the node of the second switched telecommunications network deciding to proceed with call processing;

based on the decision, creating a second signaling packet in an interoffice signaling protocol of the second switched telecommunications network;

transmitting the second signaling packet to the second interface to the internetwork;

encapsulating the second signaling packet in another packet of the second protocol compatible with the internetwork;

transmitting said another packet of the second protocol via the internetwork to the first

responsive to the receipt of said another packet of the second protocol in the first switched telecommunications network, establishing a communication path between the first and second terminals.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the node of the second switched telecommunications network comprises a program controlled switching system in the second switched telecommunications network, and the information in the node used in deciding to proceed indicates that the second terminal is not busy.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein the second protocol comprises transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP).

4. A method as in claim 3, wherein the internetwork comprises the INTERNET.

5. An interface for communication of interoffice signaling messages relating to set-up of a call, comprising:

a first coupling, for message routing connection to a signaling link of a common channel interoffice signaling network of a public switched telephone network for sending and receiving interoffice call set-up messages to and from the signaling network in a call set-up part of an interoffice signaling protocol;

a second coupling, for message routing connection to an open-access, non-proprietary internetwork connecting spaced dissimilar networks and using an internetwork transmission protocol for communications between the dissimilar networks; and

means, interconnected between the first and second couplings, for protocol conversion of the interoffice call set-up messages between the call set-up part of the interoffice signaling protocol and the internetwork transmission protocol, to enable communication of call set-up messages to and from the interoffice signaling network via the internetwork, wherein;

the call set-up part of the interoffice signaling protocol comprises ISDN users part of signaling system 7, and

the means for protocol conversion converts between messages in the ISDN users part of signaling system 7 and the internetwork transmission protocol.

6. An interface as in claim 5, wherein the internetwork transmission protocol comprises transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP), and the means for protocol conversion encapsulates a call set-up message in the interoffice signaling protocol within one or more TCP/IP packets.

7. An interface as in claim 5, wherein the internetwork transmission protocol comprises transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP), and the means for protocol conversion converts call set-up messages between and the ISDN users part of signaling system 7 and TCP/IP.

8. An interface as in claim 5, wherein the first coupling provides message routing connection to a signaling link to a signal transfer point (STP) of the common channel interoffice signaling network.

9. An interface as in claim 5, wherein the first coupling provides message routing connection to a signaling link to a service switching point (SSP) of the public switched telephone network.