Shared communications protocol layer for interfacing between wireless networks

• US 6,631,140 B1
• Filed: 01/29/1998
• Issued: 10/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Sjödin, Staffan
• Primary Examiner(s): VANDERPUYE, KENNETH N
• Application Number:
  US09/015,864
• Time in Patent Office: 2,077 Days
• Field of Search: 455/433, 455/436, 455/438, 455/439, 455/442, 455/444, 455/432, 370/328, 370/401, 370/469, 370/338, 379/59
• US Class Current: 370/469
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A plurality of client applications in respective microcellular communication networks communicate with a server in a macrocellular communication network via a shared communications protocol layer.

Claims

1. An interface for connection between a server in a macrocellular communication network and a plurality of client applications in respective microcellular communication networks which are relatively smaller than the macrocellular communication network, comprising:

a first interface portion for connection to the microcellular communication networks;

a second interface portion for connection to the server; and

an apparatus coupled between said first and second interface portions and implementing a communications protocol stack including a plurality of communications protocol layers between said first and said second interface portions, said communications protocol layers including a TCAP layer, said apparatus including a traffic handler that permits all of the client applications to communicate with the server via said communications protocol layers.

2. The interface of claim 1, wherein said first interface portion includes a TCP/IP application.

3. The interface of claim 1, wherein said traffic handler includes a database having assignments between identification numbers used by the respective client applications to identify themselves and socket identifications assigned to the respective client applications by said first interface portion.

4. The interface of claim 1, wherein said second interface portion includes an SS7 signaling channel.

5. The interface of claim 1, wherein said second interface portion includes a TCP/IP application.

6. The interface of claim 1, wherein said communications protocol stack includes a TCAP layer, an SCCP layer and an MTP layer.

7. An interface for connection between a server in a macrocellular communication network and a plurality of client applications in respective microcellular communication networks which are relatively smaller than the macrocellular communication network, comprising:

a first interface portion for connection to the microcellular communication networks;

a second interface portion for connection to the server, and

an apparatus coupled between said first and second interface portions and implementing a communications protocol stack including a plurality of communications protocol layers between said first and said second interface portions, said apparatus including a traffic handler that permits all of the client applications to communicate with the server via said communications protocol layers, said traffic handler includes a database which correlates between identification codes assigned by said traffic handler to respective communications between the server and the client applications and further identification codes assigned to the respective communications by the client applications.

8. The interface of claim 7, wherein said communications protocol layer is a TCAP layer, wherein said communications include TCAP messages, and wherein said further identification codes are parameters of the respective TCAP messages.

9. The interface of claim 7, wherein said traffic handler includes a database for storing therein, for each client application, a respective one of said further identification codes most recently assigned by the client application.

10. The interface of claim 7, wherein said traffic handler includes a database for storing therein a most recently assigned one of said identification codes.

11. A method of controlling communications between a server in a macrocellular communication network and a plurality of client applications in respective microcellular communication networks that are relatively smaller than the macrocellular communication network, comprising:

receiving messages enroute between the server and the client applications;

assigning first and second identification codes to each of the messages between the server and the client applications and matching the first identification codes with the second identification codes, including selectively using the first identification codes to determine the respective second identification codes that are matched therewith and selectively using the second identification codes to determine the respective first identification codes that are matched therewith;

altering a portion of a message passing between one of the client applications and the server, including adding one of a first identification code and a second identification code into the message; and

sending each of the messages to its destination via a communications protocol stack including a plurality of communications protocol layers, so that all of the client applications are permitted to communicate with the server via said plurality of communications protocol layers.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said receiving step includes receiving the messages at a communication port, and including matching socket identifications assigned by the communication port to the respective client applications with identification numbers used by the respective client applications to identify themselves, and said step of sending the messages sends the messages based upon the step of matching.

13. The method of claim 12, including using the identification numbers to determine the respective socket identifications that are matched therewith, and using the socket identifications to determine the respective identification numbers that matched therewith.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said sending step includes using a TCP/IP application to send the messages.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of altering a portion of a message alters the portion of the message passing from one of the client applications to the by adding one of said first identification codes into the message.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said portion is a dialogue identification portion of a TCAP message.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of altering a portion of a alters a portion of a message passing from the server to one of the client applications by adding one of said second identification codes into the message passing from the server to the one of the client applications.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of altering a portion of a message alters the portion of the message passing from the server to one of the client by adding one of said second identification codes into the message.

14. A method of controlling communications between a server in a macrocellular communication network and a plurality of client applications in respective microcellular communication networks that are relatively smaller than the macrocellular communication network, comprising:

receiving messages enroute between the server and the client applications;

assigning first and second identification codes to each of the messages between the server and the client applications and matching the first identification codes with the second identification codes;

altering a portion of a message passing between one of the client applications and the server, including adding one of a first identification code and a second identification code into the message; and

sending each of the messages to its destination via a communications protocol stack including a plurality of communications protocol layers, so that all of the client applications are permitted to communicate with the server via said plurality of communications protocol layers;

wherein said sending step includes using an SS7 signaling channel to send the messages.

19. A method of controlling communications between a server in a macrocellular communication network and a plurality of client applications in respective microcellular communication networks that are relatively smaller than the macrocellular communication network, comprising:

receiving messages enroute between the server and the client applications,

assigning first and second identification codes to each of the messages between the server and the client applications and matching the first identification codes with the second identification codes;

altering a portion of a message passing between one of the client applications and the server, including adding one of a first identification code and a second identification code into the message; and

sending each of the messages to its destination via a communications protocol stack including a plurality of communications protocol layers, so that all of the client applications are permitted to communicate with the server via said plurality of communications protocol layers;

wherein the step of altering a portion of message alters the portion of a first message passing from one of the client applications to the server by adding one of said first identification codes into the first message, and alters a portion of a second message passing from the server to one of the client applications by adding one of said second identification codes into the second message passing from the server to the one of the client applications;

wherein said portions are dialogue identification portions of respective TCAP messages.

21. A communication system, comprising:

a plurality of microcellular communication networks including respective client applications;

a macrocellular communication network that is relatively larger than said microcellular networks, said macrocellular network including a server; and

an interface coupled between said server and said plurality of microcellular networks, said interface including a first communication interface coupled to said microcellular communication networks, a second communication interface coupled to said server, and an apparatus coupled between said first and second communication interfaces and implementing a communications protocol stack including a plurality of communications protocol layers between said first and second communication interfaces, said apparatus including a traffic handler that permits all of the client applications to communicate with the server via said communications protocol layers, said traffic handler matches identification codes assigned by said traffic handler to respective communications between the server and the client applications and further identification codes assigned to the respective communications by the client applications.

22. The system of claim 21, including an SS7 signaling channel connected between said interface and said server, said microcellular networks each including a TCP/IP application, said interface including a further TCP/IP application, said TCP/IP applications of said microcellular networks coupled to said further TCP/IP application.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said further TCP/IP application is a server application and said TCP/IP applications of said microcellular networks are client applications.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein each of said microcellular networks includes a TCP/IP application, said interface includes first and second TCP/IP applications, and said server includes a TCP/IP application, said TCP/IP applications of said microcellular networks coupled to said first TCP/IP application of said interface, and said TCP/IP application of said server coupled to said second TCP/IP application of said interface.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said first TCP/IP application is a server application and said second TCP/IP application is a client application.

32. The system of claim 21, wherein said communications protocol stack selectively prohibits some communications from the client applications from passing through said communications protocol stack to the server.

26. An interface for connection between a server in a macrocellular communication network and a plurality of client applications in respective microcellular communication networks which are relatively smaller than the macrocellular communication network, comprising:

a first interface portion for connection to the microcellular communication networks;

a second interface portion for connection to the server; and

an apparatus coupled between said first and second interface portions and implementing a communications protocol stack including a plurality of communications protocol layers between said first and said second interface portions, said apparatus including a traffic handler that permits all of the client applications to communicate with the server via said communications protocol layers, said communications protocol stack selectively prohibits some communications from the client applications from passing through said communications protocol stack to the server.

27. An interface for connection between a server in a macrocellular communication network and a plurality of client applications in respective microcellular communication networks which are relatively smaller than the macrocellular communication network, comprising:

a first interface portion for connection to the microcellular communication networks;

a second interface portion for connection to the server; and

an apparatus coupled between said first and second interface portions and implementing at least one communications protocol layer between said first and second interface portions, said apparatus including a traffic handler that permits all of the client applications to communicate with the server via said communications protocol layer, wherein said second interface portion includes an SS7 signaling channel.

28. An interface for connection between a server in a macrocellular communication network and a plurality of client applications in respective microcellular communication networks which are relatively smaller than the macrocellular communication network, comprising:

a first interface portion for connection to the microcellular communication networks;

a second interface portion for connection to the server; and

an apparatus coupled between said first and second interface portions and implementing at least one communications protocol layer between said first and second interface portions, said apparatus including a traffic handler that permits all of the client applications to communicate with the server via said communications protocol layer, wherein said communications protocol layer is a TCAP layer.

29. A method of controlling communications between a server in a macrocellular communication network and a plurality of client applications in respective microcellular communication networks that are relatively smaller than the macrocellular communication network, comprising:

receiving messages enroute between the server and the client applications; and

assigning first and second identification codes to each of the messages between the server and the client applications and matching the first identification codes with the second identification codes, including selectively using the first identification codes to determine the respective second identification codes that are matched therewith and selectively using the second identification codes to determine the respective first identification codes that are matched therewith;

sending each of the messages to its destination via a common communications protocol layer, using an SS7 signaling channel to send the communications.

30. A communication system, comprising:

a plurality of microcellular communication networks including respective client applications;

a macrocellular communication network that is relatively larger than said microcellular networks, said macrocellular network including a server;

an interface coupled between said server and said plurality of microcellular networks, said interface including a first communication port coupled to said microcellular communication networks, a second communication port coupled to said server, and an apparatus coupled between said first and second communication ports and implementing a communications protocol layer between said first and second communication ports, said apparatus including a traffic handler that permits all of the client applications to communicate with the server via said communications protocol layer; and

an SS7 signaling channel connected between said interface and said server, said microcellular networks each including a TCP/IP application, said interface including a further TCP/IP application, said TCP/IP applications of said microcellular networks coupled to said further TCP/IP application.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said further TCP/IP application is a server application and said TCP/IP applications of said microcellular networks are client applications.

33. A method of controlling communications between a server in a macrocellular communication network and a plurality of client applications in respective microcellular communication networks that are relatively smaller than the macrocellular communication network, comprising:

receiving messages enroute between the server and the client applications;

assigning first and second identification codes to each of the messages between the server and the client applications;

sending, using the corresponding first and second identification codes, each of the messages to its destination via a communications protocol stack including a plurality of communications protocol layers, so that all of the client applications are permitted to communicate with the server via said plurality of communications protocol layers; and

selectively prohibiting some communications between the client applications and the server from passing through said communications protocol stack;

wherein the first identification codes comprise socket identifications and the second identification codes comprise subsystem number identifications.

34. A method of controlling communications between a server in a macrocellular communication network and a plurality of client applications in respective microcellular communication networks that are relatively smaller than the macrocellular communication network, comprising:

receiving messages enroute between the server and the client applications;

assigning first and second identification codes to each of the messages between the server and the client applications and matching the first identification codes with the second identification codes;

altering a portion of a message passing between one of the client applications and the server, including adding one of a first identification code and a second identification code into the message; and

sending each of the messages to its destination via a communications protocol stack including a plurality of communications protocol layers, so that all of the client applications are permitted to communicate with the server via said plurality of communications protocol layers;

wherein the first identification codes comprise client identifications and the second identification codes comprise DIALOGUE identifications.