Shared communications protocol layer for interfacing between wireless networks
First Claim
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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.
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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.
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Citations
34 Claims
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20)
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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:
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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.
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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:
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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.
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21. A communication system, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 32)
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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:
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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.
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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:
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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.
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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:
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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.
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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:
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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.
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30. A communication system, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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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:
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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.
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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:
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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.
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Specification