System for managing telecommunications

• US 6,674,759 B1
• Filed: 03/25/1999
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1995
• 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 S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jagannathan, Melanie
• Application Number:
  US09/276,601
• Time in Patent Office: 1,748 Days
• Field of Search: 370/264, 370/270, 370/282, 370/284, 370/286, 370/280, 370/389, 370/410, 370/522, 370/524, 370/351-360, 370/395.25, 370/395.3, 370/395.6, 370/396-399, 370/465, 370/467, 379/219, 379/220, 379/230, 379/207, 379/120, 379/229, 379/344, 379/345, 379/406, 379/410
• US Class Current: 370/410
• 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. A communication network comprising:

a first switch configured to receive communications, receive a first message, and transfer the communications over a first connection in response to the first message;

a second switch configured to receive the communications transferred by the first switch, receive a second message, and transfer the communications over a second connection in response to the second message;

a first processor that is external to the first switch and the second switch and configured to receive information related to the communications, process the information to select the first connection, generate and transmit the first message that identifies the first connection, and generate and transmit a third message that identifies the first connection; and

a second processor that is external to the first switch and the second switch and configured to receive the third message, process the third message to identify the second connection, and generate and transmit the second message that identifies the second connection.

2. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the first switch and the second switch are Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) switches.

3. The communication network of claim 2 further comprising a first ATM multiplexer configured to receive the communications from a user, convert the communications into ATM communications, and transfer the ATM communications to the first switch.

4. The communication network of claim 3 further comprising a second ATM multiplexer configured to receive the ATM communications from the second switch, convert the communications from ATM, and transfer the converted communications.

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

6. The communication network of claim 5 further comprising an echo canceller configured to receive the echo cancellation message, receive the communications, cancel echo in the communications in response to the echo cancellation message, and transfer the communications after canceling the echo.

7. The communication network of claim 5 wherein the call set-up signaling message is an initial address message.

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

9. The communication network of claim 8 wherein the first processor is further configured to receive and process an answer message.

10. The communication network of claim 9 wherein the first processor is further configured to receive and process an address complete message.

11. The communication network of claim 10 wherein the first processor is further configured to receive and process a release complete message.

12. The communication network of claim 5 wherein the first processor is further configured to process a called number from the call set-up signaling message to select the first connection.

13. The communication network of claim 12 wherein the called number is an 800 type number.

14. The communication network of claim 12 wherein the called number is a virtual private network number.

15. The communication network of claim 12 wherein the called number is a portable number.

16. The communication network of claim 5 wherein the first processor is further configured to process the call set-up signaling message to validate a call.

17. The communication network of claim 5 wherein the first processor is further configured to process an automatic number identification in the call set-up signaling message to select the first connection.

18. The communication network of claim 5 wherein the first processor is further configured to process a signaling link selection code in the call set-up signaling message to select the first connection.

19. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the first processor is further configured to generating billing information for the communications.

20. A method for operating a communication network, the method comprising:

receiving communications and a first message into a first switch;

transferring the communications from the first switch over a first connection in response to the first message;

receiving the communications transferred by the first switch and a second message into a second switch;

transferring the communications from the second switch over a second connection in response to the second message;

receiving information related to the communications into a first processor that is external to the first switch and the second switch;

processing the information to select the first connection;

generating and transmitting the first message that identifies the first connection;

generating and transmitting a third message that identifies the first connection;

receiving the third message into a second processor that is external to the first switch and the second switch,

processing the third message to select the second connection; and

generating and transmitting the second message that identifies the second connection.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the first switch and the second switch are Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) switches.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

receiving the communications from a user into a first ATM multiplexer;

converting the communications into ATM communications; and

transferring the ATM communications to the first switch.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

receiving the ATM communications from the second switch into a second ATM multiplexer;

converting the ATM communications from ATM; and

transferring the converted communications.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the information is a call set-up signaling message and further comprising:

processing the call set-up signaling message in the first processor to select echo cancellation for the communications; and

generating and transmitting an echo cancellation message.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

receiving the communications and the echo cancellation message into an echo canceller;

canceling echo in the communications in response to the echo cancellation message; and

transferring the communications after canceling the echo.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the call set-up signaling message is an initial address message.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising receiving and processing a release message in the first processor.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising receiving and processing an answer message in the first processor.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising receiving and processing an address complete message in the first processor.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising receiving and processing a release complete message in the first processor.

31. The method of claim 24 further comprising processing a called number from the call set-up signaling message in the first processor to select the first connection.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the called number is an 800 type number.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the called number is a virtual private network number.

34. The method of claim 31 wherein the called number is a portable number.

35. The method of claim 24 further comprising processing the call set-up signaling message in the fast processor to validate a call.

36. The method of claim 24 further comprising processing automatic number identification in the call set-up signaling message in the first processor to select the first connection.

37. The method of claim 24 further comprising processing a signaling link selection code in the call set-up signaling message in the first processor to select the first connection.

38. The method of claim 20 further comprising generating billing information in the first processor for the communications.