System and method for interfacing a local communication device

• US 6,690,674 B1
• Filed: 10/20/1999
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Gardner, Michael Joseph, Christie, Joseph Michael, Nelson, Tracy Lee, Wiley, William Lyle, Duree, Albert Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang Bin
• Application Number:
  US09/420,712
• Time in Patent Office: 1,574 Days
• Field of Search: 370/395.1, 370/396, 370/398, 370/400, 370/401, 370/402, 370/403, 370/404, 370/405, 370/410, 370/426, 370/465, 370/466, 370/467, 370/522, 370/524, 329/219, 329/220.01, 329/230, 329/234
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 2203/0066 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/563 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

A system to interworking a call between a plurality of networks having different formats. The system has a GR-303 system, an integrated services digital network system, a service platform, and an asynchronous transfer mode system. The system has a signaling processor that is adapted to receive the call signaling and to process the call signaling to select a connection to one of the GR-303 system, the integrated services digital network system, the service platform, or the asynchronous transfer mode system. The signaling processor thereby selects the corresponding system on the connection. The signaling processor transports a control message identifying the selected connection. An interworking unit receives the user communications and the control message. The interworking unit converts the user communications from the format in which it was received to the format that is compatible with the selected system. The user communications are then transported on the selected connection.

Claims

1. A system for providing an interface for a call between a broadband system and a GR-303 system, the call having user communications and call signaling, the system comprising:

a signaling processor adapted to process the call signaling to select a broadband connection for the call and to provide a control message that identifies the selected broadband connection;

a converter adapted to receive the call signaling from the GR-303 system in a GR-303 format and to provide the call signaling to the signaling processor in a format processable by the signaling processor;

an interworking unit adapted to receive user communications in a GR-303 format from the GR-303 system and to receive the control message from the signaling processor, to convert the user communications between the GR-303 format and a broadband format, and to transmit the user communications in the broadband format to the broadband system on the selected broadband connection identified in the control message; and

a service platform in the broadband system adapted to receive the user communications and to process the user communications with a service application.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a cross connect adapted to receive the user communications from the interworking unit and to route the user communications on the selected broadband connection.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the broadband system comprises an asynchronous transfer mode system and wherein the selected broadband connection comprises a selected virtual path identifier/virtual channel identifier.

4. The system of claim 3 further comprising an asynchronous transfer mode cross connect adapted to receive the user communications from the interworking unit and to route the user communications on the selected virtual path identifier/virtual channel identifier.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the signaling processor is adapted to process the call signaling in a signaling system #7 format.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the signaling processor is adapted to exchange the call signaling with the broadband system in the signaling system #7 format.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the converter is adapted to interwork the call signaling between the GR-303 format and a signaling system #7 format.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the service platform comprises a media processor adapted to receive the user communications and to process the user communications.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the service platform comprises a host computer adapted to control the processing of the user communications in the service platform with the interactive application.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising a service database adapted to store service data wherein the host computer is adapted to retrieve the service data from the service database to assist in call processing.

11. The system of claim 9 further comprising a service database having processing option information denoting services available for the call wherein the host computer is adapted to retrieve the processing option information from the service database to assist in call processing.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising a service database having service data available to the call wherein the signaling processor is adapted to retrieve the service data from the service database to assist in call processing.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising a service database having processing option information denoting services available for the call wherein the signaling processor is adapted to retrieve the processing option information from the service database to assist in call processing.

14. A system for providing an interface for a call between an asynchronous transfer mode system that is operable to handle the call and a GR-303 system that is operable to handle the call, the call having user communications and call signaling, the system comprising:

a service platform adapted to process the call with an interactive application;

a signaling processor adapted to receive the call signaling, to process call signaling from the GR-303 system and from the asynchronous transfer mode system, to select at least one of a connection to the asynchronous transfer mode system, the GR-303 system, and the service platform for the call, and to provide a control message that identifies the selected connection; and

an interworking unit adapted to receive the control message from the signaling processor, to receive the user communications, and to interwork the user communications between the GR-303 system, the asynchronous transfer mode system, and the service platform on the selected connection identified in the control message.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising a cross connect adapted to receive the user communications from the interworking unit and to route the user communications on the selected connection.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the selected connection comprises a selected virtual path identifier/virtual channel identifier.

17. The system of claim 14 further comprising a converter adapted to exchange the call signaling between the GR-303 system in the GR-303 format and the signaling processor in a format processable by the signaling processor.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the converter is adapted to interwork the call signaling between the GR-303 format and a signaling system #7 format.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the signaling processor is adapted to process the call signaling in a signaling system #7 format.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the signaling processor is adapted to exchange the call signaling with the asynchronous transfer mode system in the signaling system #7 format.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein the service platform comprises a media processor adapted to receive the user communications and to process the user communications.

22. The system of claim 14 wherein the service platform comprises a host computer adapted to control the processing of the user communications in the service platform with the interactive application.

23. The system of claim 22 further comprising a service database adapted to store service data wherein the host computer is adapted to retrieve the service data from the service database to assist in call processing.

24. The system of claim 22 further comprising a service database having processing option information denoting services available for the call wherein the host computer is adapted to retrieve the processing option information from the service database to assist in call processing.

25. The system of claim 14 further comprising a service database having service data available to the call wherein the signaling processor is adapted to retrieve the service data from the service database to assist in call processing.

26. The system of claim 14 further comprising a service database having processing option information denoting services available for the call wherein the signaling processor is adapted to retrieve the processing option information from the service database to assist in call processing.

27. A system for interworking for a call between an asynchronous transfer mode system and a GR-303 system, the call having call signaling and user communications, system comprising:

a service platform adapted to process the call with an interactive application;

a converter adapted to exchange the call signaling with the GR-303 system and to interwork call signaling between a GR-303 format and a signaling system #7 format;

a signaling processor adapted to receive call signaling in a signaling system #7 format from the asynchronous transfer mode system and from the converter, to process the call signaling in the signaling system #7 format to select at least one of a connection to the GR-303 system, the asynchronous transfer mode system, and the service platform for the call, and to provide a control message that identifies the selected connection; and

an interworking unit adapted to receive the control message from the signaling processor and to interwork the user communications between the GR-303 system, the asynchronous transfer mode system, and the service platform using the selected connection identified in the control message.

28. The system of claim 27 further comprising a cross connect adapted to receive the user communications from the interworking unit and to route the user communications on the selected connection.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein the selected connection comprises a selected virtual path identifier/virtual channel identifier.

30. The system of claim 27 wherein the service platform comprises a media processor adapted to receive the user communications and to process the user communications.

31. The system of claim 27 wherein the service platform comprises a host computer adapted to control the processing of the user communications in the service platform with the interactive application.

32. The system of claim 31 further comprising a service database adapted to store service data wherein the host computer is adapted to retrieve the service data from the service database to assist in call processing.

33. The system of claim 31 further comprising a service database having processing option information denoting services available for the call wherein the host computer is adapted to retrieve the processing option information from the service database to assist in call processing.

34. The system of claim 27 further comprising a service database having service data available to the call wherein the signaling processor is adapted to retrieve the service data from the service database to assist in call processing.

35. The system of claim 27 further comprising a service database having processing option information denoting services available for the call wherein the signaling processor is adapted to retrieve the processing option information from the service database to assist in call processing.

36. A system for providing an interface for a call between an asynchronous transfer mode system and a GR-303 system, the call having user communications and call signaling, the system comprising:

a service platform adapted to process the call with an interactive application;

a signaling processor adapted to exchange call signaling with the asynchronous transfer mode system, to process call signaling from GR-303 system and from the asynchronous transfer mode system, to select at least one of a connection for the call to the GR-303 system, the asynchronous transfer mode system, and the service platform, and to provide a control message that identifies the selected connection; and

an interworking unit adapted to exchange the call signaling between the GR-303 system and the signaling processor, to receive the control message from the signaling processor, and to interwork user communications between the GR-303 system, the asynchronous transfer mode system, and the service platform on the selected connection identified in the control message.

37. The system of claim 36 further comprising a cross connect adapted to receive the user communications from the interworking unit and to route the user communications on the selected connection.

38. The system of claim 36 wherein the selected connection comprises a selected virtual path identifier/virtual channel identifier.

39. The system of claim 36 further comprising a converter adapted to exchange the call signaling between the GR-303 system in the GR-303 format and the signaling processor in a format processable by the signaling processor.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein the converter is adapted to interwork the call signaling between the GR-303 format and a signaling system #7 format.

41. The system of claim 36 wherein the signaling processor is adapted to process the call signaling in a signaling system #7 format.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein the signaling processor is adapted to exchange the call signaling with the asynchronous transfer mode system in the signaling system #7 format.

43. The system of claim 36 wherein the service platform comprises a media processor adapted to receive the user communications and to process the user communications.

44. The system of claim 36 wherein the service platform comprises a host computer adapted to control the processing of the user communications in the service platform with the interactive application.

45. The system of claim 44 further comprising a service database adapted to store service data wherein the host computer is adapted to retrieve the service data from the service database to assist in call processing.

46. The system of claim 44 further comprising a service database having processing option information denoting services available for the call wherein the host computer is adapted to retrieve the processing option information from the service database to assist in call processing.

47. The system of claim 36 further comprising a service database having service data available to the call wherein the signaling processor is adapted to retrieve the service data from the service database to assist in call processing.

48. The system of claim 36 further comprising a service database having processing option information denoting services available for the call wherein the signaling processor is adapted to retrieve the processing option information from the service database to assist in call processing.

49. The system of claim 36 wherein the interworking unit is adapted to interwork the call signaling between the GR-303 format and the format processable by the signaling processor.

50. The system of claim 36 wherein the signaling processor is adapted to process the call signaling in a signaling system #7 format and wherein the interworking unit is adapted to interwork the call signaling between the GR-303 system in the GR-303 format and the signaling processor in the signaling system #7 format.