System and method for connecting a call

• US 6,704,327 B1
• Filed: 05/09/1997
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BALL, HARLEY R. SPRINT COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY, L.P.
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Wiley, William Lyle, Gardner, Michael Joseph, DuRee, Albert Daniel, Christie, Joseph Michael, Nelson, Tracy Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): VANDERPUYE, KENNETH N
• Application Number:
  US08/853,843
• Time in Patent Office: 2,496 Days
• Field of Search: 370/465, 370/466, 370/467, 370/395.1, 370/384, 370/385, 370/396, 370/397, 370/401, 370/474, 379/350, 379/230, 379/229, 379/231
• US Class Current: 370/467
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

A system and method for connecting a call in an asynchronous transfer mode system remotely controls an interworking unit. A communication device transports user communications and call signaling for a call. A signaling processor processes the call signaling to determine a connection for the call. An interworking unit interworks the user communications from the format in which the user communications are received from the communication device to asynchronous transfer mode cells that identify the selected connection. A cross connect provisions a virtual path between the signaling processor and the interworking unit. The virtual path has signaling virtual path identifier/virtual channel identifier links. The signaling processor transports over the virtual path a control message that designates the selected connection. The interworking unit receives the control message and interworks the user communications to the asynchronous transfer mode cells that identify the selected connection.

Claims

1. A system for connecting a call having user communications and call signaling, the system comprising:

a signaling processor adapted to receive and process the call signaling to transfer a first control message using a protocol to assure delivery;

an interworking unit adapted to receive the user communications and the first control message and interwork and transfer the user communications in response to the first control message;

an asynchronous connection device adapted to receive the first control message from the signaling processor over a first link and transfer the first control message to the interworking unit over a second link;

wherein there is another call having other user communications and other call signaling and the signaling processor is adapted to receive and process the other call signaling to transfer a second control message using the protocol to assure delivery, and further comprising a second interworking unit adapted to receive the other user communications and the second control message and interwork and transfer the other user communications in response to the second control message.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first link comprises a first ATM VPI/VCI and the second link comprises a second ATM VPI/VCI.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first link and the second link comprise a first ATM VPI/VCI.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the interworking unit is adapted to receive and transfer the call signaling using the protocol to assure delivery.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the call signaling received by the interworking unit comprises in-band signaling.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the first control message comprises an ATM message.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the signaling processor is adapted to process the call signaling to select echo cancellation and indicate the echo cancellation in the first control message; and

the interworking unit is adapted to cancel echo from the user communications in response to the first control message.

8. A system for connecting a call having user communications and call signaling, the system comprising:

a signaling processor adapted to receive and process the call signaling to transfer a first control message using a protocol to assure delivery and to process the call signaling to select an identifier and indicate the identifier in the first control message;

an interworking unit adapted to receive the user communications and the first control message and interwork the user communications into an asynchronous format with the identifier in response to the first control message and transfer the user communications in response to the first control message; and

an asynchronous connection device adapted to transfer the first control message between the signaling processor and the interworking unit and transfer the user communications based on the identifier.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the identifier identifies an ATM connection.

10. A method for connecting a call having user communications and call signaling, the method comprising:

receiving and processing the call signaling in a signaling processor;

in response to the processing, transferring a first control message from the signaling processor using a protocol to assure delivery;

receiving the first control message into an asynchronous connection device from the signaling processor over a first link;

transferring the first control message from the asynchronous connection device to the interworking unit over a second link;

receiving the user communications and the first control message in an interworking unit;

interworking and transferring the user communications from the interworking unit in response to the first control message;

wherein there is another call having other user communications and other call signaling and further comprising;

receiving and processing the other call signaling in the signaling processor;

in response to the other processing, transferring a second control message from the signaling processor using the protocol to assure delivery;

receiving the other user communications and the second control message in a second interworking unit; and

interworking and transferring the other user communications from the second interworking unit in response to the third control message.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the first control message comprises an ATM message.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the first link comprises a first ATM VPI/VCI and the second link comprises a second ATM VPI/VCI.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the first link and the second link comprise a first ATM VPI/VCI.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving the call signaling into the interworking unit; and

transferring the call signaling from the interworking unit using the protocol to assure delivery.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein receiving the call signaling comprises receiving in-band signaling.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the identifier identifies an ATM connection.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein:

processing the call signaling comprises selecting echo cancellation and indicating the echo cancellation in the first control message; and

interworking the user communications comprises canceling echo from the user communications in response to the first control message.

18. A method for connecting a call having user communications and call signaling, the method comprising:

receiving and processing the call signaling to select an identifier in a signaling processor;

in response to the processing, transferring a first control message from the signaling processor using a protocol to assure delivery and indicating the identifier in the first control message;

transferring the first control message through an asynchronous connection device between the signaling processor and the interworking unit;

receiving the user communications and the first control message in an interworking unit;

interworking the user communications into an asynchronous format with the identifier in response to the first control message and transferring the user communications from the interworking unit in response to the first control message; and

transferring the user communications through the asynchronous connection device based on the identifier.