Signaling server for processing signaling information in a telecommunications network

• US 6,731,741 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2000
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Dubois, Gerry R., Doss, Dwight W., Fourcand, Serge F., Hanson, Gary D.
• Primary Examiner(s): BUI, BING Q
• Application Number:
  US09/539,917
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 370/395.3, 370/385, 370/467, 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 379/88.17, 379/221.08, 379/221.09, 379/221.1, 379/221.13, 379/230, 379/900
• US Class Current: 379/221.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/90 Internet, e.g. Internet phone, webphone, internet-based telephony

Abstract

A telecommunications network environment (10) includes a signaling server (20) accessible by maintenance interfaces (12) and network interfaces (14). The signaling server (20) includes a signaling link controller (83) that receives and processes signaling information received from network elements and other signaling servers. The signaling link controller (83) extracts a data portion of the signaling information for message transfer part level two processing. For additional processing, the data portion of the signaling information may be routed over an Ethernet switch (76) to another signaling link controller (83) or to a signaling services controller (99) for signaling connection control part processing. The signaling services control element (99) may perform local number portability lookup and global title translation on the received data portion. After processing, the signaling link controller (83) generates a return message in response to the signaling information.

Claims

1. A method of processing signaling information in a telecommunications network, comprising:

receiving signaling information from a signaling link;

extracting a data portion of the signaling information;

selecting one of a plurality of signaling services control elements in a round-robin fashion to perform further processing on the extracted data portion; and

routing the extracted data portion over an Ethernet switch for further processing.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing message transfer part level two processing on the extracted data portion.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

performing signaling connection control part processing on the extracted data portion.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining that the signaling information is for another node;

performing message transport part level three processing on the extracted data portion.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

performing a local number portability query on the extracted data portion.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

performing a global title translation process on the extracted data portion.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining whether the data portion is connectionless or connection-oriented.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

discarding the extracted data portion in response to a connection-oriented determination.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a return message in response to the processing.