System and method for connecting a call with an interworking system

• US 6,747,975 B1
• Filed: 09/25/2002
• Issued: 06/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Howell, Royal Dean, Wiley, William Lyle
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanderpuye, Kenneth
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pizarro, Ricardo M.
• Application Number:
  US10/254,959
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 370/395.1, 370/395.2, 370/395.21, 370/395.5, 370/395.6, 370/395.63, 370/465, 370/389, 370/464, 370/335, 370/522, 370/396, 370/472, 370/351, 370/352, 370/392, 370/410, 375/241, 375/242, 375/240
• US Class Current: 370/395.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5601 Transfer mode dependent, e.g. ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/561 Star, e.g. cross-connect, concentrator, subscriber group equipment, remote electronics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5618 Bridges, gateways [GW] or interworking units [IWU]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5629 Admission control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/563 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model

Abstract

An interworking system and method connects calls through the use of an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch and interworking units. The ATM switch and interworking units may either be controlled by a signaling processor or not controlled by the signaling processor for particular calls to make connections. In some instances the signaling processor processes call signaling to determine connections for calls and transports control messages to the ATM switch and the interworking unit identifying the connections. The interworking unit interworks user communications from time division multiplex (TDM) formats to ATM for the selected ATM connections, and the ATM switch cross connects the user communications for the other selected ATM connections. In other instances, either of the ATM switch or the interworking unit may automatically cross connect or interwork the user connections to a connection without receiving a control message from the signaling processor that identifies the connection.

Claims

1. An interworking system for connecting a call having user communications and call signaling comprising:

an interworking unit configured to receive a first control message from a signaling processor wherein the first control message indicates digital signaling processing requirements for the call, receive the user communications, interwork the user communications between a time division multiplex connection and an asynchronous transfer mode connection, and apply digital signaling processing to the user communications based on the first control message;

an asynchronous transfer mode switch configured to receive a second control message from the signaling processor wherein the second control message indicates an outgoing connection and receive and switch the user communications from the asynchronous transfer mode connection from the interworking unit to the outbound connection based on the second control message; and

a service platform configured to receive a third control message from the signaling processor wherein the third control message indicates an enhanced service to apply for the call and provide the enhanced service to the user communications for the call based on the third control message, wherein the enhanced service comprises voice recognition or tone detection.

2. The interworking system of claim 1 wherein the enhanced service comprises messaging.

3. The interworking system of claim 1 wherein the enhanced service comprises mail boxes.

4. The interworking system of claim 1 wherein the enhanced service comprises the voice recognition.

5. The interworking system of claim 1 wherein the enhanced service comprises conference bridging.

6. The interworking system of claim 1 wherein the enhanced service comprises calling card processing.

7. The interworking system of claim 1 wherein the enhanced service comprises menu routing.

8. The interworking system of claim 1 wherein the enhanced service comprises N00 servicing.

9. The interworking system of claim 1 wherein the enhanced service comprises the tone detection.

10. The interworking system of claim 1 wherein the enhanced service comprises call forwarding.

11. The interworking system of claim 1 wherein the service platform is further configured to transmit processing results from the enhanced service to the signaling processor.

12. The interworking system of claim 1 wherein the digital signal processing comprises echo cancellation.

13. The interworking system of claim 1 wherein the outbound connection comprises another asynchronous transfer mode connection.

14. The interworking system of claim 1 wherein the asynchronous transfer mode switch is further configured to interwork the user communications between another time division multiplex connection and another asynchronous transfer mode connection.

15. The interworking system of claim 1 wherein the interworking unit comprises an echo canceler adapted to cancel the echo for the user communications.

16. The interworking system of claim 2 further comprising a voice response until configured to provide voice responses to a caller.

17. A method of operating an interworking system for connecting a call having user communications and call signaling, the method comprising:

receiving a first control message from a signaling processor into an interworking unit wherein the first control message indicates digital signaling processing requirements for the call;

receiving the user communications into the interworking unit;

in the interworking unit, interworking the user communications between a time division multiplex connection and an asynchronous transfer mode connection,

in the interworking unit, applying digital signaling processing to the user communications based on the first control message;

receiving a second control message from the signaling processor into an asynchronous transfer mode switch wherein the second control message indicates an outgoing connection;

receiving and switching the user communications from the asynchronous transfer mode connection from the interworking unit to the outbound connection based on the second control message;

receiving a third control message from the signaling processor into a service platform wherein the third control message indicates an enhanced service to apply for the call; and

in the service platform, providing the enhanced service to the user communications for the call based on the third control message, wherein the enhanced service comprises voice recognition or tone detection.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the enhanced service comprises messaging.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the enhanced service comprises mail boxes.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the enhanced service comprises the voice recognition.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the enhanced service comprises conference bridging.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the enhanced service comprises calling card processing.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein the enhanced service comprises menu routing.

24. The method of claim 17 wherein the enhanced service comprises N00 servicing.

25. The method of claim 17 wherein the enhanced service comprises the tone detection.

26. The method of claim 17 wherein the enhanced service comprises call forwarding.

27. The method of claim 17 wherein the service platform is further configured to transmit processing results from the enhanced service to the signaling processor.

28. The method of claim 17 wherein the digital signal processing comprises echo cancellation.

29. The method of claim 17 wherein the outbound connection comprises another asynchronous transfer mode connection.

30. The method of claim 17 futher comprising:

in the asynchronous transfer mode switch, interworking the user communications between another time division multiplex connection and another asynchronous transfer mode connection.

31. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

canceling the echo for the user communications in the interworking unit.

32. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

in a voice response unit, providing voice responses to a caller.