Method for improving the setup of telephone-to-telephone calls

• US 6,956,843 B1
• Filed: 11/11/1998
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Fjuk, Paul Torkil, Breivik, Øyvind
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, Blanche
• Application Number:
  US09/555,592
• Time in Patent Office: 2,533 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/237, 379/230
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1307 Call setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13298 Local loop systems, access network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13383 Hierarchy of switches, main and subexchange, e.g. satellite exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

Method for setting up telephone-to-telephone calls using telephones connected to a PSTN/ISDN access network and using a separate packet-switched network as a by-pass network, wherein telephone gateways (GW) provide bridges between the access network and the by-pass network, and connections are established between a calling party (A) telephone and a first gateway (GWa) and between a second gateway (GWb) and a called party (B) telephone. The method includes the steps of: dialing, by a calling party (A) in a one-step procedure, a by-pass network service prefix together with the number of a called party (B), wherein the by-pass network service prefix includes an IN-service prefix; and analyzing the by-pass network service prefix to identify the relevant IN service for thereby routing the call to an IN node which can execute the IN service, the IN service establishing a call to a first gateway (GWa) selected from one of a plurality of gateways (GW), whereby the first gateway is made service transparent to the calling party (A).

Claims

1. Method for setting up telephone-to-telephone calls using telephones connected to a PSTN/ISDN access network and using a separate packet-switched network as a by-pass network, wherein telephone gateways (GW) provide bridges between the PSTN/ISDN access network and said by-pass network, and connections being established between a calling party (A) telephone and a first gateway (GWa) and between a second gateway (GWb) and a called party (B) telephone, said method comprising the steps of:

dialing, by a calling party (A) in a one-step procedure, a by-pass network service prefix together with the number of a called party (B), said by-pass network service prefix comprising an IN-service prefix, and

analyzing said by-pass network service prefix to identify a relevant IN service for thereby routing the call to an IN node which can execute this IN service, the IN service establishing a call to said first gateway (GWa) selected from one of a plurality of gateways (GW), whereby said first gateway is made service transparent to the calling party (A), wherein a list of said gateways is stored in the IN network, as well as a list of respective IP-addresses and respective area code(s) associated with each of said gateways.

2. Method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said IN service is adapted to find the closest gateway (GW) by analyzing the calling party (A) number, each of said plurality of gateways being associated with geographic areas associated with calling party locations.

3. Method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

after the IN service has established the call to the first gateway (Gwa), including an associated gateway number (Gwa) as destination number in a call set-up message, as well as the calling party (A) number and the called party (B) number.

4. Method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

using the area code of the called party (B) number to find the IP-address of said second gateway (GWb).

5. Method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

including in a call set-up message towards the first gateway (GWa) the IP-address of the second gateway (GWb), so that the first gateway (GWa) can use the received second gateway (GWb) IP-address in the remaining call handling process.