Method and apparatus for ATM address resolution

• US 7,075,931 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2001
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ericsson AB (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Mistry, Nalin, Li, Li, Morris, Todd Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Doris H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hyun, Soon D.
• Application Number:
  US09/832,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20010043604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,916 Days
• Field of Search: 370/392, 370/395.1, 370/389, 370/393, 370/396, 370/397, 370/399, 370/410, 370/465, 370/466, 370/467, 370/471, 370/474
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/563 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

In a generic, end-to-end address resolution methodology, destination addresses in one format are translated into local addresses of different formats for purposes of routing calls across a plurality of interconnected networks which use different address formats. Translation of addresses is accomplished through either database query or by conversion algorithm. To facilitate routing across a particular network, the signaling message of the call is repacked with the local address as the routing address. The original destination address is preserved and carried transparently across that network. The signaling message is then repacked with the destination address as the routing address. Bi-level addressing schemes are supported, so that a network-level destination address and user-level destination address may both be carried transparently across a particular network.

Claims

1. A method for routing a call across a first ATM network toward a second ATM network, each network having an addressing format, the addressing format of the first network being different from the addressing format of the second network, the call having an associated signaling message specifying a destination address in the second network, the method comprising the steps of:

translating the destination address into a local address in the addressing format of the first network;

repacking the signaling message with the local address as a routing address by demoting the destination address from a first signaling message parameter to a second signaling message parameter and inserting the local address into the first signaling message parameter;

routing the call through the first network using the local address; and

repacking the signaling message with the destination address as the routing address.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

forwarding the call toward the second network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of translating the destination address into a local address includes the substep of:

querying an address translation database populated with an address interface identifier pair to obtain the local address.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of translating the destination address into a local address includes the substep of:

querying an address translation database populated with an address interface identifier pair to obtain the local address, wherein the interface identifier pair specifies as the local address the address of an egress port in the first network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of translating the destination address into a local address includes the substep of:

querying an address translation database populated with an address interface identifier pair to obtain the local address, wherein the interface identifier pair specifies as the local address the address of an egress port in the first network and specifies the destination address, and wherein the local address corresponds to the destination address such that routing the call to the local address causes the call to be routed toward the second network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of translating the destination address into a local address includes the substep of:

applying a conversion algorithm to the destination address to obtain the local address.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of translating the destination address into a local address includes the substep of:

applying a conversion algorithm to the destination address to obtain the local address, wherein the local address corresponds to the destination address such that routing the call to the local address causes the call to be routed toward the second network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of routing the call through the first network includes the substep of:

carrying the destination address transparently across the first network.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the signaling message further specifies a destination address in an end system beyond the second network, and wherein the step of routing the call through the first network further includes the substep of:

carrying the end system destination address transparently across the first network.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the signaling message further specifies a destination address in an end system beyond the second network, wherein the destination address is a network address and the end system destination address is a user address, and wherein the step of routing the call through the first network further includes the substep of:

carrying the end system destination address transparently across the first network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of repacking the signaling message with the destination address includes the substeps of:

discarding the local address from the first signaling message parameter; and

promoting the destination address to the first signaling message parameter.

12. An apparatus for use in routing a call across a first ATM network toward a second ATM network, each network having an addressing format, the addressing format of the first network being different from the addressing format of the second network, the call having an associated signaling message specifying a destination address in the second network, the apparatus comprising:

an address resolution server for translating the destination address into a local address in the addressing format of the first network;

means for repacking the signaling message with the local address as a routing address by demoting the destination address from a first signaling message parameter to a second signaling message parameter and inserting the local address into the first signaling message parameter;

means for routing the call through the first network using the local address; and

means for repacking the signaling message with the destination address as the routing address.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

means for forwarding the call toward the second network.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the address resolution server includes:

means for querying an address translation database populated with an address interface identifier pair to obtain the local address.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the address resolution server includes:

means for querying an address translation database populated with an address interface identifier pair to obtain the local address, wherein the interface identifier pair specifies as the local address the address of an egress port in the first network.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the address resolution server includes:

means for querying an address translation database populated with an address interface identifier pair to obtain the local address, wherein the interface identifier pair specifies as the local address the address of an egress port in the first network, and wherein at least one interface identifier pair further specifies the destination address, the local address corresponding to the destination address such that routing the call to the local address causes the call to be routed toward the second network.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the address resolution server includes:

means for applying a conversion algorithm to the destination address to obtain the local address.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the address resolution server includes:

means for applying a conversion algorithm to the destination address to obtain the local address, wherein the local address corresponds to the destination address such that routing the call to the local address causes the call to be routed toward the second network.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the means for routing the call through the first network includes:

means for carrying the destination address transparently across the first network.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the signaling message further specifies a destination address in an end system beyond the second network, and wherein the means for routing the call through the first network further includes:

means for carrying the end system destination address transparently across the first network.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the signaling message further specifies a destination address in an end system beyond the second network, wherein the destination address is a network-level address and the end system destination address is a user-level address, and wherein the means for routing the call through the first network further includes:

means for carrying the end system destination address transparently across the first network.

22. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the means for repacking the signaling message with the destination address includes:

means for discarding the local address from the first signaling message parameter; and

means for promoting the destination address to the first signaling message parameter.

23. A communications network comprising:

a first ATM network interconnected to a second ATM network, each network having an addressing format, the addressing format of the first network being different from the addressing format of the second network, the first network handling a call having an associated signaling message specifying a destination address in the second network, the first network including;

an address resolution server for translating the destination address into a local address in the addressing format of the first network;

means for repacking the signaling message with the local address as a routing address by demoting the destination address from a first signaling message parameter to a second signaling message parameter and inserting the local address into the first signaling message parameter;

means for routing the call through the first network using the local address; and

means for repacking the signaling message with the destination address as the routing address.

24. The communications network of claim 23, further including:

means for forwarding the call toward the second network.

25. The communications network of claim 23, wherein the means for routing the call through the first network includes:

means for carrying the destination address transparently across the first network.

26. The communications network of claim 23, wherein the means for repacking the signaling message with the destination address includes:

means for discarding the local address from the first signaling message parameter; and

means for promoting the destination address to the first signaling message parameter.

27. A method for routing a call in a communications network, the communications network comprising a first ATM network interconnected to a second ATM network, each network having an addressing format, the addressing format of the first network being different from the addressing format of the second network, the first network handling a call having an associated signaling message specifying a destination address in the second network, the method comprising the steps of:

translating the destination address into a local address in the addressing format of the first network;

repacking the signaling message with the local address as a routing address by demoting the destination address from a first signaling message parameter to a second signaling message parameter and inserting the local address into the first signaling message parameter;

routing the call through the first network using the local address; and

repacking the signaling message with the destination address as the routing address.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of:

forwarding the call toward the second network.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of routing the call through the first network includes the substep of:

carrying the destination address transparently across the first network.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of repacking the signaling message with the destination address includes the substeps of:

discarding the local address from the first signaling message parameter; and

promoting the destination address to the first signaling message parameter.

31. A method for routing a call in a communications network, the communications network having a first ATM network interconnected to a second ATM network, each network having an addressing format, the addressing format of the first network being different from the addressing format of the second network, the first network handling a call having an associated signaling message specifying a destination address, the method comprising:

translating the destination address into a local address in the addressing format of the first ATM network;

repacking the signaling message with the local address as a routing address by storing the destination address as a second signaling message parameter and inserting the local address as a first signaling message parameter;

routing the call through the first ATM network using the local address; and

repacking the signaling message with the stored destination address as the routing address.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said storing further comprises pushing the destination address on to a stack.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said stack is a last in first out stack.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

removing the destination address from the stack.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

repacking the signaling message with the removed destination address.

36. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

carrying the destination address transparently across the first ATM network.

37. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

determining an additional local address in the addressing format of a third ATM network.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

repacking the signaling message with the additional local address; and

routing the call through the third ATM network using the additional local address, wherein the destination address is transparently carried through the third network.

39. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

popping the local address off the stack.

40. The method of claim 31, wherein said step of translating occurs at the egress side of the first network.

41. An apparatus for routing a call in a communications network, the communications network having a first ATM network interconnected to a second ATM network, each network having an addressing format, the addressing format of the first network being different from the addressing format of the second network, the first network handling a call having an associated signaling message specifying a destination address, the apparatus comprising:

an address resolution server for translating the destination address into a local address in the addressing format of the first ATM network;

means for repacking the signaling message with the local address as a routing address by storing the destination address as a second signaling message parameter and inserting the local address as a first signaling message parameter;

means for routing the call through the first ATM network using the local address; and

means for repacking the signaling message with the stored destination address as the routing address.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said means for repacking by storing further comprises means for pushing the destination address on to a stack.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein said stack is a last in first out stack.

44. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising:

means for removing the destination address from the stack.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, further comprising:

means for repacking the signaling message with the removed destination address.

46. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising:

means for carrying the destination address transparently across the first ATM network.

47. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising:

means for determining an additional local address in the addressing format of a third ATM network.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising:

means for repacking the signaling message with the additional local address; and

means for routing the call through the third ATM network using the additional local address, wherein the destination address is transparently carried through the third network.

49. The apparatus of claim 44, further comprising:

means for popping the local address off the stack.

50. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said address resolution server translates at the egress side of the first network.

51. A communications network, comprising:

a first ATM network interconnected to a second ATM network, each network having an addressing format, the addressing format of the first network being different from the addressing format of the second network, the first network handling a call having an associated signaling message specifying a destination address;

an address resolution server for translating the destination address into a local address in the addressing format of the first ATM network;

means for repacking the signaling message with the local address as a routing address by storing the destination address as a second signaling message parameter and inserting the local address as a first signaling message parameter;

means for routing the call through the first ATM network using the local address; and

means for repacking the signaling message with the stored destination address as the routing address.

52. The communications network of claim 51, wherein said means for repacking by storing further comprises means for pushing the destination address on to a stack.

53. The communications network of claim 52, wherein said stack is a last in first out stack.

54. The communications network of claim 52, further comprising:

means for removing the destination address from the stack.

55. The communications network of claim 54, further comprising:

means for repacking the signaling message with the removed destination address.

56. The communications network of claim 51, further comprising:

means for carrying the destination address transparently across the first ATM network.

57. The communications network of claim 51, further comprising:

means for determining an additional local address in the addressing format of a third ATM network.

58. The communications network of claim 57, further comprising:

means for repacking the signaling message with the additional local address; and

means for routing the call through the third ATM network using the additional local address, wherein the destination address is transparently carried through the third network.

59. The communications network of claim 54, further comprising:

means for popping the local address off the stack.

60. The communications network of claim 51, wherein said address resolution server translates at the egress side of the first network.