System for managing telecommunications

• US 7,085,362 B1
• Filed: 03/25/1999
• Issued: 08/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Christie, Joseph Michael, Wiley, William Lyle, Bahl, Manu Chand, Duree, Albert Daniel, Gardner, Michael Joseph, Sbisa, Daniel Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu, Benny Quoc
• Application Number:
  US09/276,042
• Time in Patent Office: 2,686 Days
• Field of Search: 379/207.02, 379/219, 379/220.01, 379/111, 379/112.01, 379/127.01, 379/127.02, 379/201.01, 379/207.07, 379/91.01, 379/93.02, 379/93.03, 379/188, 379/196, 379/200, 379/114.24, 379/127.06, 379133-134, 379/145
• US Class Current: 379/200
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/125 One of the channel pulses or the synchronisation pulse is also used for transmitting monitoring or supervisory signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/247 ATM or packet multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/561 Star, e.g. cross-connect, concentrator, subscriber group equipment, remote electronics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5619 Network Node Interface, e.g. tandem connections, transit switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5626 Network management, e.g. Intelligent nets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/563 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5672 Multiplexing, e.g. coding, scrambling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/205 Quality of Service based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/253 using establishment or release of connections between ports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/254 Centralised controller, i.e. arbitration or scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/255 Control mechanisms for ATM switching fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3009 Header conversion, routing tables or routing tags
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3081 ATM peripheral units, e.g. policing, insertion or extraction
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13102 Common translator
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13104 Central control, computer control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1313 Metering, billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1329 Asynchronous transfer mode, ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13296 Packet switching, X.25, frame relay
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13375 : Electronic mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1338 : Inter-exchange connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13513 : UPT - personal as opposed to terminal mobility, inc. number portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13531 : virtual networks - inc. PVN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 : Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 : Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

The invention includes a system for processing telecommunications signaling. Signaling for a call is received into a signaling processor. The signaling processor processes the call and generates new signaling incorporating the processing. The new signaling is transferred to network elements as appropriate. The signaling processor is not coupled to a switch matrix and only communicates with the network elements over signaling links.

Claims

1. A method of operating a call processing system to handle a call placed to a called telephone number from a caller having a caller telephone number, the method comprising:

receiving call set-up signaling for the call;

processing the called telephone number from the call set-up signaling to determine if the called telephone number is a toll-free number;

if the called telephone number is not the toll-free number, then checking the caller telephone number in a validation table to determine if the call should be allowed;

if the call should be allowed based on the validation table, then processing the called telephone number to select a route for the call;

if the called telephone number is the toll-free number, then processing the called telephone number to select the route for the call without checking the caller telephone number in the validation table;

after selecting the route for the call, generating and transferring a message indicating the route selected for the call.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the set-up signaling comprises a Signaling System #7 Initial Address Message.