Intelligent network and method for providing voice telephony over ATM and alias addressing

• US 7,106,748 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2001
• Issued: 09/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Gallant, John K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARK, JUNG H
• Application Number:
  US09/768,070
• Publication Number:
  US 20020057693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,059 Days
• Field of Search: 370/395.1, 370/255, 370/388, 370/397, 370/395.51, 370/395.61, 370/352, 370/392, 370/401, 370/410, 370/395, 370/407, 370/465, 379/219, 709/224, 709/238
• US Class Current: 370/395.61
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5601 Transfer mode dependent, e.g. ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5615 Network termination, e.g. NT1, NT2, PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/563 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5642 Multicast/broadcast/point-multipoint, e.g. VOD
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5663 Support of N-ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5671 Support of voice
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5687 Security aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6481 Speech, voice
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/203 ATM switching fabrics with multicast or broadcast capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/255 Control mechanisms for ATM switching fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3081 ATM peripheral units, e.g. policing, insertion or extraction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1095 Inter-network session transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2044 Group features, e.g. closed user group
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5009 Adding a party to an existing conference
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/35 : virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 : Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42187 : Lines and connections with preferential service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 : Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 : Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 : Provisions for broadband connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 : A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 : Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13102 : Common translator
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 : Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 : Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13242 : Broadcast, diffusion, multicast, point-to-multipoint (1 : N)
• 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 2213/13345 : Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13348 : Channel/line reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 : Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 : involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0066 : Bandwidth allocation or management

Abstract

An illustrative intelligent network and method for providing voice telephony over ATM and alias addressing are provided that can provide significant advantages. The intelligent network includes a multi-service control point, an ATM signaling intercept processor, and a service administration. The multi-service control point receives an input extracted from an input ATM setup message that includes a called party phone number value and a VToA designator, and generates an alias ATM address of a called party CPE that corresponds to a network gateway in communication with a PSTN switch through a plurality of trunk lines and a desired trunk line of the plurality of trunk lines. The multi-service control point generates an output in response that will be used to generate an output ATM setup message that includes the alias ATM address. The ATM signaling intercept processor intercepts the input ATM setup message from an ingress ATM edge switch of the ATM network, extracts the input from the input ATM setup message, communicates the input to the multi-service control point, receives the output generated by the multi-service control point, generates the output ATM setup message using the output, and communicates the output ATM setup message to the ingress ATM edge switch of the ATM network. The service administration provisions the multi-service control point and the ATM signaling intercept processor. An illustrative method for providing VToA and alias addressing is also provided.

Claims

1. An intelligent network for use with an ATM network to set up an ATM switched virtual circuit to provide VToA services and alias addressing, the intelligent network comprising:

a multi-service control point operable to receive an input extracted from an input ATM setup message that includes a called party phone number value and a VToA designator, generate an alias ATM address of a called party CPE that corresponds to a network gateway in communication with a PSTN switch through a plurality of trunk lines and a desired trunk line of the plurality of trunk lines, and generate an output in response for use in generating an output ATM setup message;

an ATM signaling intercept processor operable to intercept the input ATM setup message from an ingress ATM edge switch of the ATM network, extract the input from the input ATM setup message, communicate the input to the multi-service control point, receive the output generated by the multi-service control point, generate the output ATM setup message using the output that includes the alias ATM address, and communicate the output ATM setup message to the ingress ATM edge switch of the ATM network; and

a service administration operable to provision the multi-service control point and the ATM signaling intercept processor.

2. The intelligent network of claim 1, wherein the input includes a calling party phone number value.

3. The intelligent network of claim 2, wherein the input includes an ATM address of the calling party CPE.

4. The intelligent network of claim 3, wherein the called party phone number value is stored in a called party subaddress parameter of the input ATM setup message, the VToA designator is stored in a called party number parameter of the input ATM setup message, the calling party phone number value is stored in a calling party subaddress parameter of the input ATM setup message, and the ATM address of the calling party CPE is stored in a calling party number parameter of the input ATM setup message.

5. The intelligent network of claim 1, wherein the called party phone number value is stored in the called party subaddress parameter of the input ATM setup message, the VToA designator is stored in the called party number parameter of the input ATM setup message.

6. The intelligent network of claim 1, wherein the output includes the alias ATM address of the called party CPE that corresponds to the network gateway and desired trunk line of the plurality of trunk lines.

7. The intelligent network of claim 6, wherein the called party phone number value is stored in the called party subaddress parameter of the output ATM setup message, the alias ATM address of the called party CPE that corresponds to the network gateway and a desired trunk line of the plurality of trunk lines is stored in the called party number parameter of the output ATM setup message, the calling party phone number value is stored in the calling party subaddress parameter of the output ATM setup message, and the ATM address of the calling party CPE is stored in the calling party number parameter of the output ATM setup message.

8. The intelligent network of claim 1, wherein the multi-service control point determines if the input ATM setup message requests a SVC for VToA by analyzing the VToA designator portion of the input.

9. The intelligent network of claim 1, wherein the multi-service control point is operable to receive an input extracted from an input ATM release message and to generate an output in response for use in generating an output ATM release message, and wherein the ATM signaling intercept processor operable to intercept the input ATM release message from an ingress ATM edge switch of the ATM network, to extract the input from the input ATM release message, to communicate the input to the multiservice control point, to receive the output generated by the multi-service control point, to generate the output ATM release message using the output, and communicate the output ATM signaling message to the ingress ATM edge switch of the ATM network.

10. The intelligent network of claim 1, wherein the ATM edge switch receives the input ATM setup message from an enterprise gateway.

11. The intelligent network of claim 1, wherein the multi-service control point is operable to determine if the called party phone number value is valid, and wherein the input ATM setup message is rejected if the called party phone number value is not valid.

12. The intelligent network of claim 1, further comprising:

a second multi-service control point operable to receive an egress input extracted from the output ATM setup message that includes the called party phone number value, and generate an egress output in response,

a second ATM signaling intercept processor operable to intercept the output ATM setup message from an egress ATM edge switch of the ATM network, extract the egress input from the output ATM setup message, communicate the egress input to the second multi-service control point, receive the egress output generated by the multi-service control point, generate an ATM setup message using the egress output, and communicate the ATM setup message to the egress ATM edge switch of the ATM network, and wherein the service administration is operable to provision the second multi-service control point and the second ATM signaling intercept processor.

13. The intelligent network of claim 12, wherein the second multi-service control point and the multiservice control point are the same multi-service control point.

14. An ATM telecommunications network with an intelligent network for providing VToA services and alias addressing using an ATM switched virtual circuit, the ATM telecommunications network comprising:

an ingress CPE operable to generate an input ATM setup message;

an egress CPE in communication with a PSTN switch through a plurality of trunk lines, the egress CPE operable to receive an ATM setup message and to select one of the plurality of trunk lines based on the ATM setup message to use to communicate with the PSTN switch;

an ATM network operable to communicate ATM cells and ATM messages;

an ingress ATM edge switch in communication with the ATM network and the ingress CPE, the ingress ATM edge switch operable to receive the input ATM setup message from the ingress CPE and to communicate an output ATM setup message to the ATM network;

an egress ATM edge switch in communication with the ATM network and the egress CPE, the egress ATM edge switch operable to receive the output ATM setup message from the ATM network and to communicate an ATM setup message to the egress CPE;

an intelligent network that includes;

a multi-service control point operable to receive the input extracted from the input ATM setup message that includes a called party phone number value and a VToA designator, generate an alias ATM address of a called party CPE that corresponds to a network gateway in communication with a PSTN switch through a plurality of trunk lines and a desired trunk line of the plurality of trunk lines, and generate an output that includes the alias ATM address in response for use in generating an output ATM setup message,

an ATM signaling intercept processor operable to intercept the input ATM setup message from the ingress ATM edge switch, extract the, input from the input ATM setup message, communicate the input to the multi-service control point, receive the output generated by the multi-service control point, generate the output ATM setup message using the output, and communicate the output ATM setup message to the ingress ATM edge switch of the ATM network,

a second multi-service control point operable to receive an egress input extracted from the output ATM setup message that includes the called party phone number value, and generate an egress output in response,

a second ATM signaling intercept processor operable to intercept the output ATM setup message from the egress ATM edge switch of the ATM network, extract the egress input from the output ATM setup message, communicate the egress input to the second multi-service control point, receive the egress output generated by the multi-service control point, generate an ATM setup message using the output, and communicate the ATM setup message to the egress ATM edge switch of the ATM network,

a service administration operable to provision the multi-service control point, the ATM signaling intercept processor, the second multi-service control point and the second ATM signaling intercept processor.

15. The ATM telecommunications network of claim 14, wherein the input includes a calling party phone number value and an ATM address of the calling party CPE, and wherein the called party phone number value is stored in a called party subaddress parameter of the input ATM setup message, the VToA designator is stored in a called party number parameter of the input ATM setup message, the calling party phone number value is stored in a calling party subaddress parameter of the input ATM setup message, and the ATM address of the calling party CPE is stored in a calling party number parameter of the input ATM setup message.

16. The ATM telecommunications network of claim 15, wherein the called party phone number value is stored in a called party subaddress parameter of the output ATM setup message, the alias ATM address of the called party CPE that corresponds to the network gateway and a desired trunk line of the plurality of trunk lines is stored in a called party number parameter of the output ATM setup message, the calling party phone number value is stored in a calling party subaddress parameter of the output ATM setup message, and the ATM address of the calling party CPE is stored—

in a calling party number parameter of the output ATM setup message.

17. A method for providing VToA and alias addressing using an intelligent network and a switched virtual circuit over an ATM network, the method comprising:

intercepting an input ATM setup message from an ingress ATM edge switch of the ATM network;

extracting information from the input ATM setup message;

analyzing the information to determine if the input ATM setup message is a request to set up a SVC for VToA;

generating an alias ATM address of a called party CPE that corresponds to a network gateway in communication with a PSTN switch through a plurality of trunk lines and a designated trunk line of the plurality of trunk lines;

generating an output ATM setup message that includes the alias ATM address of the called party CPE that corresponds to the network gateway and a designated trunk line of the plurality of trunk lines; and

communicating the output ATM setup message to the ingress ATM edge switch of the ATM network.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein analyzing the information to determine if the input ATM setup message is a request to set up a SVC for VToA further includes processing the information to provide VToA services.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein generating an alias ATM address includes using a called party number of the information extracted from the input ATM setup message.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein generating an alias ATM address includes using a called party number and a calling party number of the information extracted from the input ATM setup message.

21. A method for providing VToA and alias addressing using an intelligent network and a switched virtual circuit over an ATM network, the method comprising:

receiving a request at an ingress CPE to make a VToA call that includes a called party phone number value;

generating an input ATM setup message at the CPE that includes the called party phone number and a VToA designator stored in a designated parameter of the input ATM setup message;

receiving the input ATM setup message at a device side of an ingress ATM edge switch of the ATM network;

intercepting the input ATM setup message from the device side of the ingress ATM edge switch of the ATM network;

extracting information from the input ATM setup message that includes the VToA designator and the called party phone number;

analyzing the information to determine if the VToA designator is present;

generating an alias ATM address of a called party CPE that corresponds to a network gateway in communication with a PSTN switch through a plurality of trunk lines and a designated trunk line of the plurality of trunk lines using the called party phone number;

generating an output ATM setup message that includes the alias ATM address of the called party CPE that corresponds to the network gateway and the designated trunk line of the plurality of trunk lines and the called party phone number;

communicating the output ATM setup message to a network side of the ingress ATM edge switch of the ATM network;

receiving the output ATM setup message at a network side of an egress ATM edge switch;

intercepting the output ATM setup message from the network side of the egress ATM edge switch of the ATM network;

extracting egress information from the output ATM setup message that includes the alias ATM address of the called party CPE that corresponds to the network gateway and a desired trunk line of the plurality of trunk lines;

communicating the output ATM setup message to a device side of the egress ATM edge switch; and

communicating the output ATM setup message to the called party CPE.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein generating an input ATM setup message at the CPE includes storing the VToA designator in the called party address parameter and storing the called party phone number value in the called party subaddress parameter.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein generating an output ATM setup message includes storing the alias ATM address of the called party CPE that corresponds to the network gateway and the designated trunk line of the plurality of trunk lines in the called party address parameter and storing the called party phone number value stored in the called party subaddress.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

processing the information to provide VToA services after analyzing the information to determine if the VToA designator is present.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein generating an alias ATM address includes using the called party number and the calling party number of the information extracted from the input ATM setup message.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

selecting one of the plurality of trunk lines at the called party CPE to establish communications between the network gateway and the PSTN switch based on the alias ATM address.