System and method for interfacing a local communication device

• US 7,106,750 B1
• Filed: 10/20/1999
• Issued: 09/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: DuRee, Albert Daniel, Nelson, Tracy Lee, Wiley, William Lyle, Gardner, Michael Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang Bin
• Application Number:
  US09/421,718
• Time in Patent Office: 2,519 Days
• Field of Search: 370/395.1, 370/397, 370/399, 370/400, 370/401, 370/402, 370/403, 370/404, 370/405, 370/465, 370/466, 370/467, 379/219, 379/220.01, 379/230
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 2203/0066 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/563 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

A system to interworking a call between a plurality of networks having different formats. The system has a GR-303 system, an integrated services digital network system, a service platform, and an asynchronous transfer mode system. The system has a signaling processor that is adapted to receive the call signaling and to process the call signaling to select a connection to one of the GR-303 system, the integrated services digital network system, the service platform, or the asynchronous transfer mode system. The signaling processor thereby selects the corresponding system on the connection. The signaling processor transports a control message identifying the selected connection. An interworking unit receives the user communications and the control message. The interworking unit converts the user communications from the format in which it was received to the format that is compatible with the selected system. The user communications are then transported on the selected connection.

Claims

1. A call interface comprising:

an interworking unit configured to receive a setup message for a call, transfer the setup message to a signaling converter, receive communications for the call, and convert the communications for the call between a first communication format and a second communication format in response to a control message;

the signaling converter configured to receive the setup message for the call and convert the setup message between a first signaling format and a second signaling format;

the signaling processor coupled to the signaling converter and the interworking unit and configured to receive the setup message in the second signaling format and process the setup message to select a service for the call, generate the control message indicating the selected service, and transfer the control message indicating the selected service; and

a service platform coupled to the interworking unit and the signaling processor and configured to receive the control message and provide the selected service for the call.

2. The call interface of claim 1 wherein the first communication format and the first signaling format comprise ISDN.

3. The call interface of claim 1 wherein the frist communication format and the first signaling form a comprise GR-303.

4. The call interface of claim 1 wherein the first communication format comprises time division multiplexing.

5. The call interface of claim 1 wherein the first signaling format comprises B-ISDN.

6. The call interface of claim 1 wherein the first communication format comprises an electrical format and the second communication format comprises an optical format.

7. The call interface of claim 1 wherein the second signaling format comprises SS7.

8. The call interface of claim 1 wherein the second communication format comprises ATM.

9. The call interface of claim 1 wherein the signaling processor is configured to process the setup message to select an identifier for asynchronous communications and the interworking unit is configured to convert the communications for the call using the selected identifier.

10. The call interface of claim 1 wherein the signaling processor is configured to process the setup message to select a VPI/VCI and the interworking unit is configured to convert the communications for the call a DS0 and the selected VPI/VCI.

11. The call interface of claim 1 wherein the setup message comprises an initial address message.

12. A method of operating a call interface, the method comprising:

in an interworking unit, receiving a setup message and communications for a call, transferring the setup message to a signaling converter, and converting the communications between a first communication format and a second communication format in response to a control message;

in the signaling converter, converting the setup message for the call between a first signaling format and a second signaling format; and

in the signaling processor, receiving the setup message in the second signaling format from the signaling converter, processing the setup message to select a service for the call, generating the control message indicating the selected service, and transferring the control message indicating the selected service; and

,

in a service platform, receiving the control message and providing the selected service for the call.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the first communication format and the first signaling format comprise ISDN.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the first communication format and the first signaling format comprise GR-303.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the first communication format comprises time division multiplexing.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the first signaling format comprises B-ISDN.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the first communication format comprises an electrical format and the second communication format comprises an optical format.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the second signaling format comprises SS7.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the second communication format comprises ATM.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein processing the setup message further comprises selecting an identifier for asynchronous communications and converting the communications for the call further comprises using the selected identifier.

21. The method of claim 12 wherein processing the setup message further comprises selecting a VPI/VCI and converting the communications for the call further comprises converting between a DS0 and the selected VPI/VCI.

22. The method of claim 12 wherein processing the setup message further comprises processing an initial address message.