Packet switching dialing plan interface to/from PSTN networks

• US 7,477,734 B1
• Filed: 11/04/2003
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Smith, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Quynh H
• Application Number:
  US10/701,716
• Time in Patent Office: 1,897 Days
• Field of Search: 379/220.01, 379/221.01, 379/221.13, 379/219, 370/352, 370/353, 370/354
• US Class Current: 379/220.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for accessing a packet node or device through a circuit-switched network. Circuit-switched technology, such as local number portability techniques, and packet-switching technology, such as soft switches, are integrated in a network. As such, calls may originate from a circuit-switched network and terminate in a packet-switched network.

Claims

1. A method of routing comprising the steps of:

receiving call information for a call associated with a ported number in a circuit-switch device, the call information representing a dialed number;

performing a query in response to receiving the call information;

receiving a routing number in response to performing the query;

terminating the call at a softswitch-compliant gateway;

forwarding the call to a softswitch;

receiving the call and querying a database using the dialed number to determine a network address associated with a packet-switch device; and

forwarding the call from the softswitch server to the packet-switch device using the determined network address.

2. A method of routing as set forth in claim 1, wherein the query is performed on a Service Control Point (SCP) database.

3. A method of routing as set forth in claim 1, wherein the routing number is a location routing number.

4. A method of routing as set forth in claim 1, wherein the packet-switch device is Session Initiation Protocol compliant.

5. A method of routing as set forth in claim 1, wherein the packet-switch device is H.323 compliant.

6. A method of routing as set forth in claim 1, wherein the packet-switch device is a packet gateway.

7. A method of routing as set forth in claim 1, wherein the packet-switch device is a packet telephone.

8. A method of routing as set forth in claim 1, wherein the packet-switch device is a PSTN switch with an interface to a packet network.

9. A method of operating a network comprising the steps of:

receiving call information representing a call, the call information originating from a circuit-switch, the call information comprising a dialed number and a location routing number;

terminating the call at a softswitch-compliant gateway in response to the location routing number;

forwarding the call to a softswitch;

translating the call in the softswitch in response to forwarding the call and in response to the dialed number; and

switching the call to a network address associated with the dialed number, the network address associated with a packet-switch device.

10. A method of operating a network as set forth in claim 9, wherein the network address is associated with a Session Initiation Protocol compliant device.

11. A method of operating a network as set forth in claim 9, wherein the network address is associated with an H.248 compliant device.

12. A method of operating a network as set forth in claim 9, wherein the network address is associated with an H.323 compliant device.

13. A method of operating a network comprising the steps of:

translating a dialed number associated with a call to a local routing number at a circuit-switch;

switching the call at the circuit-switch in response to translating the dialed number;

terminating the call at a softswitch-compliant gateway in response to switching the call and in response to the local routing number;

forwarding the call to a softswitch; and

translating the dialed number to a network address in the softswitch in response to forwarding the call to the softswitch, the network address identifying a packet-switch device.

14. A method of operating a network as set forth in claim 13, wherein the packet-switch device is a Session Initiation Protocol compliant packet switch device.

15. A method of operating a network as set forth in claim 13, wherein the network address is an Internet protocol compliant address.

16. A system comprising:

means for receiving call information for a call associated with a ported number in a circuit-switch device, the call information representing a dialed number;

means for performing a query in response to receiving the call information;

means for receiving a routing number in response to performing the query;

means for terminating the call at a softswitch-compliant gateway;

means for forwarding the call to a softswitch;

means for receiving the call and querying a database using the dialed number to determine a network address associated with a packet-switch device; and

means for forwarding the call from the softswitch server to the packet-switch device using the determined network address.

17. A system comprising:

means for receiving call information representing a call, the call information originating from a circuit-switch, the call information comprising a dialed number and a location routing number;

means for terminating the call at a softswitch-compliant gateway in response to the location routing number;

means for forwarding the call to a softswitch;

means for translating the call in the softswitch in response to forwarding the call and in response to the dialed number; and

means for switching the call to a network address associated with the dialed number, the network address associated with a packet-switch device.

18. A system comprising:

means for translating a dialed number associated with a call to a local routing number at a circuit-switch;

means for switching the call at the circuit-switch in response to translating the dialed number;

means for terminating the call at a softswitch-compliant gateway in response to switching the call and in response to the local routing number;

means for forwarding the call to a softswitch; and

means for translating the dialed number to a network address in the softswitch in response to forwarding the call to the softswitch, the network address identifying a packet-switch device.