Method and system for transmitting messages in a communications network

• US 7,639,667 B1
• Filed: 12/21/2004
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ramalingam, Thiyagesan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar; Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duong; Duc T
• Application Number:
  US11/018,329
• Time in Patent Office: 1,834 Days
• Field of Search: 370351-356, 370/400, 370/401
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols

Abstract

A method and system for transmitting messages in a communications network is disclosed. A signaling gateway receives a message directed to a destination circuit. The signaling gateway is coupled to multiple voice gateways, including a destination voice gateway coupled to the destination circuit. The signaling gateway determines the destination voice gateway and sends the message to the destination voice gateway.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting a message in a communications network, comprising:

sending a message directed to a destination circuit of a plurality of circuits from a switch to a signal transfer point;

identifying a signaling gateway associated with the destination circuit;

determining a single point code corresponding to the signaling gateway; and

transferring the message from the signal transfer point to the signaling gateway, the signaling gateway coupled to a plurality of voice gateways, and operable to;

execute one or more message transfer parts to identify a voice gateway associated with the destination circuit, and send the message from the signal transfer point to the identified voice gateway; and

accommodate an additional voice gateway to the plurality of voice gateways, and download software from the signaling gateway to the additional voice gateway to reprogram the additional voice gateway.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the message directed to the destination circuit of the plurality of circuits from the switch to the signal transfer point further comprises:

verifying that the destination circuit is available; and

sending the message if the destination circuit is available.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating the message according to a Signaling System 7 (SS7) protocol.

4. The method of claim 1, the signaling gateway further operable to send the message by:

determining a voice gateway address of the identified voice gateway; and

appending a header to the message to direct the message to the voice gateway address.

5. A system for transmitting a message in a communications network, comprising:

a switch operable to send a message directed to a destination circuit of a plurality of circuits; and

a signal transfer point coupled to the switch, and operable to;

receive the message from the switch;

identify a signaling gateway associated with the destination circuit;

determine a single point code corresponding to the signaling gateway; and

transfer the message from the signal transfer point to the signaling gateway, the signaling gateway coupled to a plurality of voice gateways, and operable to;

execute one or more message transfer parts to identify a voice gateway associated with the destination circuit, and send the message from the signal transfer point to the identified voice gateway; and

accommodate an additional voice gateway to the plurality of voice gateways, and download software from the signaling gateway to the additional voice gateway to reprogram the additional voice gateway.

6. The system of claim 5, the switch further operable to send the message directed to the destination circuit of the plurality of circuits from the switch to the signal transfer point by:

verifying that the destination circuit is available; and

sending the message if the destination circuit is available.

7. The system of claim 5, the signal transfer point further operable to communicate the message according to a Signaling System 7 (SS7) protocol.

8. The system of claim 5, the signaling gateway further operable to send the message by:

determining a voice gateway address of the identified voice gateway; and

appending a header to the message to direct the message to the voice gateway address.

9. A system for transmitting a message in a communications network, comprising:

means for sending a message directed to a destination circuit of a plurality of circuits from a switch to a signal transfer point;

means for identifying a signaling gateway associated with the destination circuit;

means for determining a single point code corresponding to the signaling gateway; and

means for transferring the message from the signal transfer point to the signaling gateway, the signaling gateway coupled to a plurality of voice gateways, and operable to;

execute one or more message transfer parts to identify a voice gateway associated with the destination circuit, and send the message from the signal transfer point to the identified voice gateway; and

accommodate an additional voice gateway to the plurality of voice gateways, and download software from the signaling gateway to the additional voice gateway to reprogram the additional voice gateway.

10. A method for transmitting a message in a communications network, comprising:

sending a message directed to a destination circuit of a plurality of circuits from a switch to a signal transfer point, sending the message directed to the destination circuit of the plurality of circuits from the switch to the signal transfer point further comprising;

verifying that the destination circuit is available; and

sending the message if the destination circuit is available;

identifying a signaling gateway associated with the destination circuit;

communicating the message according to a Signaling System 7 (SS7) protocol;

determining a single point code corresponding to the signaling gateway; and

transferring the message from the signal transfer point to the signaling gateway, the signaling gateway coupled to a plurality of voice gateways, and operable to;

execute one or more message transfer parts to identify a voice gateway associated with the destination circuit, and send the message from the signal transfer point to the identified voice gateway by determining a voice gateway address of the identified voice gateway and by appending a header to the message to direct the message to the voice gateway address; and

accommodate an additional voice gateway to the plurality of voice gateways, and download software from the signaling gateway to the additional voice gateway to reprogram the additional voice gateway.

11. A system for transmitting a message in a communications network, comprising:

a plurality of voice gateways coupled to a plurality of circuits, a voice gateway of the plurality of voice gateways associated with a circuit of the plurality of circuits, a voice gateway operable to process a message to transmit the message to the circuit associated with the voice gateway; and

a signaling gateway coupled to the plurality of voice gateways, the signaling gateway corresponding to a single point code and associating the plurality of voice gateways to the single point code, the signaling gateway operable to;

receive a message directed to a destination circuit of the plurality of circuits, execute one or more message transfer parts to identify a voice gateway associated with the destination circuits, and send the message to the identified voice gateway; and

accommodate an additional voice gateway to the plurality of voice gateways, and download software to the additional voice gateway to reprogram the additional voice gateway.

12. The system of claim 11, the signaling gateway further operable to communicate the message according to a Signaling System 7 (SS7) protocol.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising a backup signaling gateway operable to perform the following if the signaling gateway fails to perform the following:

receive the message directed to the destination circuit of the plurality of circuits;

execute the one or more message transfer parts to identify the voice gateway associated with the destination circuit; and

send the message to the identified voice gateway.

14. A method for transmitting a message in a communications network, comprising:

receiving a message at a signaling gateway, the message directed to a destination circuit of a plurality of circuits, the signaling gateway coupled to a plurality of voice gateways, a voice gateway of the plurality of voice gateways associated with a circuit of the plurality of circuits, the signaling gateway corresponding to a single point code and associating the plurality of voice gateways to the single point code;

executing one or more message transfer parts to identify a voice gateway associated with the destination circuit;

sending the message to the identified voice gateway;

processing the message to transmit the message to the destination circuit;

accommodating an additional voice gateway to the plurality of voice gateways; and

downloading software from the signaling gateway to the additional voice gateway to reprogram the additional voice gateway.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising communicating the message according to a Signaling System 7 (SS7) protocol.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing a backup signaling gateway operable to perform the following if the signaling gateway fails to perform the following:

receiving the message directed to the destination circuit of the plurality of circuits;

executing the one or more message transfer parts to identify the voice gateway associated with the destination circuit; and

sending the message to the identified voice gateway.

17. A system for transmitting a message in a communications network, comprising:

means for receiving a message at a signaling gateway, the message directed to a destination circuit of a plurality of circuits, the signaling gateway coupled to a plurality of voice gateways, a voice gateway of the plurality of voice gateways associated with a circuit of the plurality of circuits, the signaling gateway corresponding to a single point code and associating the plurality of voice gateways to the single point code;

means for executing one or more message transfer parts to identify a voice gateway associated with the destination circuit;

means for sending the message to the identified voice gateway;

means for processing the message to transmit the message to the destination circuit;

means for accommodating an additional voice gateway to the plurality of voice gateways; and

means for downloading software from the signaling gateway to the additional voice gateway to reprogram the additional voice gateway.

18. A system for transmitting a message in a communications network, comprising:

a plurality of voice gateways coupled to a plurality of circuits, a voice gateway of the plurality of voice gateways associated with a circuit of the plurality of circuits, a voice gateway operable to process a message to transmit the message to the circuit associated with the voice gateway;

a signaling gateway coupled to the plurality of voice gateways, the signaling gateway corresponding to a single point code and associating the plurality of voice gateways to the single point code, the signaling gateway operable to;

receive a message directed to a destination circuit of the plurality of circuits;

communicate the message according to a Signaling System 7 (SS7) protocol;

execute one or more message transfer parts to identify a voice gateway associated with the destination circuit;

send the message to the identified voice gateway;

accommodate an additional voice gateway to the plurality of voice gateways; and

download software to the additional voice gateway to reprogram the additional voice gateway; and

a backup signaling gateway operable to perform the following if the signaling gateway fails to perform the following;

receive the message directed to the destination circuit of the plurality of circuits;

execute the one or more message transfer parts to identify the voice gateway associated with the destination circuit; and

send the message to the identified voice gateway.