Methods and apparatus for interoperating communication networks

• US 7,702,091 B1
• Filed: 12/11/2002
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Services Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Goodman, William D., Jones, Douglas R.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HANH N
• Application Number:
  US10/316,426
• Time in Patent Office: 2,687 Days
• Field of Search: 379/210.02, 379/201.11, 379/88.23, 379/88.01, 379/93.01, 379/93.04, 379/219, 379/230, 379/90.01, 379/93.09, 379/100.15, 379/142.07, 379/211.02, 370/352, 370/390, 370/389, 370/401, 370/400, 370/356, 370/351, 370/230, 455/500, 455/503
• US Class Current: 379/221.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 Interworking of session control protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems

Abstract

PSTN functionality is enhanced by the addition of an external service bridging device (ESBD) between one or more devices, e.g., signal switching points (SSPs), and a service control point (SCP). The ESBD serves as a coupling device to one or more control devices, e.g., other SCPs or IP servers, in addition to the SCP. To support the passing of messages between the SS7 network and the control devices, the ESBD includes message reformatting capabilities. The ESBD monitors for messages directed to SCPs and/or replies to messages directed to an SCP. In response to detecting a message the ESBD checks to determine if the detected message is to be processed or simply forwarded to the SCP. Messages to be processed are intercepted, duplicated, modified, replaced, broadcast, redirected, etc. Replies to broadcast query messages are detected and processed so that a single reply, in the format of an SCP response, is returned.

Claims

1. A method of providing enhanced telephone network capabilities, the method comprising:

operating a device including a processor for monitoring a communications link to detect query messages directed to a service control point;

in response to detecting a query message to the service control point, determining if said detected query message is to be transmitted to another control device; and

transmitting said detected query message to said another control device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting at least one detected query message to said another control device includes:

transmitting said at least one detected query message to another service control point.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting at least one detected query message to said another control device includes:

transmitting said at least one detected query message to multiple control devices.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein transmitting said at least one detected query message to multiple control devices includes transmitting said at least one message to said service control point in addition to at least one other control device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring said communications link to detect a reply to a message originally directed to the service control point; and

reformatting at least one detected reply from a device other than the service control point to make it appear like a reply from said service control point.

6. A method of providing enhanced telephone network capabilities, the method comprising:

operating a device including a processor for monitoring a communications link to detect query messages directed to a service control point;

in response to detecting a query message to the service control point, determining if said detected query message is to be transmitted to another control device;

transmitting said detected query message to said another control device; and

reformatting said detected query message prior to transmitting it to said another control device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said another control device is an IP based server.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said reformatting includes converting said at least one detected query message from an SS7 format to an IP format.

9. A method of providing enhanced telephone network capabilities, the method comprising:

monitoring a communications link to detect query messages directed to a service control point;

in response to detecting a query message to the service control point, determining if said detected query message is to be transmitted to another control device;

transmitting said detected query message to said another control device,

monitoring said communications link to detect a reply to a message originally directed to the service control point;

reformatting at least one detected reply from a device other than the service control point to make it appear like a reply from said service control point; and

temporarily suspending processing of at least one detected reply to a broadcast message.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

discarding all but one detected reply to said broadcast message.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein discarding all but one detected reply to said broadcast message includes discarding a reply received from said service control point.

12. A method of providing a communications service, comprising:

operating a device including a processor for monitoring a communications link coupled to a first device to detect replies to a broadcast message directed to multiple devices, including a service control point;

in response to detecting a first reply to said broadcast message, temporarily suspending processing of said first reply; and

resuming said processing of said first reply.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein resuming processing of said first reply includes:

forwarding said first reply to said first device in the absence of receiving any other replies to said broadcast message prior to resuming processing of said first reply.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving at least one additional reply to said broadcast message before resuming processing of said first reply; and

discarding all but one of the replies to said broadcast message.

15. The method of claim 14,

wherein at least one of the received replies to said broadcast message is from said service control point;

and

wherein the step of discarding all but one of the replies includes discarding the reply from said service control point.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

reformatting the one of the replies which is not discarded to appear as though it is from said service control point; and

forwarding said reformatted reply to said first device.

17. A method of providing a communications service, the method comprising:

operating a device including a processor for monitoring an SS7 communications link to detect messages of at least one of a first type and a second type, the first type of message being a message directed to a service control point, the second type of message being a reply to the message of the first type;

modifying the content of one said detected message of the first message type; and

forwarding the modified message to the service control point.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

transmitting a reply to the modified query message received from the service control point to a signal switching point from which said at least one detected message originated.

19. A method of providing a communication service, the method comprising:

operating a device including a processor for monitoring a communications link between a telephone switch and a first service control point to detect a query message seeking call processing information from the first service control point; and

in response to detecting said query message, performing a query message multicast operation.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the query message multicast operation includes transmitting said query message to at least one control device in addition to said service control point.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said at least one control device is an IP server, said step of transmitting said query message to said IP server including converting said query message from an SS7 format to an IP format.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving multiple replies in response to said multicast query message; and

selecting one of said replies to be returned to said telephone switch.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

formatting the selected one of said replies so that the reply is in the same format as a reply from the service control point.

24. A method of providing a communication service, the method comprising:

operating a device including a processor for monitoring a communications link between a telephone switch and a first service control point to detect a query message seeking call processing information from the first service control point; and

in response to detecting said query message, performing a query message multicast operation including transmitting said query message to at least one control device in addition to said service control point;

wherein said at least one control device is an IP server, said step of transmitting said query message to said IP server including converting said query message from an SS7 format to an IP format;

receiving multiple replies in response to said multicast query message;

selecting one of said replies to be returned to said telephone switch;

formatting the selected one of said replies so that the reply is in the same format as a reply from the service control point; and

wherein the multiple replies includes a reply from the service control point, said selected reply being from a device other than said service control point, the method further comprising;

preventing the reply received from the service control point from being transmitted to said telephone switch.