System and method for bypassing data from egress facilities

• US 7,720,081 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2007
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lewis, Shawn M.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, MAN U
• Application Number:
  US11/627,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20070201515A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 370230-237, 370280-401, 370493-522, 370401-502, 709202-250, 455349-414, 455433-512, 379215-230
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2876 Handling of subscriber policies group policies management H04L41/0893
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling
• 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

Abstract

An open architecture platform bypasses data from the facilities of a telecommunications carrier, e.g. an incumbent local exchange carrier, by distinguishing between voice and data traffic, and handling voice and data traffic separately. An SS7 gateway receives and transmits SS7 signaling messages with the platform. When signaling for a call arrives, the SS7 gateway informs a control server on the platform. The control server manages the platform resources, including the SS7 gateway, tandem network access servers (NASs) and modem NASs. A tandem NAS receives the call over bearer channels. The control server determines whether the incoming call is voice traffic or data traffic, by the dialed number, and instructs the tandem NAS how to handle the call. Voiced traffic is transmitted to a switch for transmission from the platform. Data traffic is terminated at a modem NAS, where it is converted into a form suitable for a data network, such as a private data network or an Internet services provider (ISP). The converted data is sent by routers to the data network. The data network need not convert the data, as the function has already been provided by the platform. In lieu of a conversion, the modems can create a tunnel (a virtual private network) between a remote server and the data network.

Claims

1. A system for bypassing egress facilities of a telecommunications carrier, the system comprising:

a receiving means for receiving voice calls;

a distinguishing means for determining whether received calls are data calls or voice calls based on signaling information associated with the calls; and

a converting means for converting calls determined by the distinguishing means to be data calls into a format usable by an open architecture platform, wherein the distinguishing means and the converting means communicate via the open architecture platform, wherein;

said convening means comprises at least one network access server for terminating said incoming data calls to modems, wherein said modems convert said incoming data calls from a first format to a second format; and

said receiving means and said distinguishing means comprise a gateway hosting a first application program for handling signaling information, and a control server for controlling said gateway and said at least one network access server.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said converting means comprises a network access server for terminating said incoming data calls to modems, wherein said modems convert said incoming data calls from a first format to a second format using an application program running on a first host computer.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said system further comprises a voice switch for switching said voice calls.

4. A method for bypassing data calls from egress facilities of a telecommunications carrier, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing a call with an open architecture telecommunications system;

determining whether said call is a voice call or a data call by querying a table comprising called party numbers and respective termination points corresponding to the called party numbers; and

if said call is a data call, terminating said call onto a network access server for termination processing and converting signaling information associated with the call into a format used by the open architecture telecommunications system,

wherein establishing a call with said telecommunications system comprises;

receiving signaling information to set up a call coming into said open architecture telecommunications system;

informing a control server that a call has arrived on said open architecture telecommunications system; and

receiving said call at said open architecture telecommunications system.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein receiving signaling information comprises receiving signaling information at a gateway.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein signaling system 7 (SS7) signaling information is received at said gateway.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein determining whether said call is a voice call or a data call is performed by a control server.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein the signaling information used to determine whether said call is a voice call or a data call comprises a telephone number of a called party.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said telephone number is a number used to access one of:

at least one network device of an Internet Services Provider (ISP);

at least one network device of a competitive local exchange (CLEC) carrier;

at least one network device of an incumbent local exchange (ILEC) carrier;

at least one network device of an enhanced services provider (ESP);

at least one Intelligent Peripheral (IP) network device; and

at least one customer premises equipment (CPE).

10. The method according to claim 4, wherein said terminating step comprises:

providing a protocol tunnel from a first network to a second network.

11. The method according to claim 10, comprising using a virtual private network protocol to extend said first network to said second network.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said virtual private network protocol comprises a point-to-point tunneling (PPTP) protocol.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein said first network is a virtual private network, and wherein said second network is a data network.

14. The method according to claim 4, wherein said call is terminated onto at least one modem in said network access server.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said call and at least one other call terminated at said network access server are connected in a time division multiplexed switching connection to said at least one modem.

16. The method according to claim 4, wherein said terminating step comprises terminating said call to a voice switch, if said call is a voice call.

20. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising determining that said call is a data call if the called party number corresponds to a data modem.

17. A method for bypassing facilities of a circuit-switched based telecommunications carrier, the method comprising:

receiving a call comprising media and signaling information;

determining whether the call is a data call or a voice call by querying a table comprising called party numbers and respective termination points corresponding to the called party numbers; and

if the call is determined to be a data call, directing the call away from the circuit-switched based telecommunications carrier to a packet-based communication network.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the signaling information is in signaling system 7 (SS7) format.

19. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the signaling information is in Internet Protocol (IP) format.