Method and system for supporting shared local trunking

• US 7,873,033 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2005
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Business Global LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Leonard, Carl T, Krause, Joel M, Lockhart, Gary Lance
• Primary Examiner(s): SING, SIMON P
• Application Number:
  US11/054,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20060176873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,169 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.17, 370352-356
• US Class Current: 370/354
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1225 Details of core network interconnection arrangements

Abstract

An approach is described for providing shared trunking between a telephony gateway and an end office switch. The telephony gateway processes a packetized voice call, and interfaces a shared trunk to an end office switch (e.g., Class 5 switch) configured to switch calls over a circuit-switched telephone network. The trunk utilizes out-of-band signaling (e.g., Primary Rate Interface (PRI) signaling) in support of call establishment or teardown of the packetized voice call.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

an end office switch configured to switch calls over a circuit-switched telephone network; and

a telephony gateway configured to serve a plurality of users over a shared local trunk in communicating via the end office switch, the shared local trunk utilizing out-of-band signaling in support of call establishment or teardown of a packetized voice call,

wherein the telephone gateway is further configured to determine Rate Center (RC)/Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) combinations for the plurality of users, each user of the plurality of users having a RC/PSAP combination, and

wherein the trunk comprises a plurality of channels, each of the plurality channels allocated to the plurality of users within a determined RC/PSAP combination.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the trunk supports Primary Rate Interface (PRI) signaling and provides connectivity between the end office switch and the telephony gateway.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the packetized voice call is established according to a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein a Calling Party Number associated with the packetized voice call is transmitted to a network or a station of one of the users.

5. A method of call processing, the method comprising:

receiving a packetized voice call, at a telephony gateway, over a local trunk connecting the telephony gateway with an end office switch configured to switch calls over a circuit-switched telephone network,

determining Rate Center (RC)/Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) combinations for a plurality of users, each user of the plurality of users having a RC/PSAP combination,

wherein the trunk is shared by the plurality of users, the trunk utilizing out-of-band signaling in support of call establishment or teardown of the packetized voice call; and

terminating the packetized voice call at a station or a network of one of the users, wherein the trunk comprises a plurality of channels, each of the plurality channels allocated to the plurality of users within a determined RC/PSAP combination.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the trunk supports Primary Rate Interface (PRI) signaling.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein the packetized voice call is established according to a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).

8. A method according to claim 5, wherein the trunk transports a Calling Party Number associated with the packetized voice call to the network or the station.

9. A communication system, comprising:

an end office switched configured to switch calls over a circuit-switched telephone network; and

a local trunk connected to the end office switch for communicating with a telephony gateway configured to process a packetized voice call and determine Rate Center (RC)/Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) combinations for a plurality of users,

wherein the trunk is shared by a plurality of users being within the same RC/PSAP combination, the trunk utilizing out-of-band signaling in support of call establishment or teardown of the packetized voice call.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the trunk supports Primary Rate Interface (PRI) signaling.

11. A system according to claim 9, wherein the packetized voice call is established according to a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).

12. A system according to claim 9, wherein the trunk transports a Calling Party Number associated with the packetized voice call to a network or a station of one of the users.