Network protocol converter

• US 8,270,576 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2008
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tat, Dinh C., Layendecker, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US12/268,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20090059956A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,407 Days
• Field of Search: 340/7.56, 340/539.22, 348/14.08, 370/352, 370/466, 370/401, 379/88.14, 379/88.22, 379/112.01, 379/209.01, 455/414.4, 455/416, 455/456.3, 455/466, 455/412.1, 455/414.1, 455/436, 455/442, 455/461, 455/551, 455/558, 704/270, 704/270.1, 709/203, 709/217, 709/206, 463/41
• US Class Current: 379/88.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

An arrangement includes an input to receive DTMF tones, logic to convert the DTMF tones to SMPP protocol, and an output to provide the SMPP protocol.

Claims

1. A system for sending a page comprising:

a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) which receives paging information in the form of Dual Tone Multi Frequency (DTMF) tones from a first communications device;

a converter in communication with the PSTN which receives the DTMF tones from the PSTN and converts the DTMF tones to Short Message Peer to Peer (SMPP) protocol; and

a Short Message Service Center (SMSC) in communication with the converter which receives the SMPP from the converter, forms an SMS message from the SMPP, and communicates the SMS message to a second network which signals a wireless paging device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the paging information identifies one or more of a person to page and the wireless paging device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second network further comprises a plurality of base station controllers (BSC) coupled to a plurality of base transceiver stations (BTS).

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second network further comprises a networking and switching subsystem (NSS).

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second network further comprises an operation subsystem (OSS).

6. A system for transmitting a page comprising:

a telephone which communicates paging information in the form of Dual Tone Multi Frequency (DTMF) tones;

a Voice Mail System (VMS) capable of receiving the paging information from the telephone and communicating the DTMF tones to a network element;

a converter in communication with the VMS capable of receiving the paging information from the VMS and converting the DTMF tones to Short Message Peer to Peer (SMPP) protocol;

a Short Message Service Center (SMSC) capable of receiving the SMPP from the converter and forming an SMS message containing the paging information from the SMPP; and

a second network capable of receiving the SMS message from the SMSC and signaling a wireless paging device via an antenna.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the telephone communicates using one of digital and analog signaling.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the second network further comprises a plurality of base station controllers (BSC) coupled to a plurality of base transceiver stations (BTS).

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the second network further comprises an operation subsystem (OSS).

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the second network further comprises a networking and switching subsystem (NSS).

11. A system for transmitting a page, comprising:

a first wireless device capable of communicating Dual Tone Multi Frequency (DTMF) paging information in the form of DTMF tones to a wireless network;

a converter which receives the DTMF paging information from the wireless network, processes the DTMF paging information, and communicates processed paging information using SMPP; and

a Short Message Service Center (SMSC) which receives the processed paging information, converts the processed paging information into an SMS message, and communicates the SMS message to a second wireless device via the wireless network.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the network further comprises a base station subsystem (BSS).

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the BSS further comprises a plurality of base station controllers (BSC) coupled to a plurality of base transceiver stations (BTS).

14. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of BTS is coupled to a plurality of antennas.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the network further comprises a networking and switching subsystem (NSS).

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the NSS further comprises:

a Mobile Switching Center;

a Home Location Registry (HLR); and

a Visitor Location Registry (VLR).

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the network further comprises an operation subsystem (OSS).

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the OSS comprises;

an Equipment Identity Register (EIR);

an Authentication Center (AuC); and

an Operating and Maintenance Center (OMC).

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the first wireless device communicates the DTMF paging information to the network via a first antenna.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the network communicates the SMS message to the second wireless device via a second antenna.