Communication systems and QSIG communications methods

• US 8,345,711 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2008
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Business Global LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Archer, Jarrett E., Scivicque, Joseph A., Sherman, Frederick A., Hendrickson, Heath W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Chuong T
• Application Number:
  US12/189,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20080310402A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,604 Days
• Field of Search: 379/221.15, 370/352, 370/466, 370/524, 370/401, 370/388, 370/389, 370/395.2, 370/493, 370/353
• US Class Current: 370/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5618 Bridges, gateways [GW] or interworking units [IWU]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/009 in systems involving PBX or KTS networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1245 where a network other than PSTN/ISDN interconnects two PSTN/ISDN networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling

Abstract

This invention relates to communication systems and QSIG communication methods. According to a first aspect, a communication system includes a control component; and a data network configured to communicate packets of information intermediate an originating location and a terminating location, the originating location being configured to receive a QSIG communication including a content portion and a signaling portion, wherein the data network is configured to communicate the signaling portion to the control component and the control component is configured to establish a connection within the data network intermediate the originating location and the terminating location responsive to the signaling portion, and wherein the data network is further configured to communicate the content portion of the communication within a plurality of packets intermediate the originating location and the terminating location using the connection.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

partitioning inter-Private Branch Exchange (PBX) communications from existing PBX communications, an inter-PBX communication corresponding to a communication received from a device not supported by a PBX, and an existing PBX communication corresponding to a communication received from a device that is supported by the PBX;

receiving a partitioned inter-PBX communication, the partitioned inter-PBX communication including a signal packet including QSIG signaling information;

mapping the received QSIG signaling information to another protocol; and

establishing a bearer channel connection between a first network access device and a second network access device using the QSIG signaling information.

2. The method of claim 1 where the received signal packet is transmitted from a first network device to a control component.

3. The method of claim 2 where the control component establishes the bearer channel connection between the first network access device and the second network access device.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting content packets between the first network access device and the second network access device.

5. The method of claim 1 where the second network access device receives the partitioned inter-PBX communication from a PBX switch.

6. A method comprising:

partitioning inter-Private Branch Exchange (PBX) communications from existing PBX communications, an inter-PBX communication corresponding to a communication received from a device not supported by a PBX, and an existing PBX communication corresponding to a communication received from a device that is supported by the PBX;

receiving a partitioned inter-PBX communication, the partitioned inter-PBX communication including a QSIG communication, the QSIG communication including a content portion and a signaling portion;

encapsulating the content portion and the signaling portion of the partitioned inter-PBX communication to provide a plurality of respective content packets and signaling packets;

mapping the received QSIG signaling portion to another protocol; and

transmitting the signaling packets to a control component for use in establishing a connection between a first network access device and a second network access device.

7. The method of claim 6 where the second network access device receives the partitioned inter-PBX QSIG communication from a PBX switch.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

establishing a bearer channel connection between the first network access device and the second network access device.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

transmitting the content packets from the first network access device to the second network access device.

10. The method of claim 6 where the second network access device is a non-QSIG device.

11. A system comprising:

a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) switch to;

partition inter-PBX communications from existing PBX communications, an inter-PBX communication corresponding to a communication received from a device not supported by the PBX switch, and an existing PBX communication corresponding to a communication received from a device that is supported by the PBX switch; and

a network access device to;

receive a partitioned inter-PBX communication that includes a QSIG signal, the QSIG signal including a signal portion and a content portion;

encapsulate the received signal portion into signal packets and the received content portion into content packets;

map the received QSIG signal portion to another protocol; and

transmit the signal packets to establish a communication channel to a second network access device.

12. The system of claim 11 where, when transmitting the signal packets, the network access device is to:

transmit the signal packets to a control component via a data network.

13. The system of claim 12 where the communication channel is established through the data network.

14. The system of claim 11 where the network access device is further to:

transmit the content packets to the second network access device.

15. The system of claim 11 where the received signal portion and the received content portion are continuous signals.

16. The system of claim 11 where the network access device receives the partitioned inter-PBX QSIG signal from the PBX switch.

17. A system comprising:

a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) switch to;

partition inter-PBX communications from existing PBX communications, an inter-PBX communication corresponding to a communication received from a device not supported by the PBX switch, and an existing PBX communication corresponding to a communication received from a device that is supported by the PBX; and

a control component to;

receive a partitioned inter-PBX communication that includes a signal packet, the signal packet including QSIG information;

establish a bearer communication channel between a first network access device and a second network access device using the received QSIG information;

transmit content packets from the first network access device to the second network access device; and

return the bearer channel to an idle state after transmission.

18. The system of claim 17 where the control component receives the signal packet from the first network access device.

19. The system of claim 18 where the control component is further to:

map the received signal packet to another protocol for transmission to the second network access device.

20. The system of claim 18 where the control component receives the partitioned inter-PBX communication from the PBX switch.