System for controlling processing of data passing through network gateway between two disparate communications networks

• US RE42,042 E1
• Filed: 08/04/2005
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Ibiza Liquid Data LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Kikinis, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, BRENDA H
• Application Number:
  US11/196,843
• Time in Patent Office: 1,993 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/355, 370351-358, 370493-494, 370/401, 370/402, 370/466
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1446 inter-operator billing
• 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 29/06 characterised by a protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 29/06027 Protocols for multimedia communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/605 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/009 in systems involving PBX or KTS networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 Interworking of session control protocols

Abstract

A control system is provided for controlling the aspects of data conversion and routing of data passing between two disparate communications networks. The system operates from a network-connected computer node running a software application. The computer node acquires the data protocol associated with the data en-route from one network to another and using the software application, formulates the required conversion commands and routing instructions based on information provided by the protocol signal. The generated commands are routed to the appropriate conversion nodes through which the data will pass into the next network. The conversion nodes apply the commands routed to them by the computer node to the appropriate data passing through the nodes. In one application, the control system combines the total hardware and software functions of the computer node and the conversion nodes and is provided to operate from one network-connected node.

Claims

1. An Internet service provider system registered as a Competing-Local-Exchange-Carrier (CLEC), and comprising:

a channel bank for receiving calls from a connection oriented switched telephony (COST) network, and separating the calls into separate channels;

at least one VoIP gateway connected to an Internet router and to one channel of the channel bank for converting voice call data between a COST protocol and Internet protocol;

at least one portmaster (PM) node connected to the Internet router and to one channel of the channel bank for converting non-voice data between the COST protocol and the Internet protocol; and

a computer station executing a virtual switch (VS) software, the computer station connected to the Internet router and to the channel bank;

characterized in that the computer station controls, via the VS software, the channel bank for separating the COST calls into the separate channels, and also receives and shares SS-7 commands and data with the VoIP gateway and the PM node via the Internet router connected to the PM node and the VoIP gateway, thereby avoiding use of a telephony switching apparatus for receiving and routing calls from the COST network.

2. A method for handling voice and non-voice data calls at an Internet Service Provider (ISP) site between a connection-oriented switched telephony (COST) network and the Internet, without handling the COST calls by a COST switch local to the ISP site, the method comprising steps of:

(a) substituting a channel bank for the COST switching apparatus local to the ISP;

(b) operating the channel bank by a computer station in the ISP site, the computer station executing a virtual switch software, to channel incoming COST calls to individual ones of Voice-Over-IP (VoIP) and Portmaster gateways connected to an Internet router; and

(c) sharing SS-7 commands and data from the COST network with the VoIP and Portmaster gateways by the computer station through a link to the Internet router.

3. A system for routing data between networks, comprising:

a channel bank configured to receive data configured according to a first protocol and separating the data into voice data and non-voice data;

a first gateway configured to be coupled between a router and the channel bank and configured to convert the voice data from the first protocol to a second protocol;

a second gateway configured to be coupled between the router and the channel bank and configured to convert the non-voice data from the first protocol to the second protocol; and

a computer configured to be coupled to the router and the channel bank and configured to execute virtual switch software, and further configured to receive a signal via the channel bank and to provide a command via the router to at least one of the first gateway and the second gateway;

wherein the command is configured to cause at least one of the first gateway to convert the voice data from the first protocol to the second protocol and the second gateway to convert the non-voice data from the first protocol to the second protocol.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first protocol is a connection oriented switched telephony protocol.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the second protocol is an Internet protocol.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the first gateway is a Voice Over Internet Protocol gateway.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the second gateway is a Portmaster gateway.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the command is configured according to a Signaling System 7 protocol.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein the channel bank is within a Competing Local Exchange Carrier system.

10. The system of claim 3, wherein the first gateway, the second gateway, and the computer are within an Internet service provider system.

11. A system for routing data between networks, comprising:

a universal gateway configured to be coupled to a router and configured to receive data configured according to a first protocol, to separate the data into voice data and non-voice data, and to cause a conversion of the voice data and the non-voice data from the first protocol to a second protocol, and further configured to convey a signal to a computer via the router and to receive a command from the computer via the router, wherein the computer is configured to execute virtual switch software and the command is configured to cause the conversion.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the first protocol is a connection oriented switched telephony protocol and the second protocol is an Internet protocol.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the command is configured according to a Signaling System 7 protocol.

14. A method for routing data between networks, comprising:

receiving, at a first component, data configured according to a first protocol;

separating, at the first component, the data into voice data and non-voice data;

receiving, at a second component, a command configured to cause the voice data and the non-voice data to be converted from the first protocol to a second protocol;

executing, at the second component, instructions configured to route the voice data to a third component and to route the non-voice data to a fourth component;

converting, at the third component, the voice data from the first protocol to the second protocol; and

converting, at the fourth component, the non-voice data from the first protocol to the second protocol;

wherein each component is physically separated from each of the other components and the second component is coupled between a router and the first component.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first protocol is a connection oriented switched telephony protocol and the second protocol is an Internet protocol.

16. A method for routing data between networks, comprising:

receiving, at a first component, data configured according to a first protocol;

separating, at the first component, the data into voice data and non-voice data;

receiving, at a second component, a command configured to cause the voice data and the non-voice data to be converted from the first protocol to a second protocol;

executing, at the second component, instructions configured to control conversion of the voice data and to control conversion of the non-voice data;

converting, at the first component, the voice data from the first protocol to the second protocol; and

converting, at the first component, the non-voice data from the first protocol to the second protocol.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first protocol is a connection oriented switched telephony protocol and the second protocol is an Internet protocol.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the second component is configured to be coupled to a router and wherein the first component is physically separated from the second component.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the second component is configured to be coupled to a router and wherein the first component and the second component are within a common component.