Communications system and method using partially non-geographic addressing method for forming same

• US 20010014094A1
• Filed: 12/12/2000
• Published: 08/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert V. Epley
• Original Assignee: Robert V. Epley
• Inventors: Epley, Robert V.
• Granted Patent: US 6,876,658 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5626 Network management, e.g. Intelligent nets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/563 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0016 Arrangements providing connection between exchanges

Abstract

A communications process and apparatus is provided with scoped, partially non-geographic addressing. The processes are carried out by one or more switches in a communications system. A first device in the system has a scoped address, including at least one geographic identifier and a customer identifier. A second device sends a setup message with addressing information to a switch in the system. The switch examines the message and consults a database with the customer identification to determine forwarding information. The switch forwards the message to a second device according to the forwarding information obtained from the database. The second device sends a connect message to the first device, thereby establishing a connection.

Claims

1. In a telecommunications system, a process for addressing data comprising the steps of:

a. providing a plurality of devices connected to the system,

a first device having an address comprising a geographic portion and a non-geographic portion, said geographic portion comprising at least one geographic identifier to indicate the location of the first device within a predetermined geographic region, said non-geographic portion comprising a customer identifier, wherein said address of said first device comprises a scoped code; and

a second device having the ability to construct a message to be transported in the telecommunications system;

b. providing a plurality of switches having the ability to examine the message and to direct the message to other places in the telecommunications system;

c. providing at least one database accessible by at least one of said switches, said database containing forwarding information corresponding to said address;

d. in said second device, constructing the message, said message including addressing information corresponding to said address of said first device;

e. transporting said message to a first switch for forwarding to a device corresponding to the addressing information;

f. accessing the database to determine forwarding information corresponding to the addressing information; and

g. forwarding the message to a device corresponding to said forwarding information.

2. The process of

claim 1

wherein said forwarding information comprises routing information.

3. The process of

claim 1

wherein said forwarding information comprises information regarding the physical location of said device corresponding to said forwarding information.

4. The process of

claim 3

wherein said forwarding information comprises a network address.

5. The process of

claim 1

further comprising the steps of:

h. sending a setup message from said second device to said first device, wherein said setup message comprises said addressing information; and

i. sending a connect message from the first of said devices to the second of said devices, wherein said connect message comprises information corresponding to the forwarding information corresponding to said first of said devices.

6. The process of

claim 1

wherein said at least one geographic identifier comprises a plurality of geographic identifiers and said identifiers are arranged at least partly in geographically hierarchical relationship to each other in the hierarchical address.

7. The process of

claim 1

wherein said at least one geographic identifier comprises the scoped code.

8. The process of

claim 7

wherein a virtual connection is established between the first of said devices and the second of said devices.

9. The process of

claim 8

wherein said database is a look-up table.

10. The process of

claim 9

wherein said transporting is carried out using Asynchronous Transfer Mode standard of communication.

11. The process of

claim 10

wherein said address is in an Asynchronous Transfer Mode format.

12. The process of

claim 11

wherein said database is located in at least one of said switches.

13. The process of

claim 11

wherein said database is located in a platform.

14. The process of

claim 13

wherein said platform is remote from said plurality of switches.

15. The process of

claim 1

wherein said message comprises digital units.

16. A telecommunications system, comprising:

a first device connected to the system, said first device having an address comprising a geographic portion and a non-geographic portion, said geographic portion comprising at least one geographic identifier to indicate the location of the first device within a predetermined region, said non-geographic portion comprising a customer identifier, wherein said address of said first device comprises a scoped code;

a second device connected to the system, said second device having the ability to construct a message comprising addressing information to be transported in the telecommunications system;

a plurality of switches, each having the ability to examine the message and to forward the message to other places in the telecommunications system;

at least one database accessible by at least one of said switches, said database containing forwarding information corresponding to said addressing information,

wherein at least one of said switches forwards the message according to said forwarding information.

17. The system of

claim 16

wherein said forwarding information comprises routing information.

18. The system of

claim 16

wherein said forwarding information comprises information regarding the physical location of said first device.

19. The system of

claim 18

wherein said forwarding information comprises a network address.

20. The system of

claim 16

wherein said at least one geographic identifier comprises the scoped code.

21. The system of

claim 18

wherein in the second device, information is converted into a plurality of digital units.

22. The system of

claim 21

wherein said message is transported to a first switch for further transport to said first device.

23. The system of

claim 22

wherein at least one database is accessed to determine forwarding information corresponding to said addressing information.

24. The system of

claim 23

wherein said message is transported to a device corresponding to said forwarding information.

25. The system of

claim 24

wherein said second device sends a setup message to a first of said devices, wherein said setup message comprises addressing information corresponding to said first device.

26. The system of

claim 25

wherein said first device sends a connect message to said second device, wherein said connect message comprises information corresponding to forwarding information corresponding to said first device.

27. The system of

claim 26

wherein a virtual connection is established between the first device and the second device.

28. The system of

claim 27

wherein said message comprises digital units.

33. The system of

claim 27

wherein said transporting is carried our using Asynchronous Transfer Mode standard of communication.

29. A telecommunications system, comprising:

a first network comprising a first switch, said first network having an address comprising a geographic portion and a non-geographic portion, said geographic portion comprising at least one geographic identifier to indicate the location of said first network within a predetermined region, said non-geographic portion comprising a customer identifier, wherein said address of said first device comprises a scoped code;

a second network comprising a second switch and a third switch, said second switch capable of forwarding a message comprising addressing information to said third switch, said third switch coupled to said first network and capable of forwarding a message to said first network;

at least one database accessible by said third switch, said database containing forwarding information corresponding to said addressing information.

30. The system of

claim 29

wherein said first network further comprises a fourth switch and wherein said forwarding information corresponds to forwarding said message to the physically nearest of said first and fourth switches.

31. The system of

claim 30

wherein said at least one geographic identifier comprises the scoped code.

32. The system of

claim 31

wherein said second device is in a network.

34. The system of

claim 32

wherein said forwarding is carried our using Asynchronous Transfer Mode standard of communication.