Advanced voice communication feature transparency in a telecommunications network
First Claim
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a communications interface;
one or more processors coupled to said communications interface; and
a memory coupled to said one or more processors and storing instructions which, when executed with said one or more processors, cause said one or more processors to allow an advanced voice communication feature in a virtual private network with program functions that comprise;
determining, upon a call connected between a first and a second private network of said virtual private network through a first communication network, that a signaling message from said first private network invokes said advanced voice communication feature; and
in response to the determining that a signaling message from said first private network invokes said advanced voice communication feature, establishing an auxiliary connection between said first and said second private networks through a second communication network wherein said auxiliary connection supports said advanced voice communication feature and the first communication network does not;
wherein said advanced voice communication feature comprises at least one of a call-waiting function, a call-forwarding function, a three-way-calling function and a function relating to a custom calling feature.
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Abstract
An auxiliary communication network is introduced into a virtual private network for passing signaling messages that present features not supported by the public, primary communication network portion of the virtual private network. Protocol converters are positioned within the virtual private network to intercept signaling messages, establish a connection through the auxiliary network, determine whether the intercepted messages present unsupported features, and, in which case, route corresponding feature requested through the auxiliary communication network. Preferably, the auxiliary network connection is established in a direction reverse to and in response to the primary network connection.
66 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a communications interface; one or more processors coupled to said communications interface; and a memory coupled to said one or more processors and storing instructions which, when executed with said one or more processors, cause said one or more processors to allow an advanced voice communication feature in a virtual private network with program functions that comprise; determining, upon a call connected between a first and a second private network of said virtual private network through a first communication network, that a signaling message from said first private network invokes said advanced voice communication feature; and in response to the determining that a signaling message from said first private network invokes said advanced voice communication feature, establishing an auxiliary connection between said first and said second private networks through a second communication network wherein said auxiliary connection supports said advanced voice communication feature and the first communication network does not; wherein said advanced voice communication feature comprises at least one of a call-waiting function, a call-forwarding function, a three-way-calling function and a function relating to a custom calling feature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for allowing an advanced voice communication feature in a virtual private network, comprising:
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determining, upon a call connected between a first and a second private network of said virtual private network through a first communication network, that a signaling message from said first private network invokes said advanced voice communication feature; and in response to the determining that a signaling message from said first private network invokes said advanced voice communication feature, establishing an auxiliary connection between said first and said second private networks through a second communication network wherein said auxiliary connection supports said advanced voice communication feature and the first communication network does not; wherein said advanced voice communication feature comprises at least one of a call-waiting function, a call-forwarding function, a three-way-calling function and a function relating to a custom calling feature. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer readable storage medium having encoded therewith computer readable code that comprises instructions, which when executed with a processor cause said processor to allow an advanced voice communication feature in a virtual private network with program functions that comprise:
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determining, upon a call connected between a first and a second private network of said virtual private network through a first communication network, that a signaling message from said first private network invokes said advanced voice communication feature; and in response to the determining that a signaling message from said first private network invokes said advanced voice communication feature, establishing an auxiliary connection between said first and said second private networks through a second communication network wherein said auxiliary connection supports said advanced voice communication feature and the first communication network does not; wherein said advanced voice communication feature comprises at least one of a call-waiting function, a call-forwarding function, a three-way-calling function and a function relating to a custom calling feature. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. An apparatus for allowing an advanced voice communication feature in a virtual private network, comprising:
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means for determining, upon a call connected between a first and a second private network of said virtual private network through a first communication network, that a signaling message from said first private network invokes said advanced voice communication feature; and means for establishing an auxiliary connection between said first and said second private networks through a second communication network upon said connecting said call, wherein the establishing occurs in response to the determining that a signaling message from said first private network invokes said advanced voice communication feature, and further wherein said auxiliary connection supports said advanced voice communication feature and the first communication network does not; wherein said advanced voice communication feature comprises at least one of a call-waiting function, a call-forwarding function, a three-way-calling function and a function relating to a custom calling feature. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A system that allows an advanced voice communication feature, comprising:
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a virtual private network that comprises a first and a second private network, each of which support said advanced voice communication feature; a first communication network that communicatively couples said first and said second private networks; a second communication network that communicatively couples said first and said second private networks and supports said advanced voice communication feature wherein said advanced voice communication feature is unsupported with said first communications network; and a protocol converter coupled to said first private network and comprising; a first communications interface that communicatively couples said first private network and said first communications network; a second communications interface that communicatively couples said first private network and said second communications network in a protocol that suffices to implement said advanced voice communications feature; a processor coupled to said first and said second communications interfaces; and a memory coupled to said processor and storing instruction code, which when executed with said processor, cause said processor to allow said advanced voice communication feature in said virtual private network with program functions that comprise; determining, upon a call connected between said first and said second private networks through said first communication network, that a signaling message from said first private network invokes said advanced voice communication feature; and in response to the determining that a signaling message from said first private network invokes said advanced voice communication feature, establishing an auxiliary connection between said first and said second private networks through a second communication network wherein said auxiliary connection supports said advanced voice communication feature and the first communication network does not; wherein said advanced voice communication feature comprises at least one of a call-waiting function, a call-forwarding function, a three-way-calling function and a function relating to a custom calling feature. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification