Multiplex communications – Pathfinding or routing – Combined circuit switching and packet switching
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-01
2004-08-03
Vanderpuye, Kenneth (Department: 2732)
Multiplex communications
Pathfinding or routing
Combined circuit switching and packet switching
C370S474000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06771636
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The invention lies in the telecommunications field. More specifically, the invention relates to a method for transmitting data from a first to a second private branch exchange in a private network. The invention also relates to a telecommunications system.
In order to allow subscribers in a telephone network to be offered specific service attributes, such as display of information about the calling subscriber, control data are also transmitted in addition to the wanted data, for example voice data. The control data include instructions to a switching center. One example of such an instruction to the switching center is call diversion, that is to say all calls going to a specific terminal shall be diverted to another terminal. This method is used in the public telephone network and in private branch exchanges which are used, for example, in businesses.
A protocol defines how connections are set up between the subscribers in a telephone network, which service attributes are offered in the telephone network, and how wanted data and control data must be transmitted. One example of such a protocol is the “QSIG” protocol. Connections between subscribers in different private branch exchanges are in this case routed via the public telephone network. In the process, one problem that arises is that the service attributes which are offered exclusively by the private branch exchanges and not by the public telephone network cannot be used, since the public telephone network does not offer the capability to transmit the required control data.
One known solution for this limitation is the use of a tie line between the private branch exchanges via the public telephone network. However, this solution has the disadvantage that the transmission capacity of the tie line is limited, and cannot be matched to the currently required transmission capacity. For a network with a number of private branch exchanges, which is called a private network, an optimum arrangement of the tie line can be found only with a high level of complexity. Any change to the number of private branch exchanges to be connected also requires adaptation to the arrangement of the tie lines. Furthermore, setting up such a private network is relatively costly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a method for interchanging data between private branch exchanges and a telecommunications system, which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general type and which allows using the service attributes of the private branch exchanges with little complexity and at low cost.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a method for transmitting data from a first private branch exchange via a computer network to a second private branch exchange, the method which comprises the following method steps:
splitting data to be transmitted from a calling subscriber of a first private branch exchange to a called subscriber of a second private branch exchange into wanted data and control data with a first converter, wherein the wanted data contain wanted information and connection set-up information, and the control data are data for controlling the second private branch exchange;
determining destination address information from the connection set-up information and identifying a receiver device;
converting, with a first switching unit assigned to the first private branch exchange, the wanted data and control data into data packets, and transmitting the data packets via a computer network to the receiver device designated by the destination address information;
receiving the data packets with a second switching unit assigned to the second private branch exchange, converting the data packets into wanted data and control data, and passing the data on to a second converter; and
joining the wanted data and the control data together with the second converter and forming data for further processing by the second private branch exchange.
In other words, each private branch exchange has access to a computer network which is used for transmitting data packets. The computer network is used to interchange the wanted data and control data between the private branch exchanges.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the connection set-up information is formulated on the basis of a number plan assigned to the first private branch exchange. The number plan contains subscribers of the private branch exchanges and a respective private branch exchange associated with each subscriber. All the subscribers of the private network are listed in the number plan, with the respective private branch exchange associated with them. Once a calling subscriber has dialed a number, the private branch exchange uses the number plan to check whether this number refers to a terminal of its own private branch exchange. If the number belongs to a terminal in another private branch exchange, it passes the wanted data and control data on to a converter. The primary example of wanted data are voice data.
The converter splits the data for the calling subscriber into wanted data and control data, defines destination address information with whose aid the data can be transmitted to a second converter, and passes the data on to a first switching unit. The first switching unit opens a connection to the computer network and uses the wanted data and control data to form data packets, which it transmits via the computer network to a second switching unit. The second switching unit joins the received data packets together again to form a wanted data stream and a control data stream, and passes the streams on to the second converter. The second converter joins the wanted data and control data together and transmits this data to the second private branch exchange connected to it, which can be controlled by the transmitted control data.
The method according to the invention allows any desired number of private branch exchanges to be combined to form a private network. In order to expand the private network, the number plan of the private network is expanded by the numbers of the exchange to be integrated, and this is notified throughout the entire private network.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the computer network is the Internet or an Intranet and the data packets are generated according to the Internet Protocol IP. The Internet Protocol IP defines how the wanted data and control data are split into data packets and are transported, and defines a format for addresses of computers in the computer network. Thus, both the Internet and an Intranet can be used for the invention.
Four embodiments for interchanging data between the private branch exchange and the computer network are described in the following text. In a first embodiment, the private branch exchange contains the converter and the switching unit. The private branch exchange sends the control data to the computer network via a first logic link, and the wanted data via a second logic link. The same physical connection can be used for transmitting the data via the first and second logic links. This embodiment is suitable, in particular, for private branch exchanges where the number of calls to other private branch exchanges which are part of the private network is low.
In a second embodiment, the private branch exchange is connected to a switching computer, which passes the wanted data and control data on to the computer network. In this embodiment, the private branch exchange transmits the wanted data and control data via separate connections to the switching computer. The control data can be transmitted using a method which is defined by the known X.25 protocol. The wanted data can be transmitted using a telephone connection, for example an ISDN connection.
In a third embodiment, the tasks of the converter and of the switching computer are carried out by a common computer. The private branch exchange
Greenberg Laurence A.
Mayback Gregory L.
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Stemer Werner H.
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