Multiplex communications – Pathfinding or routing – Combined circuit switching and packet switching
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-17
2001-08-28
Jung, Min (Department: 2663)
Multiplex communications
Pathfinding or routing
Combined circuit switching and packet switching
Reexamination Certificate
active
06282190
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to telephony call processing in general and distributed call processing in particular.
2. Description of the Related Art
Switching allows the telephony service provider the ability to connect subscribers to each other, thus eliminating the need for direct connections between users. In the simplest scenario all subscribers have access to a single switch. Originations are processed by the switch and terminated to the desired subscriber if available. Because no single switch can provide service to all subscribers, switches are geographically distributed and interconnected to form a network. A subscriber origination can be processed at the local switch and then forwarded to another switch on the network serving the terminating subscriber.
In the case of long distance networks and international calls, there can be further intermediate switches (known as tandem switches) if the originating and terminating switches do not have direct connectivity.
FIG. 1
illustrates a sample call architecture of a switching network. Switching network
100
includes a calling party
103
who intends to place a call to called party
110
. Calling party
102
places a call over L
1
116
which is a network access point. Switch S
1
104
receives the dialed digits from calling subscriber
102
and connects the call over Dc
112
intermachine trunk to switch S
2
106
, which in turn switches the call over T
2
114
intermachine trunk to switch S
3
108
. Switch S
3
108
then in turn connects the call to called party
110
over L
2
118
link egress point.
Originating services are processed at the access point and terminating services at the egress point. Although every switch processes the call, there is no added value processing at the tandem switch. It is used to route the call further and provide a voice path throughout the network.
Within a switch, modern call processing generally uses call segments (or call halves) in a simple two way call to divide the work. Each agent is processed by its own call segment. Call segments simplify the implementation of complex services involving more than two agents by encapsulating the processing required for an agent including protocol and services. Call events are passed between connected call segments as necessary. Some architectures place the call segments on the switch itself, while others such as AIN (Advanced Intelligent Network) distribute the intelligence across hardware platforms. When call segments reside on separate platforms they must communicate with each other via a LAN (Local Area Network) or some other form of network communication. Intelligent Networking (IN) uses connection oriented TCAP/INAP messaging (Transaction Capabilities Application Part/Intelligent Network Access Point).
Referring now to
FIG. 2
, Network
200
illustrates another aspect of current call processing. Originating call processing segments
212
,
216
, and
220
correspond to switches
208
,
224
, and
228
respectively. As in
FIG. 1
the switches are interconnected by intermachine trunks T
1
, T
2
222
,
226
. Terminating call processing is performed in
210
,
214
,
218
which also correspond to switch S
1
, switch S
2
and switch S
3
208
,
224
,
228
.
The call segments can either be distributed or local to the switch. Regardless of the implementation of the segments, they are associated with the switch and corresponding agent. At switch S
1
208
, O
212
performs processing for L
1
204
, and T
210
performs processing for T
1
222
. At switch S
2
224
, T
1
222
becomes an origination and terminates to T
2
226
by way of terminating call processor
214
. At switch S
3
228
, T
2
226
becomes an origination point which terminates off network by T
2
218
to link egress point L
2
230
before eventual connection to called party
232
.
A drawback to the above identified network call segment processing scheme include requiring a single call to be processed at every switch it enters. Further, there is no added value in the tandem processing.
In
FIG. 2
every call half associated with an intermachine trunk is merely forwarding the initial origination at the network access point. Additionally, originating service information needed at the network egress point must be encoded into the intermachine protocol. This adds unnecessary complexity to services.
There is accordingly a need for a new method and apparatus in order to solve or ameliorate one or more of the above described problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The method and apparatus of the present invention is accomplished by a means for and a method of allocating a data path during a call setup comprising the steps of establishing a first network call segment associated with an agent and sending a message with routing information across a tandem link using predetermined signaling paths.
A second embodiment of the present invention further includes a method for allocating a data path during a call setup wherein the data path is also a voice path.
A third embodiment of the present invention additionally includes means and method for allocating a data path during a call setup including establishing a two way connection.
Further features of the above-described invention will become apparent from the detailed description hereinafter.
The foregoing features together with certain other features described hereinafter enable the overall system to have properties differing not just by a matter of degree from any related art, but offering an order of magnitude more efficient use of processing time and resources.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate preferred embodiments of the apparatus and method according to the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5680442 (1997-10-01), Bartholomew et al.
patent: 5712903 (1998-01-01), Bartholomew et al.
patent: 5912887 (1999-06-01), Sehgal
patent: 6014378 (2000-01-01), Christie et al.
patent: 6021126 (2000-02-01), White et al.
patent: 6021136 (2000-02-01), Bharucha et al.
patent: 6064653 (2000-05-01), Farris
Crane John D.
Jung Min
Nortel Networks Limited
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