Multiplex communications – Pathfinding or routing – Combined circuit switching and packet switching
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-27
2001-02-27
Jung, Min (Department: 2739)
Multiplex communications
Pathfinding or routing
Combined circuit switching and packet switching
C370S524000, C379S230000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06195347
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to communication networks, and more specifically to a system and method for transferring information among users communicating over a communication network.
2. Related Art
Prior to the introduction of the Integrated Services Digital Network, or ISDN, the traditional telephone system required one signaling channel for each voice channel. Thus, to support 23 conversations, the traditional non-ISDN telephone system required 23 voice channels and 23 signaling channels for a total of 46 channels. In contrast, ISDN requires 24 channels total to support 23 conversations. Traditional telephone systems having one signaling channel for each voice channel are said to use in-band signaling. ISDN systems having a single signaling channel for multiple conversation channels are said to use out-of-band signaling.
The ISDN has two transmission components: primary rate interface (PRI) and basic rate interface (BRI). Primary rate interface typically carries twenty-three bearer channels and one signaling channel. In other words, the primary rate interface can support twenty-three simultaneous conversations using a single signaling channel. Basic rate interface carries two bearer channels and a data channel.
User-to-user signaling service exists for users who subscribe to the primary rate interface. With the primary rate interface, twenty-three voice channels can be voiced by a single signaling channel. With user-to-user servide the twenty three calls can independently send data between the users using just one signaling channel.
The ISDN signaling channel is directed by an originating inter-exchange carrier switch to a first signal transfer point. The signaling channel is then transferred via a signaling network such as the SS7 signaling network to a second signal transfer point. The signaling channel information is then transferred to terminating inter-exchange carrier switch.
Unfortunately, when a user wishes to send a large block of user data, the signal transfer points can become overloaded as a result of the excessive data flow through the signaling network.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed toward a system and method for allowing users of a communication network to exchange data via a path that is independent of the communication network's signaling network. According to the invention, an overlay network is provided substantially in parallel with the signaling network. When a user wishes to transfer data to another user, that data (referred to in this document as user-to-user data) is transferred via the overlay network. As a result, this user-to-user data can be transferred concurrently with the network communication (e.g., concurrently with the phone call).
During a typical communication across the network, the users communicate by transferring frames of data across the signaling network. These frames are, for example, ISDN frames or other groupings of data, and can include data such as voice data, modem data or other communication-related data in a voice portion of the block. In addition to this voice portion, one or more of these blocks of data can include a second portion referred to as a signaling portion. It is this signaling portion which contains the user-to-user data.
The invention examines the signaling portion of the frame of data to determine whether it contains user-to-user data to be transferred from a first user to one or more other users. If there is user-to-user data to be transferred, this data is removed (copied or extracted) from the frame and optionally formatted. One type of formatting performed is packetizing the user-to-user data from one or more frames into one or more packets of user-to-user data. The user-to-user data is then transferred to the recipient via the overlay network. This transfer is independent of the communication which occurs over the signaling network (i.e., the transfer of the signaling portion).
An advantage of the invention is that users can simultaneously transfer user-to-user data while conducting a typical network communication such as a phone call. For example, the users may be carrying on a conventional phone conversation and decide that they would like to transfer additional data (for example a computer file) between them. According to the invention, the additional data (user-to-user data) is included in the signaling portion of the frame. The invention detects the user-to-user data, builds a separate block (for example, a packet) of user-to-user data and sends this block via the overlay network to the other user.
Further features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5473679 (1995-12-01), Porta et al.
patent: 5629974 (1997-05-01), Rajala et al.
patent: 5721903 (1998-02-01), Anand et al.
patent: 5912887 (1999-06-01), Sehgal
Greg Langdon, “Voice over DSL sounds promising”, IDG.net site, Aug. 5, 1999.
Efficient Networks, Inc., “Integrated Services from ATM and DSL—Shared Access for Voice and Data”, White Paper, Jun. 1999.
Markku Korpi et al., “Supplementary Services in the H.323 IP Telephony Network”, Communications Magazine, IEEE, Jul. 1999.
Jung Min
MCI Worldcom, Inc.
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