Multiplex communications – Pathfinding or routing – Switching a message which includes an address header
Reexamination Certificate
1997-05-13
2001-01-23
Ton, Dang (Department: 2732)
Multiplex communications
Pathfinding or routing
Switching a message which includes an address header
C370S465000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06178170
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of telecommunications call transport and processing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Broadband systems are being developed and implemented. Broadband systems provide telecommunications providers with many benefits, including greater bandwidth, more efficient use of bandwidth, and the ability to integrate voice, data, and video communications. These broadband systems provide callers with increased capabilities at lower costs.
Techniques are used to transport calls in an efficient manner. Many of these techniques are encoding techniques that use compression methods to lower the bit rate at which the call is transported, in addition to encryption methods to secure calls.
A compact representation of the call that results in a lower bit rate can be considered to be a compressed call. Compression is achieved by removing redundant bits or bits that do not change in successive sampling intervals. Compression saves transmission time or capacity. Thus, a greater amount of information may be transported in a compressed-state over a selected connection or any other defined bandwidth.
In addition, encryption techniques are used to secure calls. Encryption is the transformation of information into a form that is unreadable unless it is decrypted. The purpose of encryption is to keep the information hidden from anyone for whom it is not intended.
There is a need for a system that more efficiently and securely transports a call through an asynchronous transfer mode system. There is a need for a system that efficiently compresses, encrypts, or other wise processes a call having a voiceband signal payload, and provides a mechanism to indicate when the call is compressed, encrypted, or otherwise processed. The system of the present invention fills that need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises a system for transporting a call having user communications and call signaling. The system comprises a signaling processor and an interworking unit. The signaling processor is adapted to receive the call signaling and to process the call signaling to select a connection and to transport a control message that identifies the selected connection. The interworking unit is adapted to receive the user communications in a communication format and to receive the control message from the signaling processor. The interworking unit processes the user communications according to a processing option. The interworking unit interworks the user communications between the communication format and an asynchronous transfer mode format. The interworking unit sets a convergence sublayer indicator in the asynchronous transfer mode formatted user communications to indicate that the user communications are processed according to the processing option. Then, the interworking unit transports the processed user communications in the asynchronous transfer mode format over the selected connection.
Further, the present invention is a system for transporting a call having user communications and call signaling. The system comprises a first signaling processor, a first interworking unit, a second signaling processor, and a second interworking unit.
The first signaling processor is adapted to receive the call signaling and to process the call signaling to select a first connection. The first signaling processor transports a first control message that identifies the selected first connection and transports a second control message that identifies the selected first connection.
The first interworking unit is adapted to receive the user communications in a communication format and to receive the first control message from the first signaling processor. The first interworking unit processes the user communications according to a first processing option. The first interworking unit interworks the user communications between the first communication format and asynchronous transfer mode cells that identify the selected first connection. The first interworking unit sets an indicator in the asynchronous transfer mode cells to indicate that the user communications are processed according to the first processing option. The first interworking unit transports the asynchronous transfer mode cells over the selected first connection.
The second signaling processor is adapted to receive the second control message identifying the selected first connection. The second signaling processor processes the second control message to select a second connection and transports a third control message identifying the selected second connection.
The second interworking unit is adapted to receive the third control message from the second signaling processor and to receive the asynchronous transfer mode cells over the selected first connection from the first interworking unit. The second interworking unit interworks the asynchronous transfer mode cells according to a second processing option to convert the asynchronous transfer mode cells to user communications having a second communication format if the indicator is set. The second interworking unit transports the user communications over the selected second connection in the second communication format.
In another aspect, the present invention is a system for transporting a call having voiceband user communications. The system comprises a first interworking unit and a second interworking unit. The first interworking unit is adapted to receive the voiceband user communications in a first communication format. The first interworking unit processes the voiceband user communications according to a first processing option and converts the user communications to asynchronous transfer mode cells that identify a selected connection. The first interworking unit sets a convergence sublayer indicator bit in the asynchronous transfer mode cells to identify that the voiceband user communications have been processed according to the first processing option. The first interworking unit then transports the asynchronous transfer mode cells over the selected connection.
The second interworking unit is adapted to receive the asynchronous transfer mode cells over the selected connection and to identify the convergence sublayer indicator bit. The second interworking unit interworks the asynchronous transfer mode cells according to a second processing option to convert the asynchronous transfer mode cells to voiceband user communications having a second communication format if the convergence sublayer indicator bit is set.
In still another aspect, the present invention is a system for transporting a call having voiceband user communications. The system comprises a first communication device that is adapted to transport the voiceband user communications in a first communication format. The system further comprises a first interworking unit and a second interworking unit.
The first interworking unit is adapted to receive the voiceband user communications from the first communication device and to compress the voiceband user communications according to a selected compression method. The first interworking unit converts the user communications to asynchronous transfer mode cells that identify a selected connection. The first interworking unit sets a convergence sublayer indicator bit in the asynchronous transfer mode cells to indicate that the voiceband user communications have been compressed. The first interworking unit transports the asynchronous transfer mode cells over the selected connection.
The second interworking unit is adapted to receive the asynchronous transfer mode cells from the first interworking unit over the selected connection. The second interworking unit identifies the convergence sublayer indicator bit and converts the asynchronous transfer mode cells to the voiceband user communications with a second communication format according to a selected decompression method if the convergence sublayer indicator bit is set. The second interworking unit transports the decompressed voiceband user communications in the second communication format.
T
Christie Jean M.
Christie Joseph Michael
Christie Joseph S.
DuRee Albert Daniel
Sucharczuk Mark
Ball Harley R.
Christie Jean M.
Christie Joseph S.
Sprint Communications Company L. P.
Ton Dang
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