Telephonic communications – Plural exchange network or interconnection – Interexchange signalling
Reexamination Certificate
1996-11-21
2001-02-27
Hong, Harry S. (Department: 2742)
Telephonic communications
Plural exchange network or interconnection
Interexchange signalling
C370S385000, C370S401000, C370S467000, C370S496000, C370S522000, C379S220010, C379S224000, C379S900000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06195425
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a telecommunications system and more particularly relates to a public switched telecommunications network having a control signaling system which provides wide area national and international routing and supervision using out of band signaling which includes a wide area internetwork implemented signaling system. The following background material introduces various telephone network control and computer network concepts and definitions and those familiar with telephone network control and computer networks and TCP/IP may wish to skip to following subsections.
Acronyms
The written description uses a large number of acronyms to refer to various services, messages and system components. Although generally known, use of several of these acronyms is not strictly standardized in the art. For purposes of this discussion, acronyms therefore will be defined as follows:
Address Complete Message (ACM)
Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN)
Answer Message (ANM)
Application Service Part (ASP)
Backward Indicator Bit (BIB)
Backward Sequence Number (BSN)
Central Office (CO)
Common Channel Signaling (CCS)
Common Channel Interoffice Signaling (CCIS)
Customer Identification Code (CIC)
Cyclic Redundancy Code (CRC)
Data and Reporting System (DRS)
Destination Point Code (DPC)
Dual Tone Multifrequency (DTMF)
Fill in Signal Unit (FISU)
Global Title (GTT)
Initial Address Message (IAM)
Integrated Service Control Point (ISCP)
Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)
ISDN User Part (ISDN-UP)
International Standards Organization (ISO)
Link Service Signaling Unit (LSSU)
Local Access and Transport Area (LATA)
Message Signaling Unit (MSU)
Message Transfer Part (MTP)
Multi-Services Application Platform (MSAP)
Open Systems Interconnection (OSI)
Operations, Maintenance, Application Part (OMAP)
Origination Point Code (OPC)
Point in Call (PIC)
Point in Routing (PIR)
Point of Presence (POP)
Recent Change (RC)
Service Control Point (SCP)
Service Creation Environment (SCE)
Service Information Octet (SIO)
Service Management System (SMS)
Service Switching Point (SSP)
Signaling Connection Control Part (SCCP)
Signaling Link Selection (SLS)
Signaling System 7 (SS7)
Signaling Point (SP)
Signaling Transfer Point (STP)
Subsystem Number (SSN)
Time Slot Interchange (TSI)
Transaction Capabilities Applications Protocol (TCAP)
BACKGROUND
Computer Network Background
A computer network is simply a collection of autonomous computers connected together to permit sharing of hardware and software resources, and to increase overall reliability. The qualifying term “local area” is usually applied to computer networks in which the computers are located in a single building or in nearby buildings, such as on a college campus or at a single corporate site. When the computers are further apart, the terms “wide area network” or “long haul network” are used, but the distinction is one of degree and the definitions sometimes overlap.
A bridge is a device that is connected to at least two LANs and serves to pass message frames or packets between LANs, such that a source station on one LAN can transmit data to a destination station on another LAN, without concern for the location of the destination. Bridges are useful and necessary network components, principally because the total number of stations on a single LAN is limited. Bridges can be implemented to operate at a selected layer of protocol of the network. A detailed knowledge of network architecture is not needed for an understanding of this invention, but a brief description follows by way of further background.
At the heart of any computer network is a communication protocol. A protocol is a set of conventions or rules that govern the transfer of data between computer devices. The simplest protocols define only a hardware configuration, while more complex protocols define timing, data formats, error detection and correction techniques and software structures.
Computer networks almost universally employ multiple layers of protocols. A low-level physical layer protocol assures the transmission and reception of a data stream between two devices. Data packets are constructed in a data link layer. Over the physical layer, a network and transport layer protocol governs transmission of data through the network, thereby ensuring end-to end reliable data delivery.
The most common physical networking protocol or topology for small networks is Ethernet, developed by Xerox. When a node possesses a packet to be transmitted through the network, the node monitors the backbone and transmits when the backbone becomes clear. There is no central backbone master device to grant requests to gain access to the backbone. While this type of multipoint topology facilitates rapid transmission of data when the backbone is lightly utilized, packet collisions may occur when the backbone is heavily utilized. In such circumstances, there is a greater chance that multiple nodes will detect that the backbone is clear and transmit their packets coincidentally. If packets are impaired in a collision, the packets are retransmitted until transmission is successful.
Another conventional physical protocol or topology is Token Ring, developed by IBM. This topology employs a “token” that is passed unidirectionally from node to node around an annular backbone. The node possessing the token is granted exclusive access to the backbone for a single packet transfer. While this topology reduces data collisions, the latency incurred while each node waits for the token translates into a slower data transmission rate than Ethernet when the network is lightly utilized.
As computer networks have developed, various approaches have been used in the choice of communication medium, network topology, message format, protocols for channel access, and so forth. Some of these approaches have emerged as de facto standards, but there is still no single standard for network communication. However, a model for network architectures has been proposed and widely accepted. It is known as the International Standards Organization (ISO) Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) reference model. The OSI reference model is not itself a network architecture. Rather it specifies a hierarchy of protocol layers and defines the function of each layer in the network. Each layer in one computer of the network carries on a conversation with the corresponding layer in another computer with which communication is taking place, in accordance with a protocol defining the rules of this communication. In reality, information is transferred down from layer to layer in one computer, then through the channel medium and back up the successive layers of the other computer. However, for purposes of design of the various layers and understanding their functions, it is easier to consider each of the layers as communicating with its counterpart at the same level, in a “horizontal” direction.
The lowest layer defined by the OSI model is called the physical layer, and is concerned with transmitting raw data bits over the communication channel. Design of the physical layer involves issues of electrical, mechanical or optical engineering, depending on the medium used for the communication channel. The layer next to the physical layer is called the data link layer. The main task of the data link layer is to transform the physical layer, which interfaces directly with the channel medium, into a communication link that appears error-free to the next layer above, known as the network layer. The data link layer performs such functions as structuring data into packets or frames, and attaching control information to the packets or frames, such as checksums for error detection, and packet numbers.
Although the data link layer is primarily independent of the nature of the physical transmission medium, certain aspects of the data link layer function are more dependent on the transmission medium. For this reason, the data link layer in some network architectures is divided into two sublayers: a logical link control sublayer, which performs all medium-indep
Bell Atlantic Network Services Inc.
Hong Harry S.
McDermott & Will & Emery
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