Switch-adjunct interface

Claim 1

In a method of communicating via SMSI protocol messages to perform predetermined actions and including the steps of transmitting and receiving SMSI protocol messages on a link at a telecommunication switching system adjunct processor, the improvement comprising the steps of: receiving on the link at the adjunct processor a digital data message having a format of an SMSI protocol message including a plurality of fields including an end-of-message field marking the end of the message and a pair of delimiter fields surrounding a message ID field and a data field, each delimiter field including an ASCII carriage return character and an ASCII line feed character, the message ID and data fields including ASCII characters identifying the message as one reporting a failure condition; and stopping the transmitting on the link of valid SMSI protocol messages and causing the adjunct processor to operate in a stand-alone, data link-less, mode of operation, in response to receipt of the failure condition-reporting message.

Claim 19

A method of communicating on a digital communication link having a first and a second part in a telecommunication system including an adjunct processor connected to the second part of the link for transmitting and receiving on the link SMSI protocol messages to perform predetermined actions, and a protocol converter connected to the link for converting at least some messages received on a part of the link between a non-SMSI protocol and an SMSI protocol and transmitting the converted messages on another part of the link, the method comprising the steps of: determining at the converter whether a first part of the link is operative, in response to a reset of the converter; generating and transmitting on a second part of the link a first digital data message having a format of an SMSI protocol message including a plurality of fields including an end-of-message field marking the end of the message and a pair of delimiter fields surrounding a message ID field and a data field, each delimiter field including an ASCII carriage return character and an ASCII line feed character, the message ID and data fields including ASCII characters identifying the message as one reporting a reset condition; generating and transmitting on the second part of the link a second digital data message having a format of an SMSI protocol message including a plurality of fields including an end-of-message field marking the end of the message and a pair of delimiter fields surrounding a message ID field and a data field, each delimiter field including an ASCII carriage return character and an ASCII line feed character, the message ID and data fields including ASCII characters identifying the message as one reporting an operative condition, in response to a determination that the first part of the link is operative; generating and transmitting on the second part of the link a third digital data message having a format of an SMSI protocol message including a plurality of fields including an end-of-message field marking the end of the message and a pair of delimiter fields surrounding a message ID field and a data field, each delimiter field including an ASCII carriage return character and an ASCII line feed character, the message ID and data fields including ASCII characters identifying the message as one reporting an inoperative condition, in response to a determination that the first part of the link is inoperative; awaiting receipt within a predetermined period of the second digital data message, in response to receipt by the adjunct processor of the first digital data message; and stopping the transmitting on the data link of valid SMSI protocol messages and causing the adjunct processor to operate in a stand alone, data linkless, mode of operation, in response both to lack of receipt within the predetermined period of the second message and to receipt of the third message.

Claim 20

A method of communicating on a digital communication link having a first and a second part in a telecommunication system including an adjunct processor connected to the second part of the link for transmitting and receiving on the link SMSI protocol messages to perform predetermined actions, and a protocol converter connected to the link for converting at least some messages received on a part of the link between a non-SMSI protocol and an SMSI protocol and transmitting the converted messages on another part of the link, the method comprising the steps of: determining at the converter whether a first part of the link is operative, in response to a reset of the converter; generating and transmitting on a second part of the link a first digital data message having a format of an SMSI protocol message including a plurality of fields including an end-of-message field marking the end of the message and a pair of delimiter fields surrounding a message ID field and a data field, each delimiter field including an ASCII carriage return character and an ASCII line feed character, the message ID and data fields including ASCII characters identifying the message as one reporting a reset condition; generating and transmitting on the second part of the link a second digital data message having a format of an SMSI protocol message including a plurality of fields including an end-of-message field marking the end of the message and a pair of delimiter fields surrounding a message ID field and a data field, each delimiter field including an ASCII carriage return character and an ASCII line feed character, the message ID and data fields including ASCII characters identifying the message as one reporting an operative condition, in response to a determination that the first part of the link is operative; generating and transmitting on the second part of the link a third digital data message having a format of an SMSI protocol message including a plurality of fields including an end-of-message field marking the end of the message and a pair of delimiter fields surrounding a message ID field and a data field, each delimiter field including an ASCII carriage return character and an ASCII line feed character, the message ID and data fields including ASCII characters identifying the message as one reporting an inoperative condition, in response to a determination that the first part of the link is inoperative; awaiting receipt within a predetermined period of the second digital data message, in response to receipt by the adjunct processor of the first digital data message; and stopping the transmitting on the data link of valid SMSI protocol messages and causing the adjunct processor to operate in a stand alone, data linkless, mode of operation, in response both to lack of receipt within the predetermined period of the second message and to receipt of the third message.

Claim 34

A method of communicating on a digital data communication link in a telecommunication system including a protocol converter connected to the link for converting at least some messages received on the link between a non-SMSI protocol and an SMSI protocol and transmitting the converted messages on the link, and an adjunct processor connected to the link and communicating on the link via SMSI protocol messages to perform predetermined actions, the method comprising the steps of: generating and transmitting on the link in digital form a data message having a format of an SMSI protocol message including a plurality of fields including an end-of-message field marking the end of the message and a pair of delimiter fields surrounding a message ID field and a data field, each delimiter field including an ASCII carriage return character and an ASCII line feed character, the message ID field including ASCII characters identifying the message as an event-reporting message that reports occurrence of a predetermined event, in response to occurrence of a predetermined event affecting functionality of the link; and recording the event reported by the received message in a log of events affecting functionality of the link, in response to receipt of the event-reporting message.

Claim 35

A method of communicating on a digital data communication link in a telecommunication system including a protocol converter connected to the link for converting at least some messages received on the link between a non-SMSI protocol and an SMSI protocol and transmitting the converted messages on the link, and an adjunct processor connected to the link and communicating on the link via SMSI protocol messages to perform predetermined actions, the method comprising the steps of: generating and transmitting on the link in digital form a data message having a format of an SMSI protocol message including a plurality of fields including an end-of-message field marking the end of the message and a pair of delimiter fields surrounding a message ID field and a data field, each delimiter field including an ASCII carriage return character and an ASCII line feed character, the message ID field including ASCII characters identifying the message as an event-reporting message that reports occurrence of a predetermined event, in response to occurrence of a predetermined event affecting functionality of the link; and recording the event reported by the received message in a log of events affecting functionality of the link, in response to receipt of the event-reporting message.

Claim 40

A method of controlling at least one indicator, each indicator representing a predetermined condition and having a plurality of states each corresponding to a different state of the represented condition, in a telecommunication switching system wherein SMSI protocol messages are communicated to perform predetermined actions, the method comprising the steps of: generating a data message having a format of an SMSI protocol message including a plurality of fields including a message ID field and a data field, an end-of-message field marking the end of the message, and a delimiter field separating the message ID and data fields from the end of message field, the delimiter field including an ASCII exclamation mark character, the message ID field including ASCII characters identifying the message as an indicator control message and the data field including an ASCII character for each indicator, each included ASCII character in the data field specifying a new state of the corresponding indicator, in response to occurrence of an event changing a present state of a represented condition to a new state; and transmitting the generated message on a digital data communication link in digital form to the at least one indicator to change the state of the indicator representing the condition whose state was changed by the occurred event, from a present state to the new state specified by the indicator's corresponding ASCII character in the data field.

Claim 41

A method of controlling at least one indicator, each indicator representing a predetermined condition and having a plurality of states each corresponding to a different state of the represented condition, in a telecommunication switching system wherein SMSI protocol messages are communicated to perform predetermined actions, the method comprising the steps of: generating a data message having a format of an SMSI protocol message including a plurality of fields including a message ID field and a data field, an end-of-message field marking the end of the message, and a delimiter field separating the message ID and data fields from the end of message field, the delimiter field including an ASCII exclamation mark character, the message ID field including ASCII characters identifying the message as an indicator control message and the data field including an ASCII character for each indicator, each included ASCII character in the data field specifying a new state of the corresponding indicator, in response to occurrence of an event changing a present state of a represented condition to a new state; and transmitting the generated message on a digital data communication link in digital form to the at least one indicator to change the state of the indicator representing the condition whose state was changed by the occurred event, from a present state to the new state specified by the indicator's corresponding ASCII character in the data field.

Claim 42

A method of communicating at a telecommunication system protocol converter for converting at least some received messages between a non-SMSI protocol and an SMSI protocol and transmitting the converted messages, and having at least one indicator, each indicator representing a predetermined condition and having a plurality of states each corresponding to a different state of the represented condition, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a digital data message having a format of an SMSI protocol message including a plurality of fields including a message ID field and a data field, and end-of-message field marking the end of the message, and a delimiter field separating the message ID and data fields from the end of message field, the delimiter field including an ASCII exclamation mark character, the message ID field including ASCII characters identifying the message as an indicator control message and the data field including an ASCII character for each indicator, each included ASCII character in the data field specifying a new state of the corresponding indicator; and changing the state of the indicator representing the condition whose state was changed by the occurred event, from a present state to the new state specified by the indicator's corresponding ASCII character in the data field, in response to receipt of the digital data message.

Claim 43

A method of communicating at a telecommunication system protocol converter for converting at least some received messages between a non-SMSI protocol and an SMSI protocol and transmitting the converted messages, and having at least one indicator, each indicator representing a predetermined condition and having a plurality of states each corresponding to a different state of the represented condition, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a digital data message having a format of an SMSI protocol message including a plurality of fields including a message ID field and a data field, and end-of-message field marking the end of the message, and a delimiter field separating the message ID and data fields from the end of message field, the delimiter field including an ASCII exclamation mark character, the message ID field including ASCII characters identifying the message as an indicator control message and the data field including an ASCII character for each indicator, each included ASCII character in the data field specifying a new state of the corresponding indicator; and changing the state of the indicator representing the condition whose state was changed by the occurred event, from a present state to the new state specified by the indicator's corresponding ASCII character in the data field, in response to receipt of the digital data message.

Claim 44

A method of communicating on a digital communication link in a telecommunication system having at least one indicator, each indicator representing a predetermined condition and having a plurality of states each corresponding to a different state of the represented condition, an adjunct processor connected to the link and communicating on the link via SMSI protocol messages to perform predetermined actions, and a protocol converter connected to the at least one indicator and to the link for converting at least some messages received on the link between a non-SMSI protocol and an SMSI protocol and transmitting the converted messages on the link, the method comprising the steps of: generating at the adjunct processor a data message having a format of an SMSI protocol message including a plurality of fields including a message ID field and a data field, an end-of-message field marking the end of the message, and a delimiter field separating the message ID and data fields from the end of message field, the delimiter field including an ASCII exclamation mark character, the message ID field including ASCII characters identifying the message as an indicator control message and the data field including an ASCII character for each indicator, each included ASCII character in the data field specifying a new state of the corresponding indicator, in response to occurrence of an event changing a present state of a represented predetermined condition to a new state; transmitting the generated message on the link in digital form; receiving at the converter the message generated and transmitted by the adjunct processor; and changing the state of the indicator representing the condition whose state was changed by the occurred event, from a present state to the new state specified by the indicator's corresponding ASCII character in the data field, in response to receipt of the message.

Claim 45

A method of communicating on a digital communication link in a telecommunication system having at least one indicator, each indicator representing a predetermined condition and having a plurality of states each corresponding to a different state of the represented condition, an adjunct processor connected to the link and communicating on the link via SMSI protocol messages to perform predetermined actions, and a protocol converter connected to the at least one indicator and to the link for converting at least some messages received on the link between a non-SMSI protocol and an SMSI protocol and transmitting the converted messages on the link, the method comprising the steps of: generating at the adjunct processor a data message having a format of an SMSI protocol message including a plurality of fields including a message ID field and a data field, an end-of-message field marking the end of the message, and a delimiter field separating the message ID and data fields from the end of message field, the delimiter field including an ASCII exclamation mark character, the message ID field including ASCII characters identifying the message as an indicator control message and the data field including an ASCII character for each indicator, each included ASCII character in the data field specifying a new state of the corresponding indicator, in response to occurrence of an event changing a present state of a represented predetermined condition to a new state; transmitting the generated message on the link in digital form; receiving at the converter the message generated and transmitted by the adjunct processor; and changing the state of the indicator representing the condition whose state was changed by the occurred event, from a present state to the new state specified by the indicator's corresponding ASCII character in the data field, in response to receipt of the message.

Claim 49

A method of communicating in a telecommunication system having a switching system for transmitting messages having a format of a non-SMSI protocol, including a leave word calling request message, a protocol converter connected to the switching system and responsive to receipt of the messages transmitted by the switching system for converting at least some of the received messages into SMSI protocol messages, and an adjunct processor connected to the protocol converter for taking predetermined action in response to receipt of the SMSI protocol messages, the method comprising the steps of: transmitting from the switching system a leave word calling message having the format of the non-SMSI protocol; converting the leave word calling message at the protocol converter into a digital data message having a format of an SMSI protocol message including a plurality of fields including an end-of-message field marking the end of the message and a pair of delimiter fields surrounding a message ID field and a data field, each delimiter field including an ASCII carriage return character and an ASCII line feed character, the message ID field including ASCII characters identifying the message as a leave word calling request message and the data field including ASCII characters identifying a calling and a called party, in response to receipt of the leave word calling request message; and storing a message for the called party that identifies the calling party and notifying the called party of existence of a stored message, in response to receipt of the converted leave word calling request message.

Claim 50

A method of communicating in a telecommunication system having a switching system for transmitting messages having a format of a non-SMSI protocol, including a leave word calling request message, a protocol converter connected to the switching system and responsive to receipt of the messages transmitted by the switching system for converting at least some of the received messages into SMSI protocol messages, and an adjunct processor connected to the protocol converter for taking predetermined action in response to receipt of the SMSI protocol messages, the method comprising the steps of: transmitting from the switching system a leave word calling message having the format of the non-SMSI protocol; converting the leave word calling message at the protocol converter into a digital data message having a format of an SMSI protocol message including a plurality of fields including an end-of-message field marking the end of the message and a pair of delimiter fields surrounding a message ID field and a data field, each delimiter field including an ASCII carriage return character and an ASCII line feed character, the message ID field including ASCII characters identifying the message as a leave word calling request message and the data field including ASCII characters identifying a calling and a called party, in response to receipt of the leave word calling request message; and storing a message for the called party that identifies the calling party and notifying the called party of existence of a stored message, in response to receipt of the converted leave word calling request message.