Shared interworking function within a mobile telecommunications network

Claim 1

A method for providing a telecommunications service for a mobile station within a telecommunications network, said method comprising the steps of: receiving an indication to provide the telecommunications service to said mobile station at a first telecommunications node; determining that said first telecommunications node is not capable of providing the telecommunications service; identifying a second telecommunications node capable of providing said indicated telecommunications service; establishing a first circuit call connection from said first telecommunications node to said second telecommunications node using a first Integrated Service Digital Network User Part (ISUP) signal, said first ISUP signal including control data and traffic data necessary for providing the telecommunications service and for transporting the control data and the traffic data from the first telecommunications node to the second telecommunications node; extracting said control data and the traffic data from said first ISUP signal at said second telecommunications node; altering the extracted traffic data in accordance with the extracted control data; and sending the altered traffic data from the second telecommunications node to said first telecommunications node when terminating a call to the mobile station; or sending the altered traffic data from the second telecommunications node to a called party terminal when the mobile station is an originator of the call.

Claim 2

A method for providing a telecommunications service for a mobile station within a telecommunications network, said method comprising the steps of: receiving an indication to provide the telecommunications service to said mobile station at a first telecommunications node; determining that said first telecommunications node is not capable of providing the telecommunications service; identifying a second telecommunications node capable of providing said indicated telecommunications service; establishing a first circuit call connection from said first telecommunications node to said second telecommunications node using a first Integrated Service Digital Network User Part (ISUP) signal, said first ISUP signal including control data and traffic data necessary for providing the telecommunications service and for transporting the control data and the traffic data from the first telecommunications node to the second telecommunications node; extracting said control data and the traffic data from said first ISUP signal at said second telecommunications node; altering the extracted traffic data in accordance with the extracted control data; and sending the altered traffic data from the second telecommunications node to said first telecommunications node when terminating a call to the mobile station; or sending the altered traffic data from the second telecommunications node to a called party terminal when the mobile station is an originator of the call.

Claim 13

A method of transmitting data packets constructed in accordance with an Integrated Services Digital Network User Part (ISUP) protocol standard in a data network connecting a plurality of mobile switching centers (MSCs) in a cellular radio telecommunications network providing both voice and data services to a plurality of subscribers, said MSCs being connected by said data network to a network node which provides a plurality of interworking functions for the processing of data associated with data calls of said subscribers, said method comprising the steps of: inserting into each data packet a label containing an identification of a source MSC and the network node for said packet; inserting into said data packet an information field containing a message requesting that a first circuit call connection be set up between the source MSC and the network node; inserting into said data packet control data for specifying the type of interworking function required by a particular subscriber at said source MSC where said control data is included as one of a plurality of optional parameters within the information field of said ISUP protocol data packet; sending said data packet from said source MSC to said network node; setting up the first circuit call connection between said network node and said source MSC; connecting, in accordance with the control data within said data packet, a selected one of said plurality of interworking functions to said first circuit call connection within said network node for processing of data associated with data calls of said particular subscriber; sending data associated with data calls of said particular subscriber from said source MSC to said network node for processing by said selected interworking function; generating at said network node a second data packet having a label containing an identification of said network node as being the source of the second data packet and said source MSC as the destination of said second data packet; inserting into said second data packet an information field containing a message requesting that a second circuit call connection be set up between said network node and said source MSC; inserting into said second data packet control data for specifying the results of providing interworking function which was selected at said network node and connected to said first call connection; sending said second data packet from said source MSC to said network node; processing data associated with data calls of said particular subscriber with said selected interworking function at said network node; and sending said processed data from said network node to said source MSC over said second call connection.

Claim 14

A method of transmitting data packets constructed in accordance with an Integrated Services Digital Network User Part (ISUP) protocol standard in a data network connecting a plurality of mobile switching centers (MSCs) in a cellular radio telecommunications network providing both voice and data services to a plurality of subscribers, said MSCs being connected by said data network to a network node which provides a plurality of interworking functions for the processing of data associated with data calls of said subscribers, said method comprising the steps of: inserting into each data packet a label containing an identification of a source MSC and the network node for said packet; inserting into said data packet an information field containing a message requesting that a first circuit call connection be set up between the source MSC and the network node; inserting into said data packet control data for specifying the type of interworking function required by a particular subscriber at said source MSC where said control data is included as one of a plurality of optional parameters within the information field of said ISUP protocol data packet; sending said data packet from said source MSC to said network node; setting up the first circuit call connection between said network node and said source MSC; connecting, in accordance with the control data within said data packet, a selected one of said plurality of interworking functions to said first circuit call connection within said network node for processing of data associated with data calls of said particular subscriber; sending data associated with data calls of said particular subscriber from said source MSC to said network node for processing by said selected interworking function; generating at said network node a second data packet having a label containing an identification of said network node as being the source of the second data packet and said source MSC as the destination of said second data packet; inserting into said second data packet an information field containing a message requesting that a second circuit call connection be set up between said network node and said source MSC; inserting into said second data packet control data for specifying the results of providing interworking function which was selected at said network node and connected to said first call connection; sending said second data packet from said source MSC to said network node; processing data associated with data calls of said particular subscriber with said selected interworking function at said network node; and sending said processed data from said network node to said source MSC over said second call connection.

Claim 19

A system for providing telecommunications services for a mobile station within a telecommunications network, said system comprising: a serving mobile switching center including a serving application module for identifying control data associated with a selected one of the telecommunications services; a telecommunications node; said serving application module for establishing a first call connection by transmitting a first Integrated Service Digital Network User Part (ISUP) signal having the control data and traffic data to the telecommunications node; said telecommunications node includes a shared application module for extracting the control data and traffic data from the first ISUP signal and for seizing in response to the extracted control data a module, said module for altering the extracted traffic data in accordance with the extracted control data.

Claim 20

A system for providing telecommunications services for a mobile station within a telecommunications network, said system comprising: a serving mobile switching center including a serving application module for identifying control data associated with a selected one of the telecommunications services; a telecommunications node; said serving application module for establishing a first call connection by transmitting a first Integrated Service Digital Network User Part (ISUP) signal having the control data and traffic data to the telecommunications node; said telecommunications node includes a shared application module for extracting the control data and traffic data from the first ISUP signal and for seizing in response to the extracted control data a module, said module for altering the extracted traffic data in accordance with the extracted control data.

Claim 30

A method for communicating control data and traffic data associated with a telecommunications service between a mobile switching center serving a mobile station and a telecommunications node equipped to provide said telecommunications service, said method comprising the steps of: identifying control data associated with said telecommunications service; establishing a first circuit call connection from said mobile switching center to said telecommunications node using a first Integrated Service Digital Network User Part (ISUP) signal, said first ISUP signal includes control data and traffic data; seizing in response to the control data a module; altering the traffic data using the module in accordance with the control data; establishing a second circuit call connection from said telecommunications node to said mobile switching center using a second Integrated Service Digital Network User Part (ISUP) signal; linking the module to the first circuit call connection and the second circuit call connection; and sending the altered traffic data from the telecommunications node to the mobile switching center when terminating a call to the mobile station; or sending the altered traffic data from the telecommunications node to a called party terminal when the mobile station is an originator of the call.

Claim 31

A method for communicating control data and traffic data associated with a telecommunications service between a mobile switching center serving a mobile station and a telecommunications node equipped to provide said telecommunications service, said method comprising the steps of: identifying control data associated with said telecommunications service; establishing a first circuit call connection from said mobile switching center to said telecommunications node using a first Integrated Service Digital Network User Part (ISUP) signal, said first ISUP signal includes control data and traffic data; seizing in response to the control data a module; altering the traffic data using the module in accordance with the control data; establishing a second circuit call connection from said telecommunications node to said mobile switching center using a second Integrated Service Digital Network User Part (ISUP) signal; linking the module to the first circuit call connection and the second circuit call connection; and sending the altered traffic data from the telecommunications node to the mobile switching center when terminating a call to the mobile station; or sending the altered traffic data from the telecommunications node to a called party terminal when the mobile station is an originator of the call.