Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
168 words
A network element for use in a telecommunication network supporting at least one supplementary service, said telecommunications network including at least one node, a message associated with a supplementary service being transmittable within said network including an information element in a first format which is incompatible with said node, and a message associated with a supplementary service being transmittable within said network including an information element in a second format compatible with said node, said network element comprising: means for receiving messages from said network; means for determining whether a received message is associated with a supplementary service; means for detecting whether an information element within said supplementary service message is in the first or second format, and means for selective conversion of the format of said information element such that when said information element is in the first format at least a part of said information element is converted into the second format, and when said information element is in said second format, transmitting said message transparently.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
168 words
A network element for use in a telecommunication network supporting at least one supplementary service, said telecommunications network including at least one node, a message associated with a supplementary service being transmittable within said network including an information element in a first format which is incompatible with said node, and a message associated with a supplementary service being transmittable within said network including an information element in a second format compatible with said node, said network element comprising: means for receiving messages from said network; means for determining whether a received message is associated with a supplementary service; means for detecting whether an information element within said supplementary service message is in the first or second format, and means for selective conversion of the format of said information element such that when said information element is in the first format at least a part of said information element is converted into the second format, and when said information element is in said second format, transmitting said message transparently.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
75 words
A network element according to claim 1, wherein the telecommunications network supports at least a first and a second supplementary service, and said determining means is adapted to determine whether the message is associated with the first or second supplementary service, and said selective converting means is adapted to convert at least the part of said information element from the first into the second format in dependence upon the result output by said determining means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
A network element according to claim 1 wherein the part of said information element is an operation identifier.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A network element in accordance with claims 3, wherein the operation identifier is coded as at least one of integer value and object identifier.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
A network element according to claim 1, wherein said network element is a digital switching means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
A network element according to claim 5, wherein said digital switching means includes a private exchange.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
A network element according to claim 1, wherein the node is the next node in the network adjacent to said network element, and said selective converting means is adapted to convert at least the part of said information element into the second format in dependence upon the capabilities of the node.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
164 words
A method of operating a network element in a telecommunications network supporting at least one supplementary service, said telecommunications network including at least one node, a message associated with a supplementary service being transmittable within said network including an information element in a first format which is incompatible with said node, and a message associated with a supplementary service being transmittable within said network including an information element in a second format compatible with said node, comprising the steps of: receiving a message at the network element; establishing whether said received message is associated with a supplementary service; determining whether an information element within said supplementary service message is in the first or second format; and selectively converting the format of said information element such that when said information element is in the first format at least a part of said information element is converted into the second format, and when said information element is in said second format, said message is transmitted transparently.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
164 words
A method of operating a network element in a telecommunications network supporting at least one supplementary service, said telecommunications network including at least one node, a message associated with a supplementary service being transmittable within said network including an information element in a first format which is incompatible with said node, and a message associated with a supplementary service being transmittable within said network including an information element in a second format compatible with said node, comprising the steps of: receiving a message at the network element; establishing whether said received message is associated with a supplementary service; determining whether an information element within said supplementary service message is in the first or second format; and selectively converting the format of said information element such that when said information element is in the first format at least a part of said information element is converted into the second format, and when said information element is in said second format, said message is transmitted transparently.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
68 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein the telecommunications network supports at least a first and a second supplementary service, and the establishing step includes establishing whether the message is associated with the first or second supplementary service, and the selective conversion step includes converting at least the part of said information element from the first into the second format depending upon the results of the establishing step.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein the part of said information element is an operation identifier.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the operation identifier is coded as at least one of integer value and object identifier.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
151 words
A method of operating a telecommunications network supporting at least one supplementary service, said telecommunications network including at least one node, a message associated with a supplementary service being transmittable within said network including an information element in a first format which is incompatible with said node, and a message associated with a supplementary service being transmittable within said network including an information element in a second format compatible with said node, comprising the steps of: establishing whether a message is associated with a supplementary service; determining whether an information element within said supplementary service message is in the first or second format; and converting the format of said information element such that when said information element is in the first format at least a part of said information element is converted into the second format, and when said information element is in said second format, said message is transmitted transparently.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
151 words
A method of operating a telecommunications network supporting at least one supplementary service, said telecommunications network including at least one node, a message associated with a supplementary service being transmittable within said network including an information element in a first format which is incompatible with said node, and a message associated with a supplementary service being transmittable within said network including an information element in a second format compatible with said node, comprising the steps of: establishing whether a message is associated with a supplementary service; determining whether an information element within said supplementary service message is in the first or second format; and converting the format of said information element such that when said information element is in the first format at least a part of said information element is converted into the second format, and when said information element is in said second format, said message is transmitted transparently.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
69 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein the telecommunications network supports at least a first and a second supplementary service, and the establishing step includes establishing whether the message is associated with the first or second supplementary service, and and the selective conversion step includes converting at least the part of said information element from the first into the second format depending upon the results of the establishing step.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein the part of said information element is an operation identifier.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the operation identifier is coded as at least one of integer value and object identifier.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
153 words
A telecommunication system supporting at least one supplementary service, said telecommunications network including at least one node, a message associated with a supplementary service being transmittable within said network including an information element in a first format which is incompatible with said node, and a message associated with a supplementary service being transmittable within said network including an information element in a second format compatible with said node, said system comprising: means for establishing whether a message is associated with a supplementary service, means for determining whether an information element within said supplementary service message is in the first or second format; and means for selective converting the format of said information element such that when said information element is in the first format at least a part of said information element is converted into the second format, and when said information element is in said second format, said message is transmitted transparently.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
153 words
A telecommunication system supporting at least one supplementary service, said telecommunications network including at least one node, a message associated with a supplementary service being transmittable within said network including an information element in a first format which is incompatible with said node, and a message associated with a supplementary service being transmittable within said network including an information element in a second format compatible with said node, said system comprising: means for establishing whether a message is associated with a supplementary service, means for determining whether an information element within said supplementary service message is in the first or second format; and means for selective converting the format of said information element such that when said information element is in the first format at least a part of said information element is converted into the second format, and when said information element is in said second format, said message is transmitted transparently.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
74 words
A system according to claim 16, wherein the telecommunications network supports at least a first and a second supplementary service, and said determining means is adapted to determine whether the message is associated with the first or second supplementary service, and said selective converting means is adapted to convert at least the part of said information element from the first into the second format in dependence upon the result output by said determining means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system according to claim 16 wherein the part of said information element is an operation identifier.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the operation identifier is coded as at least one of integer value and object identifier.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
64 words
A system according to any of the claims 16, wherein said establishing means is included in a first node of the system and wherein said selective converting means is adapted to convert at least the part of said information element into the second format in dependence upon the capabilities of the next node of the system adjacent the first node for each supplementary service.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
64 words
A system according to any of the claims 16, wherein said establishing means is included in a network element of the system and wherein said selective converting means is adapted to convert at least the part of said information element into the second format in dependence upon the capabilities of the next node of the system adjacent the network element for each supplementary service.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
16 words
A system according to any of claims 16, wherein said system is a private integrated network.