US6208657B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Programmable gateway for a virtual bearer channel platform
Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc
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Filing: 1998-01-07
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Granted: 2001-03-27
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Expires: 2018-01-07
Abstract
Abstract A programmable gateway for processing protocol conversion for a virtual bearer channel platform. The platform includes a plurality of transaction processing units (TPUs). Each TPU processes service requests transmitted by a caller or transmits service requests to a destination called party. The platform has a distribution network that interfaces with the TPUs and acts as a shared bus between the TPUs. The platform receives and transmits communications with a communications network over bearer channels of a high bandwidth pipe. A cross-connecting controller multiplexes the signals coming into the platform over the bearer channels onto the distribution network, and also demultiplexes signals going out over the bearer channels from the distribution network. A resource manager provides a centralized control for the allocation of bandwidth to the transaction processing units. The resource manager allocates available bearer channels for the connections with the communications network, and also allocates available time slots in the distribution network to the TPUs. The gateway functions as a programmable protocol converter handling all the signaling functions of the platform. It acts as a conduit between the resource manager and the communications network. It converts incoming signaling messages into an internal protocol used by the resource manager. Likewise, it converts internal messages from the resource manager into signaling messages for transmission over the communications network.
Inventors
- 👤 Ranga R. Dendi
- 👤 Frederick A. Sherman
- 👤 Timothy A. Morgan
- 👤 Robert Gary Leonard
- 👤 Duke Bond
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 23:34
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q3/00; H04Q3/0016; H04Q3/0025; H04Q11/00; H04Q11/04; H04Q11/0428; H04Q11/0478; H04J; H04J2203/00; H04J2203/0001; H04J2203/0028; H04J2203/0039; H04J2203/0041; H04J2203/0042; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/54; H04L12/56; H04L12/5601; H04L2012/5629; H04L2012/563
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
A virtual bearer channel platform connected to a communications network with one or more bearer channels, comprising: a plurality of audio response units configured to process or transmit call service requests; a SONET bus configured to provide communications with said plurality of audio response units within said virtual bearer channel platform; a cross-connecting controller configured to couple the one or more bearer channels to said SONET bus; a gateway configured to receive a signaling message from the communications network and to transmit a signaling message to the communications network; and a resource manager configured to distribute incoming calls to the audio response units based on a load of the audio response units.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
112 words
A virtual bearer channel platform connected to a communications network with one or more bearer channels, comprising: a plurality of audio response units configured to process or transmit call service requests; a SONET bus configured to provide communications with said plurality of audio response units within said virtual bearer channel platform; a cross-connecting controller configured to couple the one or more bearer channels to said SONET bus; a gateway configured to receive a signaling message from the communications network and to transmit a signaling message to the communications network; and a resource manager configured to distribute incoming calls to the audio response units based on a load of the audio response units.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 1 , wherein the gateway is further configured to convert the received signaling message to an internal message in an internal protocol used by the virtual bearer channel platform.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 2 , wherein said internal message is carried on a transmission medium, said transmission medium comprising one of: an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) transmission medium; a frame-relay transmission medium; a token-ring transmission medium; and an ethernet transmission medium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 2 , wherein said received signaling message is a common channel signaling (CCS) message.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 4 , wherein said received signaling message is one of: an ANSI ISUP signaling message; an ITU ISUP signaling message; an ISUP signaling message being specific to a given country.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 2 , wherein said internal message is in a byte-oriented protocol.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 2 , wherein said internal message is a protocol defined by using abstract syntax notation 1 (ASN.1).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 2 , wherein said internal message is defined by a protocol, said protocol being one of: TCP/IP; ECTF S.200; X.25; SNA; and Q931.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 2 , wherein said received signaling message indicates that said service request is inbound to the virtual bearer channel platform, and wherein said gateway is further configured to: transmit said internal message to the resource manager for allocating bearer channels for said service request.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
63 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 2 , wherein said received signaling message is an acknowledgement message indicating a connection has been established to a called party over a bearer channel, and wherein said gateway is further configured to: transmit said internal message to the resource manager for informing said resource manager that a connection has been established over said bearer channel.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 2 , wherein said received signaling message is a release message indicating the virtual bearer channel platform must release a bearer channel, and wherein said gateway is further configured to: inform the resource manager that said bearer channel must be released.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 2 , wherein said received signaling message is a release acknowledgement message indicating a bearer channel has been successfully released, and wherein said gateway is further configured to: inform the resource manager that said bearer channel has been successfully released.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 1 , wherein said gateway is further configured to: convert an internal message in an internal protocol internal to the virtual bearer channel platform to said transmitted signaling message.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
45 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 13 , wherein said internal message is carried on a transmission medium, said transmission medium comprising one of: an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) transmission medium; a frame-relay transmission medium; a token-ring transmission medium; and an ethernet transmission medium.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 13 , wherein said received signaling message is a common channel signaling (CCS) message.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 15 , wherein said received signaling message is one of: an ANSI ISUP signaling message; an ITU ISUP signaling message; an ISUP signaling message being specific to a given country.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 13 , wherein said internal message is in a byte-oriented protocol.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 13 , wherein said internal message is a protocol defined by using abstract syntax notation 1 (ASN.1).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 13 , wherein said internal message is defined by a protocol, said protocol being one of: TCP/IP; ECTF S.200; X.25; SNA; and Q931.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
58 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 13 , wherein said internal message indicates that a resource manager requires an outgoing call from an audio response unit, and wherein said gateway is further configured to: transmit said signaling message to the communications network, wherein said transmitted signaling message indicates an available bearer channel and a called party number.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 13 , wherein said internal message is a bridging message from a resource manager requiring a bridged connection between a caller and a called party.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
59 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 21 , wherein said gateway is further configured to: transmit a message to a switch connected to said caller and said called party to release an inbound connection between said switch and the virtual bearer channel platform, and to release an outbound connection between the virtual bearer channel platform and said switch.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
87 words
A virtual bearer channel platform, comprising: a gateway configured to receive call service requests from a signaling network; a controller configured to multiplex data received over bearer channels onto a distribution network; a plurality of transaction processing units configured to process calls; and a resource manager configured to receive service request messages from the gateway and to assign the data received over each of the bearer channels to at least one of the plurality of transaction processing units based on a load of the transaction processing units.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
87 words
A virtual bearer channel platform, comprising: a gateway configured to receive call service requests from a signaling network; a controller configured to multiplex data received over bearer channels onto a distribution network; a plurality of transaction processing units configured to process calls; and a resource manager configured to receive service request messages from the gateway and to assign the data received over each of the bearer channels to at least one of the plurality of transaction processing units based on a load of the transaction processing units.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 23 , wherein the distribution network comprises a SONET bus.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
38 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 24 , wherein the resource manager is further configured to assign the data received over each of the bearer channels to a specific position within a frame of the SONET bus.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
49 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 23 , wherein the data assigned to at least one of the plurality of transaction processing units comprises audio data, and wherein the at least one of the plurality of transaction processing units is further configured to record the assigned audio data.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-03-26 | 2004-09-25 | 2005-03-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-03-26 | 2008-09-25 | 2009-03-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-03-26 | 2012-09-25 | 2013-03-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |