Patent US6483837B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US6483837B1 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

System and method for connecting a call with an interworking system

Assignee: Sprint Communications Co LP
•
Filing: 1998-02-20
•
Granted: 2002-11-19
•
Expires: 2018-02-20
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract An interworking system and method connects calls through the use of an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch and interworking units. The ATM switch and interworking units may either be controlled by a signaling processor or not controlled by the signaling processor for particular calls to make connections. In some instances the signaling processor processes call signaling to determine connections for calls and transports control messages to the ATM switch and the interworking unit identifying the connections. The interworking unit interworks user communications from time division multiplex (TDM) formats to ATM for the selected ATM connections, and the ATM switch cross connects the user communications for the other selected ATM connections. In other instances, either of the ATM switch or the interworking unit may automatically cross connect or interwork the user connections to a connection without receiving a control message from the signaling processor that identifies the connection.

Inventors

  • 👤 Royal Dean Howell
  • 👤 William Lyle Wiley

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 08:28
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/54; H04L12/56; H04L12/5601; H04L2012/5603; H04L2012/5609; H04L2012/561; H04L2012/5614; H04L2012/5618; H04L2012/5629; H04L2012/563

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim 153 words
A communication system for connecting a call having user communications and call signaling comprising: a signaling processor adapted to receive the call signaling, to process the call signaling to select digital signaling requirements and an outgoing connection for the call, and to generate and transmit a first control message identifying the selected digital signaling requirements and a second control message identifying the selected outgoing connection; an interworking system adapted to receive the first control message from the signaling processor, to receive the user communications, and to interwork the user communications between a time division multiplex connection and an asynchronous transfer mode connection, and to apply digital signal processing according to the first control message; and a first asynchronous transfer mode switch adapted to receive the second control message from the signaling processor, to receive and switch the user communications from the asynchronous transfer mode connection from the interworking system to the outgoing connection.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 153 words
A communication system for connecting a call having user communications and call signaling comprising: a signaling processor adapted to receive the call signaling, to process the call signaling to select digital signaling requirements and an outgoing connection for the call, and to generate and transmit a first control message identifying the selected digital signaling requirements and a second control message identifying the selected outgoing connection; an interworking system adapted to receive the first control message from the signaling processor, to receive the user communications, and to interwork the user communications between a time division multiplex connection and an asynchronous transfer mode connection, and to apply digital signal processing according to the first control message; and a first asynchronous transfer mode switch adapted to receive the second control message from the signaling processor, to receive and switch the user communications from the asynchronous transfer mode connection from the interworking system to the outgoing connection.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 14 words
The communication system of claim 1 wherein the digital signal processing comprises echo cancellation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 16 words
The communication system of claim 2 wherein the outgoing connection comprises an asynchronous transfer mode connection.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 35 words
The communication system of claim 2 wherein the first asynchronous transfer mode switch further is adapted to interwork the user communications between a time division multiplex connection and an asynchronous transfer mode connection provisioned therebetween.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 85 words
The communication system of claim 1 wherein the interworking system comprises: an interworking unit adapted to receive the control message from the signaling processor and, in response thereto, to interwork the user communications between a time division multiplex connection and an asynchronous transfer mode connection provisioned therebetween; and a second asynchronous transfer mode switch that is not controlled by the signaling processor and which is adapted to receive the user communications from the interworking unit and to switch the user communications onto another provisioned connection.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 21 words
The communication system of claim 5 wherein the interworking unit comprises an echo canceler adapted to cancel echo for the connection.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 35 words
The communication system of claim 5 wherein the second asynchronous transfer mode switch further is adapted to interwork the user communications between a time division multiplex connection and an asynchronous transfer mode connection provisioned therebetween.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 22 words
The communication system of claim 1 wherein the interworking system comprises a service platform adapted to provide enhanced services for the call.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 20 words
The communication system of claim 1 further comprising a voice response unit adapted to provide voice responses to a caller.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 137 words
A system for connecting a call having user communications and call signaling comprising: a signaling processor adapted to receive call signaling, to process the call signaling to select a first connection and a second connection for the call, and to transport a first control message identifying the selected first connection and a second control message identifying the selected second connection; and an interworking unit adapted to receive the first control message from the signaling processor, to receive the user communications, and to interwork the user communications between a time division multiplex connection and an asynchronous transfer mode connection for the selected first connection according to the first control message; and an asynchronous transfer mode switch adapted to receive the second control message from the signaling processor and to switch the user communication to the selected second connection.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 137 words
A system for connecting a call having user communications and call signaling comprising: a signaling processor adapted to receive call signaling, to process the call signaling to select a first connection and a second connection for the call, and to transport a first control message identifying the selected first connection and a second control message identifying the selected second connection; and an interworking unit adapted to receive the first control message from the signaling processor, to receive the user communications, and to interwork the user communications between a time division multiplex connection and an asynchronous transfer mode connection for the selected first connection according to the first control message; and an asynchronous transfer mode switch adapted to receive the second control message from the signaling processor and to switch the user communication to the selected second connection.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 20 words
The system of claim 10 wherein the interworking unit comprises an echo canceler adapted to cancel echo for the connection.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 33 words
The system of claim 10 wherein the asynchronous transfer mode switch further is adapted to interwork the user communications between a time division multiplex connection and an asynchronous transfer mode connection provisioned therebetween.
Claim 15
Independent Claim 122 words
A system for connecting a call having user communications and call signaling comprising: a signaling processor adapted to receive call signaling, to process the call signaling to select a connection for the call, and to transport a control message identifying the selected connection; an interworking unit adapted to receive the user communications and to interwork the user communications between a time division multiplex connection and an asynchronous transfer mode connection wherein the time division multiplex connection is provisioned prior to the call to be interworked with the asynchronous transfer mode connection; and an asynchronous transfer mode switch adapted to receive the control message from the signaling processor and to switch the user communications to the selected connection according to the control message.
Claim 16
Independent Claim 122 words
A system for connecting a call having user communications and call signaling comprising: a signaling processor adapted to receive call signaling, to process the call signaling to select a connection for the call, and to transport a control message identifying the selected connection; an interworking unit adapted to receive the user communications and to interwork the user communications between a time division multiplex connection and an asynchronous transfer mode connection wherein the time division multiplex connection is provisioned prior to the call to be interworked with the asynchronous transfer mode connection; and an asynchronous transfer mode switch adapted to receive the control message from the signaling processor and to switch the user communications to the selected connection according to the control message.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 20 words
The system of claim 13 wherein the interworking unit comprises an echo canceler adapted to cancel echo for the connection.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 33 words
The system of claim 13 wherein the asynchronous transfer mode switch further is adapted to interwork the user communications between a time division multiplex connection and an asynchronous transfer mode connection provisioned therebetween.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 33 words
The system of claim 13 wherein the asynchronous transfer mode switch further is adapted to switch other user communications between a first time division multiplex connection and a second time division multiplex connection.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 18 words
The system of claim 13 further comprising a service platform adapted to provide enchanced services for the call.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 22 words
The system of claim 13 further comprising a voice response unit adapted to provide voice responses to a caller for the call.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 20 words
The system of claim 13 further comprising a communication device adapted to transport the user communications to the interworking unit.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 22 words
The system of claim 13 further comprising a communication device adapted to receive the user communications from the asynchronous transfer mode switch.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4201889A Cited
US4310727A Cited
US4348554A Cited
US4453247A Cited
US4565903A Cited
US4554659A Cited
US4683563A Cited
US4730312A Cited
US4736364A Cited
US4720850A Cited
US4748658A Cited
US4916690A Cited
US4823338B1 Cited
US4823338A Cited
US4926416A Cited
US4985889A Cited
US4896319A Cited
US4853955A Cited
US5058104A Cited
US5089954A Cited
US5101404A Cited
US5233607A Cited
US5258752A Cited
US4991204A Cited
US5163057A Cited
US5067123A Cited
US5091903A Cited
US4993104A Cited
US5231631A Cited
US5084867A Cited
US5434981A Cited
US5018191A Cited
US5048081A Cited
US5185743A Cited
US5258979A Cited
US5239539A Cited
US5216669A Cited
US5003584A Cited
US5268895A Cited
US5231633A Cited
US5249178A Cited
US5204857A Cited
US5253247A Cited
US5115431A Cited
US5193110A Cited
US5453981A Cited
US5255266A Cited
US5271010A Cited
US5274680A Cited
US5317562A Cited
US5479402A Cited
US5218602A Cited
US5168492A Cited
US5251255A Cited
US5363433A Cited
US5282244A Cited
US5291479A Cited
US5327433A Cited
US5394393A Cited
US5306318A Cited
US5311509A Cited
US5339318A Cited
US5418783A Cited
US5367566A Cited
US5420857A Cited
US5357510A Cited
US5375124A Cited
US5420916A Cited
US5285441A Cited
US5373504A Cited
US5572583A Cited
US5345443A Cited
US5329308A Cited
US5278889A Cited
US5479401A Cited
US5323389A Cited
US5600640A Cited
US5394398A Cited
US5541926A Cited
US5384840A Cited
US5519707A Cited
US5504742A Cited
US5463620A Cited
US5345446A Cited
US5345445A Cited
US5327421A Cited
US5365524A Cited
US5452296A Cited
US5446738A Cited
US5477537A Cited
US5420858A Cited
US5513178A Cited
US5539884A Cited
US5463621A Cited
US5673262A Cited
US5473677A Cited
US5509010A Cited
US5434852A Cited
US5544152A Cited
US5392402A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2005-11-18 2006-05-20 2006-11-19 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2009-11-18 2010-05-20 2010-11-19 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2013-11-18 2014-05-20 2014-11-19 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag