Sprint Communications Comapny L.p.

Dean C Boldt

Michael Joseph Gardner

Khalid Mohamed Medhat

Jason Patrick Torrey

William Lyle Wiley

Bruce Fredrick Salisbury

R Dean Howell

A method of operating a wireless calling device comprises connecting to a call tone provider configured to provide call tones, transferring a plurality of call tone requests to the call tone provider, receiving a plurality of call tones from the call tone provider in response to the plurality of call tone requests, transferring a call setup message to a telecommunication switch to initiate a call, receiving a call message from the telecommunication switch in response to the call setup message wherein the call setup message indicates a status of the call, processing the call message to select a one call tone from the plurality of call tones based on the status of the call, and audibly playing the one call tone.

Call progress tone generation in a communication system

In a communication system, call tones are individually associated with call messages. The communication system comprises a wireless communication system and a wireless user device. The wireless user device transfers a call tone request to the wireless communication system over a wireless link. The wireless communication system transfers one of the call tones to the wireless user device over the wireless link in response to the call tone request. The wireless communication system processes signaling for a call to select one of the call messages associated with the one call tone. The wireless communication system transfers the one call message to the wireless user device over the wireless link. The wireless user device processes the one call message to select the one call tone and audibly plays the one call tone.

A communication system includes a signaling processor that receives and processes SS7 message to select virtual paths. The communication system includes an interworking system that converts time division multiplex communications into asynchronous communications for transfer over the selected virtual paths. The communication system includes a bandwidth management system that allocates spare bandwidth from one virtual path to another based on messages from the signaling processor, but does not allow the bandwidth of a virtual path to exceed a maximum threshold.

System and method for allocating bandwidth for a call

A communication system is disclosed that generates call progress tones for a call. The communication system is comprised of a calling device and an originating system. Examples of the calling device include a telephone, a cellular phone, a computer, and a fax machine. To place a call, the calling device transmits set up messages to the originating system. The originating system transmits set up messages to a terminating system to set up the call. The originating system receives acknowledgment message from the terminating system in response to the set up messages. The originating system generates a call progress message and transmits the call progress message to the calling device. The calling device generates a call progress tone based on the call progress message and plays audible sounds that represent the call progress tone. By having the calling device generate the call progress tones, the originating system is advantageously available for other communications.

A system and method for allocating bandwidth in an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) system over-allocates bandwidth in virtual paths for virtual path groups between ATM devices. A bandwidth allocation platform manages the virtual paths in the ATM system to control allocation and to prevent congestion, while providing efficient utilization of the bandwidth within the ATM system. The bandwidth allocation system over-allocates virtual paths for virtual path groups that require additional bandwidth to make connections for calls. When a connection is selected on the over-allocated virtual path, the virtual path may use bandwidth from another virtual path in the virtual path group or from a virtual path in another virtual path group if needed. A communication device transports user communications and call signaling for a call. A signaling processor processes the call signaling to select a connection in one of the over-allocated virtual paths for the call over the virtual path group. An interworking unit interworks the user communications from the format in which the user communications are received from the communication device to asynchronous transfer mode cells that identify the selected connection.

A system and method for connecting a call processes call signaling to determine if a call is a ported call or a non-ported call. A signaling processor determines if a ported number parameter (PNP), such as a forward call indicator (FCI) bit M and/or a ported number generic address parameter (GAP), is present. If the PNP is not present and the signaling processor determines the dialed number is a member of a portable number plan area and central office code combinations (NPA-NXX), the signaling processor queries a ported number database (PNDB). The PNDB responds with the called number dialed digits if the call is not a ported call or a location routing number (LRN) if the call is a ported call. The signaling processor appends a 1 to the nature of address (NOA) subfield of the called party number (CdPN) field if the call is a ported call. The signaling processor then partitions the call signaling parameters between ported or non-ported routing table translations, depending on whether the NOA is appended or not, to determine call routing connections and new call signaling. The appended 1 of the is appended NOA is removed prior to building an outgoing call signaling message.

System and method for processing ported calls

The invention comprises a telecommunications signaling processor that processes signaling system &num;7 telecommunications signaling messages to select asynchronous transfer mode connections and time division multiplex connections and to provide control messages indicating the selected connections. The telecommunications signaling processor also processes non-call associated signaling messages for call maintenance.

System and method for processing a call

A first call processing system advantageously uses a constant bit rate connection and a variable bit rate connection to utilize the bandwidth for a data call. The first call processing system receives signaling for the data call. The first call processing system then processes the signaling to generate a first instruction to set up a constant bit rate connection for the data call between the first call processing system and a second call processing system. The first call processing system processes the signaling to generate a second instruction to set up a variable bit rate connection between the first call processing system and the second call processing system. Any bandwidth that the data call does not need and use can be utilized for other calls. Thus, the performance of other calls is improved.

Data calls using both constant bit rate and variable bit rate connections

A system and method for connecting a call processes call signaling to determine if a call is a ported call or a non-ported call. A signaling processor determines if a ported number parameter (PNP), such as a forward call indicator (FCI) bit M and/or a ported number generic address parameter (GAP), is present. If the PNP is not present and the signaling processor determines the dialed number is a member of a portable number plan area and central office code combinations (NPA-NXX), the signaling processor queries a ported number database (PNDB). The PNDB responds with the called number dialed digits if the call is not a ported call or a location routing number (LRN) if the call is a ported call. The signaling processor appends a 1 to the nature of address (NOA) subfield of the called party number (CdPN) field if the call is a ported call. The signaling processor then partitions the call signaling parameters between ported or non-ported routing table translations, depending on whether the NOA is appended or not, to determine call routing connections and new call signaling. The appended 1 of the appended NOA is removed prior to building an outgoing call signaling message.

A system and method for allocating bandwidth in an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) system under-allocates bandwidth in virtual paths for virtual path groups between ATM devices. A bandwidth allocation platform manages the virtual paths in the ATM system to control allocation and to prevent congestion, while providing efficient utilization of the bandwidth within the ATM system. The bandwidth allocation system under-allocates virtual paths for virtual path groups that require additional bandwidth to make connections for calls. When a connection is selected on the under-allocated virtual path, the virtual path may use bandwidth from another virtual path in the virtual path group or from a virtual path in another virtual path group if needed. A communication device transports user communications and call signaling for a call. A signaling processor processes the call signaling to select a connection in one of the under-allocated virtual paths for the call over the virtual path group. An interworking unit interworks the user communications from the format in which the user communications are received from the communication device to asynchronous transfer mode cells that identify the selected connection.

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Parkville, MO, United States of America

Dean C Boldt