At+t Corp.

At&t Intellectual Property I, LP

Jiayu Chen

Gerald Richard Ash

Saul Daniel Fishman

Anurag Singh Maunder

Wesley A Brush

Edite M Hanlon

Steven M Michelson

Christopher Hefele

Azeem A Timmapuri

Alan Eugene Frey

Gary A Munson

Dominic M Ricciardi

Promod Kumar Bhagat

James M Carnazza

James J Gallagher

Andrew W Peck

Young Lee

Mayra F Caceres

Sanjeev K Deora

Kenneth K Chan

David Zerling

Patricia S Marchiano

Alfred Nater

Chia-Fang Shih

The present invention concerns a technique for providing Class-of-Service Routing in an ATM network () that utilizes the Private Network-Network Interface (PNNI) protocol. An originating node seeking to route a call to a terminating node does so by initially determining the class-of-service and then selecting a shortest length path there-between. Each successive link on the selected path is examined for sufficient available bandwidth and available depth (i.e., bandwidth not reserved for other services) for the Class-of-Service of the call. If every link possesses sufficient available bandwidth, then the call passes on the selected path. Otherwise, should a link on the selected path lack sufficient bandwidth and available depth, then a crankback message is sent to the originating node, and the originating node selects the next shortest path. Thereafter, the process of examining each link for sufficient bandwidth is repeated. If no path is found, the call is ultimately blocked.

PNNI-based mult-link shortest path class-of service routing technique

The invention provides a method for the use of an Intelligent Peripheral Concentrator (IPC) in a network that enables more efficient use of intelligent peripheral (IPe) resources. In particular the present invention discloses a method of managing intelligent peripherals, where the IPC receives at least one request for an IPe service from at least one network element, determines necessary IPe resources to satisfy the request(s) and establishes at least-one connection between at least one intelligent peripheral and at least one network element based on the necessary resources.

Intelligent peripheral concentrator

The invention provides methods and systems for the use of an Intelligent Peripheral Concentrator (IPC) in a network that enables more efficient use of Ipe resources. In a first embodiment the IPC receives at least one request from at least one network element, determines necessary resources according to the request(s) and establishes a connection with an intelligent peripheral based on the necessary resources. A second embodiment is a concentrator for connecting intelligent peripherals to a network, having a connection point for connecting an intelligent peripheral, a connection point for connecting to a network and a switch for directing information from the network to the intelligent peripheral. A third embodiment is a system for utilizing intelligent peripherals having a device connected to a first switch, the first switch connected to a second switch, an intelligent peripheral concentrator connected to the first switch and the intelligent peripheral connected to the intelligent peripheral concentrator.

The present invention concerns a technique for providing Class-of-Service Routing in an ATM network ( ) that utilizes the Private Network-Network Interface (PNNI) protocol. An originating node seeking to route a call to a terminating node does so by initially determining the class-of-service and then selecting a shortest length path there-between. Each successive link on the selected path is examined for sufficient available bandwidth and available depth (i.e., bandwidth not reserved for other services) for the Class-of-Service of the call. If every link possesses sufficient available bandwidth, then the call passes on the selected path. Otherwise, should a link on the selected path lack sufficient bandwidth and available depth, then a crankback message is sent to the originating node, and the originating node selects the next shortest path. Thereafter, the process of examining each link for sufficient bandwidth is repeated. If no path is found, the call is ultimately blocked.

PNNI-based multi-link shortest path Class-of Service routing technique

The priority of the flow of packets representing calls or other connection requests within a packet network ( ) is determined from the Class-of-Service of the call. Upon receipt of a call, a recipient router ( ) identifies available paths, typically by exchanging messages with the other routers in the network. After selecting the path, the recipient router or centralized bandwidth broker determines whether the links comprising the selected path have available bandwidth for the class of service of the call. If so, the router routes the call to the next hop along the path. Otherwise, the router selects another path(s) and checks whether the links on the path possess sufficient bandwidth for the class of service of the call.

Internet protocol (IP) class-of-service routing technique

This invention provides a telecommunications routing system and method that allows a switch (e.g., an intelligent peripheral) to control the routing to a special applications device, which results in savings of time, cost and capacity throughout the entire network. Control of the routing lies within the Service Switching Point (SSP) which reduces the need to requery a Service Control Point (SCP) in error situations. This invention incorporates into the SSP a remote IP routing table containing routing instructions for IPs. The SSP will know if an alternate route is possible, based on the error from the IP. The SSP will have a rudimentary intelligence about routing which allows it to reroute when necessary, without requerying back to the SCP. The remote IP routing table will also allow the SSP to route to a successive IP if the local IP, although operative, cannot process the request.

Remote intelligent peripheral routing method and apparatus

An originating switch ( ) in a packet-based telecommunications network ( ) routes calls to a terminating switch using the combination of Success-to-the Top (STT) and Class-of-Service criterion. In routing a call to the terminating switch, the originating switch checks for available bandwidth for the class of service of the call on the direct path ( ) between switches. If the path has available bandwidth, the originating switch routes on the direct path. Otherwise, the originating switch searches for the most recently successful one of a plurality the via switches ( ) linking the originating and terminating switches to determine whether that via switch can successfully route the call to the terminating switch. If the most recently successful one of the via switches possesses available bandwidth to route the call in accordance with its class of service, the originating switch selects that via switch to route the call. Otherwise, if the most-recently successful via switch can not route the call, the originating switch searches for a next successful via switch. If none of the via switches can successfully route the call in accordance with its class of service, the originating switch will either attempt a route advance or crankback the call.

Success-to-the-top class of service routing

The routing of calls in a telecommunications switching system (12.sub.1, 12.sub.2) comprised of one or more fabrics (22.sub.1, 22.sub.2, 22.sub.3) controlled by corresponding fabric controllers (26.sub.1,26.sub.2 and 26.sub.3, respectively) is carried out by a routing processor (28) independent of the fabrics. The routing processor actually selects the route for each call by specifying a channel to a neighboring switching system to carry the call. Further, the routing processor has the capability to respond to queries from other switching systems regarding trunk group status and traffic load to enable the processor to assist the routing processor of the other switching system to make routing decisions. By implementing fabric independent routing, routing processing is re-used for new fabric capacity, and is readily extended to accommodate new service types, such as bursty data services. Fabric independent routing achieves lower development cost by avoiding re-development of routing functions on new fabric controllers, as they are added, and the addition of new routing features is made on a single routing processor function versus multiple fabric controllers. Fabric independent routing allows routing processing to be implemented on processors with essentially unlimited real-time and memory resources by riding the processor technology curve, and achieves performance advantages such as reduced call set up delay and improved overall switch reliability.

Method and apparatus for achieving fabric independent routing technique

The routing of calls from one network (100) to another network (170) may be accomplished by tracking the call completion history over each trunk group (174.sub.1 -174.sub.2) connecting the networks. From a knowledge of the call completion history for each route, a Completion Rate Factor (CRF), representing the ratio of completed calls to all calls attempted is computed. The route having the CRF representing the highest number of completions is then selected. Typically, the process is dynamic, so that if the selected route no longer has the highest number of completions, then the route previously found to have the highest number of call completions is selected. The concept of completion rate factor routing can be extended to multiple carriers to yield a carrier completion rate feature routing technique. Routing may also be completed in accordance with network congestion to route advance a call.

Automatic routing technique

A telecommunications network (10) includes an Originating Switching System (12.sub.1) and a Terminating Switching System (12.sub.2) linked by a plurality of trunks (20.sub.1 -20.sub.4). For each incoming call it receives, the Originating Switching System establishes a Circuit Selection Capability Indicator (CSCI) value that determines what enhancement, if any, the Originating Switching System will provide to the call. The Originating Switching System also utilizes the CSCI value to select an appropriate trunk that is compatible with a type of call enhancement, if any, to route the call to the Terminating Switching System which also enhances the call in accordance with the CSCI value. Determining the call enhancement in accordance with the CSCI value allows different types of calls which are routed on the same trunk to get different call quality enhancements, depending on the call type.

Method for selectively routing enhanced calls

A telecommunication network may be arranged in accord with the invention so that a change in provisioning data occurring at one element of the network is automatically supplied to the other elements of the network, thereby eliminating the need of having a network administration facility to communicate manually the change to the other network elements. For example, if a local central office switch is rehomed from a first toll switch to a second toll switch, then the first and second toll switches form messages respectively characterizing the rehome and then send the messages to each of the other network toll switches so that the other toll switches may update their respective routing and trunking data relating to the rehomed switch. The network is also arranged to implement a rule-based, end-to-end routing scheme which automatically selects a routing path from multiple candidates based on (a) class-of-service parameters and (b) availability of network capacity. The automatic selection of a routing path thus replaces the provisioning of routing data in the toll switches, which data was priorly needed to select the appropriate routing path.

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Morganville, NJ, United States of America

Jiayu Chen