Alcatel

Alcatel Alsthom Compagnie Generale D'electricite

Alcatel N.v.

Lothar Krank

Wolfgang Lautenschlager

Uwe Stahl

Hartmut Weik

Karl-Albert Turban

Matthias M Horrer

Rudiger Falkner

The invention concerns a method for supporting the communication of information via a communications system, as well as a service unit, an electronic agent, software products and servers for supporting the communication of information via a communications system which comprises communications networks of two or more network operators. The service unit passes a request for the communication of information to two or more electronic agents which interact with the service unit within the framework of a virtual electronic marketplace for information communication. The service unit prompts the electronic agents, once or several times, through interaction within the framework of the electronic marketplace for information, to submit offers for the execution of the requested communication of information. An offer submitted by one of the electronic agents in response to such a prompt, through interaction within the framework of the electronic marketplace for information, is confirmed to this electronic agent by the service unit, and the service unit initiates the communication of the information via the communications network of the assigned network operator. The electronic agent communicates to a network management unit of the assigned network operator negotiated conditions for the transmission of the information.

Method for supporting the communication of information via a communications system

The invention relates to a method of supporting the establishment of a telephone call from a calling terminal (TE ) through an IP network (IPNET) to a telephone terminal (TE ) of a telephone network (TELENET ), to a server (SERV) of an IP network, and to a computer product (CP) for carrying out the method. To route the call through the IP network (IPNET), the server (SERV) of the IP network (IPNET) is contacted, which controls the routing of the call through the IP network (IPNET). If the server (SERV) determines that the call is directed to a telephone terminal (TE to TE ) of a telephone network (TELENET , TELENET ), it will contact a server (NPS) of this telephone network (TELENET ). The server (SERV) of the IP network will request from the server (NPS) of the telephone network number portability information about the telephone terminal (TE ) to which the call is directed. Based on the requested number portability information, the server (SERV) of the IP network will determine from a set of VOIP gateways (GW , GW ) available between the IP network (IPNET) and the telephone network (TELENET ) that gateway (GW ) through which the call (VCON) is to be routed into the telephone network (TELENET ), and initiate the routing of the call through this VOIP gateway (GW ) into the telephone network (TELENET ).

Server for supporting the establishment of telephone calls through an IP network

The invention concerns a method of establishing a connection for a communications network (KN ) in which two or more terminals (TE to TE ) are assigned to a user group (UG), as well as an exchange and a service computer to carry out this method. A call request is directed by a calling terminal (TE ) to a called terminal (TE ) of the communications network (KN ) which is assigned to the user group (UG). Upon a request from the other terminal or from one of the other terminals (TE , TE , TE , TE ) of user group (UG), a connection (CON) is established between the calling terminal (TE ) and the requesting terminal (TE ). Before the connection between the calling terminal (TE ) and the requesting terminal (TE ) i15 has been established, data (DAT, DAT&prime;) which determine the calling terminal (TE ) are sent to the other terminal or at least to one of the other terminals (TE , TE , TE , TE ) of user group (UG).

Method of establishing a connection, as well as exchange, service computer and communications network

The invention concerns a method of establishing a connection via a communications network to a called terminal (TE) which is geographically located in the area (AREA) of two or more local line networks (LNA to LNC), as well as an exchange and a service control point for carrying out this establishment of a connection. A calling terminal requests a connection to the called terminal (TE) by means of a call request (CALL(N)) which is provided with a called number (N) assigned to the called terminal (TE). To establish the connection, that of the two or more local line networks (LNA to LNC) via which the called terminal (TE) can be reached, is determined by means of a learning procedure using the called number (N).

Method of establishing a connection, as well as an exchange and a service control point

A method of routing a call, especially an emergency call made to a uniform regional or national central phone call number, which is made by a telecommunications (TC) subscriber in a publicly accessible digital TC network, to the respective geographically responsible call center, includes the steps of transmitting, as part of a calling signal, an identification of the TC subscriber making the call, using the subscriber identification to retrieve, from a database containing at least a geographic location associated with each subscriber, the location of the calling subscriber, selecting a responsible call center nearest the location of the calling subscriber, and routing the call from the subscriber to the nearest responsible call center. The method has the advantage that, in spite of possible breakdown of previous associations between telephone number prefixes and geographic locations, the subscriber's location can be reliably determined with the help of a central calling number/location data base, and the call can be routed to the respective geographically responsible call center.

Method of routing emergency calls

The invention relates to a method for providing a subscriber (SUB1) with information relating to call-charges for telecommunication services associated with a communication link, as well as a call-charge device (CHARGE), a subscriber terminal (TE4) and a service unit for carrying out the method. The call-charge device (CHARGE) receives one or several of the call-metering messages (MP) associated with the communication link and calculates while the communication link is operative, from these messages (MP) the charges (CH) accrued for the communication link. The call-charge device (CHARGE) then associates with the calculated charges (CH) an acoustic signal and generates an electric signal (ES) which corresponds to the associated acoustic signal. The acoustic signal is subsequently conveyed to the subscriber (SUB1) with the help of an electro-acoustic transducer (LS) which is controlled by the electric signal (ES).

Method for providing call-charge information as well as call-charge

The invention relates to a method for charging for the use of a telecommunication service, as well as to a switching system, a service control point and a network management facility. A service request is transmitted from a subscriber (A) via a telecommunication network (KN) of a network operator to a service-providing unit (SAPP1) of the service provider. A charge unit (BILL) of the network operator administers the charge collection for the use of the telecommunication service. The service-providing unit (SAPP1) provides the requested telecommunication service only after receipt of a confirmation message from a authorization unit (AUT) of the network operator. The charge message (M6) with data relating to a charge for using the telecommunication service is transferred from the service-providing unit (SAPP1) to the charge unit (BILL) and the charge unit (BILL) collects the charge after the confirmation message has been received.

Method of charging for the use of a telecommunications service, as well

A method is disclosed for synchronizing a system frame-structured in accordance with a digital synchronous hierarchy, particularly as specified in CCITT G.708. In a hunt mode, one frame sync word is detected, and then a first pointer (AU-4) is read which is spaced a predetermined distance from the sync word and addresses a cell-structured data area (VC4). Then the headers of the ATM cells in the data area, which are addressed via the pointer, are decoded, and if x successive correct cell headers are decoded, a transition to the sync state takes place. If data structures of an SDH system or a purely cell-structured transmission of ATM cells have to be identified, an incoming bit sequence is checked for a predetermined frame sync word (SDH frame) and then for code words representing regularly inserted cell headers, and a change to either a frame sync mode or a cell sync mode takes place.

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Ditzingen, Germany

Lothar Krank