Mci Communications Corporation

Worldcom, Inc.

Mci Worldcom, Inc.

Mci Worldcom, Inc. Technology Department

Timothy A Morgan

Ranga R Dendi

Frederick A Sherman

Robert Gary Leonard

Duke Bond

Eddie L Pickeral

Shailin Sehgal

Franklin O'dell Shaffer

Donald A Turner

Paul D Litzenberger

A system and method for implementing user-to-user information transfer services over a communications network having switches, a voice network, and a signaling network. The invention establishes a connection path over both the voice network and the signaling network for connections requested by users to follow such that multiple connections may utilize the same connection paths. Each of switches have available a database for tracking and maintaining current connection information for connections with other switches.

System and method for implementing user-to-user information transfer services

A method of interrupting a call between two parties in a switched telecommunications. A monitoring switch monitors the call for a party initiated interrupt signal. Whenever the monitoring switch receives an interrupt signal initiated by its associated party, the monitoring switch initiates a call between the party initiating the interrupt signal and a serving platform, and parks the other party at a port of the monitoring switch. The monitoring switch then monitors the status of the call between the party initiating the interrupt signal and the serving platform, and the status of the parked call so that the parties may be reconnected at the conclusion of the call between the requesting party and the serving platform or informed if one of the parties disconnects before they are reconnected.

Method of and system for interrupting and parking calls in a switched telecommunications network

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.

Programmable gateway for a virtual bearer channel platform

A resource manager for managing the resources of 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. The resource manager provides a centralized control for the allocation of bandwidth to the transaction processing units. It 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 resource manager updates the status of the distribution network in real time, responding to the platform communication needs adaptively.

Resource manager for a virtual bearer channel platform

A virtual bearer channel platform includes a plurality of transaction processing units. Each transaction processing unit processes one or more service requests received as a call on a bearer channel. The call data is distributed to individual transaction processing units using a high-speed shared network such as a SONET-type network. In one embodiment, the standard SONET format is modified to eliminate fields which contain data of no significance to the present environment. In another embodiment, the standard SONET format, itself, is used. The platform includes a resource manager for allocating the newly received calls to individual transaction processing units. The resource manager sets up outbound calls when requested by a transaction processing unit. A gateway interfaces with the resource manager and the external communication network for assisting in call setup in both inbound and outbound directions.

Virtual bearer channel platform for processing service requests received

A flexible service access code (FLEX SAC) permits originating callers to dial up to a fifteen-digit extension in place of a traditional service access code (SAC), such as for example a '700', '800', and '900' extension followed by a seven-digit extension. In addition to providing the originating caller, the destination caller, and the long distance carrier greater flexibility in the digits dialed for a SAC call, FLEX SAC permits routing on private trunks and remote access trunks, as well as the shared access trunks conventionally used for SAC calls. If the switch supports FLEX SAC calls, a FLEX SAC table (pertaining to the originating trunk group over which the call was routed) is parsed to find the called number. If the called number is found in the FLEX SAC table, additional fields indicating ANI screening, OLI screening, external routing, and the transaction group are parsed in the relevant FLEX SAC table. If either the OLI or the ANI fields indicate that OLI or ANI screening is to be performed, respectively, then an OLI or an ANI table for the switch is parsed to determine whether the call should be blocked, because a call from the originating caller is not supported by the switch. If the external routing field indicates an external routing table must be used to route the call, the external routing table is queried using the called number and the value of the transaction group field, which defines the call type to the external routing table. If the called number is not found in the FLEX SAC table, or external routing is not supported for the call, or a response is not received from the external routing table, then the call is routed using an in-switch translation table.

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Snellville, GA, United States of America

Timothy A Morgan