Communication system architecture and a connection verification mechanism therefor

Abstract

A communication system typically comprises a number of interconnected broadband-narrowband interfaces (,) that together interact to provide a communication resource (,) that can support a call across the system At a time when the communication resource (or a portion thereof) is apparently in place, a terminating node of a broadband-narrowband interface sends a verify-request message (,) backwards across the communication resource. A connection broker (,), coupled to both ends of the communication resource in a particular broadband-narrowband interface (,), is aware of the issuance of the verify-request message, and is therefore able to assess and report, principally, on path connectivity of the communication resource (either within the broadband-narrowband interface or between adjacent interfaces). More particularly, the connection broker expects the arrival of a path connectivity message (,) issued from an end of the broadband-narrowband network responsive to the verify-request message and, as such, can provide an appropriate report (,) upon the timely receipt, or not, of the path connectivity message. Indeed, the verify-request message may also function to confirm path continuity.