Packet switching dialing plan interface to/from PSTN networks
View Patent ↗The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for accessing a packet node or device through a circuit-switched network. Circuit-switched technology, such as local number portability techniques, and packet-switching technology, such as soft switches, are integrated in a network. As such, calls may originate from a circuit-switched network and terminate in a packet-switched network.
1. A method of routing comprising the steps of:
receiving call information for a call associated with a ported number in a circuit-switch device, the call information representing a dialed number;
performing a query in response to receiving the call information;
receiving a routing number in response to performing the query;
terminating the call at a softswitch-compliant gateway;
forwarding the call to a softswitch;
receiving the call and querying a database using the dialed number to determine a network address associated with a packet-switch device; and
forwarding the call from the softswitch server to the packet-switch device using the determined network address.
2. A method of routing as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the query is performed on a Service Control Point (SCP) database.
3. A method of routing as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the routing number is a location routing number.
4. A method of routing as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the packet-switch device is Session Initiation Protocol compliant.
5. A method of routing as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the packet-switch device is H.323 compliant.
6. A method of routing as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the packet-switch device is a packet gateway.
7. A method of routing as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the packet-switch device is a packet telephone.
8. A method of routing as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the packet-switch device is a PSTN switch with an interface to a packet network.
9. A method of operating a network comprising the steps of:
receiving call information representing a call, the call information originating from a circuit-switch, the call information comprising a dialed number and a location routing number;
terminating the call at a softswitch-compliant gateway in response to the location routing number;
forwarding the call to a softswitch;
translating the call in the softswitch in response to forwarding the call and in response to the dialed number; and
switching the call to a network address associated with the dialed number, the network address associated with a packet-switch device.
10. A method of operating a network as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the network address is associated with a Session Initiation Protocol compliant device.
11. A method of operating a network as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the network address is associated with an H.248 compliant device.
12. A method of operating a network as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the network address is associated with an H.323 compliant device.
13. A method of operating a network comprising the steps of:
translating a dialed number associated with a call to a local routing number at a circuit-switch;
switching the call at the circuit-switch in response to translating the dialed number;
terminating the call at a softswitch-compliant gateway in response to switching the call and in response to the local routing number;
forwarding the call to a softswitch; and
translating the dialed number to a network address in the softswitch in response to forwarding the call to the softswitch, the network address identifying a packet-switch device.
14. A method of operating a network as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the packet-switch device is a Session Initiation Protocol compliant packet switch device.
15. A method of operating a network as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the network address is an Internet protocol compliant address.
16. A system comprising:
means for receiving call information for a call associated with a ported number in a circuit-switch device, the call information representing a dialed number;
means for performing a query in response to receiving the call information;
means for receiving a routing number in response to performing the query;
means for terminating the call at a softswitch-compliant gateway;
means for forwarding the call to a softswitch;
means for receiving the call and querying a database using the dialed number to determine a network address associated with a packet-switch device; and
means for forwarding the call from the softswitch server to the packet-switch device using the determined network address.
17. A system comprising:
means for receiving call information representing a call, the call information originating from a circuit-switch, the call information comprising a dialed number and a location routing number;
means for terminating the call at a softswitch-compliant gateway in response to the location routing number;
means for forwarding the call to a softswitch;
means for translating the call in the softswitch in response to forwarding the call and in response to the dialed number; and
means for switching the call to a network address associated with the dialed number, the network address associated with a packet-switch device.
18. A system comprising:
means for translating a dialed number associated with a call to a local routing number at a circuit-switch;
means for switching the call at the circuit-switch in response to translating the dialed number;
means for terminating the call at a softswitch-compliant gateway in response to switching the call and in response to the local routing number;
means for forwarding the call to a softswitch; and
means for translating the dialed number to a network address in the softswitch in response to forwarding the call to the softswitch, the network address identifying a packet-switch device.