ATM Telecommunications Systems and Method for Routingg Narrow Band Traffic
A telecommunications system comprises an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network having uncommitted bandwidth, and a plurality of adaptive grooming routers (AGR) coupled to the network. The AGRs comprise a group adapted to function as a virtual transit exchange whose fabric and control are distributed over the group. The visual comprising the AGRs incorporates independent connection control and call routing functions and has means for determining the current system status whereby to set up narrow band connections across the ATM network based on that status determination.
1 . A telecommunications system comprising a broadband digital communications network, wherein signalling messages for routing a call take a different path across the network than call traffic for said call.
2 . A telecommunications system according to claim 1 , wherein the signalling messages are narrowband signalling messages.
3 . A telecommunications system according to claim 2 , wherein the narrowband signalling messages are N-ISUP signalling messages.
4 . A telecommunications system according to claim 1 , wherein the network is a packet-switched network.
5 . A telecommunications system according to claim 1 , wherein the network is a connection-oriented network.
6 . A telecommunications system according to claim 1 , wherein the network is an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network.
7 . A telecommunications system according to claim 1 , wherein the network is a wide area network (WAN).
8 . A telecommunications system according to claim 1 , further comprising a call routing server for routing signaling messages across the network and a connection controller for establishing a connection path across the network for call traffic in accordance with the call routing messages.
9 . A node for a telecommunications system comprising a broadband digital communications network, said node comprising a call routing server for routing signaling messages across the network and a connection controller for establishing a connection path across the network for call traffic in accordance with the call routing messages, wherein said node is configured to route said signalling messages on a different path across the network than said connection path for said call traffic.
10 . A node according to claim 9 , wherein the signalling messages are narrowband signalling messages.
11 . A node according to claim 10 , wherein the narrowband signalling messages are N-ISUP signalling messages.
12 . A node according to claim 9 , wherein the network is a packet-switched network.
13 . A node according to claim 9 , wherein the network is a connection-oriented network.
14 . A node according to claim 9 , wherein the network is an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network.
15 . A node according to claim 9 , wherein the network is a wide area network (WAN).
16 . A method of operating a telecommunications system having a broadband digital communications network, the method comprising the step of:
sending signalling messages for routing a call over a different path across the network than call traffic for said call.
17 . A method according to claim 16 , wherein the signalling messages are narrowband signalling messages.
18 . A method according to claim 16 , wherein the narrowband signalling messages are N-ISUP signalling messages.
19 . A method according to claim 16 , wherein the network is a packet-switched network.
20 . A method according to claim 16 , wherein the network is a connection-oriented network.
21 . A method according to claim 20 , wherein the network is an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network.
22 . A method according to claim 16 , wherein the network is a wide area network (WAN).
23 . A method according to claim 16 , further comprising using a routing server to route signaling messages across the network and using a connection controller to establish a connection path across the network for call traffic in accordance with the call routing messages.
24 . A method of operating a node for a telecommunications system comprising a broadband digital communications network, said method comprising using a call routing server to route signaling messages across the network and using a connection controller to establish a connection path across the network for call traffic in accordance with the call routing messages, wherein said node routes said signalling messages on a different path across the network than said connection path for said call traffic.
25 . A method according to claim 24 , wherein the signalling messages are narrowband signalling messages.
26 . A method according to claim 24 , wherein the narrowband signalling messages are N-ISUP signalling messages.
27 . A method according to claim 24 , wherein the network is a packet-switched network.
28 . A method according to claim 24 , wherein the network is a connection-oriented network.
29 . A method according to claim 28 , wherein the network is an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network.
30 . A method according to claim 24 , wherein the network is a wide area network (WAN).
31 . A method according to claim 24 , further comprising using a routing server to route signaling messages across the network and using a connection controller to establish a connection path across the network for call traffic in accordance with the call routing messages.