Broadband telecommunications system interface

Abstract

The invention is a system for interfacing an ISDN or non-ISDN system with a broadband system. The broadband system can be an ATM system. The invention can process the ISDN signaling to select ATM connections and then interwork the ISDN connections with the selected ATM connections. The invention can interwork ISDN signaling, and SS7 signaling. The invention can also process SS7 signaling to select ISDN connections and then interwork ATM connections with the selected ISDN connections. The invention can also interwork ISDN systems with non-ISDN systems.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A communication system to transfer user communications for a user comprising: 
 a communication interface configured to receive signaling in a first signaling format, convert the signaling from the first signaling format into a second signaling format, and transfer the signaling in the second signaling format;    a signaling processing system configured to receive and process the signaling in the second signaling format to select an identifier for routing the user communications, and transfer a control message indicating the identifier; and    the communication interface further configured to receive the control message, and in response, to receive the user communications in a first communication format, convert the user communications from the first communication format into a second communication format that includes the identifier for routing, and transfer the user communications in the second communications format that includes the identifier for routing.    
     
     
         2 . The communication system of  claim 1  wherein the signaling in the first signaling format is embedded in the user communications in the first communication format.  
     
     
         3 . The communication system of  claim 1  wherein the signaling in the second signaling format comprises Signaling System #7 signaling and the signaling in the first signaling format does not comprise Signaling System #7 signaling.  
     
     
         4 . The communication system of  claim 1  wherein the communication interface is configured to perform tone detection.  
     
     
         5 . The communication system of  claim 1  wherein the communication interface is configured to perform voice detection.  
     
     
         6 . The communication system of  claim 1  wherein the communication interface is configured to play voice messages.  
     
     
         7 . The communication system of  claim 1  wherein the communication interface is configured to cancel echo from the user communications.  
     
     
         8 . The communication system of  claim 1  wherein the communication interface is configured to compress the user communications.  
     
     
         9 . The communication system of  claim 1  wherein the communication interface is configured to encrypt the user communications.  
     
     
         10 . The communication system of  claim 1  wherein the signaling processing system is configured to process the signaling in the second signaling format to validate the user.  
     
     
         11 . The communication system of  claim 1  wherein the signaling processing system is configured to process the signaling in the second signaling format to generate information indicating time points for the transfer of the user communication.  
     
     
         12 . The communication system of  claim 1  wherein the signaling processing system is configured to transfer additional signaling in the second signaling format indicating the identifier.  
     
     
         13 . The communication system of  claim 1  wherein the user operates a modem to transfer the user signaling in the first signaling format and the user communications in the first communication format to the communication interface.  
     
     
         14 . The communication system of  claim 1  wherein the user operates a computer to transfer the user signaling in the first signaling format and the user communications in the first communication format to the communication interface.  
     
     
         15 . The communication system of  claim 1  wherein the user operates a PBX to transfer the user signaling in the first signaling format and the user communications in the first communication format to the communication interface.  
     
     
         16 . A communication system to transfer user communications for a user comprising: 
 in a communication interface, receiving signaling in a first signaling format, converting the signaling from the first signaling format into a second signaling format, and transferring the signaling in the second signaling format;    in a signaling processing system receiving and processing the signaling in the second signaling format to select an identifier for routing the user communications, and transferring a control message indicating the identifier; and    in the communication interface, receiving the control message, and in response, receiving the user communications in a first communication format, converting the user communications from the first communication format into a second communication format that includes the identifier for routing, and transferring the user communications in the second communications format that includes the identifier for routing.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the signaling in the first signaling format is embedded in the user communications in the first communication format.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the signaling in the second signaling format comprises Signaling System #7 signaling and the signaling in the first signaling format does not comprise Signaling System #7 signaling.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising, in the communication interface, performing tone detection.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising, in the communication interface, performing voice detection.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising, in the communication interface, playing voice messages.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising, in the communication interface, canceling echo from the user communications.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising, in the communication interface, compressing the user communications.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising, in the communication interface encrypting the user communications.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising, in the signaling processing system, processing the signaling in the second signaling format to validate the user.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising, in the signaling processing system, processing the signaling in the second signaling format to generate information indicating time points for the transfer of the user communication.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising, in the signaling processing system, transferring additional signaling in the second signaling format indicating the identifier.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the user operates a modem to transfer the user signaling in the first signaling format and the user communications in the first communication format to the communication interface.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the user operates a computer to transfer the user signaling in the first signaling format and the user communications in the first communication format to the communication interface.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the user operates a PBX to transfer the user signaling in the first signaling format and the user communications in the first communication format to the communication interface.