System and method for configuring a local service control point with a call processor in an architecture

Abstract

A system and method for processing a call comprises a signaling interface to receive and process call signaling and transmit call signaling between a call processor and communication devices such as a local number portability service control point. A call processor processes call signaling to determine call connections. A local service control point (local SCP) provides information such as, for example, for N00 routing and virtual private network (VPN) routing. The local SCP resides with the call processor on a single platform so that they are connected, for example, through a backplane or bus architecture. In this configuration, transaction capabilities application part messages do not have to be transmitted between the signaling interface and the local SCP. Instead, direct communication can occur through control messages transmitted between the local SCP and the call processor thereby realizing increased speed and processing efficiency. Because the local SCP resides with the call processor, two remote dips to an SCP is not necessary.

1 . A call processing system comprising: 
 a signaling interface;    a call processor coupled to the signaling interface;    a service control database coupled to the call processor by one of a backplane, a bus, and a motherboard;    an interworking unit coupled to the call processor;    wherein the signaling interface is configured to receive a signaling message for a call including signaling information and transfer the signaling information to the call processor;    wherein the call processor is configured to process the signaling information to transfer a first query including the signaling information to the local database, wherein the first query does not use a Signaling System Seven (SS7) protocol;    wherein the local database is configured to process the first query to transfer a response including a call routing instruction to the call processor, wherein the response does not use the SS7 protocol;    wherein the call processor is configured to process the response to transfer a control message to the interworking unit; and    wherein the interworking unit is configured to interwork user communications for the call between a Time Division Multiplex (TDM) communication format and a packet communication format in response to the control message.    
   
   
       2 . The call processing system of  claim 1  wherein the signaling information comprises an N00 number and the local database is configured to translate the N00 number into a 10-digit telephone number, and wherein the call routing instruction comprises the 10-digit telephone number.  
   
   
       3 . The call processing system of  claim 1  wherein the signaling information comprises a Virtual Private Network (VPN) number and the local database is configured to translate the VPN number into a 10-digit telephone number, and wherein the call routing instruction comprises the 10-digit telephone number.  
   
   
       4 . The call processing system of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the call processor is configured to process the response to generate a second query;    the signaling interface is configured to transfer an SS7 message including the second query, receive a second SS7 message including additional signaling information, and transfer the additional signaling information to the call processor; and    the call processor is configured to process the additional signaling information to transfer the control message to the interworking unit.    
   
   
       5 . The call processing system of  claim 4  wherein the SS7 message is processed by a number portability service control point to transfer the second SS7 message including the additional signaling information.  
   
   
       6 . The call processing system of  claim 1  wherein the packet communication format comprises asynchronous transfer mode.  
   
   
       7 . The call processing system of  claim 1  wherein the local database comprises a local service control point.  
   
   
       8 . A call processing system comprising: 
 a signaling interface;    a call processor coupled to the signaling interface;    a service control database coupled to the call processor by one of a backplane, a bus, and a motherboard;    an interworking unit coupled to the call processor;    wherein the signaling interface is configured to receive a first Signaling System Seven (SS7) message for a call including signaling information and transfer the signaling information to the call processor;    wherein the call processor is configured to process the signaling information to transfer a first query including the signaling information to the local database, wherein the first query does not use an SS7 protocol;    wherein the local database is configured to process the first query to transfer a response including a call routing instruction to the call processor, wherein the response does not use the SS7 protocol;    wherein the call processor is configured to process the response to transfer a control message to the interworking unit; and    wherein the interworking unit is configured to interwork user communications for the call between a Time Division Multiplex (TDM) communication format and a packet communication format in response to the control message.    
   
   
       9 . The call processing system of  claim 8  wherein the signaling information comprises an N00 number and the local database is configured to translate the N00 number into a 10-digit telephone number, and wherein the call routing instruction comprises the 10-digit telephone number.  
   
   
       10 . The call processing system of  claim 8  wherein the signaling information comprises a Virtual Private Network (VPN) number and the local database is configured to translate the VPN number into a 10-digit telephone number, and wherein the call routing instruction comprises the 10-digit telephone number.  
   
   
       11 . The call processing system of  claim 8  wherein: 
 the call processor is configured to process the response to generate a second query;    the signaling interface is configured to transfer a second SS7 message including the second query, receive a third SS7 message including additional signaling information, and transfer the additional signaling information to the call processor; and    the call processor is configured to process the additional signaling information to transfer the control message to the interworking unit.    
   
   
       12 . The call processing system of  claim 8  wherein the second SS7 message is processed by a number portability service control point to transfer the third SS7 message including the additional signaling information.  
   
   
       13 . The call processing system of  claim 8  wherein the packet communication format comprises asynchronous transfer mode.  
   
   
       14 . The call processing system of  claim 8  wherein the local database comprises a local service control point.  
   
   
       15 . A method of operating a call processing system comprising a signaling interface, a call processor coupled to the signaling interface, a service control database, and an interworking unit coupled to the call processor, the method comprising: 
 in the signaling interface, receiving a signaling message for a call including signaling information and transferring the signaling information to the call processor;    in the call processor, processing the signaling information to transfer a first query including the signaling information to the local database, wherein the first query does not use a Signaling System Seven (SS7) protocol, and wherein the service control database is coupled to the call processor by one of a backplane, a bus, and a motherboard;    in the local database, processing the first query to transfer a response including a call routing instruction to the call processor, wherein the response does not use the SS7 protocol;    in the call processor, processing the response to transfer a control message to the interworking unit; and    in the interworking unit, interworking user communications for the call between a Time Division Multiplex (TDM) communication format and a packet communication format in response to the control message.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the signaling information comprises an N00 number and wherein, in the local database, processing the first query to transfer a response comprises translating the N00 number into a 10-digit telephone number, and wherein the call routing instruction comprises the 10-digit telephone number.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the signaling information comprises a Virtual Private Network (VPN) number and wherein, in the local database, processing the first query to transfer a response comprises translating the VPN number into a 10-digit telephone number, and wherein the call routing instruction comprises the 10-digit telephone number.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein: 
 in the call processor, processing the response to transfer the control message to the interworking unit comprises processing the response to generate a second query; and further comprising    in the signaling interface, transferring an SS7 message including the second query, receiving a second SS7 message including additional signaling information, and transferring the additional signaling information to the call processor; and wherein    in the call processor, processing the response to transfer the control message to the interworking unit further comprises processing the additional signaling information.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the SS7 message is processed by a number portability service control point to transfer the second SS7 message including the additional signaling information.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the packet communication format comprises asynchronous transfer mode.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the local database comprises a local service control point.  
   
   
       22 . A method of operating a call processing system comprising a signaling interface, a call processor coupled to the signaling interface, a service control database, and an interworking unit coupled to the call processor, the method comprising: 
 in the signaling interface, receiving a first Signaling System Seven (SS7) message including signaling information and transferring the signaling information to the call processor;    in the call processor, processing the signaling information to transfer a first query including the signaling information to the local database, wherein the first query does not use a Signaling System Seven (SS7) protocol, and wherein the service control database is coupled to the call processor by one of a backplane, a bus, and a motherboard;    in the local database, processing the first query to transfer a response including a call routing instruction to the call processor, wherein the response does not use the SS7 protocol;    in the call processor, processing the response to transfer a control message to the interworking unit; and    in the interworking unit, interworking user communications for the call between a Time Division Multiplex (TDM) communication format and a packet communication format in response to the control message.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the signaling information comprises an N00 number and wherein, in the local database, processing the first query to transfer a response comprises translating the N00 number into a 10-digit telephone number, and wherein the call routing instruction comprises the 10-digit telephone number.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the signaling information comprises a Virtual Private Network (VPN) number and wherein, in the local database, processing the first query to transfer a response comprises translating the VPN number into a 10-digit telephone number, and wherein the call routing instruction comprises the 10-digit telephone number;  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 22  wherein: 
 in the call processor, processing the response to transfer the control message to the interworking unit comprises processing the response to generate a second query; and further comprising    in the signaling interface, transferring a second SS7 message including the second query, receiving a third SS7 message including additional signaling information, and transferring the additional signaling information to the call processor; and wherein    in the call processor, processing the response to transfer the control message to the interworking unit further comprises processing the additional signaling information to transfer the control message to the interworking unit.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the second SS7 message is processed by a number portability service control point to transfer the third SS7 message including the additional signaling information.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the packet communication format comprises asynchronous transfer mode.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the local database comprises a local service control point.