Intelligent Network Interface

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and apparatus for interconnecting disparate communications systems. A call request that originates from a communications network is directed to a network interface. The network interface consequently redirects the call request to a communications entity, such as a radio or a cellular radio system that serves the user associated with the call request. The network interface may support address translation functionality for identifying the communications entity, control conversion functionality for generating control and signaling with the communications entity, transmission content conversion functionality for converting the transmission content during the call, and security functionality for encrypting and decrypting the transmission content. Also, the present invention enables non-networking communications entities to interact with applications that are being executed on another terminal through the network, enables network management systems to manage non-networking communications entities through a network, and enables non-networking communications entities to utilize networking routing services.

1 . A method for supporting a call between a first terminal and a second terminal through a network interface, the first terminal associated with a communications network and the second terminal associated with a communications entity, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) receiving from the communications network a signaling message associated with the call;    (b) translating a signaling protocol between the communications network and the communications entity;    (c) determining whether the communications entity can serve the second terminal and whether the signaling message associated with the call is intended for the communications entity;    (d) connecting the call between the first terminal and the second terminal through the communications entity, in response to determining that the communications entity can serve the second terminal and that the signaling message associated with the call is intended for the communications entity; and    (e) converting transmission content of the call between the communications network and the communications entity.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 (f) determining whether a parameter that is contained in the signaling message is consistent with an identification of the communications entity.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 (f) determining whether a parameter that is contained in the signaling message is consistent with an attribute associated with the second terminal.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises the step of: 
 (i) generating a control signal to the communications entity that is compatible with the communications entity.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 (f) encrypting transmission content of the call that is sent to the communications network; and    (g) decrypting transmission content of the call that is received from the communications network.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising the steps of: 
 (g) if the parameter is not consistent in response to step (f), proposing an alternative parameter value that is consistent with the attribute; and    (h) sending a second signaling message that contains the alternative parameter value.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communications entity comprises a radio and further comprising the step of: 
 (f) initializing the radio in accordance with radio parameters.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communications entity is selected from the group consisting of a radio, a cellular radio network, a public switching telephone network (PSTN), and a data network.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 (f) receiving a second signaling message that requests that the call be disconnected;    (g) disconnecting the call to the communications entity in response to step (f).    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communications network comprises a third generation (3G) network and the communications entity comprises a push-to-talk (PTT) radio.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communications network comprises a third generation (3G) network and the communications entity comprises a pre-3G cellular radio system.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein step (i) comprises the steps of: 
 (1) detecting activity associated with the transmission content during the call; and    (2) generating the control signal in response to step ( 1 ).    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transmission content is selected from the group consisting of a voice over IP (VoIP) format, an analog waveform, a pulse code modulation (PCM) format, a code excited linear predictive (CELP) format, and an adaptive differential pulse code modulation (ADPCM) format.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the call is associated with an application that is executing on the first terminal.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 (f) inserting an identifier in a network protocol message, the identifier corresponding to a quality of service (QoS) level that is supported by the communications network.    
   
   
       16 . A network interface for supporting a call between a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal associated with a communications network and the second terminal associated with a communications entity, the network interface comprising: 
 at least one data port that interfaces to the communications network and to the communications entity; and    a processor communicating through the data port to the communications network and to the communications entity, the processor configured to perform the steps of: 
 (a) receiving from the communications network a signaling message associated with the call;  
 (b) translating a signaling protocol between the communications network and the communications entity;  
 (c) determining whether the communications entity can serve the second terminal and whether the signaling message associated with the call is intended for the communications entity;  
 (d) connecting the call between the first terminal and the second terminal through the communications entity, in response to determining that the communications entity can serve the second terminal and the signaling message associated with the call is intended for the communications entity; and  
 (e) converting transmission content of the call between the communications network and the communications entity.  
   
   
   
       17 . The network interface of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to perform the further step of: 
 (f) determining whether a parameter that is contained in the signaling message is consistent with an identification of the communications entity.    
   
   
       18 . The network interface of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to perform the further step of: 
 (f) determining whether a parameter that is contained in the signaling message is consistent with an attribute associated with the second terminal.    
   
   
       19 . The network interface of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to perform the further steps of: 
 (f) encrypting transmission content of the call that is sent to the communications network; and    (g) decrypting transmission content of the call that is received from the communications network.    
   
   
       20 . The network interface of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to perform the further step of: 
 (f) inserting an identifier in a network protocol message, the identifier corresponding to a quality of service (QoS) level that is supported by the communications network.    
   
   
       21 . A computer-readable medium containing instructions for supporting a call between a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal associated with a communications network and the second terminal associated with a communications entity, the computer-readable medium comprising instructions that perform the steps of: 
 (a) receiving from the communications network a signaling message associated with the call;    (b) translating a signaling protocol between the communications network and the communications entity;    (c) determining whether the communications entity can serve the second terminal and whether the signaling message associated with the call is intended for the communications entity;    (d) connecting the call between the first terminal and the second terminal through the communications entity, in response to determining that the communications entity can serve the second terminal and the signaling message associated with the call is intended for the communications entity; and    (e) converting transmission content of the call between the communications network and the communications entity.    
   
   
       22 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , further comprising instructions that perform the step of: 
 (f) determining whether a parameter that is contained in the signaling message is consistent with an identification of the communications entity.    
   
   
       23 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , further comprising instructions that perform the step of: 
 (f) determining whether a parameter that is contained in the signaling message is consistent with an attribute associated with the second terminal.    
   
   
       24 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , further comprising instructions that perform the steps of: 
 (f) encrypting transmission content of the call that is sent to the communications network; and    (g) decrypting transmission content of the call that is received from the communications network.    
   
   
       25 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , further comprising instructions that perform the step of: 
 (f) inserting an identifier in a network protocol message, the identifier corresponding to a quality of service (QoS) level that is supported by the communications network.