System for controlling processing of data passing through network gateways between two disparate communications networks

#The present invention is in the field of telephony communications and network bridging services and pertains more particularly to methods and apparatus for controlling data-conversion capability and protocol-command compatibility for network-bridging services.

#The field of telephony now includes connection-oriented switched telephony (COST) systems, which are the well-known conventional intelligent networks provided by major telephone companies, as well as data network telephony (DNT), which are the computer-simulated telephone services provided typically in the Internet, by virtue of rather recent technology contributed to the art enabling transparent bridging between a COST telephony network and a Data-Packet-Network (DPN) like the Internet. With the advent of such technologies, ISPs have become more prevalent and much more competitive with one another. A typical ISP provides Internet connection services for clients operating Internet-capable appliances enabled to connect to the Internet over usually telephone lines. However, with many more ISPs competing for clients, value-added services (VAS) have been developed in accordance with available and emerging technologies. One of these services is a capability of bridging a COST network to an Internet Protocol (IP) network for bi-directional data and voice communication.

#In current art, ISPs use a typically standard set of system units or nodes to provide connectivity and telephony bridging services. One of these system nodes is termed a portmaster in the art, and another is commonly referred to as a Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) Gateway. These nodes are more commonly referred to as network gateways or bridges. In typical implementation, one local telephone company (TELCO) carrier, which may be registered as an Incumbent-Local-Exchange-Carrier (ILEC), an Inter-Carrier-Exchange (ICX), or a Competing-Local-Exchange-Carrier (CLEC) operates switching apparatus, which may be a Public Access Branch Exchange (PABX), or another compatible switching apparatus. The PABX hosted by a local TELCO carrier is typically connected to the Portmaster nodes and the VoIP nodes of an ISP providing bridging services as described above. A plurality of PABX or other compatible switching apparatus are interconnected in the telephony network, but are hosted by separate TELCOs and are connected to separate ISP system-nodes.

#FIG. 1 is an architectural overview of a telephone exchange system and connected network-bridging service according to prior art.

#FIG. 2A is a block diagram illustrating components and function of a portmaster according to prior art.

#FIG. 2B is a block diagram illustrating components and function of a VoIP gateway according to prior art.

#FIG. 1 is an overview of a telephone exchange system 9 including a connected network-bridging service 15 according to prior art. Telephone-exchange network 9 comprises three separate entities. These are an ILEC 11, a CLEC 13, and an ISP 15. The three described entities typically operate in a telephone network 10, represented herein by a dotted boundary labeled telephone network. A Public-Switched-Telephony-Network (PSTN) or a private telephone network may be represented by domain 10.

#An Internet Protocol (IP) backbone 37 is illustrated logically outside of domain 10, and represents an Internet backbone or another suitable WideArea-Network (WAN) backbone, which supports IP. In this case backbone 37 is the well-known Internet backbone and its double arrows represent connection to other backbones and other portions of the Internet network as a whole.

#As described in the background section, ISP 15 provides gateway services for data and voice calls arriving from network 10 and entering network 37 or for data and voice calls arriving from backbone 37 and entering network 10. ISP 15 has a VoIP gateway node 29 and a portmaster node 31 resident therein and adapted to provide the above described gateway services. VoIP gateway 29 is adapted to bridge voice calls (VoIP) and portmaster 31 is adapted to bridge data communication.