Push-to-talk signaling and media inter-working architecture
AssigneeNextel Communications Inc.
InventorOjas Choksi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An inter-working network for facilitating dispatch communications between subscribers of disparate dispatch networks includes core inter-working components and regional inter-working components. The core inter-working components include a network management system, an address translation server, a location server and a billing clearinghouse. Regional inter-working components include a plurality of points-of-presence and a plurality of border gateways interfacing each dispatch network to a point-of-presence. The billing clearinghouse collects call data from the regional points-of-presence for dispatch sessions facilitated by the inter-working architecture, performs a settlement function and creates corresponding inter-working invoices.
Claims40
A network for inter-working a plurality of dispatch networks, at least two of the dispatch networks having incompatible technologies, the network comprising:
- a core inter-working network;
- a plurality of points-of-presence (POPs) connected to the core inter-working network;
- and
- a plurality of border gateways interfacing each of the dispatch networks to at least one of the plurality of points-of-presence.
A network for inter-working a plurality of dispatch networks, at least two of the dispatch networks operating on incompatible technologies, comprising:
- a network of regional inter-working components, including:
- an inter-working point-of-presence;
- and
- a border gateway including an interface to at least one dispatch network, the border gateway adapted to route traffic from the dispatch network to the inter-working point-of-presence;
- and
- a core inter-working system, interfaced with the regional inter-working components, providing centralized dispatch functions for the inter-working network.
A method for inter-working a plurality of disparate dispatch networks, each dispatch network providing dispatch services to a plurality of subscriber units, comprising the steps of:
- receiving a dispatch session request from an originating dispatch network, the dispatch session request including a target address identifying a user;
- identifying the target dispatch network;
- determining whether media and signaling translation is required;
- translating the received dispatch session request to a common inter-working format, if translation is required;
- processing the translated dispatch session request;
- translating the processed dispatch session request to a format associated with the target address, if translation is required;
- and
- forwarding the translated dispatch session request to the target dispatch network.
A method for inter-working a plurality of disparate dispatch networks, each dispatch network providing dispatch services to a plurality of subscriber units, comprising the steps of:
- receiving a dispatch session request from an originating dispatch network, the dispatch session request identifying a target user;
- processing, in a point-of-presence, the dispatch session request, including allocating signaling and media resources;
- and
- forwarding the dispatch session request to a border gateway associated with the target dispatch network.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.