US 6,311,238 B1 · Telecommunication switch with layer-specific processor capable of attaching atomic function message buffer to internal representation of ppl event indication message upon occurrence of predetermined event

Abstract

The present invention is a standardized host-to-switch application program interface (API) for performing call control processing, capable of being customized to meet telecommunications application and network signalling protocol requirements. The universal API comprises one or more generic messages having programmable fields for transmitting commands, status, and data between the host application and the switch. The present invention further comprises a programmable telecommunication switch that provides a user with the ability to define a desired API protocol, either “standard” or custom in nature, for performing any desired switching functions. The present invention includes a protocol development environment which enables a user to define a separate finite state machine for each port provided by the switch. Each finite state machine may be independently defined by combining a series of elementary processing steps, called atomic functions, into primitives, which are in turn combined with states and events to define the desired state machine. Such state machines may include atomic functions configured to generate predetermined messages under predetermined conditions and containing predetermined information. Such state machines may further include the ability to respond to state events that include the receipt of generic API messages configured to provide the state machine with information from the host application.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A functionally-layered programmable telecommunication switch comprising:

a layer-specific processor having a state machine engine configured to execute an instantiation of a programmable protocol language (PPL) component state machine representing a call processing protocol associated with a communications channel in the switch, said state machine invoking one or more predetermined atomic functions in accordance with a current state and the occurrence of a predetermined event,
wherein said one or more predetermined atomic functions includes generating a first application program interface (API) message having a first predetermined message format for all messages transferring call control processing information from said state machine;
wherein said predetermined event is one of a plurality of events including the receipt of a second API message having a second predetermined message format for all messages transferring call control processing information to said state machine;
wherein said layer-specific processor comprises:
an atomic function message buffer including a destination identification field and a source identification field containing respective addresses of a source and receiving PPL component state machine instantiation residing in the same or different layer-specific PPL processors;
and
means for attaching said message buffer to an internal representation of a PPL event indication message generated by an associated atomic function and representing the occurrence of said predetermined event.

4 more elements

A method for communicating between two layers of a functionally-layered programmable telecommunication switch system utilizing a universal standardized application program interface (API), the method comprising the steps of:

(1) invoking one or more instantiations of a layer-specific program protocol language (PPL) component state machine at a layer-specific PPL processor having a state machine engine, each of said one or more instantiations representing a call processing protocol;
(2) invoking atomic functions in accordance with state/event and primitive tables defining said state machine and stored in the layer-specific PPL processor to perform various functions, said atomic functions generating internal representations of a PPL event indication message;
(3) creating an atomic function message buffer, by said layer-specific PPL processor, including a destination identification field and a source identification field containing respective addresses of said source and receiving PPL component instantiation;
(4) attaching said message buffer to said internal representations of said PPL event indication message generated by said atomic functions;
(5) transferring said internally-represented PPL event indication message to a communications processor coupled to said layer-specific PPL processor for translation into a universal standardized API PPL event indication message;
and
(6) transmitting said universal standardized API PPL event indication message to another PPL component state machine instantiation residing in the same or different layer-specific PPL processors.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Telecommunication switch with layer-specific processor capable of attaching atomic function message buffer to internal representation of ppl event indication message upon occurrence of predetermined event

Life of this patent

Telecommunication switch with layer-specific processor capable of attaching atomic function message buffer to internal representation of ppl event indication message upon occurrence of predetermined event

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15