Method and apparatus for interconnecting a circuit-switched telephony network and a packet-switched data network, and applications thereof

A method of interconnecting a circuit-switched telephone network and a packet-switched data network for communication among them and that provides dial outsourcing, comprising the steps of:

• receiving provisioning information from network access servers that associates each of the network access servers with one of a plurality of Internet Service Providers;
• receiving a subscription profile of a caller who is originating a first call, wherein the subscription profile identifies one of the Internet Service Providers to which the caller subscribes;
• based on the subscription profile, selecting one of the network access servers for carrying the first call into the data network;
• establishing the first call originating in the telephone network and containing voiceband information and terminating in the data network via the selected one of the network access servers, based on call signaling information received from a signaling trunk by a signaling access server;
• and
• wherein the method further provides call congestion management by crying out the steps of:
• receiving an initial address message associated with a second call orginating in the telephone network;
• receiving resource usage information from the network access servers that indicates processing load associated with the network access servers;
• based on the resource usage information, selecting one of the network access servers for carrying the second call into the data network;
• and
• establishing the second call originating in the telephone network and containg voiceband information and terminating in the data network via the selected one of the network access servers, based on call signaling information received from the signaling trunk by the signaling access server.

A method of interconnecting a circuit-switched telephone network and a packet-switched data network for communication among them and that provides dial outsourcing, comprising the steps of:

• receiving provisioning informafion from network access servers that associates each of the network access servers with one of a plurality of Internet Service Providers;
• receiving a subscription profile of a caller who is originating a first call, wherein the subscription profile identifies one of the Internet Service Providers to which the caller subscribes;
• based on the subscription profile, selecting one of the network access servers for carrying the call into the data network;
• establishing the fist call originating in the telephone network and containing voiceband information and terminating in the data network via the selected one of the network access servers, based on call signaling information received from the signaling trunk by the signaling access server;
• and
• wherein the method further provides dial origination by carrying out the steps of:
• receiving call origination information from one of the network access servers that is associated with an Internet Service Provider that is originating a second call from the data network to a called party in the telephone network who uses the Internet Service Provider for Internet access;
• establishing the second call originating in the data network and terminating at the called party through the telephone network;
• receiving data messages from the Internet Service Provider and directed to the called party;
• and
• forwarding the data messages to the called party through the telephone network.

A method of interconnecting a circuit-switched telephone network and a packet-switched data network for communication among them and that provides dial outsourcing, comprising the steps of:

• receiving provisioning information from network access servers that associates each of the network access servers with one of a plurality of Internet Service Providers;
• receiving a subscription profile of a caller who is originating a first call, wherein the subscription profile identifies one of the Internet Service Providers to which the caller subscribes;
• based on the subscription profile, selecting one of the network access servers for carrying the first call into the data network;
• establishing the first call originating in the telephone network and containing voiceband information and terminating in the data network via the selected one of the network access servers, based on call signaling information received fiom a signaling trunk by a signaling access server;
• receiving a call setup message that includes a calling line identifier information element for a second call originating in the data network and directed to a called party in the telephone network;
• suppressing the calling line identifier information element from the second call as the second call passes through the singaling access server;
• and
• directing the second call to the called party in the telephone network without the calling line identifier information element.

A method of interconnecting a circuit-switched telephone network and a packet-switched data network for communication among them and that provides dial outsourcing, comprising the steps of:

• receiving provisioning information fom network access servers that associates each of the network access servers with one of a plurality of Internet Service Providers;
• receiving a subscription profile of a caller who is originating a first call, wherein the subscription profile identifies one of the Internet Service Providers to which the caller subscribes;
• based on the subscription profile, selecting one of the network access servers fbr carrying the first call into the data network;
• and
• establishing the first call originating in the telephone network and containing voiceband information and terminating in the data network via the selected one of the network access servers, based on call signaling information received from a signaling trunk by a signaling access server;
• receiving one or more telephone network messages associated with a second call originating in the telephone network and directed to a called party in the data network that includes a translated called number and an originating point code value;
• converting the originating point code value into an originally called number;
• and
• forwarding the originally called number to the called party with the second call as the second call passes through the signaling access server to one of the network access servers.