Common channel signaling with a network of distributed signal transfer points

A distributed signal transfer point for a common channel signaling system of the public switched telecommunication network, comprising:

• a plurality of geographically distributed network switches;
• a plurality of constituent parts of a signal transfer point, each such constituent part of the signal transfer point being associated with and located near but not necessarily collocated with a different one of said plurality of network switches;
• at least one digital transmission link between each constituent part of said signal transfer point and its associated network switch;
• at least one digital transmission link connecting said constituent parts of said signal transfer point;
• and
• wherein said signal transfer point is identified by a single point code address irrespective of how many network switches that it serves.

A public telecommunication switched network having a plurality of geographically-distributed service switching points, the interconnection of which is controlled by a common channel signaling system made up of a plurality of signal transfer points, each such signal transfer point comprising:

• a plurality of geographically distributed shelves of interface circuits, each shelf of interface circuits being associated with and located proximal to a different service switching point, each shelf only functioning when said each shelf works together with other shelves as part of a single signal transfer point;
• a first digital communication link between each service switching point and its associated proximal shelf of interface circuits;
• at least one service control point for providing database service to at least said signal transfer point;
• a digital communication link between said database server and at least one of said shelves of said signal transfer point;
• and
• at least one digital communication link between at least one shelf of said signal transfer point and at least one other signal transfer point of said common channel signaling system.

A public telecommunication switched network having a plurality of geographically-distributed service switching points, the interconnection of which is controlled by a common channel sparing system made up of a plurality of signal transfer points, each such signal transfer point comprising:

• a plurality of geographically distributed shelves of interface circuits, each shelf of interface circuits being associated with and located proximal to a different service switching point;
• a first digital communication link between each service switching point and its associated proximal shelf of interface circuits;
• at least one service control point for providing database service to at least said signal transfer point;
• a digital communication link between said database server and at least one of said shelves of said signal transfer point;
• and
• at least one digital communication link between at least one shelf of said signal transfer point and at least one other signal transfer point of said common channel signaling system wherein all shelves of a single signal transfer point share a common point code address irrespective of the number of service switching points that are served by shelves of said signal transfer point.

A method of managing the common channel signaling system comprising a plurality of signal transfer points, for controlling the interconnection of the geographically distributed service switching points of a public switched telephone network, comprising:

• locating only a portion of a signal transfer point proximal to but not necessarily collocated with but associated with a service switching point of the public switched telecommunications network, said portion only functioning when said portion works together with other portions as part of a single signal transfer point;
• locating the other portions of the signal transfer point proximal to but not necessarily collocated with other geographically distributed service switching points of the public switched telecommunications network;
• interconnecting said portion of the signal transfer point with said associated service switching point using a digital transmission link;
• and
• interconnecting said portion of the signal transfer point with said other portions of said signal transfer point using a digital transmission link.

A method of managing the common channel signaling system comprising a plurality of signal transfer points, for controlling the interconnection of the geographically distributed service switching points of a public switched telephone network, comprising:

• locating only a portion of a signal transfer point proximal to but not necessarily collocated with but associated with a service switching point of the public switched telecommunications network;
• locating the other portions of the signal transfer point proximal to but not necessarily collocated with other geographically distributed service switching points of the public switched telecommunications network;
• interconnecting said portion of the signal transfer point with said associated service switching point using a digital transmission link;
• interconnecting said portion of the signal transfer point with said other portions of said signal transfer point using a digital transmission link;
• and
• assigning a single point code address to all geographically-distributed portions to said signal transfer point.