US 7,227,837 B1 · Fault tolerant virtual tandem switch

Abstract

A system and method for reducing and surviving failures in a voice trunking over ATM (VTOA) environment includes an ATM network having a plurality of interconnected ATM switches. The VTOA system also includes a CS-IWF complex having a plurality of interconnected CS-IWF units, each unit having a plurality of processors. An end office building may also be provided for interaction with the VTOA system. The end office building includes multiple T-IWFs, and a switch that distributes calls among the T-IWFs in a load sharing manner. Each T-IWF has a plurality of processors and is part of the VTOA system. A switch management system is also provided in the VTOA system. In order to reduce and survive failures, the switch management system includes a plurality of switch management system units. At least one of the switch management system units is a backup unit for at least one primary switch management system unit. Each switch management system unit provides application redundancy within itself.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An end office building for interaction with a virtual trunking system including a packet switched data network comprising a plurality of data network switches, and at least one control and signaling interworking function complex, the end office building comprising:

a plurality of T-IWFs, each T-IWF converting voice to a format compatible with the data network and converting from the data network format to voice, each T-IWF being capable of dynamically establishing end-to-end connections to another T-IWF device, each T-IWF having a plurality of processors with at least one processor being configured to compensate for a failed processor, at least one T-IWF being configured to absorb at least a portion of a failed T-IWFs workload;
and
a central office switch that distributes calls among the plurality of T-IWFs in a load sharing manner,
wherein the at least one processor that compensates for the failed processor is configured to cooperate with the at least one T-IWF absorbing at least a portion of the failed T-IWFs workload, enabling the end office building to survive a simplex failure.

1 more element

A virtual trunking system communicating with a plurality of mated signaling transfer points, the virtual trunking system comprising:

a data network comprising a plurality of interconnected data network switches;
at least one CS-IWF complex comprising a plurality of CS-IWF units connected to at least one of the data network switches and connected to at least one of the signaling transfer points, each unit having a plurality of processors, the complex performing call control functions for transmitting voice across the data network and interfacing narrowband signaling and broadband signaling for call processing and control within the data network so that telephone calls originating and/or terminating within a public switched telephone network are transmitted through the data network;
at least one end office building comprising a plurality of T-IWFs, each T-IWF having a plurality of processors and each T-IWF being capable of dynamically establishing an end-to-end connection to another T-IWF device, and a central office switch that distributes calls among the plurality of T-IWFs in a load sharing manner;
and
a switch manager comprising a plurality of switch manager units, at least one of the switch manager units comprising a backup unit for at least one primary switch manager unit, each switch manager unit being configured to provide application redundancy within itself,
wherein the virtual trunking system is configured to survive a simplex failure.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Fault tolerant virtual tandem switch

Life of this patent

Fault tolerant virtual tandem switch

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14