Method and system for dynamic call type detection for circuit and packet switched networks

A method of communicating an event between a first and a second communication network endpoint through a communication network, the event comprising a set of predetermined characteristics, the method comprising:

• receiving a signal at the first communication network endpoint;
• detecting a subset of the set of predetermined characteristics within the signal;
• generating a message that identifies the subset of the set of predetermined characteristics;
• sending the message from the first communication network endpoint to the second communication network endpoint by way of the communication network;
• determining that the signal includes the set of predetermined characteristics;
• generating an event message that includes information indicative of the event, the information comprising an event identifier;
• and
• sending the event message from the first communication network to the second communication network endpoint by way of the communication network.

A method of communicating a first signal between a first and a second communication network endpoint through a communication network, the first signal comprising a set of predetermined characteristics, the method comprising:

• at the second communication network endpoint receiving a message from the first communication network endpoint, the message identifying a subset of the set of predetermined characteristics;
• at the second communication network endpoint producing a second signal that has the subset of the set of predetermined characteristics, the second signal being different from the first signal;
• at the second communication network endpoint receiving an event message from the first communication network endpoint, the event message identifying the set of predetermined characteristics and containing a signal identifier;
• and
• at the second communication network endpoint producing a third signal that has the set of predetermined characteristics, the third signal being equivalent to the first signal.

A gateway coupled to a communication network, the gateway comprising:

• a signal detector operable to receive a signal and to detect at least one partial characteristic of the signal, the at least one partial characteristic being insufficient to fully define the signal according to predefined signal types, the signal detector further operable to determine if the signal includes a set of predetermined characteristics that is indicative of an event;
• a tone encoder coupled to the signal detector and operable to receive the at least one partial characteristic, to generate a first message that identifies the at least one partial characteristic of the signal, to transmit the first message on the communication network, to generate subsequent messages in response to the signal detector detecting additional partial characteristics of the signal, and to transmit the subsequent messages on the communication network, wherein the subsequent messages at least identify the at least one partial characteristic and the additional partial characteristics of the signal;
• and
• an event encoder coupled to the signal detector and operable to generate an event message in response to the signal detector determining that the signal is indicative of the event, and to transmit the event message on the communication network.

A system comprising:

• a communication network;
• a first gateway coupled to the communication network, the first gateway operable to receive a first signal, to detect partial characteristics of the first signal, and to generate and send on the communication network a message that identifies at least one partial characteristic of the first signal, the first gateway further operable to determine if the first signal is indicative of an event and if so, to send an event message indicative of the event;
• and
• a second gateway coupled to the communication network, the second gateway operable to receive the message from the first gateway through the communication network and to produce a second signal having the at least one partial characteristic of the first signal, the second gateway further operable to receive the event message and to determine a state of the first gateway based on the event message.