Voice over data telecommunications network architecture

US8270421B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Level 3 Communications, LLC · US

Inventors

• Isaac K. Elliott · Broomfield, US
• Steven P. Higgins · Colorado Springs, US
• Andrew Dugan · Superior, US
• Jon Peterson · Boulder, US
• Robert L. Hernandez · Longmont, US
• Rick D. Steele · Longmont, US
• Bruce W. Baker · Erie, US
• Rich Terpstra · Louisville, US
• Jonathan S. Mitchell · Superior, US
• Jin Wang · East Islip, US
• Harold Stearns · Erie, US
• Eric Zimmerer · Westminster, US
• Ray Waibel · Arvada, US
• Kraig Owen · Boulder, US
• Shawn M. Lewis · Upton, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 30, 2011
• Grant date: Sep 18, 2012
• Expiry date: Dec 30, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04M3/42
• WIPO field: Digital communication
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

The present invention describes a system and method for communicating voice and data over a packet-switched network that is adapted to coexist and communicate with a legacy PSTN. The system permits packet switching of voice calls and data calls through a data network from and to any of a LEC, a customer facility or a direct IP connection on the data network. The system includes soft switch sites, gateway sites, a data network, a provisioning component, a network event component and a network management component. The system interfaces with customer facilities (e.g., a PBX), carrier facilities (e.g., a LEC) and legacy signaling networks (e.g., SS7) to handle calls between any combination of on-network and off-network callers.