KR20040075203A - Method and apparatus for supporting selective operation in softswitch signalling paths - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An apparatus and a method for selectively providing a protocol operation function in a soft switch signaling path are provided to satisfy both a person who requests an SIP(Session Initiation Protocol) service and a person who requests an SIP-T(SIP for Telephones) service. CONSTITUTION: An operator matching module(210) allows an operator(200) to select an SIP and an SIP-T. A database(220) receives protocol set information of each network path selected by the operator(200) and stores it. A main call processing module(230) provides a function of responding with a protocol selected by paths among the SIP and the SIP-T according to an incoming call. A subscriber matching module(240) receives a service request of a communication network subscriber(270) and informs the main call processing module(230) of it. An SIP call processing module(250) and an ISUP(ISDN User Part) call processing module(260) performs an actual signaling, respectively.

Description

Apparatus and method for providing selective operation of protocol in softswitch signaling path {METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING SELECTIVE OPERATION IN SOFTSWITCH SIGNALLING PATHS}

The present invention relates to an internet protocol based voice service system, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for providing a protocol operation function in a soft switch signaling path.

As the development of Internet technology and the demand for high-speed data transmission increase, telecommunication networks such as mobile communication networks and public switched telephony networks (PSTNs) are being implemented as IP (Internet Protocol) methods in the conventional TDM method. The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), an international standardization organization, recommended the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) to be used as a signaling protocol that can be used in such Internet-based voice service (VoIP) networks.

One thing that cannot be overlooked in implementing a VoIP network is that it must provide interoperability with legacy networks that used the ISUP (ISDN User Part) protocol as a signaling protocol.

The IETF came to recommend a protocol called SIP-T (SIP for Telephones). SIP-T follows the SIP format for protocol messages, and SIP uses the Session Description Protocol (SDP), while the contents of the message. By using the data of the ISUP protocol used in the existing communication network, it is a protocol that can be used for signaling interworking with the existing communication network which is not enough for SIP alone.

1 is a view showing the configuration of a VoIP communication network according to the prior art.

Referring to FIG. 1, a VoIP communication network is composed of nodes called softswitches, which establish a back-bone in a communication network like a switch of an existing communication network. The initial concept of the SIP-T protocol was that only gateway softswitches that matched existing networks would provide SIP-T functionality. That is, it was considered that SIP-T signaling is used only for a call request that is relayed to the existing communication network through the gateway soft switch or a call that is relayed to the VoIP communication network through the gateway soft switch in the existing communication network. However, in order to provide perfect interoperability with the existing network, the SIP protocol must provide all the functions that the ISUP protocol has been researched and developed for a long time on the existing network. The reality is that there are not enough parts to do this. As a result, there is a requirement for signaling using SIP-T in a soft switch inside a VoIP network (ie, not a gateway).

However, in order to do this, additional signaling processing called SIP-T is required, and depending on the network operator operating the network, operators who want to configure a communication network to enable a smooth telephone service using only the SIP protocol without using the SIP-T protocol are required. There will be. This is because the SIP protocol has evolved to a sufficient level to provide a service by itself, and since it is still developing, it may be possible to upgrade the SIP protocol to be used in the future if necessary.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for simultaneously satisfying a service provider requesting a SIP service and a service provider requesting a SIP-T service as a signaling protocol of a soft switch.

The present invention to achieve these objects

In a method for providing a protocol according to the network operator's choice in a network including an Internet-based communication network and an existing telephone network,

Storing the protocol setting information for each network path selected by the operator, checking the stored protocol setting information for the protocol to be used in the incoming path according to the type of the incoming call when the incoming call is generated, and receiving the message according to the protocol setting information. The process of configuring the type.

The method according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of storing the protocol setting information for each network path selected by the operator, if an incoming call is generated, determining the call type of the incoming call, and the call type is based on the Internet If the voice service call, the stored protocol setting information to identify the protocol to be used in the interval between the soft switch and the called terminal connected to the Internet-based communication network and the process of processing the incoming call using the identified protocol do.

The apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a database for storing protocol setting information for each network path selected by the operator, a main call processing module for determining a call type of the incoming call when an incoming call is generated, and the call type. In this Internet-based voice service call, a SIP call for checking a protocol to be used in a section between the soft switch and a called terminal connected to the Internet-based communication network in the stored protocol setting information and processing an incoming call using the identified protocol. It includes a processing module.

1 is a view showing the configuration of an Internet-based voice service communication network according to the prior art;

2 is a view showing the configuration of a soft switch according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a diagram illustrating a method for performing call processing according to a protocol set for each path according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that reference numerals and like elements among the drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals and symbols as much as possible even though they are shown in different drawings. In the following description of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In a network including an internet-based communication network and an existing telephone network, a method and apparatus for providing a protocol according to a network operator's selection by a soft switch.

In general, soft switches maintain multiple signaling paths with other soft switches or other communication networks. Softswitches communicate with other softswitches or networks using SIP or SIP-T protocols over these signaling paths. Herein, the principle of the present invention is to enable operators to specify SIP or SIP-T protocols for each signaling path instead of implementing a protocol defined for each softswitch, so that operators who establish and operate actual communication networks using softswitches. To help them build their networks to their requirements.

2 is a view showing the configuration of a soft switch according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the operator matching module 210 provides a function for the operator to select between the SIP 200 and the SIP-T. That is, the database 220 receives as input the protocol setting information for each network path selected by the operator and stores it. The main call processing module 230 provides a function of responding to a protocol selected for each of SIP and SIP-T according to an incoming call. The subscriber matching module 240 receives the service request of the communication network subscriber 270 and notifies the main call processing module 230 of this. The SIP call processing module 250 and the ISUP call processing module 260 respectively perform the actual signaling under the control of the main call processing module 230 according to the incoming call type.

3 is a diagram illustrating a method for performing call processing according to a protocol set for each path according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, in step 300, when a service request of the communication service subscriber 270 is received through the subscriber matching module 240, in step 310, the main call processing module 230 is the network operator 200. The path-specific protocol preset by the database is checked in the database 220.

In step 320, the main call processing module 230 determines the call type requested by the subscriber 270 through the translation of the called number. If the call type is VoIP, as a result of the determination, in step 330, the SIP call processing module 250 requests a VoIP outgoing call processing. The SIP call processing module 250 receiving the call processing request finds a path to the incoming soft switch or the gateway soft switch 280. Thereafter, the protocol (SIP / SIP-T) used in the path is read from the database 220.

If it is determined in step 340 that the protocol read from the database 220 is SIP, in step 350, the SIP call processing module 250 configures a message body as a Session Description Protocol (SDP), and in step 370 In, the incoming call is made to another soft switch or gateway soft switch 280.

If the protocol read from the database 220 is SIP-T, in step 360 the SIP call processing module 250 configures the message type (Message Body) as ISUP, in step 370, other softswitch or gateway software An incoming request is made with the switch 280.

In step 320, when the call type is an outgoing call to the existing communication network, in step 380, the main call processing module 230 makes a call processing request to the ISUP call processing module 260.

In steps 300 to 380, signal flows between components are shown in FIG. 4.

When the subscriber matching module 240 receives the communication service request in step 400, the subscriber matching module 240 sends a local subscriber communication service request signal to the main call processing module 230 in step 410. The main call processing module performs the call type determination process described above in step 420, and if the call type is a VoIP outgoing call, in step 430, the main call processing module transmits a VoIP outgoing call processing request signal to the SIP call processing module 250. . The SIP call processing module checks the path of the called terminal in step 431 and transmits a protocol query message used in the checked path to the database 220. The database 220 informs the SIP call processing module of the information on the corresponding protocol by the response message. The SIP performs the same operation as steps 350 to 380 shown in FIG. 3 in steps 440 to 470 according to the information received from the database 220.

Meanwhile, in the detailed description of the present invention, specific embodiments have been described, but various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be determined not only by the scope of the following claims, but also by the equivalents of the claims.

As described above, the present invention has the advantage of simultaneously satisfying the needs of various network operators. Therefore, network operators can build a communication network that meets their requirements regardless of the type or function of the protocol used by the equipment.

Claims (9)

In a method for providing a protocol according to the network operator's choice in a network including an Internet-based communication network and an existing telephone network, Storing protocol setting information for each network path selected by the operator; And when the incoming call is generated, identifying a protocol to be used in the incoming path according to the incoming call type in the stored protocol setting information and configuring an incoming message type according to the protocol setting information. In a network including an internet-based communication network and an existing telephone network, a method for providing a protocol according to a network operator's selection by a soft switch, Storing protocol setting information for each network path selected by the operator; When an incoming call is generated, determining a call type of the incoming signal; If the call type is an internet-based voice service call, identifying the protocol to be used in the interval between the soft switch and the called terminal connected to the internet-based communication network in the stored protocol setting information; And processing the incoming call using the identified protocol. The method of claim 2, The protocol setting information selected by the operator is SIP or SIP-T. The method of claim 3, If the identified protocol is SIP, configuring an incoming message type as SDP; And transmitting the incoming message of the SDP type to a called terminal connected to the Internet-based communication network. The method of claim 3, If the identified protocol is SIP-T, configuring the incoming message type as ISUP; And transmitting the incoming message of the ISUP type to a called terminal connected to the Internet-based communication network. An apparatus for providing a protocol according to a network operator's choice in a network including an internet-based communication network and an existing telephone network, A database for storing protocol setting information for each network path selected by the operator; A main call processing module for determining a call type of the incoming signal when an incoming call is generated; If the call type is an Internet-based voice service call, the protocol to be used in the interval between the soft switch and the called terminal connected to the Internet-based communication network is checked in the stored protocol setting information, and the incoming call is processed using the identified protocol. The apparatus comprising a SIP call processing module. The method of claim 6, The protocol setting information selected by the operator is SIP or SIP-T. The method of claim 7, wherein The SIP call processing module, when the identified protocol is SIP, configures an incoming message type as SDP and transmits the incoming message of the SDP type to a called terminal connected to the Internet-based communication network. The method of claim 7, wherein The SIP call processing module, when the identified protocol is SIP-T, configures an incoming message type as an ISUP, and transmits the incoming message of the ISUP type to a called terminal connected to the Internet-based communication network. .