Patent ID: 6963638
Filing Date: 2005-11-08
Classification: H04M,H04Q

Abstract:
1. A process for using alphanumeric characters for call numbers for connections and for signaling within and between telecommunications networks (call by name), comprising: not using the usual decimal numeric transmission, but rather using alphanumeric signaling information in the form of an alphanumeric subscriber call number ATR for the establishment of a connection in the subscriber access area between the subscriber terminal and the network switching centers, as well as within the telecommunications networks and also among network interfaces between national or international telecommunications networks for the purpose of dialing by name, by e-mail or Internet address; wherein the available alphanumeric character set contains all numbers, all alphabetical characters in both capital and small letters and comprehensive special characters usually used in the computer industry or in the PC industry, such as are included in the international character set, ASCII code according to CCITT.T50, ISO/IEC646 or DIN 660023, where also country-specific variants and unusual characters are feasible by the selection and specification of the code specifications to be transmitted in the transmission protocol; the length of the character string being independent of the geographical position of the caller and target subscriber within a specific network and also independent of the properties of specific single networks, and where it may be specified at will on an individual basis by the target subscriber; using the ATR merely as an alias in the area of the subscriber line between the subscriber terminal of the caller and the corresponding switching center as an alternative signal within the current signal protocols; making a conversion from the ATR to the network-specific subscriber call number NTR in the relevant switching center and wherein thereafter ATR is replaced automatically by network-specific NTR within the signaling protocols for subsequent connection to the target subscriber, which allows a connection by ATR from all terminals that are capable of editing and transmitting of an ATR, while one or more ATR may be defined for all existing target subscribers in any network with any terminal and with any signaling convention; using at least one new alternative alphanumeric character set in signaling on level 3 in connection with an extended address field and a character set for transmission required to establish the connection; wherein within the switching center at the caller side neither the protocol discriminator nor the message type need to modified; the subsequent establishment of the connection and the entire signaling to the target subscriber being handled in a conventional manner with the respective converted conventional NTR with its character set and length of call number, thus with complete transparency to the target subscriber, whether the target subscriber is called by a conventional terminal or by an ATR from an innovative terminal; defining a new terminal type that is capable of editing the ATR within the process to establish the connection, that can be addressed by ATR methods and that remains optionally capable of displaying the ATR of the calling terminal in the display of the terminal being called; introducing a new service and terminal identification in the level 2 protocol within the signaling protocols of the connection between calling and called terminal, using the digital signaling system DSS1 and the central channel character system SS7, wherein the objects Service Access Point Identifier SAPI and Terminal Access Identifier TEI are suitable for the protocols and a new protocol variations is defined within the level 3 messages by the definition of a new protocol discriminator PD; wherein those processes, such as a process for the establishment and set-up of a connection, within the level 3 messages that are involved in the conversion from NTR to ATR also are appropriately modified; and wherein the switching centers involved in the connection receive the required routing or pathway information during transmission of the ATR within the signaling protocols from associated tables or an associated database in order to properly establish the connection to the target subscriber efficiently or forward the information, because the pathway information is no longer contained in the ATR method.