Patent ID: 6501755
Filing Date: 2002-12-31
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of signalling a message across a plurality of connection oriented network entities, the network entities including an originating network entity, a terminating network entity and at least two of a plurality of intermediate network entities connected successively therebetween, the originating network entity and the terminating network entity each respectively being associated with a terminal address, the terminal address of the originating network entity being a terminal originating address and the terminal address of the terminating network entity being a terminal destination address, at least two contiguous network entities of the connection oriented network entities each being associated with addressing spaces through which the message is not routable by one of said terminal addresses when same is used as a party number for routing the message and through which the message is not otherwise routable by way of a single address, the message being initiated from the terminal originating address associated with the originating network entity and routed through the intermediate network entities to be received at the terminal destination address associated with the terminating network entity, the method of signalling comprising the steps of:(a) storing said unroutable terminal address as a party number; (b) routing the message according to the party number from the originating network entity through each succeeding and contiguous intermediate network entity, if any, which provides an addressing space through which the message is routable; (c) at every network border between any two contiguous network entities wherein an immediately succeeding network entity does not provide an addressing space through which the message is routable, determining whether the party number is to be stored and replaced with a new party number and, if so, then storing the party number so as to permit its subsequent retrieval according to a last-in and first-out precedence to thereby create a stored party number and, once the party number has been stored as aforesaid, assigning a replacement address as the party number; (d) at every network border between any two contiguous network entities wherein an immediately succeeding network entity does not provide an addressing space through which the message is routable, determining whether the party number is to be discarded and replaced with a stored party number and, if so, assigning the last-in stored party number as the party number; (e) following steps (c) and (d), routing the message according to the party number and transporting, with the message, every stored party number through the immediately succeeding intermediate network entity and through each further succeeding and contiguous intermediate network entity, if any, through which the message is routable; and (f) repeating steps (c), (d) and (e) until such time as the message is routable to the terminating network according to the party number.