Patent ID: 7099343

Claim:
A communication system wherein a first user communication for a first call arrives over a first connection and a second user communication for a second call arrives over a second connection, the communication system comprising: a signaling processor configured to receive and process first telecommunication signaling for the first call to select a third connection and to generate and transfer a first control message indicating the first connection and the third connection, and to receive and process second telecommunication signaling for the second call to select a fourth connection and to generate and transfer a second control message indicating the second connection and the fourth connection; a Time Division Multiplex (TDM) matrix that is externally located on a separate platform from the signaling processor and that is configured to receive the first control message and to receive the first user communication from the first connection, and in response, to switch the first user communication from the first connection to the third connection and transfer the user communication over the third connection, and to receive the second control message and to receive the second user communication from the second connection, and in response, to switch the second user communication from the second connection to the fourth connection and transfer the second user communication over the fourth connection; a TDM device configured to receive the first user communication from the third connection and process the first user communication; and a first interworking unit configured to receive the second user communication over the fourth connection and convert the second user communication from a TDM format into a packet format.