Patent ID: 7436839

Claim:
A method for converging multiple telecommunications networks, each including network components, into an integrated digital network such that the integrated digital network can provide common network service applications to multiple users, the method comprising: connecting a multi-service core to telecommunications networks, wherein the multi-service core is a common integrated digital network that communicates with network components of multiple telecommunications networks outside of the multi-service core; interconnecting multiple gateways between the multi-service core and multiple network components, each gateway interconnecting one network component with the multi-service core, wherein the multiple gateways share multiple service aspects with the multiple network components by utilizing multiple transport protocols comprising frame relay, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), Ethernet, Internet Protocol (IP), and Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching (GMLS); coordinating communications between the gateway and network components by providing a single high level network control plane for implementing scaling among the multiple network components using at least one of Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) or Border Gateway Protocol (BGP); resolving differences between protocols or communications between network components; and providing the service applications to the multiple users by implementing a plurality of respective network-independent quality of service (QoS) parameters each defined in accordance with a corresponding service application of the service applications; wherein the multiple gateways can coordinate the delivery of communications that provides a management and billing function for applying network resources throughout the integrated digital network.