Patent ID: 7929519

Claim:
A system implemented in hardware of a computer-based platform for bridging a first communications network having a payload subnetwork and a signaling subnetwork with a second communications network that is packet-switched, comprising: a communications management object that coordinates a transfer of information between the first communications network and the second communications network; a plurality of payload objects linked to the communications management object, wherein each payload object of the plurality of payload objects transfers payload information between the system and the payload subnetwork of the first communications network; a plurality of signaling objects linked to the communications management object, wherein each signaling object of the plurality of signaling objects transfers signaling information between the system and the signaling subnetwork of the first communications network in accordance with a signaling protocol associated with the signaling subnetwork; and a plurality of packet objects linked to the communications management object, wherein each packet object of the plurality of packet objects transfers payload and address information between the system and the second communications network in accordance with a communications protocol associated with the second communications network.