Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
In a telecommunications network comprising a plurality of stand-alone switches, a method of routing a call comprising the steps of: grouping the plurality of ports on said plurality of stand-alone switches into a virtual symbiotic network; receiving a call comprising a called number in a receiving switch of said plurality of switches; determining which switch stores the data for identifying a location of a port specified by the called number; if the identified switch is the receiving switch, accessing the requested data within the receiving switch; if the identified switch is not the receiving switch, transmitting a data request message to the identified switch, accessing the requested data in the identified switch, and transmitting the requested data back to the requesting switch; providing the requested data to the requesting program in the receiving switch; and using the requested data to control establishment of a connection to the identified port.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
149 words
In a telecommunications network comprising a plurality of stand-alone switches, a method of routing a call comprising the steps of: grouping the plurality of ports on said plurality of stand-alone switches into a virtual symbiotic network; receiving a call comprising a called number in a receiving switch of said plurality of switches; determining which switch stores the data for identifying a location of a port specified by the called number; if the identified switch is the receiving switch, accessing the requested data within the receiving switch; if the identified switch is not the receiving switch, transmitting a data request message to the identified switch, accessing the requested data in the identified switch, and transmitting the requested data back to the requesting switch; providing the requested data to the requesting program in the receiving switch; and using the requested data to control establishment of a connection to the identified port.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing number portability by changing the data in the identified switch to reflect the new location of the port identified by the called number.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: assigning an ingress process to said received call for an ingress port on which said call is received; assigning an egress process to said identified port; assigning a virtual channel for direct communications between said ingress process and said egress process for implementing features of said call.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of ports is for connection to a work at home station.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 1 wherein: the step of receiving a call comprises receiving a call for a multi-line hunt group; and the step of accessing the requested data in the identified switch comprises accessing data for selecting a port connected to an available line of said multi-line hunt group.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein a group of trunks is dedicated for use by ports of said virtual symbiotic network.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 6 wherein different trunks of said group of trunks terminate on at least two of said plurality of stand-alone switches, whereby reliable service is obtained even in the presence of trouble in one of said stand-alone switches.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
139 words
In a telecommunicating network, a stand-alone switch comprising: data for identifying a location of data pertaining to ports of a virtual symbiotic network, said data pertaining to ports stored in a plurality of switches connected to said ports of said virtual symbiotic network; data link means for accessing a data network connected to said other switches; processor means for controlling accessing of data in said plurality of switches via said data network; said processor means for controlling call processes for controlling call processing for call connections between ones of said ports of said symbiotic network; wherein said call processes cooperate with control processes of others of said plurality of switches, using data accessed in the other switches, and using messages sent between said stand-alone switch and said other switches to establish connections between ports of said virtual symbiotic network.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
139 words
In a telecommunicating network, a stand-alone switch comprising: data for identifying a location of data pertaining to ports of a virtual symbiotic network, said data pertaining to ports stored in a plurality of switches connected to said ports of said virtual symbiotic network; data link means for accessing a data network connected to said other switches; processor means for controlling accessing of data in said plurality of switches via said data network; said processor means for controlling call processes for controlling call processing for call connections between ones of said ports of said symbiotic network; wherein said call processes cooperate with control processes of others of said plurality of switches, using data accessed in the other switches, and using messages sent between said stand-alone switch and said other switches to establish connections between ports of said virtual symbiotic network.