Method of operating a communications network as well as a communications network and an interworking facility

Claim 3

A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that for each gateway (NI), the information-carrying channel or all information-carrying channels form a group of information-carrying channels (TRUNK) which is assigned at least one signaling channel (SIG) between the respective gateway switching center (GATE -- EX) and the respective further communications network (KN1 to KN3).

Claim 4

A method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the signaling takes place in accordance with the signaling system No. 7 via each signaling channel (SIG).

Claim 5

A method as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that each signaling channel (SIG) between the spatially distributed gateway switching centers (GATE -- EX) and each further communications network (KN2 to KN3) is routed through the common interworking facility (GATECEN), and that the interworking functions (STP, KDE, TAR, FUNC1 TO FUNC3) for the respective connections are performed by processing data transmitted over said signaling channel (SIG).

Claim 6

A method as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the interworking facility (GATECEN) centrally registers the communications data required for billing with other network operators (OPB to OPZ).

Claim 7

A method as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the interworking facility (GATECEN) centrally performs conversion and monitoring of the signaling between communications networks (KN1 to KN4) of different network operators (OPA to OPZ).

Claim 8

A method as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the interworking facility (GATECEN) centrally controls and adapts the access to telecommunications services of the communications network (KN1) from one or more of the further communications networks (KN1 to KN3).

Claim 9

A method as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the interworking facility (GATECEN) centrally provides the interworking functions (STP, KDE, TAR, FUNC1 to FUNC3) for all connections to the further communications networks (KN2 to KN3).

Claim 10

A method as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the interworking facility centrally provides the interworking functions for all connections to at least one of the further communications networks (KN2 to KN4) for both the network operator and each other network operator.

Claim 11

A method as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the interworking facility is managed by a third party.

Claim 12

A communications network (KN1) of a network operator (OPA) comprising a number of gateways (NI) for interconnecting the communications network (KN1) with one or more communications networks (KN2 to KN4) of other network operators (OPB to OPZ), said communications network (KN1) comprising a number of gateway switching centers (GATE -- EX) which are designed to exchange user information for one or more network interfaces (NI) with a switching facility (GATE) of the further or one of the further communications networks (KN2 to KN4) via at least one information-carrying channel, and further comprising means for performing interworking functions (STP, KDE, TAR, FUNC1 to FUNC3) for all connections via the information-carrying channels which support the interconnection of the communications network (KN1) with the respective further communications network (KN2 to KN4) of the respective other network operator (OPB to OPZ) through the respective gateway (NI), characterized in that two or more spatially distributed gateway switching centers (GATE -- EX) are connected to a common interworking facility (GATECEN) which is designed to provide the means for performing the interworking functions (STP, KDE, TAR, FUNC1 to FUNC3) for connections from said two or more gateway switching centers (GATE -- EX) to at least one of the further communications networks (KN2 to KN4), said interworking functions including protocol conversion for different signaling methods or provision of services of a communications network (KN1 to KN4), or acquisition of communications events for billing between the communications network (KN1) and the one or more further communications networks (KN2 to KN4).

Claim 13

A communications network (KN1) of a network operator (OPA) comprising a number of gateways (NI) for interconnecting the communications network (KN1) with one or more communications networks (KN2 to KN4) of other network operators (OPB to OPZ), said communications network (KN1) comprising a number of gateway switching centers (GATE -- EX) which are designed to exchange user information for one or more network interfaces (NI) with a switching facility (GATE) of the further or one of the further communications networks (KN2 to KN4) via at least one information-carrying channel, and further comprising means for performing interworking functions (STP, KDE, TAR, FUNC1 to FUNC3) for all connections via the information-carrying channels which support the interconnection of the communications network (KN1) with the respective further communications network (KN2 to KN4) of the respective other network operator (OPB to OPZ) through the respective gateway (NI), characterized in that two or more spatially distributed gateway switching centers (GATE -- EX) are connected to a common interworking facility (GATECEN) which is designed to provide the means for performing the interworking functions (STP, KDE, TAR, FUNC1 to FUNC3) for connections from said two or more gateway switching centers (GATE -- EX) to at least one of the further communications networks (KN2 to KN4), said interworking functions including protocol conversion for different signaling methods or provision of services of a communications network (KN1 to KN4), or acquisition of communications events for billing between the communications network (KN1) and the one or more further communications networks (KN2 to KN4).

Claim 14

An interworking facility (GATECEN) comprising a control unit (CONTR) which performs interworking functions (STP, KDE, TAR, FUNC1 to FUNC3) for connections via at least one information carrying channel assigned to a gateway (NI), said interworking functions supporting the interconnection of two communications networks (KN1; KN2 to KN4) of different network operators (OPA; OPB to OPZ) through the gateway (NI), characterized in that the interworking facility (GATECEN) is provided with an interface unit (INT) for interfacing it to two or more spatially distributed gateway switching centers (GATE -- EX), and that the control unit (CONTR) is designed to provide interworking functions (STP, KDE, TAR, FUNC1 to FUNC3) for connections from the two or more spatially distributed gateway switching centers (GATE -- EX) to one or more of the further communications networks (KN2 to KN4), said interworking functions including protocol conversion for different signaling methods or provision of services of a communications network (KN1 to KN4), or acquisition of communications events for billing between the communications network (KN1) and the one or more further communications networks (KN2 to KN4).

Claim 15

An interworking facility (GATECEN) comprising a control unit (CONTR) which performs interworking functions (STP, KDE, TAR, FUNC1 to FUNC3) for connections via at least one information carrying channel assigned to a gateway (NI), said interworking functions supporting the interconnection of two communications networks (KN1; KN2 to KN4) of different network operators (OPA; OPB to OPZ) through the gateway (NI), characterized in that the interworking facility (GATECEN) is provided with an interface unit (INT) for interfacing it to two or more spatially distributed gateway switching centers (GATE -- EX), and that the control unit (CONTR) is designed to provide interworking functions (STP, KDE, TAR, FUNC1 to FUNC3) for connections from the two or more spatially distributed gateway switching centers (GATE -- EX) to one or more of the further communications networks (KN2 to KN4), said interworking functions including protocol conversion for different signaling methods or provision of services of a communications network (KN1 to KN4), or acquisition of communications events for billing between the communications network (KN1) and the one or more further communications networks (KN2 to KN4).

Claim 16

A method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that each signaling channel (SIG) between the spatially distributed gateway switching centers (GATE -- EX) and each further communications network (KN2 to KN3) is routed through the common interworking facility (GATECEN), and that the interworking functions (STP, KDE, TAR, FUNC1 TO FUNC3) for the respective connections are performed by processing data transmitted over said signaling channels (SIG).

Claim 17

A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the interworking facility (GATECEN) centrally registers the communications data required for billing with other network operators (OPB to OPZ).

Claim 18

A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the interworking facility (GATECEN) centrally performs conversion and monitoring of the signaling between communications networks (KN1 to KN4) of different network operators (OPA to OPZ).

Claim 19

A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the interworking facility (GATECEN) centrally controls and adapts the access to telecommunications services of the communications network (KN1) from one or more of the further communications networks (KN1 to KN3).

Claim 20

A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the interworking facility (GATECEN) centrally provides the interworking functions (STP, KDE, TAR, FUNC1 to FUNC3) for all connections to the further communications networks (KN2 to KN3).

Claim 21

A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the interworking facility centrally provides the interworking functions for all connections to at least one of the further communications networks (KN2 to KN4) for both the network operator and each other network operator.