Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method, in a communication network, of associating a subscriber directory identifier to a first subscriber identifier. The method comprises receiving a request to connect a communication device to the network, the request including a subscriber identifier derived from the first subscriber identifier, determining the first subscriber identifier from the received subscriber identifier, and associating a subscriber directory identifier with the determined subscriber identifier.

Abstract: There is provided a method of signaling status information of an application service. The method is performed by a signaling gateway which interconnects an internet protocol network and a signaling system 7 network. The method comprises collecting application server status information of application servers associated with the application service and generating the status information of the application service from the collected application server status information by use of a given set of rules. The status information is generated for signaling the status information to at least one peer. The at least one peer can be comprised in the internet protocol network or in the signaling system 7 network.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method, in a communication network, of associating a subscriber directory identifier to a first subscriber identifier. The method comprises receiving a request to connect a communication device to the network, the request including a subscriber identifier derived from the first subscriber identifier, determining the first subscriber identifier from the received subscriber identifier, and associating a subscriber directory identifier with the determined subscriber identifier.

Abstract: A signaling gateway for passing messages from a first network to an application server process provided on a second network, the messages comprising a transaction identifier, the signaling gateway being operable to receive a message and read the transaction identifier, identify the application server process from a part of the transaction identifier and forward the message to the application server process.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a communication arrangement for distinguishing between network entities having the same address by translating between the same addresses and surrogate addresses using an intermediary network entity.

Abstract: A signalling gateway for transmitting messages between a first network and a second network, where the first network comprises an SS7 network and the second network comprises an IP network, the second network comprising a plurality of application servers, the signalling gateway being operable to store SS7 characteristic information corresponding to the application servers, the signalling gateway being operable to receive a message via the first network, the message comprising destination information and origin information identifying a calling entity, read the destination information and identify an application server in accordance with the destination information, transmit the message to the application server, the message comprising the destination information and origin information, receive a response from the application server, the response comprising a destination identifier corresponding to the origin information and an origin identifier corresponding to the destination information, substitute the SS7

Abstract: A method of operating a gateway is disclosed to manage communications between a switched circuit network and an internet protocol network using a gateway. The method includes receiving at the gateway, a service call requesting the service for routing to an application server on the internet protocol network. If the application server is available the service call is routed to the first application server and the gateway generates an entry in its database. The entry includes the service identifier and the first application server identifier. If the application server is not available to accept the service call and the service call is routed to the application server when it is not available, the method includes sending a control message to the calling party on the switched circuit network.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of present invention, there is provided a method of controlling access to a communication network. The method comprises receiving a request from a communication device to connect to the communication network, the request including a substantially unique identifier of the device, and determining whether the identifier is contained in a local device database of the network. Where it is determined that the identifier is not contained in the local database, the method further comprises authorizing the device to connect to the network, and at a subsequent update of the local device database, determining the status of the identifier from a shared device database, and updating the status of the determined identifier in the local device database with the determined status.

Abstract: A signalling gateway for connecting a first network to a second network, the signalling gateway being operable to, receive a signalling message from the first network, the message comprising destination information, read the destination information and, where the destination information corresponds to a predetermined value, forward the message to one of a first entity on the first network and a second entity on the second network in accordance with a distribution rule.

Abstract: A method is described for operating a gateway to act as a conduit for a structured transaction between a first transaction peer and a second transaction peer, the structured transaction having at least a begin message for opening a logical communication path, a continue message for maintaining a logical communication path and an end message for closing a logical communication path. The method comprises the steps of: receiving a first begin message from the first transaction peer; receiving from the first transaction peer a continue message having a request element; determining a routing key identifying the second transaction peer from the continue message; constructing and sending a second begin message, including the component, to the second transaction peer; receiving a first end message including a response element from the second transaction peer; constructing and sending a second end message including the response element to the first transaction peer.

Abstract: Gateway apparatus is described for interconnecting at least first and second signalling networks with an application server process via a third network, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of signalling gateways, with at least one signalling gateway coupled to each signalling network; and a proxy element for transferring signalling messages between the signalling gateways and the application server process via the third network. The first and second signalling networks may be separate signalling system 7 (SS7) networks and the third network may be an internet protocol network.

Abstract: There is provided a method of signaling status information of an application service. The method is performed by a signaling gateway which interconnects an internet protocol network and a signaling system 7 network. The method comprises collecting application server status information of application servers associated with the application service and generating the status information of the application service from the collected application server status information by use of a given set of rules. The status information is generated for signaling the status information to at least one peer. The at least one peer can be comprised in the internet protocol network or in the signaling system 7 network.

Abstract: A signalling gateway for transmitting messages between a first network and a second network, where the first network comprises an SS7 network and the second network comprises an IP network, the second network comprising a plurality of application servers, the signalling gateway being operable to store SS7 characteristic information corresponding to the application servers, the signalling gateway being operable to receive a message via the first network, the message comprising destination information and origin information identifying a calling entity, read the destination information and identify an application server in accordance with the destination information, transmit the message to the application server, the message comprising the destination information and origin information, receive a response from the application server, the response comprising a destination identifier corresponding to the origin information and an origin identifier corresponding to the destination information, substitute the SS7

Abstract: Methods and related apparatus are described of operating a transaction proxy to act as a conduit for a structured transaction, such as TCAP structured dialog between a first transaction peer, for instance an SMSC, and a second transaction peer, for instance an MSC. The method comprises the steps of: receiving a begin message; determining an address of the first transaction peer from the begin message; responding to the begin message by sending a continue message to the first transaction peer; and, if no abort message is received from the first transaction peer, forwarding the begin message to the second transaction peer.

Abstract: A signalling gateway for connecting a first network to a second network, the signalling gateway being operable to store a plurality of routing keys, wherein at least one of the routing keys comprises monitoring destination information associated with a monitoring entity, the signalling gateway being operable to, receive a message via the first network, the message comprising message destination information identifying a recipient entity, compare the destination information and the routing key and, when the message destination information matches the monitoring destination information, transmit the message to the monitoring entity on the second network.

Abstract: A method of routing a message is described, comprising: receiving a message indicating an operation to be performed by a destination node; determining an address of the destination node by consulting a local database indicating the address of the destination node; initiating a dialogue with the destination node; and sending a message indicating the operation to the destination node.

Abstract: There is provided a method of coupling a switched circuit network and an internet protocol network. The switched circuit network and the internet protocol network are interconnected by a gateway. The gateway comprises a database. The switched circuit network comprises a service which is identified by a service identifier. The internet protocol network comprises a group of application servers and the group of application servers comprises at least one application server. Each of the at least one application server are identified by a specific application server identifier. The method comprises the step of generating an entry in the database in response to a service call requesting the service if the service call is routed to an available application server, wherein the service call is received from a calling party located on the switched circuit network, and wherein the available application server is comprised in the group of application servers.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a communication arrangement for distinguishing between network entities having the same address by translating between the same addresses and surrogate addresses using an intermediary network entity.

Abstract: A method for routing signaling messages between nodes in a network in which virtual addresses are used to route messages in a predetermined order to a set of network nodes.

Abstract: A signalling gateway for passing messages from a first network to an application server process provided on a second network, the messages comprising a transaction identifier, the signalling gateway being operable to receive a message and read the transaction identifier, identify the application server process from a part of the transaction identifier and forward the message to the application server process.