TRANSPORT OF VERTICAL CONTROL PROTOCOL MESSAGES ON A SWITCHED COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

摘要

The present invention relates generally to the sending and receiving of messages between two entities of a physically decomposed telecommunications node, where the media connections of one of the entities is controlled by the other, and in particular to the transport of Vertical Control Protocol messages between two such entities. The invention is suitable for use in the transport of Vertical Control Protocol messages between a media gateway controller and a media gateway of a physically decomposed H.323 gateway, however, that the invention is not limited to use in that application, only. In essence, the invention stems from a realisation that the extended use of the Vertical Control Protocol to more than one signaling transport technology, i.e. IP signaling only, can be provided by converting or transliterating between Vertical Control Protocol messages from the Vertical Control Protocol layer and messages able to be correctly interpreted by the network layer of a chosen signaling transport technology and vice-versa. With this in mind, a protocol adaptation function layer which is adapted to use a protocol adaptation function is provided.