Method and system for sending connection-oriented or connectionless data

1. A method for sending connection-oriented or connectionless data between two endpoints in a protocol architecture comprising at least an application layer and a transport layer and one or more applications using the application layer,

characterised in that the method comprises the steps of:

sending a source application request message with an application at the first endpoint to the transport layer, indicating with the source application which service (connection-oriented or connectionless) should be provided by the transport layer;

selecting and/or allocating within the transport layer a transport connection identifier at the first endpoint;

sending a data frame to the second endpoint, the data frame comprising at least the selected transport connection identifier, destination application information, data type information and/or payload;

receiving the data frame at the transport layer at the second endpoint;

determining at the second endpoint whether the data frame relates to connection-oriented or connectionless service based on the data type information; and

sending an application message to the destination application at the second endpoint based on the destination application information.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that the application layer and transport layer are directly connected with each other.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that the transport protocol at the transport layer is the SCTP and the transport connection identifier refers to the SCTP streamID.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that when an application requests a signalling connection to be set up, the method further comprises the steps of:

creating an SCTP association between the first and second endpoint;

selecting an unused SCTP stream number within the SCTP association;

connecting the SCTP stream number of the SCTP association with the application connection identifier within the signalling connection request from the application; and

storing at the transport layer the connection between the selected SCTP stream number and the application connection identifier within the application; and

if the connection request included an application message, delivering the application message as payload in an SCTP message.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterised in that when the signalling connection has already been set up and an application sends connection-oriented data to the transport layer, the method further comprises the step of:

selecting the SCTP stream number already assigned to the signalling connection within the SCTP association.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterised in that when releasing a signalling connection, the method comprises the steps of:

sending an application release message from the application at one endpoint to the application at the other endpoint;

sending an application release complete message from the application to the application of the other endpoint;

releasing the allocated connection identifier at the transport layer at the destination endpoint based on the application release message;

receiving an application release response message at one endpoint (source) from the application at the other endpoint (destination); and

releasing the allocated connection identifier based on the application release complete message at the transport layer at the first endpoint.

7. The method according to claim 4, characterised in that the method further comprises the step of:

selecting a suitable value for the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter, the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter identifying the destination application and connection-oriented service.

8. The method according to claim 4, characterised in that the method further comprises the steps of:

selecting an SCTP stream number specifically used for the connection-oriented service; and

selecting a suitable value for the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter, the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter identifying the destination application.

9. The method according to claim 4, characterised in that the method further comprises the steps of:

selecting a suitable value for the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter, the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter indicating the application protocol used; and

unsetting the SCTP unordered flag parameter, the unsetting of the SCTP unordered flag parameter indicating connection-oriented service.

10. The method according to claim 4, characterised in that the method further comprises the steps of:

selecting an SCTP stream number specifically for connection-oriented services;

selecting a suitable value for the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter, the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter identifying the destination application; and

unsetting the SCTP unordered flag parameter, the unsetting of the SCTP unordered flag parameter indicating connection-oriented service.

11. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that when an application sends connectionless data to the transport layer, the method further comprises the steps of:

creating an SCTP association between the first and second endpoint if it has not been created before;

selecting an unused SCTP stream number within the SCTP association; and

selecting a suitable value for the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter, the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter identifying the destination application and the connectionless service.

12. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that when an application sends connectionless data to the transport layer, the method further comprises the steps of:

creating an SCTP association between the first and second endpoint if it has not been created before;

selecting an SCTP stream number specifically reserved for connectionless services; and

selecting a suitable value for the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter, the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter identifying the destination application.

13. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that when an application sends connectionless data to the transport layer, the method further comprises the steps of:

creating an SCTP association between the first and second endpoint if it has not been created before;

selecting any SCTP stream number within the SCTP association;

selecting a suitable value for the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter, the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter indicating the application protocol used; and

setting the SCTP unordered flag parameter to ‘1’, the setting of the SCTP unordered flag parameter indicating connectionless service.

14. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that when an application sends connectionless data to the transport layer, the method further comprises the steps of:

creating an SCTP association between the first and second endpoint if it has not been created before;

selecting an SCTP stream number specifically used for connectionless services;

setting the SCTP unordered flag parameter to ‘1’; and

selecting a suitable value for the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter, the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter identifying the destination application.

15. The method according to claim 7, characterised in that at the second endpoint, the method further comprises the steps of:

determining based on the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter value that the data frame relates to connection-oriented service; and if the SCTP stream number within the data frame was not used before, concluding that the data frame relates to a new signalling connection and storing the SCTP stream number;

selecting an application connection identifier and mapping it into the SCTP stream number;

determining based on the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter value the destination application; and

sending a signalling connection indication and/or the payload of the SCTP message to the destination application.

16. The method according to claim 11, characterised in that at the second endpoint, the method further comprises the steps of:

determining based on the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter value that the data frame relates to connectionless service;

determining based on the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter value the destination application;

sending the payload of the SCTP message to the destination application.

17. The method according to claim 8, characterised in that at the second endpoint, the method further comprises the steps of:

determining based on the SCTP stream number that the data frame relates to connection-oriented service;

and if the SCTP stream number within the data frame was not used before, concluding that the data frame relates to a new signalling connection and storing the SCTP stream number;

selecting an application connection identifier and mapping it into the SCTP stream number;

determining based on the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter value the destination application; and

sending a signalling connection indication and/or the payload of the SCTP message to the destination application.

18. The method according to claim 12, characterised in that at the second endpoint, the method further comprises the steps of:

determining based on the SCTP stream number that the data frame relates to connectionless service;

determining based on the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter value the destination application;

sending the payload of the SCTP message to the destination application.

19. The method according to claim 9, characterised in that at the second endpoint, the method further comprises the steps of:

determining based on the SCTP unordered flag that the data frame relates to connection-oriented service;

and if the SCTP stream number within the data frame was not used before, concluding that the data frame relates to a new signalling connection and storing the SCTP stream number;

selecting an application connection identifier and mapping it into the SCTP stream number;

determining based on the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter value the destination application; and

sending a signalling connection indication and/or the payload of the SCTP to the destination application.

20. The method according to claim 13, characterised in that at the second endpoint, the method further comprises the steps of:

determining based on the SCTP unordered flag that the data frame relates to connectionless service;

determining based on the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter value the destination application;

sending the payload of the SCTP message to the destination application.

21. The method according to claim 14, characterised in that at the second endpoint, the method further comprises the steps of:

determining based on the SCTP stream number that the data frame relates to connectionless service;

determining based on the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter value the destination application; and

sending a signalling connection indication and/or the payload of the SCTP message to the destination application.

22. An interconnecting handler for sending and receiving connection-oriented and connectionless data between two endpoints in a protocol architecture comprising at least an application layer and a transport layer and one or more applications using the application layer,

characterised in that the interconnecting handler comprises:

means for receiving (IF1) a source application request message from an application;

means for selecting and/or allocating (ID) a transport connection identifier;

means for including (IM) the selected or allocated transport connection identifier, destination application information, data type information and/or payload in a data frame to be sent to the second endpoint at the transport layer;

means for reading (RM) a transport connection identifier, destination application information and/or data type information from a received data frame;

means for determining (DM) whether the data frame relates to connection-oriented or connectionless service based on the data type indication;

means for detecting (DEM) if a received data frame corresponds to a new or an already existing signalling connection;

means for selecting (SEL) an application connection identifier if the received data frame corresponds to a new signalling connection; and

means for sending (IF2) an application message to the destination application at the application layer based on the destination application information.

23. The interconnecting handler according to claim 22, characterised in that the interconnecting handler connects the application layer and transport layer with each other.

24. The interconnecting handler according to claim 22, characterised in that the transport protocol at the transport layer is the SCTP.

25. The interconnecting handler according to claim 22, characterised in that the interconnecting handler further comprises:

means for creating (CM) an SCTP association between endpoints.

26. The interconnecting handler according to claim 22, characterised in that:

means for selecting (ID) are also provided for selecting an SCTP stream number within the SCTP association based on the fact whether the service in question is connection-oriented or connectionless.

27. The interconnecting handler according to claim 22, characterised in that the interconnecting handler further comprises:

means for storing (SM) the relation between the selected SCTP stream number and the application connection identifier within the application; and

means for reading (RM) are also provided for checking the stored SCTP stream numbers.

28. The interconnecting handler according to claim 22, characterised in that:

means for selecting (ID) are also provided for selecting a suitable value for the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter, the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter identifying the destination application and/or connectionless or connection-oriented service.

29. The interconnecting handler according to claim 22, characterised in that the interconnecting handler further comprises:

means for selecting (ID) are also provided for setting or unsetting the SCTP unordered flag parameter, the unsetting of the SCTP unordered flag parameter indicating connection-oriented service and setting connectionless service.

30. The interconnecting handler according to claim 22, characterised in that:

means for determining (DM) are also provided for determining whether the data frame relates to connection-oriented or connectionless service based on the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter value.

31. The interconnecting handler according to claim 22, characterised in that:

means for determining (DM) are also provided for determining the destination application based on the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter value.

32. The interconnecting handler according to claim 22, characterised in that:

means for determining (DM) are also provided for determining whether the data frame relates to connection-oriented or connectionless service based on the SCTP stream number.

33. The interconnecting handler according to claim 32, characterised in that:

means for detecting (DEM) are also provided for determining whether the SCTP stream number relates to a new signalling connection request or to an existing connection.

34. The interconnecting handler according to claim 22, characterised in that:

means for determining (DM) are also provided for determining based on the SCTP unordered flag whether the data frame relates to connection-oriented or connectionless service.

35. A system for sending and receiving connection-oriented and connectionless data between two endpoints in a protocol architecture comprising at least an application layer and a transport layer and one or more applications using the application layer,

characterised in that the system comprises an interconnecting handler (IHND) wherein the interconnecting handler (IHND) comprises:

means for receiving (IF1) a source application request message from an application;

means for selecting and/or allocating (ID) a transport connection identifier;

means for including (IM) the selected or allocated transport connection identifier, destination application information, data type information and/or payload in a data frame to be sent to the second endpoint at the transport layer;

means for reading (RM) a transport connection identifier, destination application information and/or data type information from a received data frame;

means for determining (DM) whether a data frame relates to connection-oriented or connectionless service based on the data type indication;

means for detecting (DEM) if a received data frame corresponds to a new or an already existing signalling connection;

means for selecting (SEL) an application connection identifier if the received data frame corresponds to a new signalling connection; and

means for sending (IF2) an application message to the destination application at the application layer based on the destination application information.

36. The system according to claim 35, characterised in that the interconnecting handler (IHND) connects the application layer and transport layer with each other.

37. The system according to claim 35, characterised in that the transport protocol at the transport layer is the SCTP.

38. The system according to claim 35, characterised in that the interconnecting handler (IHND) further comprises:

means for creating (CM) an SCTP association between endpoints.

39. The system according to claim 35, characterised in that:

means for selecting (ID) are also provided for selecting an SCTP stream number within the SCTP association based on the fact whether the service in question is connection-oriented or connectionless.

40. The system according to claim 35, characterised in that the interconnecting handler (IHND) further comprises:

means for storing (SM) the relation between the selected SCTP stream number and the connection identifier within the application; and

means for reading (RM) are also provided for checking the stored SCTP stream numbers.

41. The system according to claim 35, characterised in that:

means for selecting (ID) are also provided for selecting a suitable value for the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter, the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter identifying the destination application and/or connectionless or connection-oriented service.

42. The system according to claim 35, characterised in that:

means for selecting (ID) are also provided for setting or unsetting the SCTP unordered flag parameter, the unsetting of the SCTP unordered flag parameter indicating connection-oriented service and setting connectionless service.

43. The system according to claim 35, characterised in that:

means for determining (DM) are also provided for determining whether the data frame relates, to connection-oriented or connectionless service based on the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter value.

44. The system according to claim 35, characterised in that:

means for determining (DM) are also provided for determining the destination application based on the Protocol Payload Identifier parameter value.

45. The system according to claim 35, characterised in that:

means for determining (DM) are also provided for determining whether the data frame relates to connection-oriented or connectionless service based on the SCTP stream number.

46. The system according to claim 45, characterised in that:

means for detecting (DEM) are also provided for determining whether the SCTP stream number relates to a new signalling connection request or to an existing connection.

47. The system according to claim 35, characterised in that:

means for determining (DM) are also provided for determining based on the SCTP unordered flag whether the data frame relates to connection-oriented or connectionless service.