[Asterisk-Dev] Notify a channel and call transfer

[astdev at netscape.net]

I have been trying to use Asterisk to work with the exist PBX system, where the Asterisk is handling incoming and outgoing calls and leaving the PBX functions unchanged.

System configurations:
Asterisk:   
Boards: TE410P
    T100P
Two ports in TE410P are configuring to E1, where one E1 port is for incoming calls and the other E1 port is connected to an external PBX system. And,
The T1 Port in T100P is connected to a network for outgoing calls.


The system is working if the outgoing call through an E1 channel in the PBX to E1, where this E1 channel is bridged to T1 in Asterisk:
Caller  -------->---------   E1 (Asterisk)   
        (bridge E1 to E1)    E1 (Asterisk)  ====<==>===  E1 (External PBX)
Callee  --------<---------   T1 (Asterisk)   (bridge E1 to E1 within PBX)
        (bridge E1 to T1)

The problem with this process is every call must be taken two External PBX E1 channels and 4 Asterisk channels (3 E1 + 1 T1 channels), there are two bridges in Asterisk and one bridge in PBX for the final call estabishing, this process has been taken to much hardware resources.

The idea process could be re-bridging the caller to T1, maintaining only one bridge and eliminating the bridge in PBX during the call process:
1. Connecting the caller to the PBX for some IVR functions. If the caller wants to make a call, then
2. Notify the calling channel in Asterisk and break the connection between Asterisk and the PBX, and
3. Route the calling channel to T1, so there are only two asterisk channels (1E1+1T1) involved in the final call.

Caller  -------->---------   E1 (Asterisk)   
        (bridge1: E1 to E1)  E1 (Asterisk) ------>------ E1 (External PBX)
Callee  --------<---------   T1 (Asterisk) 
    (break bridge1 and re-bridge E1 to T1)
    
But how to achieve:
1. How to notify the calling channel from the PBX?
2. How the calling channel can disconnect the PBX without disconnecting the caller?
3. When a initial channel has bridged to other channel via Dial application, is it possible the initial channel to detect the DTMF digits and based on the DTMF digits to have different processes, such as break the bridge and route the caller to a different channel? Are there other ways that a channel can be notified?

Please give me some hints if you have implemented similar system configurations and advise me if there is a better solution.

Regards,

Tony


Phone: +61-2-92176016
Mail:  astdev at netscape.net


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