Telephonic communications – Plural exchange network or interconnection – Interexchange signalling
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-31
2001-06-05
Matar, Ahmad (Department: 2642)
Telephonic communications
Plural exchange network or interconnection
Interexchange signalling
C379S201060, C379S207030, C379S220010, C370S902000, C709S241000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06243457
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to an Intelligent Network (IN) that is a telecommunications network services control architecture to provide a framework for a network operator to introduce, control, and manage services more effectively, economically and rapidly than a traditional telephone network architecture allows. More specifically, this invention relates to an IN wherein service application processes may be deployed and/or updated without restricting user access to the IN during the deploying and updating events.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Using the IN increases the quantity of available resources, such as services and processing components, and aids in the rapid deployment of new resources. Within the IN, the function of service control in conventional switches is singled out and implemented with computer technology to provide faster and more efficient communication services.
FIG. 1
shows an IN
100
including a service control point (SCP)
106
, a service creation environment (SCE)
102
, and a service management system (SMS)
104
. In addition, the IN
100
includes a signal network
108
, such as a CCITT No. 7 signal network, connected to the SCP
106
and signal switching points (SSPS)
109
,
110
. The SSPs
109
,
110
are connected respectively to telephones
109
A,
109
B,
109
C and
110
A,
110
B,
110
C.
The SCE
102
provides a graphic interface for a user to develop service logic. The SCE
102
is used to create the building blocks of the IN
100
such as call routing, call prioritization, and service application process availability (discussed in more detail below). By utilizing the SCE
102
, a programmer can describe the logical processes that define the operation and interaction of the IN
100
.
The SMS
104
is managed by the network operator. The SMS
104
updates the SCP
106
with new data and/or programs and collects statistics from the SCP
106
. The SMS
104
also may enable a service subscriber to control their own service parameters via a terminal (not shown) linked to the SMS
104
. For example, the subscriber may define the day and time when an “800” number should be routed to a specific office. This modification may be filtered and/or validated by the network operator.
One operation of the SCP
106
is to introduce and activate new IN service application processes into the network. For a service application process based on functional components (FCs), the FCs are executed with the help of a Service Logic Interpreter (using an explanatory script). The service application process programs and the data are updated from the SMS
104
. The SCP
106
may be implemented on a computer system including a processor and a memory. Some SCP service application processes may require large amounts of data which must reside on direct access storage devices, such as disks. The storage devices may be a part of the computer system or may be remotely located. Importantly, the SCP
106
should be configured to access databases efficiently and reliably. In addition, the SCP
106
should be configured to provide a software platform for rapid service application process creation, for example, through user programmability and portability.
To achieve various subscriber service application process customizations, the SCE
102
may be utilized to create a user-friendly interface for customers. For example, a new service application process may be designed and created with the SCE
102
. Thereafter, the output service application process data profile may be deployed to the SCP
106
through the SMS
104
. After the deployment of the new service application process, users can subscribe to the new service application process and access the new service application process from the telephone (e.g., telephone
109
A). When a user makes a telephone call which requires an IN service application process, the SSP (e.g., SSP
109
) recognizes it and initiates a trigger pre-installed for the IN service application process. After the triggering, the SSP establishes a connection with the SCP
106
, via the signal network, and requests service. The SCP
106
will, based on the information of the call and the SCP's own database, provide instructions to the SSP as to how to treat the call. The SSP monitors call progress, connections, and other events utilizing, for example, a state machine. The SCP
106
can access this information utilizing a message passed from the SSP. Therefore, the SCP
106
possess the supervisory power of call control. In client-server terms, the SSP is the client and the SCP
106
is the server.
To manage the IN, a Telecommunications Management Network (TMN) structure is adopted which is a management network with standard protocols, interfaces, and architectures established by the International Telecommunications Union-Telecommunications (ITU-T, formerly CCITT). The TMN provides a host of management functions and communications for operation, administration, and maintenance (OAM) of the telecommunications network and its services for a multivendor environment.
In modeling for network management, logical and physical resources of interest, such as management operations, are defined as managed objects and structured within an Object-Oriented (OO) information model. AN ITU-T Recommendation M.3000 series provides a generic network information model. The M.3000 series defines TMN architecture and object classes that are common to managed telecommunications networks, are of a generic type that can be used to manage a network at a technology-independent level, or are super-classes of technology-specific managed objects in a telecommunications network. Based on the object class structure defined in an ITU-T Recommendation M.3000 series, the managed objects of the SCP, including service application processes, are modeled having a tree structure, wherein the service application processes are branches of the original tree. This, in accordance with a Bellcore GR-1286 specification wherein the structure is described as a management information base (MIB) tree.
FIG. 2
illustrates an MIB tree
200
for managing general network elements (e.g., managed objects or MOs) as defined in the ITU-T Recommendation M.3000 series. As shown, the MIB tree
200
, illustratively for a network management element
210
, may contain MOs, such as managed element objects
240
and network connection objects
220
. In addition, the MIB tree
200
may contain fabric objects, such as termination point
250
, and software objects, such as software object
230
. Each of the elements within the MIB tree
200
may have a further MIB tree structure. The MIB tree structure defines a containment tree relationship between each object (e.g., the network and the network management element).
The SCP platform objects (e.g., the organizational objects of the SCP) and the service application process objects are contained within the same MIB tree. Consequently, for a modification (e.g., a service application process update) to the architecture, the entire MIB tree must be recompiled so that the SCP can operate utilizing the new architecture. This is a major problem since between the time of the modification and the time that the new MIB tree is compiled, the SCP is taken off-line. This represents an interruption in the operation of SCP which may result in a loss of service.
FIG. 3
illustrates an MIB tree
300
as defined by the Bellcore GR-1286 specification for managing and servicing relevant logic and data within an IN. Under the MIB tree architecture, an SCP management object
310
is shown having a process tree, which among other objects, contains SCP platform objects, such as an active controls object
320
, and a service application process management object
330
.
FIG. 4
shows a more detailed view of the service application process
330
. As shown, the service application process
330
has a sub-group of managed objects including a service object
410
, a subscription object
450
, etc. Each sub-group may have further subgroups of managed objects. For example, the service
Chang Hao-Ming
Chen Chun-Shiow
Huang Ching-Tien
Hung Su-Shen
Lin Jiunn-Liang
Industrial Technology Research Institute
Knowlin Thjuan P.
Matar Ahmad
Proskauer Rose LLP
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