Control in an intelligent network

Details Control in an intelligent network Control in an intelligent network

1997-04-17

2001-07-24

Najjar, Saleh (Department: 2758)

Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput

Computer-to-computer session/connection establishing

Network resources access controlling

C709S238000, C709S239000, C709S241000, C709S244000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06266699

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a control for an intelligent network and, in particular, to call handling in a telecommunications network.
2. Description of the Related Art
The technology of intelligent networks (abbreviated herein as IN) is a known technology which has introduced into many networks for controlling call handling in a telecommunications network. Such telecommunication networks may include narrow band networks such as PSTN/ISDN (Public Switched Telephone Network/Integrated Services Digital Network) or broadband networks such as BB-ISDN/ATM (Broadband Integrated Services Digital Network/Asynchronous Transfer Mode). In a telecommunications network, a service control point SCP assumes the control of the following functions at every intelligent network call, for example:
determining the destination route and the destination call number depending on the source, the time of day, the call distribution at the processing locations, etc.;
determining the billing and charging;
controlling the network access for authorized users, including use of billing cards and virtual private networks VPN.
An increasing number of Internet users use PSTN/ISDN (Public Switched Telephone Network/Integrated Services Digital Network) networks and, later, ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) networks as access networks to Internet services, in other words to access applications on the servers of the Internet service providers.
A known arrangement for Internet access is shown in
FIG. 1
which uses for example a narrowband network, such as a narrowband ISDN (which is abbreviated here as NB-ISDN). In the Internet access arrangement as shown in
FIG. 1
, the network has the following disadvantages:
1) The connections in the narrowband network NB-ISDN and the intelligent network IN functions in the service control point SCP are transparent for Internet applications. The narrowband network NB-ISDN only offers access via bearer channels to the actual router for known Internet protocols IP or to a server directly at the network, as shown in, for example, at a server A
2
. This also applies for broadband ATM networks by analogy. The routing of connections cannot be optimized for the Internet access. When, for example, access to the server A
2
is desired, but the connection is set up to the router A
1
, the Internet Protocol IP packets are transferred over the potentially slow Local Area Networks/Wide Area Network LAN/WAN. A direct ISDN connection to the server A
2
would be desirable.
2) The billing in the narrowband access network NB-ISDN is decoupled from the Internet. Combined billing is not possible.
3) Extensive security measures must be provided in the Internet servers since the access to the Internet services via the public narrowband network NB-ISDN is open to everyone.
4) Internet domain addresses indicate the individual Internet applications on the Internet. The domain addresses must be converted into corresponding Internet protocol IP addresses according to the Internet norm (and vice versa). The know conversion method in the Internet is realized by use of a domain name server DNS. The address conversion in the domain name server DNS is initiated by the Internet Protocol IP routers and servers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to overcome the foregoing disadvantages of known networks.
This and other objects and advantages are achieved by the present invention by a control means in an intelligent network which contains a service control point component that controls the request for an intelligent network service on a network-central level, and a control means which contains a domain name server component that supports the service control point component in determining the optimum route to a server that contains the requested Internet service when the Internet service is requested.
The structure for an intelligent network IN for Internet applications allows an exchange of the control information between the service control point function and the domain name server function in that both of these functions are now united in the same structure which is referred to here as an Internet service node. As a result, determining the optimum route to a server that contains the requested Internet service is enabled when a request is received for an Internet service via the intelligent network.
Auxiliary functions are enabled by expanding the domain name server DNS function and the service control point SCP function with auxiliary information. For example, an embodiment is provided wherein the domain name server function contains particular information about the Internet applications in the respective servers that the control means can deliver to the user via the ISDN bearer channel. This shortens the interaction time and simplifies the manipulation of Internet applications.
In a further embodiment, the authorizations of a specific user with respect to specific servers or to Internet applications are stored in the service control point SCP function. The authorization requirements of users with respect to specific servers or with respect to Internet applications are stored in the domain name server DNS function. The service control point function implements the authorization check of a user by interrogating the authorization requirements for access to servers or to the Internet application requested by a user from the domain name server DNS function and comparing these requirements to the authorizations of the user. As a result, the security of the Internet applications is decidedly improved since a narrowband network NB-ISDN or broadband network BB-ISDN is considered secure or that the control device node is operated by reliable operators.
In an another embodiment, the billing unit for access onto a specific server or onto a specific Internet application is stored in the service control point SCP function. In this embodiment, the service control point SCP function, based on the knowledge of the servers and applications selected by the accesses onto the domain name server DNS function, can determine the billing according to previously determined, flexibly variable fee schedules and can display the billing to the users by a billing method which is known in telecommunications networks (for example, by advising of charges and tickets). The handling of the billing of Internet use can thereby be expanded, in particular by the methods which are known from intelligent networks IN such as the use of: calling cards, pre-paid cards, or by the use being billed via commercial credit cards.
User groups for whom access to specific servers or to specific Internet applications is exclusively reserved are stored in the service control point function, according to one embodiment. The service control point SCP function checks the access of a user to the specific servers or specific Internet applications on the basis of this stored user groups. As a result of this improvement, the service control point SCP function can reserve the access to specific Internet servers and applications to a specific user group, in particular according to the known principles of virtual private networks VPN. The service control point function in the Internet service node ISN recognizes the members of the user group and checks their authorization to access of specific servers or applications by asking in the domain name server DNS function. In combination with the billing explained above, this embodiment offers an individual design of the billing, for example, billing individually for each virtual private network VPN user group.
For mobile users, the service control point SCP function stores the routing information for the most recently used applications until the conclusion of the use. The continuation of the interaction at the new location is thereby facilitated, for example, by automatic setup of a connection. The fees for the use of the network and of the Internet applications is determined relative to the location on the basis of the information stor

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