Telephonic communications – Plural exchange network or interconnection – With interexchange network routing
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-25
2004-11-09
Matar, Ahmad F. (Department: 2642)
Telephonic communications
Plural exchange network or interconnection
With interexchange network routing
C379S221090, C379S221100, C379S221110, C379S221120
Reexamination Certificate
active
06816586
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method for controlling intelligent network services and to an intelligent network.
In telecommunications networks intelligence refers to the ability to access stored data, to process the data and to make decisions based on the data. Even the present telecommunications networks, such as the public switched telephone networks PSTN, are to some extent intelligent, since they are capable of processing stored data in routing a call, for instance. A typical ‘intelligent’ facility in present telecommunications networks is conditional call forwarding in which the call situation must be analysed and the call routed on according to the stored call forwarding service profile. Intelligent facilities of this kind have, however, so far been an inseparable part of the basic network and consequently, changing or adding facilities has required software updating, for instance, in all network switching centres.
One example of an intelligent network of this kind is described in the Q-1200 series recommendations of the ITU-T (International Telecommunications Union). The invention and its background is described using the terminology of the ETS 300 374-1 CoreINAP standard, but the invention can also be used in intelligent networks implemented according to other intelligent network standards.
An intelligent network IN is a network architecture attached to a basic network (fixed or mobile network), which enables a swifter, easier and more flexible implementation and control of services. This is done by moving the control of the services away from the switching centre to a separate intelligent network functional unit. This way, the services can be made independent of the operation of the basic network, and the structure and software of the basic network need not be altered when services are changed or added. In an intelligent network, there can be several service providers in addition to the actual network operator.
The standardisation of intelligent networks has progressed swiftly during the last few years. These standards define a certain functional and hierarchical model for an intelligent network. In this model, the control of services has been moved from the switching centre of the basic network to a service control function (SCF) or a service control point (SCP) in the intelligent network. The service control function contains the service logic and any control related to the service (for instance the necessary database and service logic programs (SLP), in other words, the computer programs which implement the logical structure of a certain service, i.e. the service logic). The service control function can be a solely logical function which can be seen as uniform from the viewpoint of a service switching point SSP. It can be implemented in various ways internally, it can be distributed internally and the service logic related to it can be distributed into different nodes. The service data can also be distributed into other network nodes than the service logic. For instance, the service control function or point (SCF/SCP) can be distributed internally so that it only provides an open interface (such as CORBA, Common Object Request Broker Architecture) to an external server provided by an external service provider. In such a case, the SCP and the external server together form the service control function. Intelligent network services are designed, tested and deleted with special equipment called the service creation environment point (SCEP). A service management function (SMF) is used to manage the data relating to the users and the network in the database, including service-specific data and service programs. The service switching point (SSP) is typically a switching centre, a switching centre of the basic network, for instance, which executes a service switching function (SSF), i.e. identifies the intelligent network service and initiates interworking with the service control point SCP, but the SSP can also be a network element of another kind, such as the node responsible for the establishment of the connection in a VoIP protocol (Voice IP), i.e. a H.323 Gatekeeper. When a call including an intelligent network service is made, the service switching point SSP takes care of the connection arrangements. The intelligent network service is provided by initiating an intelligent network service when detecting detection points (DP) related to services and defined by a call state model (BCSM) describing the call control operation, at which time the service switching point SSP requests instructions from the service control point SCP. In other words, the SSP hands over the control to the SCP and then waits for operations from the SCP. When an intelligent network service is triggered at the service control point SCP, the service logic program SLP is initiated, whose operation determines the instructions which the SCP sends to the SSP in each call phase. The SSP interprets the received instructions and begins the call control functions required by them. Triggering an intelligent network service thus refers to the initiation of an intelligent network function due to an input created when a certain identification condition is met.
The above describes the present structure of intelligent networks. In this application, intelligent network refers generally to a solution in which a node switching a call, a session or packet data contacts a service control function which provides the node in question instructions affecting the switching of the call, session or packet data. The contact between the node in question and the service control function is based on the service trigger data in the node. Triggerings, state models and a protocol providing controls or API interface between the control function and the network switching node characterize an intelligent network. Call, session or packet data switching can be described with a state model visible to the control function, the state model comprising phases and detection points associated with them, at which the processing can be interrupted to wait for instructions from the control function. Controls and operations can also be procedures directed at call objects and event notifications associated with them. In the intelligent network according to the CoreINAP (Intelligent Network Application Protocol) CS3 (Capability Set 3) being developed in the ETSI (European Telecommunication Standard Institute) SPS3 work group and the ITU, it will, according to the plans, be possible to have for one call state model several controlling connections (MPC, Multiple Point of Control support) to the service control point which correspondingly has several active service logic programs. It should be noted that the invention can be applied to an intelligent network according to any intelligent network standard (such as ANSI, AIN or WIN) providing MPC support. If the service logic programs activated for one call state model are completely independent, they do not necessarily have any knowledge of each others existence. Because of this, a ReleaseCall operation sent by one intelligent network service is, according to the preliminary CS-3 standard, meant to be visible as detection of a detection point to other intelligent network services active at the same time in the same call state model. The detection point being detected in the state model is determined according to the cause code value given in the ReleaseCall operation to be a Busy or Disconnect detection point, for instance. This way, the SCP can make the call state model to proceed to the desired detection point by means of a ReleaseCall operation which originally was meant only to release a call.
A problem with the above arrangement is that binding the detection point to a cause code value is not always appropriate, since then the used cause codes and detection points are fixed to each other. Then the intelligent network service can not always use the cause codes it wants when releasing a call, because their use could cause an unwanted detection of a detection point.
BRIEF DES
Matar Ahmad F.
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
Ubiles M. C.
LandOfFree
Controlling intelligent network services does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Controlling intelligent network services, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Controlling intelligent network services will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3356284