Telephonic communications – Audio message storage – retrieval – or synthesis – Interaction with an external nontelephone network
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-24
2001-06-05
Smith, Creighton (Department: 2742)
Telephonic communications
Audio message storage, retrieval, or synthesis
Interaction with an external nontelephone network
C379S900000, C379S207030, C379S088170
Reexamination Certificate
active
06243443
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method of making available content resources to users of a telephone network.
As used herein, the term “telephone network” means a system, such as a PSTN, PLMN or private telephone network, which comprises a bearer network with switches for setting up a bearer channel through the network between end-user telephone equipment (including fax and similar items capable of dialing a telephone number). Reference to a “call” in the context of a telephone network is to be understood as meaning a communication through a bearer channel set up across the network, whilst references to call setup, maintenance and takedown are to be taken to mean the processes of setting up, maintaining and taking down a bearer channel through the bearer network. Terms such as “call processing” and “call handling” are to be similarly interpreted.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Telecommunication companies running PSTNs (Public Switched Telephone Networks) and PLMNs (Public Land Mobile Networks) are in the business of providing communication services and in doing so are providing increasing built-in intelligence in the form of “IN services” such as 800 number services and call forwarding. In contrast, the World Wide Web (WWW), which has seen explosive growth in recent times, is an example of an Internet-based global network providing complex information services. These two worlds, that of the large communications utilities and that of the highly dynamic, pioneer-spirit WWW information culture, are uneasy companions and each plans to encroach on the domain previously occupied by the others; thus telephony services will be offered over the WWW and information services over the public communication infrastructure.
The present invention proposes technologies for a more synergetic relationship between these two worlds than is currently envisaged and in order to place the present invention in context, a review will first be given of each of these two worlds.
Telephone Networks with IN Services
The Basic PSTN. The basic service provided by a PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) is the interconnection of two telephones (that is, setting up a bearer channel between the telephones) according to a called-party telephone number input at the calling-party telephone.
FIG. 1
is a simplified representation of a PSTN providing such a service. In particular, customer premises equipment, CPE,
10
(such as standard analogue telephones, but also more recently ISDN terminals) are connected through an access network
11
to switching points, SPs
12
. The SPs
12
form nodes in an inter-exchange network
13
made up of interconnecting trunks
14
and SPs that are controlled by control entities
15
in the SPs. The control effected by the control entities
15
is determined by signalling inputs received from the CPEs and other SPs, and involves call setup, maintenance and clearance to provide the desired bearer channel between calling CPE and called CPE. Conceptually, the PSTN may be thought of as a bearer network and a control (signalling) network, the function of the latter being to effect call control through the bearer network, namely the control of setup, maintenance and take down of bearer channels through the bearer network; in practice, the bearer and signalling networks may use the same physical circuits and even the same logical channels.
Thus, where the CPE is a traditional dumb telephone, control signalling between the CPE and its local SP is in-band signalling, that is, the signalling is carried on the same channel as used for voice; this signalling is interpreted and converted at the SPs
12
into signalling between SPs that uses a dedicated common-channel signalling network
16
(implemented nowadays using the SS7 protocol suite). Where the CPE is an ISDN terminal, signalling is carried in a separate channel directly from the CPE on an end-to-end. Modern SPs use the ISUP (ISDN User Part) SS7 protocol for inter-exchange call control signalling whether the CPE is a standard telephone or an ISDN terminal.
Intelligent Networks. In addition to basic call handling, an SP may also serve to provide what are called IN (Intelligent Network) services; in this case the SP is termed a service switching point, SSP. An SSP
25
is arranged to suspend call processing at defined points-in-call upon particular criteria being met, and to delegate the continuation of call processing to a service control subsystem providing a service control function (SCF) either in the form of a service control point, SCP
17
(see
FIG. 2
) or an Adjunct
18
. The Adjunct
18
is directly associated with an SSP
25
whilst the SCP
17
and SSP
25
communicate with each other via an extended common channel signalling (CCS) network
16
that may include signal transfer points (STP)
19
. The SCP
17
may be associated with more than one SSP
25
. Both the SCP
17
and Adjunct
18
provide a service logic execution environment (SLEE)
20
in which instances of one or more service logic programs (SLP)
21
can execute. The SLEE
20
and SLP
21
together provide service control functionality for providing services to the SSP
25
.
Service logic running in an SCP or Adjunct will generally make use of subscriber information stored in a service data function (SDF)
22
that may be integral with the SCP/Adjunct or partially or wholly separate therefrom. The service data function (SDF), like the service control function (SCF) forms part of the service control subsystem of the PSTN. It may be noted that some or all of the service control function may be built into the PSTN switches themselves.
In operation, when the SSP
25
receives a call, it examines internal trigger conditions and, possibly, user information (eg dialed digits) to ascertain if the call requires a service to be provided by the service control subsystem
17
,
18
; the checking of trigger conditions may be carried out at several different points in call processing. Where the SSP
25
determines that a service is required it messages the service control subsystem (either SCP
17
or Adjunct
18
) requesting the desired service and sending it a logic representation of the call in terms of its connectivity and call processing status. The service control subsystem then provides the requested service and this may involve either a single interaction between the SSP and service control subsystem or a session of interactions. A typical service is call forwarding which is a called-party service giving expression to an end-user requirement as simple as “if you call me on number X and it rings ten times, try calling number Y”. In this case, it is the SSP local to the called end-user that triggers its associated SCP (or Adjunct) to provide this service; it will, of course, be appreciated that the SSP must be primed to know that the service is to be provided for a called number X.
In addition to the SCP
17
and Adjunct
18
, the
FIG. 2
network includes an intelligent peripheral (IP)
23
that has bearer-channel connectivity to one or more SSPs
25
. The IP
23
provides resources needed to exchange information with an end user, such as voice announcements and DTMF digit collection capabilities (this type of non-signalling information intended to be passed over a bearer-channel to/from the end user is referred to below generally as “content”). These IP resources are managed and controlled by a resource control execution environment (RCEE)
26
of the IP
23
in response to input received from an SSP
25
. Such input may result, for example, from the service control subsystem (SCP
17
, Adjunct
18
), during execution of an SLP
21
, requiring a voice announcement to be played to an end user; in this case the service control subsystem passes this requirement to the SSP concerned which sets up a bearer channel to the IP
23
and commands the IP to play the required announcement. It is also possible to arrange for the service control subsystem to communicate directly over the CCS network with an IP rather than going though an SSP
25
.
IP function
Beyschlag Ulf
Bouthors Nicolas
Low Colin
Raguideau Nicolas
Seaborne Andrew Franklin
Hewlett--Packard Company
Smith Creighton
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