Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer network managing – Network resource allocating
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-02
2002-01-08
Maung, Zarni (Department: 2154)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer network managing
Network resource allocating
C709S224000, C709S223000, C709S229000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06338088
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to service creation apparatus for a communications network, and finds particular application in intelligent networks.
2. Related Art
As communications networks have developed, there has been a major increase in the number and variety of services which a network operator can deploy. It is a key commercial issue for network operators to be able to create and deploy new services quickly and efficiently. The intelligent network form of architecture, wherein intelligence is provided at a variety of points in or associated with a communications network rather than primarily at a switch or exchange as has been the case in the past, has been developed at least partly to give the network operator the facility to provide new services with speed and flexibility.
A key principle in intelligent networks (IN) is the separation of software which controls basic switch functionality, such as setting up switch paths, from the software that controls call progression. Referring to
FIG. 23
, this has been achieved in known INs by enabling network exchanges
230
to recognise calls which require modified call progression and to suspend ordinary call processing. The decision to suspend call processing is based on the meeting of pre-specified trigger criteria, for example dialling digits, line condition or time of day, at certain points during the call. This can be described as “service switching point (SSP)” functionality being provided at the network exchange
230
.
On recognising a call needing an IN-based service, the SSP functionality refers to a service control point (SCP)
231
and call progression is thereafter controlled by intelligence outside the basic network exchange
230
to provide whatever service the call required.
An aspect of an intelligent network architecture which is particularly relevant to the provision and modification of services is the service creation and deployment system. Attributes that are particularly attractive in an IN to accelerate the creation of new services are:
i Functional separation—this is the separation of basic core functions of real time call switching from the customer and service specific aspects, so that the latter can be changed more easily, which is mentioned above.
ii Portable software environment—enabling services to be developed once and then run on SCPs
231
provided by different suppliers.
iii Generic building blocks—building services from common modules allows considerable reuse and hence speed of development.
iv Service logic programs (SLPs)—a simple language for specifying the linkages between building blocks. SLPs are usually produced by service creation tools.
v Graphical service creation tools—these tools enable services to be rapidly created, by ‘on screen’ manipulation of icons which represent the generic building blocks.
vi Service and network simulators—when a service has been created, it can be simulated to check its functionality, performance, cost, etc.
vii On-line deployment—when a service is ready for deployment it can be electronically sent to the network and the appropriate management systems, from the service creation tool.
Services are created, in a known type of service creation environment
232
, from the generic building blocks by specifying the sequences of these blocks and any conditional linkages between the blocks. This specification is frequently known as a script or service logic program (SLP) and is usually generated by a service creation tool. When this SLP is deployed into the network it needs to be ‘executed’. This is done in a Service Logic Execution Environment (SLEE) which often sits in the SCP
231
. The module for doing this execution itself is often called a Service Logic Interpreter (SLI) because many IN implementations use an interpreted language for their SLPs. It does not have to be an interpreter however and can more generically be called for instance a Service Engine. This might support interpreted or compiled, and possibly other forms of SLP.
Together with the Service Creation tools themselves, the use of re-usable generic building blocks is important in service creation. In the general world of computing much work has been done on trying to achieve significant software reuse because the benefits are significant. For example, reusing a program three times effectively triples productivity and furthermore on the second and subsequent time it is used, the lead time can be virtually zero.
Despite these benefits, general software reuse is still rare because it is difficult to realise. However, within the fairly closed domain of the SCP, where the discrete operations of the underlying network are well understood, it is possible to build generic pieces of software to drive these underlying operations. These are the building blocks which can be called in many different sequences to provide the diverse range of IN services.
A typical building block might be “time of day routing”. This building block would check the data in a user's profile which may state that after 6:00 pm calls to a particular number are diverted to a night-watchman. The “time of day routing” building block would then check the current time and route the call appropriately.
SLPs can be delivered to the SLEE via a Service Management System (SMS)
233
. This is generally responsible for service management, deployment, and provisioning of customers and updating customer specific data held on the SCP
231
and the Service Data Point (SDP)
234
.
It is advantageous that service creation can be carried out not only by a network service provider but also by subscribers or users themselves. Service Creation technology enabling different entities to develop or modify services is described in the publication “Service Creation Technologies for the Intelligent Network” by M J Morgan et al, published in the AT&T Technical Journal Volume 70, Summer 1991, No. 3/4, New York U.S.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a service creation and provision system for a communications network in which communications services can be created or modified by screen-based manipulation of ordered sequences of units of code, the system providing a service by running such an ordered sequence of units of code in accordance with an execute graph, wherein the system comprises:
i) an interface to stored units of code;
ii) means to select a set of units of code from those stored;
iii) means to create or modify an edit graph, the edit graph determining at least in part the ordered sequence associated with a set of units of code for the provision of a communications service; and
iv) means to associate an edit graph with visual information for use by a user on a graphical user interface in editing or modifying the edit graph to produce an execute graph, and means to supply the edit graph together with the visual information to the graphical user interface;
wherein the means to supply the edit graph together with visual information is adapted to supply at least one edit graph without visual information such that an execute graph can be produced from the edit graph without the edit graph being visible, or being only partially visible, to the user.
An execute graph may then be used by a service engine of the system in running a service logic program in the provision of a service.
Embodiments of the present invention may be particularly useful in a multi-level service creation environment, such as a known type of three level service creation environment. Each level provides different functionality and is for the use of a different set of users, for instance for the network provider for installing units of code to the network, for the service provider to create and modify services, and for the customer to create, modify or instantiate actual services for their users.
These levels may be designated for instance SCE1, SCE2 and SCE3. The use of separate levels allows access to the service creation system to be kept functionally separate for users having
Cox Richard Dewitt
Hunter Andrew Timothy
Pavier Jeremy
Rand Jeffrey Kevin
Smith Nicolas Duncan Barker
British Telecommunications public limited company
Maung Zarni
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
LandOfFree
Service creation apparatus for a communications network does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Service creation apparatus for a communications network, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Service creation apparatus for a communications network will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2869327