Telephonic communications – With usage measurement – Call charge metering or monitoring
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-19
2003-09-23
Nguyen, Duc (Department: 2643)
Telephonic communications
With usage measurement
Call charge metering or monitoring
C379S114010, C379S114290, C379S229000, C379S230000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06625268
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method and equipment-for implementing supplementary services to be taken into account in intelligent-network-based charging mechanisms.
An intelligent network (IN) is able to provide a subscriber of a telecommunications network, such as a wired network or a mobile telephone network, with a plurality of various services. Such services include a virtual private network (VPN) which allows the use of short numbers between subscribers belonging to a local network, and a personal number in which the intelligent network reroutes the calls directed to a personal number in a manner controlled by the subscriber. An example of such an intelligent network is described in recommendations of the ITU-T Q-1200 series, of which Q-1210 to Q-1219 define a set of features known as CS-1 (Capability Set 1), and correspondingly, Q-1220 to Q-1229 define a set of features CS-2. The invention and its background will be described by the terminology of recommendation ETS 300 374-1 CoreINAP, but the invention can also be used in intelligent networks implemented according to other intelligent network standards.
A basic call state model (BCSM), defined in connection with the intelligent network, describes different stages of call control and includes the points at which call control can be interrupted in order to start an intelligent network service. It identifies the detection points in the call and connection process at which service logic entities of the intelligent network can have an interactive relationship with basic call and connection management features.
Referring to
FIG. 1
, one or more service control functions (SCF) are associated with intelligent network architecture. The equipment or network element carrying out the tasks determined for the SCF is called a service control point (SCP). Within the scope of the present application, SCF and SCP are equal, and will hereinafter be called SCP. The SCP gives call set-up instructions to the exchange, or the exchange may inquire call set-up instructions from the SCP. If the interface of subscriber B is found to be busy at some stage, of call set-up, for example the call can be directed to an alternative number.
FIG. 1
also shows other elements of an intelligent network which are relevant to the understanding of the invention, such as a call control function (CCF) comprising high-level call handling functions of an exchange EXC
1
, EXC
2
, such as establishing and releasing transfer connections. Service data function SDF and service data point SDP form a database comprising subscriber-specific and/or service-specific information. Specialized resource function SRF is an interface for network mechanisms associated with interaction with a subscriber. It can be associated with what are known as intelligent peripherals (IP) and comprise, for example, more advanced speech handling functions than do exchanges in general.
Service switching function (SSF) is an interface between the call control function CCF and the service control function SCP. The network element carrying out the SSF is called a service-switching point (SSP). An intelligent network service is produced by the service switching point SSP inquiring instructions from the service control point SCP by means of messages to be transmitted across the SSP/SCP interface upon the encounter of detection points associated with the services. In intelligent network terminology these messages are called operations. In connection with an intelligent network service, a service program is started at the service control point SCP, the operation of the program determining the operations transmitted by the SCP to the SSP at each stage of a call.
FIG. 2
shows the operation of a prior art intelligent network at detection points. In step
2
-
1
the SSP transmits to the SCP an InitialDP operation containing the necessary data for setting up a call. Next, the detection points are armed at the SSP. In step
2
-
2
the SCP transmits to the SSP a message RequestReportBCSMEvent, notifying the SSP which encounters of the detection points it is to report to the SCP. Next, in step
2
-
3
, the SCP typically transmits charging and/or interaction operations, such as FurnishChargingInformation (store charging information associated with the intelligent network service) or PlayAnnouncement (supply subscriber with an announcement associated with the intelligent network). In step
2
-
4
the SCP transmits to the SSP a routing instruction, such as CollectInformation (collecting dialling information from the subscriber), Connect (route call to a new number), Continue (continue call set-up with the same data) or ReleaseCall (release the connection). In intelligent network recommendations, call set-up is divided into given rough phases called Point-In-Calls (PICs). It is possible that the SSP has been configured to continue call set-up from phase PIC
2
in response to a CollectInformation operation and to continue call set-up from PIC
3
in response to a Connect operation, and so on.
There are two kinds of detection points. The above events in
FIG. 2
relate to a detection point called a trigger detection point (TDP). The SSP may make an initial inquiry to the SCP in connection with such a TDP detection point, and receives instructions for call set-up. Another type of detection point is what is known as an event detection point (EDP).
2
-
5
in
FIG. 2
shows the moment when such an EDP detection point is encountered during call set-up. The SSP reports the encounter of the detection point DP# to the SCP which transmits more call set-up instructions to the SSP in step
2
-
7
.
The above intelligent network architecture can also be applied to a mobile communication system, in which case exchanges EXC would be replaced by a mobile services switching centre MSC. It should be noted that the SCP can be implemented as an internal process within an exchange, and charging control between the SCP and the SSP (i.e. the SCF and the SSF) then takes place within the exchange. The interface is not necessarily a CoreINAP interface, but it can be any interface having the corresponding features.
It is a problem in known intelligent network architectures, particularly in connection with mobile communication systems, that they do not define a mechanism by means of which the service control point SCP could be notified of the use of supplementary services or of the activoatin of the supplementary services at the service switching point SSP. This is especially a problem when supplementary services or supplementary operations are recurrently reported during a call. One recurrently reported matter is the change in the number of in-call channels in high-speed data transmission in which several channels are assigned to a single call. Another similar situation is Quality of Service (QoS) of an ATM connection, comprising such parameters as transmission rate, maximum delay and probability of packet loss. A third example of supplementary services which are recurrently reported is the use of what is called a prepaid SIM card (prepaid SIM service). The purpose of this service is to provide a mobile communication system of the GSM type with prepaid SIM cards (Subscriber Identity Module). The use of these cards is similar to that of a prepaid phonecard, i.e. the user of a mobile station can purchase a smart card similar to the SIM card, in which a call time is preprogrammed for a given sum of money. Although for the subscriber the use of the prepaid SIM card is similar to that of the prepaid phone card, its operation is totally different for a network and for a telephone operator, since equipment which reduce call time programmed in the card cannot be installed in the mobile station (at least afterwards). In case it is a desire to implement such a prepaid SIM service, it is to be done on the network side. The above intelligent network standards are not provided with a mechanism to inform the service control point SCP of such services.
Detection points defined in network architectures are a primary mechan
Nguyen Duc
Squire Sanders & Dempsey L.L.P.
LandOfFree
Supporting supplementary services in an intelligent 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 Supporting supplementary services in an intelligent network, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Supporting supplementary services in an intelligent network will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3084700