Multiplex communications – Special services
Patent
1996-12-26
1998-09-22
Patel, Ajit
Multiplex communications
Special services
370409, 455 42, 348 7, H04L 1216, H04Q 1100
Patent
active
058125337
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the provision of services over communications networks. If finds particular application in networks where intelligence, that is decision-making or data processing software, is provided elsewhere than in network transmission and switching apparatus, such as in networks having an "intelligent network" architecture for instance.
2. Related Art
In communications networks technology, an area which is fast evolving is that of providing a choice of services to network users. These services might be voice, data, video or multimedia-based for example and reply on different network capabilities. Increasingly, and more so in the future, services over a single network may be provided by several different service providers, and the network provider may be a different entity again. That is, the world of communications services, or information services, is growing much more flexible but also complex.
It is desirable, particularly for the network operator but also for service providers, that services can be introduced quickly and flexibly, without undue delay or cost. Both the network operator and the service provider will need to be able to provide those services to customers as fast and as cheaply as can be achieved.
A development in recent years, in the switched telecommunications environment, has been the provision of intelligence in communications networks which lies elsewhere in the network architecture than in the switches, or exchanges, for switching traffic in the network. This allows much improved flexibility in service provision, since it is no longer necessary to update all the network switches to install a new service, but still only goes as far as laying a basis for developments in service provision. The infrastructure needed to deal with not only technical support for a new service, such as number translation facilities or transmission bandwidth, but also management aspects, such as billing and charging, and order handling, is still a major challenge.
FIG. 1 shows schematically a basic intelligent network (IN) model. The transmission network 100 connects customer premises equipment (CPE) 105 by means of switches 110. However, above the transmission network level, there is the service control level, incorporating Service Control Points (SCPs) 115, and above that again comes the service management level, incorporating a Service Management System (SMS) 120.
The IN equipment is used to provide services over and above basic telephony, this being provided by means of the transmission network as of old. The IN type services, such as those based on number translation, are provided differently.
Each switch 110 incorporates a Service Switching Point (SSP). When a call comes into a switch 110 from CPE 105, the Service Switching Point is used to pick out calls identified as needing Intelligent Network services. It does this by reference to trigger tables in the SSP. If the call is an IN call, which will usually be identified by the associated destination number, the SSP in the switch 110 triggers intelligent processing by passing a request to an SCP 115. The processing of the numbers which do not trigger at the SSP in the switch 110 proceed to be routed and carried by the transmission network 100 as in the past.
On receipt of a request, an SCP 115 uses call-related information, usually the destination number, to locate service logic which it then executes. This service logic execution is done in a "Service Logic Execution Environment", of SLEE, in the SCP. A Service Data Point (SDP) 125 is used by the SCP 115 for information it needs in processing. After execution of the service logic, the SCP 115 passes control back to the switch 110 and the call proceeds, carried by the transmission network 100 but now in accordance with the executed service logic.
The introduction of the service logic has, to date, most usually been to supply number translation and alteration of charging mechanisms. Number translation comes into play when a diall
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Cox Richard D.
Hunter Andrew T.
Rand Jeffrey K.
British Telecommunications public limited company
Patel Ajit
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