Management of performance of intelligent network services

• US 20020059416A1
• Filed: 01/08/2002
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Tuunanen, Heikki
• Granted Patent: US 7,039,173 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A method of managing the performance of intelligent network services and an intelligent network, which comprises a number of service control points (101 to 103) and at least one service switching point (105), which comprises triggering data of one or more intelligent network services, which include the address data of the service control point (100 to 103) to which the intelligent network service request made to start the intelligent network service in question is sent, the intelligent network being arranged to control the performance of intelligent network services requested by said at least one service switching point (105) in the control points (100 to 103) by changing, if necessary, the address data of the control point (100 to 103) in which the intelligent network service is to be performed into the triggering data of one or more intelligent network services included in the service switching point (105).

Claims

1. A method of managing the performance of intelligent network services in an intelligent network, which comprises a number of service control points and at least one service switching point, which comprises triggering data of one or more intelligent network services, which include the address data of the service control point to which the intelligent network service request made to start the intelligent network service in question is sent, the method comprising the step of:

controlling the performance of intelligent network services requested by said at least one service switching point in the control points by changing, if necessary, the address data of the control point in which the intelligent network service is to be performed into the triggering data of one or more intelligent network services included in the service switching point.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said service control points is a master control point in which the load data of one or more control points and/or data on the intelligent network services offered by one or more control points are maintained, the performance of intelligent network services being directed to the control points on the basis of said data maintained in the master control point.

3. A method according to claim 2, the method comprising the steps of:

directing an intelligent network service made by a service switching point to the master control point when said intelligent network service is being started for the first time;

selecting in the master control point a control point in which said intelligent network service is to be performed; and

changing the address data of the selected control point into the triggering data of said intelligent network service in the service switching point.

4. A method according to claim 1, the method comprising the step of replacing a certain control point used for one or more intelligent networks services by one or more service switching points with another control point if the control point concerned is overloaded.

5. A method according to claim 1, the method comprising the step of replacing a certain control point used for one or more intelligent networks services by one or more service switching points with another control point for a predetermined period, if necessary, e.g. for the duration of a service of the control point in question.

6. A method according to claim 2, the method comprising the steps of:

directing an intelligent network service request made by a service switching point to the master control point if the control point to which the intelligent network service request was primarily sent does not answer to the request within a predetermined period,

selecting in the master control point a control point in which said intelligent network service is to be performed, and

changing the address data of the selected control point into the triggering data of said intelligent network service in the service switching point.

7. A method according to claim 1, the method comprising the step of transferring state data of a running intelligent network service from a previously used control point to a control point to which the performance of the intelligent network service is transferred.

8. A method according to claim 1, the method comprising the step of connecting more control points to the intelligent network or disconnecting control points from the intelligent network according to the load situation.

9. A method according to claim 2, the method comprising the step of transferring the functionality of the master control point from one control point to another.

10. An intelligent network which comprises:

a number of service control points; and

at least one service switching point, which comprises triggering data of one or more intelligent network services, which include the address data of the service control point to which the intelligent network service request made to start the intelligent network service in question is sent,

the intelligent network being arranged to control the performance of intelligent network services requested by said at least one service switching point in the control points by changing, if necessary, the address data of the control point in which the intelligent network service is to be performed into the triggering data of one or more intelligent network services included in the service switching point.

11. An intelligent network according to claim 10, wherein at least one of said service control points is a master control point which is arranged to

collect and maintain load data of one or more control points and/or maintain data on the intelligent network services offered by one or more control points;

and

direct the performance of intelligent network services to the control points on the basis of said data to be maintained.

12. An intelligent network according to claim 11, wherein

the service switching point is arranged to send an intelligent network service request to start an intelligent network service to the master control point when said intelligent network service is started for the first time;

the master control point is arranged to select, in response to the intelligent network service request, a control point in which said intelligent network service is to be performed and to transmit the intelligent network service request to the selected control point;

the control point is arranged to answer to the service switching point that requested the intelligent network service in response to the intelligent network service request transmitted by the master control point; and

the service switching point is arranged to change the address data of the selected control point into the triggering data of said intelligent network service in response to the answer sent by the control point.

13. An intelligent network according to claim 11, wherein the master control point is arranged to send a request to one or more service switching points for replacing a certain control point used by the service switching point for one or more intelligent network services with another control point in response to overloading of said control point or, if necessary, because of a service of said control point, for example.

14. An intelligent network according to claim 11, wherein the service switching point is arranged to send an intelligent network

service request made to start an intelligent network service to the master control point in response to the fact that the control point to which the intelligent network service request was primarily sent does not answer to the request within a predetermined period;

the master control point is arranged to select, in response to the intelligent network service request, a control point in which said intelligent network service is to be performed and to transmit the intelligent network service request to the selected control point;

the control point is arranged to answer to the service switching point that requested the intelligent network service in response to the intelligent network service request transmitted by the master control point; and

the service switching point is arranged to change the address data of the selected control point into the triggering data of said intelligent network service in response to the answer sent by the control point.

15. An intelligent network according to claim 10, wherein the intelligent network is arranged to transfer state data of a running intelligent network service from a previously used control point to a control point to which the performance of the intelligent network service is to be transferred.

16. An intelligent network according to claim 10, wherein the intelligent network is arranged to increase or decrease the number of control points according to the load situation.

17. An intelligent network according to claim 11, wherein the functionality of the master control point can be transferred from one control point to another.

19. A service control point according to claim 18, the service control point being arranged to send a request to one or more service switching points for replacing a certain control point used by the service switching point for one or more intelligent network services with another control point in response to overloading of said control point or, if necessary, because of a service of said control point, for example.

18. A service control point of an intelligent network, which comprises a number of service control points and at least one service switching point, which comprises triggering data of one or more intelligent network services, which include the address data of the service control point to which the intelligent network service request made to start the intelligent network service in question is sent, the service control point being arranged to

collect and maintain load data of one or more control points and/or maintain data on the intelligent network services offered by one or more control points;

and

direct the performance of intelligent network services to the control points on the basis of said data to be maintained by changing the address data of the control point in which said intelligent network service is to be performed into the triggering data of one or more intelligent network services included in the service switching point.

20. A service switching point of an intelligent network, which comprises a number of service control points and at least one service switching point, which comprises triggering data of one or more intelligent network services, which include the address data of the service control point to which the intelligent network service request made to start the intelligent network service in question is sent, the service switching point being arranged to replace the control point used for one or more intelligent network services with another control point in response to a request sent by a control point by changing the address data of the control point in which said intelligent network service is to be performed into the triggering data of the intelligent network service.

21. A service switching point according to claim 20, the service switching point being arranged to send the intelligent network service request made to start the intelligent network service to a predetermined control point in response to the fact that the control point to which the intelligent network service request was primarily sent does not answer to the request within a predetermined period.