Internet protocol based service architecture

• US 20020120729A1
• Filed: 02/23/2001
• Published: 08/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Wong, Curt, Faccin, Stefano, Le, Khiem, Mutikainen, Jari, Patil, Basavaraj, Sivalingam, Kengatharan, Shreemanthula, Srinivas, Hossain, Syed, Niemi, Juhapekka, Kurronen, Kari
• Granted Patent: US 7,849,190 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems

Abstract

The invention proposes a network system comprising a service control device (SEM); and at least one application execution device (AEE); wherein the service control device (SEM) is adapted to receive a service request, to select an appropriate application execution device according to the service request, and to invoke the selected application execution device, and wherein the application execution device (AEE) is adapted to perform the service requested by the service request. The invention also proposes a corresponding network control method. According to the invention, a flexible service architecture is possible.

Claims

1. A network system comprising

a service control device (SEM);

and

at least one application execution device (AEE);

wherein the service control device (SEM) is adapted to receive a service request, to select an appropriate application execution device according to the service request, and to invoke the selected application execution device, and

wherein the application execution device (AEE) is adapted to perform the service requested by the service request.

2. The network system according to claim 1, further comprising a service information database (SSD) in which information about services are stored, wherein the service control device (SEM) is adapted to access the service database (SSD), and to use the service information for selecting and invoking the application execution device (AEE).

3. The network system according to claim 2, wherein the information about services are stored as service scripts describing the respective service.

4. The network system according to claim 2, wherein the information about services is specific for each user.

5. The network system according to claim 4, wherein the service control device (SEM) is adapted to retrieve information about services from the service information database (SSD) based on an identifier (IPSA-ID) associated to a user.

6. The network system according to claim 2, wherein the service control device (SEM) and the service information database (SSD) are separated entities, and the service control device (SEM) comprises a memory means in which the information obtained from the service database (SSD) can be temporarily stored.

7. The network system according to claim 1, further comprising a call/session managing device (CSM) for forwarding service requests to the service control device (SEM).

8. The network system according to claim 1, further comprising a service location managing device (SLM) for maintaining an association between the service control device (SEM) and a user.

9. The network system according to claim 1, further comprising a service logic database (ARS) for service logic information, wherein the application execution device (AEE) is adapted to access the service logic database in order to obtain information for executing a requested service.

10. The network system according to claim 9, wherein the information for executing a requested service is stored in form of a service logic script stored in the database (ARS).

11. The network system according to claim 2, further comprising a service managing device (SMaS) for generating and/or modifying of service information to be stored in the service database (SSD).

12. The network system according to claim 9, further comprising a service managing device (SMaS) for generating and/or modifying information to be stored in the service logic database (ARS).

13. The network system according to claim 11, further comprising an interaction means (UIS) which is adapted to provide an interface between the service managing device (SMaS) and a user.

14. The network system according to claim 12, further comprising an interaction means (UIS) which is adapted to provide an interface between the service managing device (SMaS) and a user.

15. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the network is adapted to access an external subscriber database (SDB) which is not part of the network, and wherein the subscriber database (SDB) is adapted to store identifiers (IPSA-ID).

16. The network system according to claim 1, further comprising

a plurality of service control devices (SEM1, SEM2, SEM3) and

a selecting device (RB, IPSA-GW) for selecting an appropriate service control device.

17. The network system according to claim 16, wherein the selecting device is adapted to select a service control device in dependence on the operation load of the respective service control device.

18. The network system according to claim 16, further comprising a service location managing device (SLM) which is adapted to maintain an association between a particular user and the selected service control device (SEM1).

19. The network system according to claim 18, wherein the service location managing device comprises a mapping table for maintaining the association between the user and the selected service control device.

20. The network system according to claim 8, wherein the service location managing device (SLM) is adapted to manage resources information for selection of a service control device (SEM).

21. The network system according to claim 18, wherein the service location managing device (SLM) is adapted to manage resources information for selection of a service control device (SEM).

22. The network system according to claim 1, wherein as a protocol for signalling between the devices the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is used.

23. The network system according to claim 1, wherein as a protocol for signalling between the devices the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) is used.

24. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the requested service is registration to a particular service.

25. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the requested service is initiation of a communication session.

27. The method according to claim 26, further comprising the steps of

accessing a service information database (SSD), in which information about services are stored, by the service control device (SEM) and

using the service information for selecting and invoking the application execution device (AEE).

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the information about services are stored as service scripts describing the respective service.

29. The method according to claim 27, wherein the information about services is specific for each user.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein in the accessing step, the service information is retrieved from the service information database (SSD) based on an identifier (IPSA-ID) associated to a user.

31. The method according to claim 27, further comprising the step of temporarily storing the service information in a storage means of the service control device (SEM).

32. The method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of forwarding service requests from a user entity (MS) to the service control device (SEM) via a call/session managing device (CSM).

33. The method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of maintaining an association between the service control device (SEM) and a user.

34. The method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of accessing a service logic database (ARS) for obtaining service logic information to be used by the application execution device (AEE) for executing a requested service.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the information for executing a requested service is stored in form of a service logic script stored in the database (ARS).

36. The method according to claim 27, further comprising the step of generating and/or modifying of service information to be stored in the service database (SSD).

37. The method according to claim 34, further comprising the step of generating and/or modifying information to be stored in the service logic database (ARS).

38. The method according to claim 36, further comprising the step of providing an interface between the for generating and/or modifying the information by means of an interaction means (UIS).

39. The method according to claim 37, further comprising the step of providing an interface between the for generating and/or modifying the information by means of an interaction means (UIS).

40. The method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of accessing an external subscriber database (SDB) which is not part of the network, wherein the subscriber database (SDB) is adapted to store identifiers (IPSA-ID).

41. The method according to claim 26, wherein the network comprises a plurality of service control devices (SEM1, SEM2, SEM3), the method further comprising the step of

selecting an appropriate service control device (SEM1).

42. The method according to claim 41, wherein the selecting step is performed in dependence on the operation load of the respective service control device.

43. The method according to claim 41, further comprising the step of maintaining an association between a particular user and the selected service control device (SEM1).

44. The method according to claim 43, wherein the association between the user and the selected service control device is maintained by means of a mapping table.

45. The method according to claim 33, further comprising the step of managing resources information for selection of a service control device (SEM).

46. The method according to claim 43, further comprising the step of managing resources information for selection of a service control device (SEM).

47. The method according to claim 26, wherein as a protocol for signalling within the network the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is used.

48. The method according to claim 26, wherein as a protocol for signalling within the network the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) is used.

49. The method according to claim 26, wherein the requested service is registration to a particular service.

50. The method according to claim 26, wherein the requested service is initiation of a communication session.

26. A method for controlling a network, the network comprising a service control device (SEM) and at least one application execution device (AEE);

comprising the steps of

receiving (B2), by the service control device, a service request

selecting (B3) an appropriate application execution device according to the service request,

invoking (B4) the selected application execution devices and

performing (B5), in the selected application execution device (AEE), the service requested by the service request.