Method and apparatus for effecting telecommunications service features using call control information extracted from a bearer channel in a telecommunications network

• US 20020122544A1
• Filed: 03/02/2001
• Published: 09/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Windstream Intellectual Property Services, Inc. (Windstream Holdings II LLC)
• Original Assignee: Newstep Networks, Inc. (Canada) (Windstream Holdings II LLC)
• Inventors: Johnston, David E., Williams, L. Lloyd, Markman, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 6,724,876 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/207.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/904 Integrated Services Digital Network, ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/901 Virtual networks or virtual private networks

Abstract

A system and method provide a call service features in response to call control information conveyed by a monitored bearer channel in a telecommunications network. A bearer channel monitor captures the call control information and relays the information to a call control application server. The call control application server analyzes the call control information, and provides call control instructions to a call control node that operates in the telecommunications network to effect the call service. The call control node serves as one or more virtual switching points in the network to directly control call routing without disconnecting a called or calling party, unless required as part of a service feature. Control from a center of the telecommunications network provides rapid and efficient call control without use of edge devices or duplication of bearer channels in the network.

Claims

1. A system for providing service features in a telecommunications network, comprising:

a bearer channel monitor adapted to capture service feature control information sent through a bearer channel in the telecommunications network by a party to a telecommunications session set up using the bearer channel; and

a call control application server for receiving the service control information and effecting service features in response the service control information.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a call control node that receives instructions from the call control application server, and sets up or tears down connections through the telecommunications network in response to the instructions.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the call control node is a virtual switching point in the telecommunications network.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the telecommunications network is a switched telephone network and the virtual switching point is a virtual service switching point in the switched telephone network.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the virtual switching point is provisioned with a plurality of virtual trunk groups, and serves as a virtual switching point between terminating ends of a plurality of physical trunk groups in the switched telephone network, each of the respective virtual trunk groups being associated with a one of the respective physical trunk groups.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5 further comprising a plurality of service switching points connected to opposite ends of the respective trunk groups, at least certain ones of the service switching points being provisioned to route calls to the trunk groups when the calls are associated with a predetermined routing code.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the service switching points are further provisioned with routesets and linksets that direct common channel signaling messages associated with the calls to the call control node.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an intelligent peripheral used by the call control application server to effect certain ones of the service features.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the intelligent peripheral is adapted to perform the functions of an interactive voice response unit (IVR).

10. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the intelligent peripheral is adapted to perform the functions of a conference bridge.

11. A system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a service control point (SCP) for providing dialed number translations to the call control application server.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the SCP is an intelligent service control point (ISCP) and the call control application server queries the ISCP using messages sent through a data network.

13. A system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a data network to which the bearer channel monitor and the call control application server are connected to permit an exchange of control commands and the service control information between the bearer channel monitor and the call control application server.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the step of monitoring comprises a step of capturing content on the bearer channel and transferring the content to the call control application server.

16. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the step of analyzing comprises a step of analyzing the content at the call control application server to determine whether service control information has been captured.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the step of analyzing comprises a step of parsing the content to detect discrete tone signals generated by the party using a telephone keypad.

18. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the step of analyzing comprises a step of parsing the content using a speech recognition algorithm to detect commands spoken by the party.

19. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the step of controlling switching equipment in the switched telephone network comprises steps of:

a) sending instructions from the call control application server to a call control node that is a physical node in a control signaling plane of the switched telecommunications network, and a virtual node in a switching plane of the switched telecommunications network; and

b) executing the instructions at the call control node to effect the service feature.

20. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the switched telecommunications network is a switched telephone network, and the step of executing the instructions comprises steps of:

a) sending a release message forward through the switched telephone network from a first instance of the call control node, and discarding the release message at a second instance of the call control node to release a portion of a connection between a first and second party to the telecommunications session without releasing either of the first and second parties; and

b) sending initial address messages (IAMS) from the respective first and second instances of the call control node to initiate a connection of the first and second parties to a new call termination.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20 further comprising a step of discarding subsequent common channel signaling messages related to the telecommunications session returned to the respective first and second instances of the call control node.

22. The method as claimed in claim 20 wherein the service features include:

a) transferring one of the parties to a new termination and releasing the other party;

b) transferring one of the parties to a predetermined termination and connecting the other party with a new termination to permit the other party to consult with a person at the new termination; and

c) dynamically conferencing two or more parties together.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22 further comprising a step of sending messages from the call control node to the call control application server to inform the call control application server of the status of the communications session each time a service feature is effected or a communications session is terminated.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23 further comprising a step of maintaining billing records at the call control node to track usage charges for each service feature invoked during a communications session.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24 further comprising producing a separate billing record at the call control application server for each service feature invoked during a communications session.

26. The method as claimed in claim 14 further comprising a step of provisioning the switched telecommunications network to route selected calls to bearer channels that are monitored to capture service feature control information.

27. The method as claimed in claim 26 wherein the switched telecommunications network is a switched telephone network, and the step of provisioning comprises steps of:

a) provisioning a service control point (SCP) in the network to return a routing code in response to a common channel signaling query containing a directory number of a termination for the selected calls; and

b) provisioning at least one service switching point (SSP) in the network to route the selected calls to selected trunks in the switched telephone network when an initial address message (IAM) containing the routing code is received.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27 wherein the provisioning further comprises a step of provisioning at least one trunk in the switched telephone network so that the call control node is a virtual switching point logically positioned between terminating ends of the at least one trunk.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28 wherein the step of provisioning the at least one trunk comprises a step of provisioning, at SSPs connected to opposite ends of the at least one trunk, routesets and linksets associated with the at least one trunk to route Integrated Services Digital Network User Part (ISUP) common channel signaling messages associated with the selected calls to a specific instance of the call control node.

30. The method as claimed in claim 29 further comprising a step of provisioning the call control node with a plurality of virtual trunk groups, each virtual trunk group being associated with a physical trunk group in the switched telephone network.

14. A method of enabling the provision of dynamic service features in a switched telecommunications network, comprising steps of:

a) monitoring a bearer channel of a selected communications session set up through the switched telecommunications network, to capture service feature control information input by a party to the telecommunications session;

b) analyzing the captured service feature control information to determine a service feature requested by the party to the telecommunications session; and

c) controlling switching equipment in the switched telecommunications network to effect the service feature.