INTELLIGENT SERVICES NETWORK USING A SWITCH CONTROLLER

• US 20030128698A1
• Filed: 06/12/1998
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: VIJAY, SHARADHA, KULT, GEORGE, DARLAND, TIMOTHY, FOELKER, DANIEL W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,929,516 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/360
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2874 Processing of data for distribution to the subscribers
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0054 Service creation techniques

Abstract

The present invention is an intelligent services network that uses a switch controller. The switch controller controls the operation of one or more programmable switches to accept calls from a public switched telephone network. The intelligent service network comprises intelligent service network components that are used for enhanced service processing, interconnection to external networks, and other call functions. Communication between the components allows for call set-up, connection to a terminating party, transfer to an alternate intelligent service network component, and termination of the call.

Claims

1. An intelligent service network, comprising:

a programmable switch; and

a switch controller coupled to said programmable switch.

2. The intelligent service network of claim 1, further comprising:

an intelligent service network component coupled to said switch controller.

3. The intelligent service network of claim 2, wherein said switch controller comprises:

a programmable switch support means for providing an interface to said programmable switch;

a call control means for establishing a connection between two ports on said programmable switch; and

a service control means for interfacing with said intelligent service network component.

4. The intelligent service network of claim 3, wherein said switch controller further comprises:

a resource control means for allocating resources.

5. The intelligent service network of claim 3, wherein said switch controller further comprises:

a management interface means for providing an interface to external management systems.

6. The intelligent service network of claim 1, wherein said programmable switch is one of:

a programmable switch;

or

a digital exchange.

7. The intelligent service network of claim 2, wherein said intelligent service network component is one of:

a manual operator console;

an automated response unit;

a service switching control point;

or

a protocol converter.

8. The intelligent service network of claim 2, wherein said intelligent service network component is one of:

a means for access data;

or

a means for interfacing with a caller.

9. The intelligent service network of claim 2, wherein said intelligent service network component is one of:

a network information distribution system database coupled to said switch controller via a network information distribution system server;

an applications database;

a data distribution system database;

or

a mainframe database.

10. The intelligent service network of claim 2, further comprising:

a system management system coupled to said switch controller.

11. The intelligent service network of claim 1, further comprising:

a force management system coupled to said switch controller.

12. The intelligent service network of claim 1, further comprising:

a configuration and provisioning system coupled to said switch controller.

13. An intelligent service network, comprising:

a plurality of programmable switches; and

a switch controller coupled to said plurality of programmable switches.

14. The intelligent service network of claim 13, further comprising:

a plurality of intelligent service network components coupled to said switch controller.

15. The intelligent service network of claim 13, further comprising one of:

a system management system coupled to said switch controller;

a force management system coupled to said switch controller;

or

a configuration and provisioning system coupled to said switch controller.

16. An intelligent service network, comprising:

one or more switch controllers; and

one or more intelligent service network components coupled to at least one of said one or more switch controllers.

17. A network, comprising:

a plurality of programmable switches; and

a plurality of switch controllers, wherein each of said plurality of switch controllers is coupled to at least one of said plurality of said programmable switches.

18. An intelligent service network environment, comprising:

one or more programmable switches coupled to a public switch telephone network, wherein said public switch telephone network is coupled to a calling device;

one or more switch controllers, wherein each of said one or more switch controllers is coupled to at least one of said one or more programmable switches;

one or more intelligent service network components, wherein each of said one or more intelligent service network components is coupled to at least one of said one or more switch controllers.

19. The intelligent service network environment of claim 18, further comprising:

one or more external networks and resources, wherein each one of said one or more external networks and resources is coupled to at least one of said one or more intelligent service network components.

20. A messaging interface, comprising:

a means for communicating with a programmable switch using programmable switch interface messages; and

a means for communicating with an intelligent service network component using transmission control messages.

21. The messaging interface of claim 20, further comprising:

a means for communicating with a system management system using system management messages.

22. The messaging interface of claim 20, further comprising:

a means for communicating with a force management system using force management messages.

23. A method for setting up a call to an intelligent service network component comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving by a switch controller from a programmable switch a first programmable switch application programmer interface message to request service indicating an initial address message was received from a public switched telephone network;

(b) sending a second programmable switch application programmer interface message to command a programmable switch to send an address complete message to said public switched telephone network;

(c) sending a transmission control message to the intelligent service network component;

(d) receiving a transmission control response message from the intelligent service network component;

(e) sending a third programmable switch application programmer interface message to said programmable switch requesting sending of an answer message to said public switched telephone network; and

(f) sending a fourth programmable switch application programmer interface message to said programmable switch requesting connection of a circuit.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the following steps performed before step (a):

receiving by an originating switch controller from an originating programmable switch a first originating programmable switch application programmer interface message to request service indicating an initial address message was received from a public switched telephone network;

determining that said originating switch controller cannot select the intelligent service network component; and

obtaining an intermachine trunk facility between said originating programmable switch and said programmable switch.

25. A method for setting up a call originated via a public switched telephone network to an intelligent service network component, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for facilities to provide service for the call;

selecting by a switch controller the intelligent service network component;

commanding by said switch controller a programmable switch to provide connections and signal to a public switched telephone network to connect the call to the intelligent service network component; and

sending by said switch controller a call offered signal to the intelligent service network component.

26. A method for connecting a call from an intelligent service network component to a terminating party via a public switched telephone network, comprising the steps of:

receiving by a switch controller from the intelligent service network component a request to connect the call to the terminating party indicating a type of the call;

commanding a programmable switch to attain facilities via the public switched telephone network to the terminating party; and

receiving from said programmable switch a message indicating that said facilities have been obtained.

27. A method for disconnecting a call established between a public switched telephone network and an intelligent service network component, comprising the steps of:

receiving by a switch controller a termination signal obtained from a calling device interconnected to the public switched telephone network indicating that the call is being terminated;

notifying the intelligent service network component that the established call is being terminated; and

commanding by a switch controller a programmable switch to release the call.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

commanding said programmable switch to park channels associated with an originating party and the intelligent service network component;

sending the intelligent service network component a call offered message indicating a reorigination request was received from the public switched telephone network; and

commanding said programmable switch to connect the originating party and the intelligent service network component;

wherein said termination signal is a reorigination signal.

29. A method for transferring a call connected between a public switched telephone network and a first intelligent service network component from the first intelligent service network component to a second intelligent service network component, comprising the steps of:

receiving from the first intelligent service network component a request to transfer the call;

commanding a programmable switch to park the channel of the call while the call is being transferred;

selecting by a switch controller the second intelligent service network component;

sending by said switch controller a call offered signal to the second intelligent service network component; and

commanding by said switch controller a programmable switch to provide connections and signal to a public switched telephone network to connect the call to the second intelligent service network component.