Method and apparatus for delivering calling services

• US 5,572,581 A
• Filed: 07/31/1995
• Issued: 11/05/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intervoice Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Intervoice Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Sattar, Sohail, Polsky, Steven E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wolinsky, Scott
• Application Number:
  US08/508,392
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265, 379/266, 379/211, 379/210, 379/212, 379/88, 379/89, 379/97, 379/142, 379/220, 379/201, 379/221, 379/67, 379/112, 379/114, 379/207, 379/269, 379/284, 379/219, 379/229, 364/436
• US Class Current: 379/201.05
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13375 Electronic mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/135 Service creation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13503 object-oriented systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13517 SLEE - service logic execution
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13527 protocols - X.25, TCAP etc.
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13546 Intelligent Peripheral
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A call processor (49) contains a service node/intelligent peripheral service creation environment (58) to create a service logic table (56) to store call processing instructions. A service logic executive (54) accesses the service logic table (56) and executes the call processing instructions in response to a received data package. Call processor (49) can operate in slave mode to provide call processing resources to a service control point or in autonomous mode to deliver a specific calling service, such as voice mail.

Claims

1. A call processor operable in cooperation with a telephone network in which the network includes an intelligent peripheral to deliver calling services to parties communicating over the calling paths of the telephone network, said call processor comprising:

a service creation environment for generating call processing instructions, said call processing instructions pertaining to the provision of calling services over said calling paths;

a memory accessible by the service creation environment for storing therein generated ones of said call processing instructions;

a processor accessible to said memory, said processor operable to receive selection data from said telephone network over a data link and to execute selected ones of said call processing instructions in response to received selection data, said selected ones of the call processing instructions operable over said data link to deliver selected calling services; and

means operable for providing calling services in response to control data accepted from said intelligent peripheral and for providing calling services independent from control data accepted from said intelligent peripheral.

2. The call processor of claim 1 wherein the service creation environment allows modification of the call processing instructions without interruption of service by the call processor and without modification of the processor.

3. The call processor of claim 1 wherein call processing instructions are selected by the call processor based upon the caller profile information.

4. The call processor of claim 1 wherein a telecommunications switch sends the invoking data to the call processor over the data link.

5. The call processor of claim 1 wherein the memory stores call processing instructions operable to provide call processing resources to a SCP.

6. The call processor of claim 1, wherein the service creation environment allows manipulation of instructions, objects, and events to construct the call processing instructions.

7. The call processor of claim 1, wherein the service creation environment comprises a graphical interface that allows manipulation of instructions, objects, and events to construct a visual representation of the call processing instructions.

8. The call processor of claim 1 wherein said call processor is capable of performing intelligent processor functions.

9. The call processor of claim 1 wherein said intelligent peripheral is a service control point (SCP).

10. The call processor of claim 9 wherein said calling services providing means includes within said memory separate instruction sets, one instruction set for providing calling services under control of said SCP and one instruction set for providing calling services independent from control data accepted from said SCP.

11. The call processor of claim 1 further comprising at least one external serve accessible by the processor to provide information necessary to execute the call processing instructions.

12. The call processor of claim 11 wherein the external server allows the processor to access a database of caller profile information indexed by an identifier and containing a list of subscribed services.

13. The call processor of claim 1 wherein said call processor is a plurality of independent intelligent processors.

14. The call processor of claim 13 wherein said data link communicates with one of said plurality of intelligent processors, said one intelligent processor in turn communicating with others of said intelligent processors.

15. The call processor of claim 13 wherein one of said intelligent processors delivers said calling services over a calling path and wherein a separate one of said intelligent processors communicates with said memory for invoking said selected call processing instructions.

16. The call processor of claim 1 wherein the call processor is one or more cooperating individual processors each capable of performing a portion of the calling services.

17. The call processor of claim 16 where selected ones of said individual processors may be connected to said data link.

18. The call processor of claim 16 wherein the calling services are delivered over calling paths and wherein certain of said individual processors are not connected to said calling paths.

19. The call processor of claim 16 wherein one call processor performs the calling services and a separate call processor receives the invoking data over said data link.

20. A method of delivering calling services to parties communicating over the calling paths of a telephone network where the network includes an intelligent peripheral, said method comprising the steps of:

generating call processing instructions in a call processor via a data link, said call processing instructions pertaining to the provision of calling services over said calling paths;

storing generated ones of said call processing instructions in a memory accessible by the service creation environment;

executing under control of a processor contained within said call processor selected ones of said call processing instructions;

accepting data from external to said call processor, the data invoking selected ones of the call processing instructions so as to deliver selected calling services;

providing calling services in response to control data accepted from said intelligent peripheral; and

providing calling services independent from control data accepted from said intelligent peripheral.

21. The method set forth in claim 20 wherein said generation step allows modification of the call processing instructions without interruption of service by the call processor and without modification of the processor.

22. The method set forth in claim 20 further including the step of selecting call processing instructions by the call processor based upon caller profile information.

23. The method set forth in claim 20 wherein a telecommunications switch sends the data identifying selected ones of said stored processing instructions to the call processor over the data link.

24. The method set forth in claim 20 wherein the memory stores call processing instructions operable to provide call processing resources to a SCP.

25. The method set forth in claim 20 wherein said intelligent peripheral is a service control point (SCP).

26. The method set forth in claim 25 wherein said calling service providing steps includes the step of creating within said memory separate instruction sets, one instruction set for providing calling services under control of said SCP and one instruction set for providing calling services independent from control data accepted from said SCP.

27. The method set forth in claim 20 further comprising at least one external server accessible by the processor, said method further including the step of providing information necessary to execute the call processing instructions from the external server.

28. The method set forth in claim 27 further comprising the step of accessing, via the external server, a database of caller profile information indexed by an identifier and containing a list of subscribed services pertaining to specific callers.