System and method for accessing a service on a services network

• US 5,706,437 A
• Filed: 12/29/1995
• Issued: 01/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Kirchner, Michael, Young, Greg, Sackett, Jeff, Kult, George, Krishnaswamy, Sridhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Kenneth S.
• Application Number:
  US08/581,744
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.02, 395/200.09, 395/200.12, 395/200.2, 395/200.14
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/12 Protocol engines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/327 in the session layer [OSI layer 5]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The invention provides a generic session layer protocol that enables many generic complex transactions and exchanges between a client and a service/server. The generic session layer transactions and exchanges are available via a set of programming language functions. The functions reside in the Network Information Distribution Service (NIDS) Application Program Interface (API) of an operator services network. To introduce a new service on an operator services network, only the functions are need to be used. Accordingly, each time a new service is created, new functions calls, new protocols and a new session layer do not need to be created.

Claims

1. A method for accessing a service on a services network using a set of generic functions and a generic session layer protocol, wherein the generic functions and generic session layer protocol can be used with any new service, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) calling a first function to establish a connection between an application and the service, wherein the first function resides in an application interface and said step of calling a first function includes sending a connection identifier and a service identifier;

(2) calling a second function to transfer a packet between the application and the service, wherein the second function resides in the application interface and said step of calling a second function includes sending a connection identifier and data; and

(3) calling a third function to terminate the connection between the application and the service, wherein the third function resides in the application interface and said step of calling a third function includes sending a connection identifier and a server identifier.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (1) comprises the steps of:

sending a service number request from the application to a server on which the service resides to obtain a service number;

sending a service number response from the server to the application interface;

sending an open service request to the service; and

sending a response from the service to the calling application.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (2) comprises the steps of:

sending the packet from the calling application to the service.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (2) comprises the steps of:

sending the packet and a response request from the calling application to the service;

sending a response to the application interface; and

sending the response from the application interface to the calling application.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein steps (1), (2) and (3) are called by the application and step (3) comprises the steps of:

sending a termination request from the calling application to the service; and

sending a response from the service to the calling application.

6. A system for setting up a new service on a services network using a set of generic functions and a generic session layer protocol, wherein the generic functions and generic session layer protocol can be used with any new service, the system comprising:

a first means for establishing a connection between an application and the service, wherein the first means resides in an application interface and said means for establishing comprises means for sending a connection identifier and a service identifier;

a second means for transferring a packet between the application and the service, wherein the second means resides in the application interface and said means for transferring includes means for sending a connection identifier and data; and

a third means for terminating the connection between the application and the service, wherein the third means resides in the application interface and said means for terminating includes means for sending a connection identifier and a server identifier.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein said first means comprises:

means for sending a service number request from the application to a server on which the service resides to obtain a server number;

means for sending a service number response from the server to the application interface;

means for sending an open service request to the service; and

means for sending a response from the service to the calling application.

8. A system according to claim 6, wherein said second means comprises:

means for sending a packet from the calling application to the service.

9. A system according to claim 6, wherein said second means comprises:

means for sending a packet from the calling application and a response request to the service;

means for sending a response to the application interface; and

means for sending the response from the application interface to the calling application.

10. A system according to claim 6, wherein said third means comprises:

means for sending a termination request from the calling application to the service; and

means for sending a response from the service to the calling application.

11. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform generic method steps for establishing access between an application and a service in an operator services network, said method steps comprising:

(1) calling a first function to establish a connection between an application and the service, wherein the first function resides in an application interface and said step of calling a first function includes sending a connection identifier and a service identifier;

(2) calling a second function to transfer data between the application and the service, wherein the second function resides in the application interface and said step of calling a second function includes sending a connection identifier and data; and

(3) calling a third function to terminate the connection between the application and the service, wherein the third function resides in the application interface and said step of calling a third function includes sending a connection identifier and a server identifier.

12. A program storage device readable by a machine according to claim 11, wherein steps (1), (2) and (3) are called by the application and said step (1) comprises the steps of:

sending a service number request from the application to a server on which the service resides to obtain a service number;

sending a service number response from the server to the application interface;

sending an open service request to the service; and

sending a response from the service to the calling application.

13. A program storage device readable by a machine according to claim 11, wherein steps (1), (2) and (3) are called by the application and said step (2) comprises the steps of:

sending a packet from the calling application to the service.

14. A program storage device readable by a machine according to claim 11, wherein steps (1), (2) and (3) are called by the application and said step (2) comprises the steps of:

sending a packet from the calling application and a response request to the service;

sending a response to the application interface; and

sending the response from the application interface to the calling application.

15. A program storage device readable by a machine according to claim 11, wherein steps (1), (2) and (3) are called by the application and said step (3) comprises the steps of:

sending a termination request from the calling application to the service; and

sending a response from the service to the calling application.