Mediated access to an intelligent network

• US 5,862,334 A
• Filed: 11/26/1997
• Issued: 01/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.), RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northern Telecom Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Stanke, Marianne Jo, Shook, LaVerne Bentley, Turner, Douglas Gordon, Archambault, Sylvain, Hull, Marie-Ellen, Rainey, Gordon Lester, Mufti, Sohale Aziz, Schoenstedt, Robert Curtis, Heinmiller, Wayne Robert, Schwartz, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, David Y.
• Application Number:
  US08/979,153
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.02, 395/200.2, 395/200.1, 379/220
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A network service access system and method for intelligent networks uses a network element called a mediation point between network service switching points (SSP) and third party service provider service control points (SCP). The mediation point acts as a gateway to the AIN network for the service provider SCPs. The mediation point at the boundary of the intelligent network has ports for connection to service providers SCPs and a list of SSPs within the intelligent network to which each respective service provider is allowed access.

Claims

1. A system for interconnecting service providers to an intelligent network comprising:

at least one service provider having a service control point, said at least one service provider located outside of the intelligent network;

at least one service switching point located inside the intelligent network, said at least one service switching point being programmed to perform a first set of mediation functions, including screening, billing, error handling, and routing; and

a mediation point located at the boundary of said intelligent network and interconnecting said at least one service provider and said at least one service switching point, said mediation point being programmed to perform a second set of mediation functions, including screening, billing, error handling, and routing;

wherein messages transmitted from said service control point to said at least one service switching point and messages transmitted from said at least one service switching point to said service control point all contain an address to, and pass through, said mediation point.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising:

a signal transfer point interconnected to said mediation point and said at least one service switching point; and

an intelligent peripheral interconnected to said service switching point.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said screening functions of said second set of mediation functions includes message transfer part screening, service switching point screening, parameter screening to and from said signal control point, radio port control unit identification screening, and recording received message errors.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said billing functions of said second set of mediation functions includes trigger query billing.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said error handling functions of said second set of mediation functions includes babbling service control point detection/control.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said routing functions of said second set of mediation functions includes mediation point signal connection and control part procedures and routing messages.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said screening functions of said first set of mediation functions includes enabling automatic call gapping to allowed users.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said billing functions of said first set of mediation functions includes automatic call gapping usage billing.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said error handling functions of said first set of mediation functions includes setting a custom timer value, selecting default routing upon expiration of the custom timer value, and selecting default routing upon detection of an automatic call gapping request.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said routing functions of said first set of mediation functions includes service provider selection per trigger, signal connection and control point procedures at said service switching point, routing messages to said mediation point, and emergency service routing.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said mediation point comprises a network interface, a plurality of query processors, and a service provider interface all interconnected by a bus, said network interface being connected to said at least one service switching point and said service provider interface being connected to said at least one service provider.

12. A method of providing service providers with mediated access to an intelligent network comprising:

providing at least one service provider with a service control point, at least one service switching point in an intelligent network, and a mediation point interconnecting the service control point with the at least one service switching point;

selecting a service provider at the service switching point;

performing signal connection and control point procedures at the service switching point;

setting a timer at the service switching point;

routing a query to the mediation point at the service switching point;

performing parameter screening at the mediation point;

initiating trigger query billing at the mediation point;

performing signal connection and control point procedures at the mediation point;

routing the query to the service control point;

processing the query at the service control point;

generating a return message to the service switching point at the service control point;

screening the return message at the mediation point;

performing signal connection and control point procedures at the mediation point;

routing the return message to the service switching point; and

processing the return message at the service switching point.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the step of screening the return message at the mediation point includes at least one of message transfer part screening, signal connection and control point screening, service switching screening, and parameter screening.

14. A method of providing mediated access to an intelligent network for transmission of an unsolicited message from a service provider to the intelligent network comprising:

providing at least one service provider with a service control point, at least one service switching point in an intelligent network, and a mediation point interconnecting the service control point with the at least one service switching point;

transmitting the unsolicited message to the mediation point from the service control point;

screening the unsolicited message at the mediation point;

performing signal connection and control point procedures at the mediation point;

routing the unsolicited message to the service switching point; and

processing the unsolicited message at the service switching point.

15. The method claimed in claim 14 further comprising:

screening the unsolicited message at the service switching point to determine if the unsolicited message comprises a trigger arm/disarm message.

16. The method claimed in claim 15 further comprising:

screening the unsolicited message at the service switching point to determine if the unsolicited message comprises an automatic call gapping message; and

generating a billing record at the service switching point for the automatic call gapping message.

17. The method claimed in claim 14 further comprising:

generating a billing record at the mediation point for the unsolicited message.

18. The method claimed in claim 14 wherein the step of screening the unsolicited message at the mediation point includes at least one of message transfer part screening, signal connection and control point screening, service switching screening, and radio port control unit screening.

19. The method claimed in claim 14 and further comprising:

detecting a babbling service control point at the mediation point.

20. A system for transmitting messages between a plurality of service providers and an intelligent network comprising:

a plurality of service control points located outside said intelligent network, each of said plurality of service control points associated with a particular one of said plurality of service providers;

a service switching point located within said intelligent network; and

a mediation point at the boundary of said intelligent network programmed to screen and route queries transmitted from said service switching point to a selected one of said plurality of service control points and programmed to screen and route messages transmitted from said plurality of service control points to said service switching point, said service switching point addressing both said selected one of said plurality of service control points and said mediation point when transmitting a query to said selected one of said plurality of service control points, said service control points each addressing both said mediation point and said service switching point when transmitting a message to said service switching point.