System and method for generating responses for inputs using a hybrid state engine table

• US 5,974,532 A
• Filed: 12/09/1997
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Curnell, Damon, McLain, John V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOHAMED, AYNI Y
• Application Number:
  US08/987,850
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 395/500, 395/384, 395/385, 709/206, 709/207, 712/208
• US Class Current: 712/208
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product for quickly generating responses to vast numbers and types of inputs employs a command response table that includes instructions for generating simple responses and various levels of detailed logical responses. In a preferred embodiment, the command response table provides three levels of responses: a first level of response for unintelligently responding to certain inputs, a second level of response for intelligently responding to certain input using simple commands and a third level of response for providing detailed logical responses by invoking scripts. Preferably, detailed logical responses are provided via scripts that are invoked by a script invocation instruction stored in the command response table. The command response table can include thousands of responses indexed by thousands of input messages. When an input command is received, the command response table is searched for the input command. If the command is found, a response is generated from an associated instruction. In a preferred embodiment, the command response table is compiled to a loadable image and is run in conjunction with an operating system having a command response table interpreter. This way, the command response table can be ported to any system employing the operating system. Where a command response table includes script invocations, the scripts are preferably compiled to a loadable image and run in conjunction with an operation system having a script interpreter. This way, the compiled scripts can be ported to any system employing the operating system.

Claims

1. A command response table for generating multiple intelligence levels of response to inputs, comprising:

a first class of instructions that generate a first intelligence level of responses to a first class of inputs;

a second class of instructions that generate a second intelligence level of responses to a second class of inputs;

script instructions that generate detailed logical responses to a third class of inputs; and

an index comprising a list of anticipated input messages, each anticipated input associated with at least one instruction from said first, second, or script instructions for generating a response.

2. The command response table of claim 1, wherein the first, second and third class of inputs are received from a telecommunications network control system and said first and second class of instructions and said script instructions generate responses that emulate responses of telecommunication network devices.

3. A system for generating multiple levels of logical responses comprising:

a command response table having instructions for receiving inputs and generating multiple levels of responses to said inputs, said command response table including a first class of instructions that generate a first intelligence level of responses to a first class of inputs, a second class of instructions that generate a second intelligence level of responses to a second class of inputs, and script instructions that generate detailed logical responses to a third class of inputs, said command response table being compiled to a loadable image; and

a command response table interpreter that interprets said command response table, wherein said command response table can be ported to a platform for which said command response table interpreter loadable image is compiled.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a script that generates detailed logical responses to inputs.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the first, second and third class of inputs are received from a telecommunications network control system and said first and second class of instructions and said script instructions generate responses that emulate responses of telecommunication network devices.

6. A method for employing a command response table for generating multiple intelligence levels of response to inputs, comprising the steps of:

providing a first class of instructions for generating a first intelligence level of responses to a first class of inputs;

providing a second class of instructions for generating a second intelligence level of responses to a second class of inputs;

providing script instructions for generating detailed logical responses to a third class of inputs; and

providing an index comprising a list of anticipated input messages and associating each anticipated input with at least one instruction from said first second, or script instructions for generating a response.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

(6) receiving a second input command;

(7) searching for the second input command in the generated copy of the command response table;

(8) reading an associated response instruction and generating an appropriate response therefrom if the second input command is found; and

(9) generating a default response if the second input command is not found.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein step (8) comprises:

(a) generating a simple, unintelligent response if the associated response instruction is an unintelligent command;

(b) generating an intelligent response if the associated response instruction is a detailed instruction;

(c) generating a detailed logical response if the associated response instruction is a script invocation.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein steps (1) and (6) comprise the step of:

(a) receiving the first and second input messages from a telecommunications network control system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein steps (4) and (8) comprise the step of:

(a) generating responses that emulate responses of telecommunication network devices.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

(10) associating a first command control vector with the first input, the first command control vector maintaining a pointer to a current instruction in the command response table; and

(11) associating a second command control vector with the second input, the second command control vector maintaining a pointer to a current instruction in the command response table.