Apparatus and method for controlling processing of a service call

• US 6,028,924 A
• Filed: 05/30/1997
• Issued: 02/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northern Telecom Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Landau, Keith W., Smith, Kent W., Ram, Geetha R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolinsky, Scott
• Application Number:
  US08/865,692
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201, 379/207, 379/211, 379/210, 379/212, 379/229, 379/230, 379/242, 379/243, 379/244, 379/245, 379/246, 379/219, 379/220, 379/221, 379/258
• US Class Current: 379/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1305 Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13336 Store & forward, messaging systems email H04Q2213/13375
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13349 Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13396 Signaling in general, in-band signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13502 primitives - inc. service-independent building blocks [SIBBs]
• 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 2213/13548 call modeling, e.g. Basic Call State Model
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0037 involving call modelling techniques, e.g. modifications to the basic call state model [BCSM]

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing a telephone operating company with the ability to rapidly deploy advanced services into a public switched telephone network includes a programmable service node interacting with a programmable switch matrix. The call processing of a call (associated with one or more ports on the programmable switch matrix) is controlled externally when particular triggering criteria is met (i.e., the call requires or desires external control). When the triggering criteria is met, the service node outputs a new call event notification message over a communications link to an external unit and receives one or more messages over the same link. Call control processing is achieved through this high-speed communications link between the programmable switch matrix and the external unit using a communications protocol defining a comprehensive set of primitives (instructions) for call manipulation and control at the programmable switch matrix which are received by the programmable service node. The one or more received messages include instruction data for instructing the programmable switch matrix to perform one or more actions associated with the service call, such as connecting a port with another port within the switch matrix. The service node processes the instruction data and instructs the switch matrix to perform the appropriate action(s).

Claims

1. A service node for interaction with a switch matrix for controlling processing of a service call received by the switch matrix in a telecommunications system, the service node comprising:

means for generating a first message in response to a trigger detection caused by the service call received on a first port of the switch matrix, the first message including call information associated with the service call comprising first port address data defining the first port of the switch matrix that received the service call and initial address data defining a predetermined location external to the switch matrix;

means for outputting the first message to a first communications link;

means for receiving from the first communications link a primitive, the primitive including data for controlling processing of the service call in the switch matrix; and

means for instructing the switch matrix to perform one or more actions associated with the service call.

2. A service node in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means for instructing the switch matrix comprises a finite state machine.

3. A service node in accordance with claim 1 wherein the data within the received primitive further includes first port address data defining the first port and data for instructing the switch matrix to connect the first port of the switch matrix to another port of the switch matrix.

4. A service node in accordance with claim 1 further comprising means for generating a second message in response to a peripheral signaling event on a second port of the switch matrix wherein the second message is output using the means for outputting.

5. A service node in accordance with claim 1 further comprising means for generating a second message in response to completion of an action performed by the switch matrix in response to the instruction data from the primitive, wherein the second message is output using the means for outputting.

6. A service node in accordance with claim 1 wherein the second message comprises return address data defining a predetermined location external to the switch matrix.

7. A method for controlling processing of a service call received by a switch matrix in a telecommunications system, comprising the steps of:

generating a first message in response to a trigger detection caused by the service call received on a first port of the switch matrix, the first message including call information associated with the service call comprising first port address data defining the first port of the switch matrix that received the service call and initial address data defining a predetermined location external to the switch matrix;

outputting the first message to a first communications link;

receiving from the first communications link a second message, the second message including data for controlling processing of the service call in the switch matrix; and

sending one or more instructions to the switch matrix for performing one or more actions associated with the service call.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the received second message comprises data for instructing the switch matrix to perform an action.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

generating a third message in response to completion of the action performed by the switch matrix in response to the data from the received second message, the third message comprising return address data defining a predetermined location external to the switch matrix; and

outputting the third message to the first communications link.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein the data of the received second message comprises data for instructing the switch matrix to connect the first port of the switch matrix with another port of the switch matrix.

11. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the second message comprises return address data defining a second predetermined location external to the switch.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11 receiving from the first step of receiving from the first communications link a third message, the third message comprising one or more primitives for instructing the switch matrix to perform an action.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

generating a fourth message in response to completion of the action performed by the switch matrix in response to the one or more primitives from the received third message, the fourth message comprising return address data defining the second predetermined location external to the switch matrix; and

outputting the fourth message to the first communications link.

14. A method for controlling processing of a service call received by a switch matrix in a telecommunications system comprising the steps of:

generating a first message in response to a trigger detection caused by the service call received on a first port of the switch matrix, the first message including call information associated with the service call, the call information comprising;

first port address data defining the first port of the switch matrix that received the service call, and

initial address data defining a first predetermined location external to the switch matrix;

outputting the first message to a first communications link;

receiving from the first communications link a second message, the second message comprising data for controlling processing of the service call in the switch matrix, the data including return address data defining a second predetermined location external to the switch;

receiving from the first communications link a primitive, the primitive comprising instruction data;

instructing the switch matrix to perform at least one action associated with the service call in response to the instruction data;

generating a third message in response to completion of the at least one action performed by the switch matrix in response to the instruction data from the received primitive, the third message comprising the return address data defining the second predetermined location external to the switch matrix; and

outputting the third message to the first communications link.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein the step of instructing the switch matrix to perform at least one action includes the step of instructing the switch matrix to connect the first port of the switch matrix to another port of the switch matrix.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein the step of instructing the switch matrix to perform at least one action includes the step of instructing the switch matrix to disconnect the first port of the switch matrix from the other port of the switch matrix.

17. A method in accordance with claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

generating a fourth message in response to a peripheral signaling event on a second port of the switch matrix; and

outputting the third message to the first communications link.