Telecommunications system having separate switch intelligence and switch fabric

• US 6,041,109 A
• Filed: 12/29/1995
• Issued: 03/21/2000
• 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: Cardy, Douglas Ross, Rambo, Ken, Waller, Carol
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US08/580,712
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 379/201, 379/67.1, 379/210, 379/207, 379/216, 379/230, 379/93.05, 379/93.09, 379/93.15, 379/115, 379/121, 379/156, 379/196, 379/219, 379/220 , 379/229, 379/242, 379/243
• US Class Current: 379/201.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1305 Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13504 client/server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13516 agents or brokers - user, terminal etc., also OSI agent/managers
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13533 multivendor and hybrid, e.g. public/private, networks, inc. international
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/5455 Multi-processor, parallelism, distributed systems

Abstract

The present invention is a telecommunications system having separate switch fabric and switch intelligence. The system comprises a switch fabric, a switch intelligence, and a feature processor. The switch intelligence is logically separated from the switch fabric and comprises a switch fabric proxy, a facility service, a connection manager service, and a call segment instance service. The switch fabric proxy is coupled to the switch fabric via a vendor-specific first Application Programming Interface (API). The switch fabric proxy supports a second API, which is common across all vendors, representing functions supported by the switch fabric. A facility instance, which is instantiated by a facility service using a facility model, represents the bearer and signaling facilities of a party to a call, and interacts with the switch fabric proxy via the second API to communicate with the switch fabric. The connection manager service represents the connectors for a party to a call, and interacts with the switch fabric proxy via the second API to communicate with the switch fabric. A call segment instance, which is instantiated by a call segment instance service using a call model, represents the call logic and call data for a party to a call, and interacts with the connection manager service via a third API and with the facility instance via a fourth API. The feature processor interacts with the call segment instance via a fifth API to provide the telecommunications feature.

Claims

1. An apparatus for decentralizing communication services in a telecommunications system, comprising:

a switch fabric which provides bearer functions;

a switch intelligence which provides control functions for said switch fabric, said switch intelligence logically separated from said switch fabric;

a switch fabric proxy service for providing a normalized interface between said switch fabric and said switch intelligence for all communications involving said switch fabric by interfacing to said switch fabric with any one of a plurality of application program interfaces and interfacing to said switch intelligence with a uniform application program interface; and

feature processor, said feature processor executing at least one telecommunications function, for interacting with said switch intelligence to thereby provide said telecommunications feature.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said switch intelligence further comprises:

at least one facility instance instantiated by a facility service using a facility model, said facility instance representing the bearer and signaling facilities of a party to a call, for interacting with said switch fabric proxy service to communicate with said switch fabric.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said switch intelligence further comprises:

a connection manager service representing the connectors for said party to a call for interacting with said switch fabric proxy service to communicate with said switch fabric.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said switch intelligence further comprises:

at least one call segment instance instantiated by a call segment instance service using a call model, said call segment instance representing the call logic and call data for said party to a call, for interacting with said feature processor, said connection manager service, and said facility instance.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said switch intelligence further comprises:

a first call processing creation environment, said first call processing creation environment interacting with said facility service, for modifying said facility model.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said switch intelligence further comprises:

a second call processing creation environment, said second call processing creation environment interacting with said call segment instance service, for modifying said call model.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein said switch intelligence further comprises:

a third call processing creation environment, said third call processing creation environment interacting with said facility service, for creating new facility models.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein said switch intelligence further comprises:

a fourth call processing creation environment, said fourth call processing creation environment interacting with said call segment instance service, for creating new call models.