Telephone networking system

• US 6,343,124 B1
• Filed: 06/22/1998
• Issued: 01/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Munoz, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AGDEPPA, HECTOR A
• Application Number:
  US09/102,175
• Time in Patent Office: 1,317 Days
• Field of Search: 379/220, 379/221, 379/279, 379/900, 379/901
• US Class Current: 379/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A telephone networking system includes a database having executable programs which are equivalent to customer record programs used by a SCP. A switching device retrieves one of the executable programs from the database in response to data received by an input device, such as a telephone. The executable program is transmitted across the network to be executed by an edge device having the capability to store information and perform logical operations. For an 800/888 telephone call, the executable program instructs the edge device to request and gather additional information. The additional information is then used by the executable program to generate the POTS number which is transmitted to the switching device to complete the call.

Claims

1. A telephone networking system comprising:

a switching system;

an input device transmitting input data to said switching system, said input data corresponding to at least the digits of a dialed number; and

a service logic database coupled to said switching system and comprising a plurality of executable programs;

wherein said switching system is programmed to access said service logic database to retrieve one of said plurality of executable programs in response to said input data, said one executable program being transmitted to a network edge device for execution to complete routing of a call.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of executable programs comprise an applet.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said one executable program is configured to request at least one set of additional input data from said input device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said one executable program is configured to generate routing data in response to said at least one set of additional input data.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said one executable program is configured to cause said routing data to be transmitted to said switching system for routing of said call.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said one executable program is configured to request a plurality of sets of additional input data from said input device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said one executable program is configured to generate routing data in response to said plurality of sets of additional input data.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said one executable program is configured to cause said network edge device to interface with said switching system only after receiving said plurality of sets of additional input data.

9. The system of claim 3, further comprising a service control point, and wherein said executable program is configured to request data from said service control point in response to said at least one set of additional input data.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said executable program is configured to generate routing data in response to said data from said service control point and said at least one set of additional input data.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said service control point is configured to generate routing data in response to said data from said service control point and said at least one set of additional input data.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of substantially identical service logic databases.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said input device is microprocessor controlled customer premises equipment.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said customer premises equipment is a telephone.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said network edge device is configured to determine whether said input device is microprocessor controlled customer premises equipment or non-microprocessor controlled customer premises equipment.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said network edge device is selected from the group consisting of said switching system, said input device, an intelligent peripheral and a service node.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein said switching system comprises a service switching point.

18. A telephone networking system comprising:

a switching system;

an input device transmitting input data to said switching system, said input data corresponding to at least the digits of a dialed number;

a service logic database coupled to said switching system and comprising a first plurality of executable programs;

a service control point coupled to said switching system and comprising a second plurality of executable programs substantially functionally equivalent to said first plurality of executable programs; and

at least one of an intelligent peripheral and a service node coupled to said switching system;

wherein at least one of said switching system, said intelligent peripheral and said service node is configured to determine whether said input device is microprocessor controlled customer premises equipment or non-microprocessor controlled customer premises equipment;

wherein said switching system is programmed to access said service logic database to retrieve one of said first plurality of executable programs in response to said input data if said input device is microprocessor controlled customer premises equipment, said one executable program of said first plurality of executable programs being transmitted to one of said switching system, said intelligent peripheral, said service node, and said input device for execution to complete routing of a call.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said input device comprises a display device, and wherein said one executable program of said first plurality of executable programs is configured to cause said input device to display a request for at least one set of additional input data on said display device.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said switching system is programmed to access said service logic database to retrieve one of said first plurality of executable programs if said input device is non-microprocessor controlled customer premises equipment, said one executable program of said first plurality of executable programs being transmitted to one of said switching system, said intelligent peripheral and said service node for execution to complete routing of a call.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said one executable program of said first plurality of executable programs is configured to cause said one of said switching system, said intelligent peripheral and said service node to play an audio request for at least one set of additional input data from said input device.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein said switching system is programmed to access said service control point to request execution of one of said second plurality of executable programs by said service control point in response to said input data if said input device is non-microprocessor controlled customer premises equipment to complete routing of said call.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein each of said first plurality of executable programs comprises an applet.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein said one executable program of said first plurality of executable programs is configured to request at least one set of additional input data from said input device.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said one executable program of said first plurality of executable programs is configured to generate routing data in response to said at least one set of additional input data.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said one executable program of said first plurality of executable programs is configured to cause said routing data to be transmitted to said switching system for routing of said call.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein said one executable program of said first plurality of executable programs is configured to request data from said service control point in response to said at least one set of additional input data.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said executable program of said first plurality of executable programs is configured to generate routing data in response to said data from said service control point and said at least one set of additional input data.

29. The system of claim 18, wherein said switching system comprises a service switching point.

30. A method of establishing a telephone call in a telephone networking system in response to input data from an input device, said method comprising the steps of:

accessing one of a plurality of executable programs from a service logic database based on said input data;

transmitting said one executable program from said service logic database to a network edge device for execution;

executing said one executable program to generate routing data in response to at least one set of additional data; and

transmitting said routing data to a switching system to route said telephone call.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein each of said plurality of executable programs comprises an applet.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said step of executing said one executable program to generate routing data in response to said at least one set of additional data comprises the step of requesting said at least one set of additional data.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said step of executing said one executable program comprises the step of requesting a plurality of sets of additional data.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said step of executing said one executable program is completed by said network edge device prior to said step of transmitting said routing data to a switching system to route said telephone call.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein said step of executing said one executable program comprises the step of requesting data from a service control point in response to said at least one set of additional input data.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein said step of executing said one executable program comprises the step of generating said routing data in response to said data from said service control point and said at least one set of additional input data.

37. A method of establishing a telephone call in a telephone networking system in response to input data from an input device, said method comprising the steps of:

determining if said input device is microprocessor controlled customer premises equipment or non-microprocessor controlled customer premises equipment;

if said input device is microprocessor controlled customer premises equipment,

accessing one of a first plurality of executable programs from a service logic database based on said input data;

transmitting said one executable program of said first plurality of executable programs from said service logic database to a network edge device for execution;

executing said one executable program of said first plurality of executable programs in said network edge device thereby requesting at least one set of additional data and generating routing data in response to said least one set of additional data; and

transmitting said routing data to a switching system to route said telephone call.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein said step of executing said one executable program of said first plurality of executable programs in said network edge device thereby requesting at least one set of additional data and generating routing data in response to said least one set of additional data comprises the step of displaying a request for said at least one set of additional of input data on a display device of said input device.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein if said input device is non-microprocessor controlled customer premises equipment, the method comprises the steps of:

accessing one of said first plurality of executable programs from said service logic database based on said input data;

transmitting said one executable program of said first plurality of executable programs from said service logic database to said network edge device for execution, said network edge device not including said input device;

executing said one executable program of said first plurality of executable programs in said network edge device thereby requesting at least one set of additional data and generating routing data in response to said least one set of additional data; and

transmitting said routing data to said switching system to route said telephone call.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein said step of executing said one executable program of said first plurality of executable programs in said network edge device thereby requesting at least one set of additional data and generating routing data in response to said least one set of additional data comprises the step of playing an audio request to collect said at least one set of additional data.

41. The method of claim 37, wherein if said input device is non-microprocessor controlled customer premises equipment, said method comprises the steps of:

accessing one of a second plurality of executable programs from a service control point based on said input data;

executing said one executable program of said second plurality of executable programs in said service control point to determine routing data; and

transmitting said routing data to said switching system to route said telephone call.