Method for global title translation processing

• US 6,377,674 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1998
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chong, Koan S., Ratcliffe, Mark A., Peters, Robert Yaeger Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US09/223,052
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 379/220.01, 379/221.01, 379/221.09, 379/221.12, 379/230, 379/219, 379/229, 370/254, 370/255, 370/256, 370/257, 370/258
• US Class Current: 379/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling

Abstract

In processing a global title translation request, a segmentation directory performs a directory function based on information found in a services-related portion of a global title translation request, resulting in call parameters that allow the segmentation directory to determine the point code/subsystem number of a service processor needed to complete a call. Without altering a services-related portion of the global title translation request, a modified version of the global title translation request is sent to the service processor. Additionally, the segmentation directory can respond directly to exception and error conditions.

Claims

1. A method for processing a global title translation request, the method comprising steps of:

receiving the global title translation request;

directly accessing a received services-related portion of the global title translation request to ascertain call parameters; and

identifying a service processor needed to process the global title translation request based on the call parameters.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the received services-related portion comprises a received Transaction Capabilities Application Part of the global title translation request.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the call parameters comprise at least one of a dialed number and Automatic Number Identification information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of:

transmitting, to the service processor, a modified version of the global title translation request, wherein the received services-related portion remains unchanged, and wherein a transport-related portion of the modified version of the global title translation request corresponds to the service processor.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the transport-related portion comprises a Signal Connection Control Part of the modified version of the global title translation request.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of transmitting further comprises a step of:

transmitting a customer identification to the service processor.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the customer identification is appended to the unchanged received services-related portion of the modified version of the global title translation request.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of transmitting further comprises a step of:

transmitting service-specific information to the service processor.

9. In a telecommunications system comprising a switch in communication with a segmentation directory, a method for a segmentation directory to process a global title translation request, the method comprising steps of:

receiving, at the segmentation directory, a global title translation request originated by the switch;

directly accessing, by the segmentation directory, a received services-related portion of the global title translation request to ascertain call parameters; and

determining, based on the call parameters, whether a service processor needed to process the global title translation request is identified in memory of the segmentation directory.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising a step of:

when the service processor is identified in the memory of the segmentation directory, transmitting, by the segmentation directory to the service processor, a modified version of the global title translation request, wherein the received services-related portion remains unchanged, and wherein a transport-related portion of the modified version of the global title translation request corresponds to the service processor.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising a step of:

when the service processor is not identified in the memory of the segmentation directory, transmitting, by the segmentation directory to the switch, a message instructing the switch to proceed with a call corresponding to the global title translation request based on information that the switch currently possesses.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising a step of:

when the service processor is identified in the memory of the segmentation directory but communication with the service processor is not currently possible, transmitting by the segmentation directory to the switch, a message that includes service processor identification information, wherein the message instructs the switch to query the service processor directly based on the service processor identification information.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising a step of:

when the service processor is identified in the memory of the segmentation directory but communication with the service processor is not currently possible, transmitting by the segmentation directory to the switch, the message that includes service processor identification information and service-specific information, wherein the message instructs the switch to query the service processor directly based on the service processor identification information and the service-specific information.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising a step of:

when the service processor is identified in the memory of the segmentation directory but the service processor is not currently operating, transmitting by the segmentation directory to the switch, a message that instructs the service processor to proceed with a call corresponding to the global title translation request based on information that the switch currently possesses, wherein the message includes information indicating that the service processor is not operating and reasons why the service processor is not operating.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising steps of:

determining, by the segmentation directory, that the global title translation request should be denied; and

transmitting, by the segmentation directory to the switch, a message that instructs the switch to discontinue a call corresponding to the global title translation request.

16. In a telecommunications system comprising a switch in communication with a segmentation directory, a method for processing a global title translation request, the method comprising steps of:

receiving, at the segmentation directory, a global title translation request originated by the switch;

accessing, by the segmentation directory, a received Transaction Capabilities Application Part of the global title translation request to ascertain call parameters;

determining, based on the call parameters, whether a service processor needed to process the global title translation request is identified in memory of the segmentation directory; and

when the service processor is identified in the memory of the segmentation directory, transmitting, by the segmentation directory to the service processor, a modified version of the global title translation request, wherein the received Transaction Capabilities Application Part remains unchanged, and wherein a Signaling Connection Control Part of the modified version of the global title translation request corresponds to the service processor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the call parameters comprise at least one of a dialed number and Automatic Number Identification information.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of transmitting further comprises a step of:

transmitting, by the segmentation directory to the service processor, a customer identification.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the customer identification is appended to the unchanged received Transaction Capabilities Application Part of the modified version of the global title translation request.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of transmitting further comprises a step of:

transmitting, by the segmentation directory to the service processor, service-specific information.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising a step of:

when the service processor is not identified in the memory of the segmentation directory, transmitting, by the segmentation directory to the switch, a message instructing the switch to proceed with a call corresponding to the global title translation request based on information that the switch currently possesses.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising a step of:

when the service processor is identified in the memory of the segmentation directory but communication with the service processor is not currently possible, transmitting by the segmentation directory to the switch, a message that includes service processor identification information, wherein the message instructs the switch to query the service processor directly based on the service processor identification information.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising a step of:

when the service processor is identified in the memory of the segmentation directory but communication with the service processor is not currently possible, transmitting by the segmentation directory to the switch, the message that includes service processor identification information and service-specific information, wherein the message instructs the switch to query the service processor directly based on the service processor identification information and the service-specific information.

24. The method of claim 16, further comprising a step of:

when the service processor is identified in the memory of the segmentation directory but the service processor is not currently operating, transmitting by the segmentation directory to the switch, a message that instructs the service processor to proceed with a call corresponding to the global title translation request based on information that the switch currently possesses, wherein the message includes information indicating that the service processor is not operating and reasons why the service processor is not operating.

25. The method of claim 16, further comprising steps of:

determining, by the segmentation directory, that the global title translation request should be denied; and

transmitting, by the segmentation directory to the switch, a message that instructs the switch to discontinue a call corresponding to the global title translation request.

26. The method of claim 16, further comprising a step of:

when a translation type included in the global title translation request is not an allowed translation type, transmitting by the segmentation directory to the switch, an error message.

27. The method of claim 16, further comprising a step of:

when the received Transaction Capabilities Application Part includes errors, transmitting by the segmentation directory to the switch, an error message.