Intelligent call platform for an intelligent distributed network architecture

• US 6,393,476 B1
• Filed: 09/21/2000
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Porter, Kelvin, Rambo, Ken, Waller, Carol, Wong, Wendy, Yao, George, Barnhouse, Robert, Cardy, Doug
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M.
• Application Number:
  US09/667,198
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/201, 709/203, 709/206, 709/216, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/223, 379/112, 379/900, 379/901
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42136 Administration or customisation of services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/90 Internet, e.g. Internet phone, webphone, internet-based telephony

Abstract

The present invention provides an intelligent call processor, an intelligent switching node and an intelligent communications network for use in a communications system. The intelligent call processor comprises a logical platform having a plurality of functions wherein at least one of the functions is service processing function, at least one of the functions is call processing, and at least one of the functions is facility processing, and a processor for executing the plurality of functions. The intelligent switching node comprises an intelligent call processor and, a resource complex communicably linked to the intelligent call processor and logically separated from the intelligent call processor. The intelligent communications network comprises a plurality of intelligent distributed network nodes, a network management system for monitoring and controlling a wide area network and the plurality of intelligent switching nodes, and the wide area network interconnecting the plurality of intelligent distributed network nodes and the network management system.

Claims

1. A method for providing services in a communications system, the system comprising at least one resource complex that acts upon communications traffic, the method comprising the steps of:

controlling the action of the resource complex at least one service processor that provides at least one virtual machine processing environment; and

providing at least one service-related function as an executable object in the virtual machine processing environment to affect the action of the resource complex.

2. A method for implementing service-related function in a communications system, the communications system comprising a first service processor and a second service processor, wherein the programming interfaces of the first processor and second processor are substantially different, the method comprising the steps of:

implementing a first virtual machine processing environment within said first processor;

implementing a second virtual machine processing environment within said second processor;

creating at least one transportable service-related functional element that is executable by both first and second virtual machine processing environments; and

distributing the transportable service-related functional element to both first and second service processors to affect the control of services in the communications network.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the transportable service-related function may be maintained as a managed object within a service processor.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the transportable service-related function is implemented as Java byte-coded instructions.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the transportable service-related function is a implemented as a script file.

6. A method for supplying service-related function to service processors in a communication system, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one service-related function object at a distribution point within the network;

identifying at least one service processor requiring the service-related function object; and

providing the service-related function object to the service processor from the distribution point.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said step of identifying at least one service processor is based upon whether the service processor serves a portion of the communication system where a service will be deployed that requires the service-related function to be present in the service processor.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said step of identifying at least one service processor is based upon whether the service processor already has an outdated version of the service-related function.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein said step of identifying at least one service processor is based upon whether another specific service-related function is already present in the service processor.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein all service processors identified as requiring the service-related function are provided the service-related function substantially simultaneously.

11. A method for managing the distribution of service-related function to service processors in a communication system, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one service-related function object at a distribution point within the network;

identifying a plurality of service processors requiring the service-related function object;

providing the service-related function object to the identified service processors from the distribution point; and

indicating to the identified service processors that the service-related function object is eligible to be used in subsequent service processing.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of indicating is performed when all identified service processors are known to have received the service-related function object.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of indicating is performed to all identified service processors substantially simultaneously.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of indicating is performed when all identified service processors are known to have received the service-related function object and at least one other service-related function object needed for reliable interoperation.

15. A method for providing services in a communications system, the system comprising at least one service processor controlling at least a portion of the communications system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a service logic execution environment in the service processor within which service-related function objects may be instantiated;

instantiating at least one service-related function object within the service logic execution environment;

executing function within the service-related function object to affect the manner in which service is provided by the communications system.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the instantiating at least one service-related function object is performed in response to a request from at least one other service-related function object already instantiated in the service logic execution environment.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the instantiating at least one service-related function object is performed in anticipation of subsequent use in the service logic execution environment.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the instantiating at least one service-related function object is performed only if other required service-related function objects are available to be instantiated therewith.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the instantiating at least one service-related function object is performed only if the object is of a sufficiently recent version.