Telecommunications resource connection and operation using a service control point

• US 6,470,081 B1
• Filed: 04/21/1998
• Issued: 10/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Sbisa, Daniel Charles, Uchiyama, Shigeru, Miller, Karen Harden, Salisbury, Bruce Fredrick, Norby, Steven Eugene, Setter, James David
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Foster, Roland G.
• Application Number:
  US09/063,902
• Time in Patent Office: 1,645 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/68, 379/70-72, 379/88.16, 379/207.01, 379/207.02, 379/207.14, 379/207.15, 379/210.02, 379/211.01, 379/211.02, 379/212.01, 379/219, 379/220.01, 379/221-8-2, 379/221.14, 379/229, 379/230, 370/259-262, 370/351, 370/357, 370/426
• US Class Current: 379/221.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A Service Control Point (SCP) directs a telecommunications network to connect a resource only when the resource is needed. When the resource is no longer needed, the SCP selects a new connection for the network. The SCP directs the network to disconnect the resource and use the new connection so the resource does not remain on the line during the entire call. The invention can be used to add and drop multiple resources from a call while the call is in progress. The SCP also provides context information for the call so multiple resources can access context information for the call.

Claims

1. A method for handling a call in a telecommunications network using a Service Control Point (SCP), the method comprising:

(a) receiving a query message for the call from the telecommunications network into the SCP;

(b) processing the query message to select first routing information;

(c) generating a first response message in the SCP wherein the first response message contains the first routing information;

(d) transmitting the first response message from the SCP to the telecommunications network wherein the first routing information causes the telecommunications network to route the call to a telecommunications resource;

(e) receiving a transfer message for the call from the telecommunications network into the SCP after the telecommunications resource has provided a service to the call;

(f) processing the transfer message in the SCP to select second routing information;

(g) generating a second response message in the SCP wherein the second response message contains the second routing information;

(h) transmitting the second response message from the SCP to the telecommunications network wherein the second routing information causes the telecommunications network to disconnect the telecommunications resource and extend the call over a new connection;

(i) generating a context information message in the SCP wherein the context information message contains context information for the call;

(j) transmitting the context information message from the SCP to a server;

(k) receiving the context information message into the server and storing the context information in the server;

(l) receiving a context request message into the server from a remote processor;

(m) processing the context request message in the server to generate a context answer message that contains the context information; and

(n) transmitting the context answer message from the server to the remote processor.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(o) in the telecommunications network, disconnecting the telecommunications resource from the call in response to the second response message; and

(p) in the telecommunications network, extending the call over the new connection in response to the second response message.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein step (p) comprises extending the call out of the telecommunications network.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein step (p) comprises extending the call to another telecommunications resource.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first routing information identifies a switch that is connected to the telecommunications resource.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first routing information identifies a connection to the telecommunications resource.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the second routing information identifies a switch that is connected to a destination.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the second routing information identifies the new connection.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing an indicator in the SCP that specifies if the context information is stored in the SCP or in the server.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a call ID that indicates where the context information is stored.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the transfer message contains an out-dial number.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the transfer message contains a billing number.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the transfer message contains caller-entered digits.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the transfer message contains a social security number.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising in the SCP, generating a call detail record for billing with information in the transfer message.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising in the SCP, generating a first call detail record for billing after step (c) and generating a second call detail record for billing after step (g).

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing an indication in the SCP that specifies if a call ID should be used for DNIS instead of the called number.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising in the SCP, tracking a number of call-legs for the call.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a voice recognition service in the telecommunications resource.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a tone detection service in the telecommunications resource.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a digit collection service in the telecommunications resource.

22. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a voice capture service in the telecommunications resource.

23. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a voice announcement service in the telecommunications resource.

24. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a calling card service in the telecommunications resource.

25. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a voice mail service in the telecommunications resource.

26. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing an operator service in the telecommunications resource.

27. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a routing service in the telecommunications resource.

28. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(o) playing a menu to the caller in the telecommunications resource;

(p) collecting a menu selection from the caller in the telecommunications resource; and

(q) determining an out-dial number based on the menu selection in the telecommunications resource.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein the query message, the first response message, and the second response message are Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP) messages.

30. A system for handling a call in a telecommunications network using a Service Control Point (SCP), the system comprising:

an interface means in the SCP for receiving a query message for the call from the telecommunications network, for transmitting a first response message to the telecommunications network, for receiving a transfer message for the call from the telecommunications network after a telecommunications resource has provided a service to the call, for transmitting a second response message to the telecommunications network, and for transmitting a context information message;

a processing means in the SCP for processing the query message to select first routing information that causes the telecommunications network to route the call to the telecommunications resource, and for processing the transfer message to select second routing information that causes the telecommunications network to disconnect the telecommunications resource and extend the call over a new connection;

a generating means in the SCP for generating the first response message that contains the first routing information, for generating the second response message that contains the second routing information, and for generating a context information message wherein the context information message contains context information for the call; and

a server configured to receive the context information message, store the context information message, receive a context request message from a remote processor, process the context request message to generate a context answer message that contains context information, and transmit the context answer message to the remote processor.

31. The system of claim 30 further comprising a switching means in the telecommunications network for disconnecting the telecommunications resource from the call in response to the second response message, and for extending the call over the new connection in response to the second response message.

32. The system of claim 30 wherein the first routing information identifies a switch that is connected to the telecommunications resource.

33. The system of claim 30 wherein the first routing information identifies a connection to the telecommunications resource.

34. The system of claim 30 wherein the second routing information identifies a switch that is connected to a destination.

35. The system of claim 30 wherein the second routing information identifies the new connection.

36. The system of claim 30 further wherein:

the processing means is further for collecting context information for the call.

37. The system of claim 30 wherein the SCP stores an indicator that specifies if context information is stored in the SCP or in the server.

38. The system of claim 30 wherein the generating means is further for generating a call ID that indicates where context information is stored.

39. The system of claim 30 wherein the first response message, the context information message, the context request message, the context answer message, the transfer message, and the second response message each contain a call ID that is used to associate the messages with the call.

40. The system of claim 30 further comprising the telecommunications resource wherein the telecommunications resource is operational to provide a voice recognition service.

41. The system of claim 30 further comprising the telecommunications resource wherein the telecommunications resource is operational to provide a tone detection service.

42. The system of claim 30 further comprising the telecommunications resource wherein the telecommunications resource is operational to provide a digit collection service.

43. The system of claim 30 further comprising the telecommunications resource wherein the telecommunications resource is operational to provide a voice capture service.

44. The system of claim 30 further comprising the telecommunications resource wherein the telecommunications resource is operational to provide a voice announcement service.

45. The system of claim 30 further comprising the telecommunications resource wherein the telecommunications resource is operational to provide a calling card service.

46. The system of claim 30 further comprising the telecommunications resource wherein the telecommunications resource is operational to provide a voice mail service.

47. The system of claim 30 further comprising the telecommunications resource wherein the telecommunications resource is operational to provide an operator service.

48. The system of claim 30 further comprising the telecommunications resource wherein the telecommunications resource is operational to provide a routing service.

49. The system of claim 30 further comprising the telecommunications resource wherein the telecommunications resource is operational to play a menu to the caller, to collect a menu selection from the caller, and to determine an out-dial number based on the menu selection.