Method and system for providing telecommunications services using mediated service logic

• US 6,560,327 B1
• Filed: 10/01/1999
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: McConnell, Von K.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BENNY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US09/410,869
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 379/207.02, 379/229, 379/230, 379/221.08, 379/221.09, 379/221.1, 379/221.11, 379/221.12, 370/352, 370/353, 455/445
• US Class Current: 379/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/06 Lines and connections with preferential service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/122 where the PSTN/ISDN access is used as an access to networks other than PSTN/ISDN access arrangements to networks other than PSTN/ISDN H04M7/0066; access arrangements to public data networks H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1235 where one of the core networks is a wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1255 where the switching fabric and the switching logic are decomposed such as in Media Gateway Control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 Interworking of session control protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems

Abstract

A method and system using mediated service logic enables telecommunications services to be provided in a first telecommunications network, even though the service logic for the telecommunications service resides in a second telecommunications network. A first service control point (SCP), located in the first telecommunications network, has a plurality of service logic modules, including a first mediated service logic module, and a second SCP, located in the second telecommunications network has a plurality of service logic modules, including a second mediated service logic module. When a service switching point (SSP) in the first telecommunications network determines that intelligent network services are required to process the call, it transmits a query message to the first SCP. The first SCP consults the relevant customer'"'"'s service profile to determine which service logic module to execute to provide the requested service, and the first SCP then executes this service logic module. If the first mediated service logic module is thereby executed, then it transmits an internetwork query message to the second SCP to invoke the service logic needed to provide the service. The second mediated service logic module in the second SCP receives the internetwork query message, executes the necessary service logic module, and transmits to the first SCP an internetwork response message containing the information needed to provide the service.

Claims

1. In a first telecommunications network having a call connection system in communication with a first network controller, said call connection system establishing a communication pathway through said first telecommunications network in response to messages from said first network controller, said first network controller having a plurality of service logic modules, said plurality of service logic modules including a first mediated service logic module and a plurality of non-mediated service logic modules, a method for providing telecommunications services comprising the steps of:

said first network controller receiving a query message from said call connection system, said query message including a first set of parameters;

determining an implicated service and a relevant customer from said first set of parameters;

obtaining a service profile for said relevant customer, said service profile identifying a predetermined service logic module to execute to provide said implicated service;

if said predetermined service logic module is one of said plurality of non-mediated service logic modules;

executing said predetermined service logic module to define a first set of output parameters;

formulating a first response message from said first set of output parameters; and

transmitting said response message to said call connection system;

if said predetermined service logic module is said first mediated service logic module;

executing said first mediated service logic module to define an internetwork query message, said internetwork query message having a format different from said query message from said call connection system;

transmitting said internetwork query message to a second network controller in a second telecommunications network;

receiving an internetwork response message from said second network controller, said internetwork response message including a second set of parameters;

formulating a second response message from said second set of parameters; and

transmitting said second response message to said call connection system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, said first network controller includes a mediation functionality, said method further comprising the step of said mediation functionality screening said second response message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first telecommunications network is a circuit-switched wireline network.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said first network controller is a service control point (SCP).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said call connection system includes a service switching point (SSP).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first telecommunications network is a wireless network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said first network controller is a service control point (SCP).

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said call connection system includes a mobile switching center (MSC).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said first telecommunications network is a packet network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said first network controller is an application server.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said call connection system includes an access gateway and a call agent node.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said second network controller is a service control point (SCP) and said second telecommunications network is a circuit-switched wireline network.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said second network controller is a service control point (SCP) and said second telecommunications network is a wireless network.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said second network controller is an application server and said second telecommunications network is a packet network.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said second network controller includes a second mediated service logic module and a second service logic module.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

said second network controller receiving said internetwork query message;

said second mediated service logic module obtaining a second set of input parameters from said internetwork query;

said second mediated service logic module passing said second set of input parameters to said second service logic module;

executing said service logic module to obtain a second set of output parameters;

said second mediated service logic formulating said internetwork query message from said second set of output parameters; and

said second network controller transmitting said internetwork query message to said first network controller.

17. A system for communicating with a second network controller in a second telecommunications network to provide telecommunications services in a first telecommunications network, comprising:

a first network controller in said first telecommunications network;

a call connection system in said first telecommunications network, said call connection system sending query messages to said first network controller for requesting call processing instructions, said query messages including a first set of parameters, said call connection system establishing a communication pathway through said first telecommunications network in response to response messages from said first network controller;

a plurality of service logic modules disposed in said first network controller, said plurality of service logic modules including a plurality of non-mediated service logic modules and a first mediated service logic module, said first mediated service logic module being able to transmit an internetwork query message to said second network controller and to receive an internetwork response message from said second network controller when executed, said internetwork query message having a format different from said query messages from said call connection system;

a database of service profiles disposed in said first network controller, each one of said service profiles being associated with a particular customer and identifying which one of said plurality of service logic modules to execute to provide each service available to said particular customer;

a base service logic module disposed in said first network controller, said base service logic module determining an implicated service and a relevant customer from said first set of parameters, said base service logic module consulting said database to identify a service module to execute to provide said implicated service, said base service logic module executing said service logic module to obtain a first output if said service logic module is one of said plurality of non-mediated service logic modules, said base service logic module executing said service logic module to obtain a second output if said service logic module is said first mediated service logic module.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a mediation functionality disposed in said first network controller, said mediation functionality screening said second output.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein said first telecommunications network is a circuit-switched wireline network.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said first network controller is a service control point (SCP).

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said call connection system includes a service switching point (SSP).

22. The system of claim 17, wherein said first telecommunications network is a wireless network.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said first network controller is a service control point (SCP).

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said call connection system includes a mobile switching center (MSC).

25. The system of claim 17, wherein said first telecommunications network is a packet network.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said first network controller is an application server.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said call connection system includes an access gateway and a call agent node.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein said second network controller is a service control point (SCP) and said second telecommunications network is a circuit-switched wireline network.

29. The system of claim 17, wherein said second network controller is a service control point (SCP) and said second telecommunications network is a wireless network.

30. The system of claim 17, wherein said second network controller is an application server and said second telecommunications network is a packet network.

31. The system of claim 17, further comprising said second network controller.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said second network controller includes a second mediated service logic module and a second service logic module, said second mediated service logic module executing said second service logic module in response to said internetwork query message.

33. In a first telecommunications network having a first network controller, a call connection system in communication with said first network controller, said call connection system sending query messages to said first network controller for requesting call processing instructions, said query messages including a first set of parameters, said call connection system establishing a communication pathway through said first telecommunications network in response to response messages from said first network controller, said first network controller having a plurality of service logic modules, said first network controller having a database of customer service profiles, said database of customer service profiles indicating which of said plurality of service logic modules to execute to provide which telecommunications services, said first network controller having a base service logic module, said base service logic module determining an implicated telecommunications service from said first set of parameters, said base service logic module determining from said database of customer service profiles which one of said plurality of service logic modules to execute to provide said implicated telecommunications service,

a method for providing an additional telecommunications service, said method comprising the steps of:

adding a first mediated service logic module to said first network controller, said first mediated service logic module being able to transmit an internetwork query message to a second network controller in a second telecommunications network and to receive an internetwork response message from said second network controller when executed, said internetwork query message having a format different from said query messages from said call connection system; and

updating said database of customer service profiles to indicate that said mediated service logic module is to be executed when said additional telecommunications service is implicated. logic module executing said second service logic module in response to said internetwork query message.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising the steps of:

providing said second network controller with a second service logic module; and

providing said second network controller with a second mediated service logic module, said second mediated service logic module receiving said internetwork query message and thereafter executing said second service logic module to obtain an output, said mediated service logic formulating said internetwork response message based on said output and transmitting said internetwork response message to said first network controller.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein said first network controller includes a service management system, and wherein said step of adding said first mediated service logic module includes the step of accessing said service management system.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein said first telecommunications network is a circuit-switched wireline network.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said first network controller is a service control point (SCP).

38. The method of claim 37, wherein said call connection system includes a service switching point (SSP).

39. The method of claim 33, wherein said first telecommunications network is a wireless network.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein said first network controller is a service control point (SCP).

41. The method of claim 40, wherein said call connection system includes a mobile switching center (MSC).

42. The method of claim 33, wherein said first telecommunications network is a packet network.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein said first network controller is an application server.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein said call connection system includes an access gateway and a call agent node.

45. The method of claim 33, wherein said second network controller is a service control point (SCP) and said second telecommunications network is a circuit-switched wireline network.

46. The method of claim 33, wherein said second network controller is a service control point (SCP) and said second telecommunications network is a wireless network.

47. The method of claim 33, wherein said second network controller is an application server and said second telecommunications network is a packet network.