Switch controller application programmer interface

• US 6,587,890 B1
• Filed: 06/12/1998
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Kult, George, Vijay, Sharadha
• Primary Examiner(s): COURTENAY III, ST JOHN
• Application Number:
  US09/096,937
• Time in Patent Office: 1,845 Days
• Field of Search: 709/310-320, 709/328, 379/242-248
• US Class Current: 719/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling

Abstract

Switch controller application programmer interfaces (SCAPIs) are described herein. The SCAPIs allow for communication with routines of an application program that resides in memory of a switch controller. The switch controller is a component within a telecommunications network that provides an interface between a public switched telephone network via programmable switches and intelligent service network components. Intelligent service network components may provide an interface to other networks and/or perform enhanced service call processing. Functions performed using SCAPI procedures include interface with the programmable switches, health monitoring, requesting processes to perform tasks, interface with intelligent service network components, and enhanced service call processing. SCAPIs are procedures that reside in memory of the switch controller and, when performed by processing computer program commands, cause SCAPI messages to be sent that provide communication with routines within the switch controller application program.

Claims

1. A computer, comprising:

a processor; and

a communication means for enabling said processor to communicate one or more switch controller application programmer interface messages between a plurality of switch controller application program software routines, wherein each of said switch controller application programmer interface message is being used to contribute to providing an interface between a programmable switch and an intelligent service network component, said programmable switch interfacing with a public switched telephone network, wherein said switch controller application programmer interface messages include;

a switch message to perform a function associated with communication with said programmable switch;

a registration message to monitor the health of one or more of said switch controller application program software routines;

a control message for one of said plurality of switch controller application program software routines to request a second of said plurality of switch controller application program software routines to perform a task; and

a service message to request that a call processing function be performed.

2. The computer of claim 1, wherein said switch message comprises:

a message type;

a message version;

a switch type;

a switch identifier;

a message options;

a context;

a status;

a data encoding;

a data format; and

a data size.

3. The computer of claim 2, wherein said message options is one of:

switch message option call offered;

switch message option call offered response;

switch message option connect;

switch message option connect response;

switch message option release;

switch message option release response;

switch message option connect conference;

switch message option connect conference response;

switch message option outbound release;

switch message option outbound release response;

switch message option conference;

switch message option conference response;

switch message option call park;

switch message option call park response;

switch message option observe;

switch message option observe response;

switch message option play announcement;

switch message option attach DTMF;

switch message option detach DTMF;

switch message option protocol;

switch message option TC; and

switch message option action.

4. The computer of claim 1, wherein said registration message comprises:

a message type;

a message version;

a registration option;

a context;

a status;

a data format; and

a data size.

5. The computer of claim 4, wherein said registration options is one of:

registration option shared memory heartbeat indication; and

registration option interprocess communication message based heartbeat indication.

6. The computer of claim 1, wherein said control message comprises:

a message type;

a message version;

an operation code;

a context;

a status;

a data format; and

a data size.

7. The computer of claim 6, wherein said operation code is one of:

control operation code SNMP get;

control operation code SNMP set;

control operation code SNMP test;

control operation code SNMP shutdown;

control operation code SNMP ready;

control operation code SNMP configuration;

control operation code SNMP debug on;

control operation code SNMP debug off; and

control operation code SNMP refresh.

8. The computer of claim 1, wherein said service message comprises:

a message type;

a message version type;

a service type;

a call identifier;

a terminal identifier;

a leg identifier;

a context;

a status;

a completion code;

a data format; and

a data size.

9. The computer of claim 8, wherein the service type is one of:

service type release channel;

service type release channel response;

service type park channel;

service type park channel response;

service type create leg;

service type create leg response;

service type merge;

service type merge response;

service type conference bridge;

service type conference bridge response;

service type trigger;

service type group select;

service type network route;

service type queue call;

service type congestion;

service type agent free;

service type service;

service type service response;

service type play announcement;

service type reorigination;

service type time point data;

service type prepaid billing; and

service type billing data.

10. The computer of claim 8, wherein said switch type is one of:

switch type excel LNX;

switch type excel CSN;

or

switch type suma.

11. The computer of claim 8, wherein said data encoding is one of:

switch encoding native;

switch encoding ASN 1;

switch encoding big endian;

or

switch encoding little endian.

12. The computer of claim 1, wherein said message comprises one or more fields, wherein one of said fields is a message type, wherein said message type is one of:

switch message;

registration message;

control message;

or

service message.

13. The computer of claim 1, wherein said message comprises a data format, wherein said data format is one of:

data format switch XL action;

data format switch XL protocol;

data format control SNMP get;

data format control SNMP set;

data format control SNMP test;

data format service park channel;

data format service merge;

data format service release channel;

or

data format service conference bridge.

14. The computer of claim 1, wherein said message comprises:

a message descriptor; and

a data portion;

wherein said message descriptor comprises;

a message descriptor message type;

a message descriptor message version;

a message descriptor report option;

a message descriptor report reason;

a message descriptor reply to queue identifier;

a message descriptor sender queue identifier;

a message identifier context;

a correlation identifier;

a data format; and

a data size.

15. The computer of claim 1, wherein said communication means comprises:

an application programmer interface means for creating said switch message; and

a sending means for sending said switch message from a programmable switch support function.

16. The computer of claim 1, wherein said communication means comprises:

an application programmer interface means for creating said service message; and

a sending means for sending said service message from a first switch controller application program software routine of said plurality of switch controller application software routines;

wherein said first switch controller application program software routine is one of;

a call control function;

or

a service control function.

17. The computer of claim 1, wherein said communication means comprises:

an application programmer interface means for creating said registration message; and

a sending means for sending said registration message from a first switch controller application program software routine of said plurality of switch controller application software routines;

wherein said first switch controller application program software routine is one of;

a programmable switch support function;

a resource control function;

a management interface function;

a call control function;

or

a service control function.

18. The computer of claim 1, wherein said communication means comprises:

an application programmer interface means for creating said control message; and

a sending means for sending said control message from a first switch controller application program software routine of said plurality of switch controller application software routines;

wherein said first switch controller application program software routine is one of;

a programmable switch support function;

a resource control function;

a management interface function;

a call control function;

or

a service control function.

19. The computer of claim 1, wherein said switch controller application program software routines, comprise:

a programmable switch support function capable of communicating with one or more programmable switch application programmer interface messages and said switch controller application programmer interface messages wherein said programmable switch support function interfaces between said programmable switch and said switch controller application programmer software routines; and

a service control function capable of communicating with one or more transmission control messages and said switch controller application programmer interface messages wherein said service control function interfaces between said intelligent service network component and said switch controller application programmer software routines.

20. An intelligent service network, comprising:

one or more programmable switches; and

one or more computers, each computer being coupled to at least one of said one or more programmable switches, wherein each of said one or more computers comprises;

a processor; and

a communication means for enabling said processor to communicate one or more switch controller application programmer interface messages between a plurality of switch controller application program software routines, wherein each of said switch controller application programmer interface messages is being used to contribute to providing an interface between a programmable switch and an intelligent service network component, said programmable switch interfacing with a public switched telephone network, wherein said switch controller application programmer interface messages include;

a switch message to perform a function associated with communication with said programmable switch;

a registration message to monitor the health of one or more of said switch controller application program software routines;

a control message for one of said plurality of switch controller application program software routines to request a second of said plurality of switch controller application program software routines to perform a task; and

a service message to request that a call processing function be performed.

21. The intelligent service network of claim 20, further comprising:

one or more intelligent service network components, wherein each of said one or more intelligent service network components is coupled to at least one of said one or more computers.

22. The intelligent service network of claim 21, further comprising:

one or more external networks, wherein each of said one or more external networks is coupled to at least one of said one or more intelligent service network components.

23. The intelligent service network of claim 20, further comprising:

a public switched telephone network coupled to each of said one or more programmable switches.

24. The intelligent service network of claim 23, further comprising:

one or more calling devices, wherein each of said one or more calling devices is coupled to said public switched telephone network.

25. A method for communication between software routines within one or more computer application programs to perform processing that contributes to providing an interface between a programmable switch coupled to a public switched telephone network and an intelligent service network component, comprising:

(a) retrieving by a first software routine a switch controller application programmer interface message format and data needed for a switch controller application programmer interface message from memory;

(b) creating said switch controller application programmer interface message; and

(c) sending said switch controller application programmer interface message to a second software routine queue of a second software routine;

wherein said switch controller application programmer interface message is one of a plurality of switch controller application programmer interface messages including;

a switch message to perform a function associated with communication with said programmable switch;

a registration message to monitor the health of one or more of said switch controller application program software routines;

a control message for one of said plurality of switch controller application program software routines to request a second of said plurality of switch controller application program software routines to perform a task; and

a service message to request that a call processing function be performed.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

(d) retrieving by said second software routine said switch controller application programmer interface message from said second software routine queue;

(e) interpreting by said second software routine said switch controller application programmer interface message;

(f) retrieving by said second software routine a response switch controller application programmer interface message format and response data needed for a response switch controller application programmer interface message;

(g) creating said response switch controller application programmer interface message; and

(h) sending by said second software routine said response switch controller application programmer interface message to said first software routine.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising the following step to be performed before step (a):

receiving a programmable switch application programmer interface message from a programmable switch;

wherein said switch controller application programmer interface message is a switch type switch controller application programmer interface message, wherein said first software routine is a programmable switch support function;

wherein said second software routine is a call control function.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the following steps:

(d) receiving said switch type switch controller application programmer interface message by said call control function;

(e) sending said service type switch controller application programmer interface message by said call control function;

(f) receiving said service type switch controller application programmer interface message by a service control function; and

(g) sending a transmission control message by said service control function to the intelligent service network component.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

(d) receiving said switch controller application programmer interface message; and

(e) sending a non-switch controller application programmer interface message.

30. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

(d) receiving said switch controller application programmer interface message; and

(e) sending a non-switch controller application programmer interface message, wherein said non switch controller application programmer interface message is one of;

a programmable switch application programmer interface message;

or

a transmission control message.