Method and apparatus for providing real time execution of specific communications services in an intelligent network

• US 6,594,355 B1
• Filed: 10/19/1999
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: WorldCom, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Henry, Porter, Kelvin R., Deo, Ajay P.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BENNY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US09/420,669
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201-1-2, 379/207.02, 379/219, 379/220.01, 379/221-8-2, 379/229, 379/230, 709/315, 709/316, 709/317
• US Class Current: 379/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/54 Object oriented software
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/052 software update
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42136 Administration or customisation of services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/00 Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
• 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]

Abstract

System and methodology for providing real-time call processing services received at a switch in an intelligent network having one or more service nodes having originating switches for receiving a call event. The system includes a platform-independent communication system for enabling communication between object instances executing at service nodes in the intelligent network. An operating system agent object instance executing in an execution environment associated with an originating switch communicates call origination information corresponding to a call event received at the switch to one or more object instances executing in an execution environment provided at a service node in the network; the object instances including a line object instance for maintaining the state of a communications line associated with a call origination, and, a service object implementing methods for performing a service according to a customer request.

Claims

1. A method for performing a call routing service in an intelligent network having one or more service nodes and a switch platform including an originating switch for receiving service requests, said method comprising:

a) communicating call origination information from said originating switch to a first object instance executing in an execution environment provided at a service node in response to a received service request;

b) said object instance determining a line object instance for maintaining the state of a communications line associated with a call origination, and a service object implementing methods for performing a service for a customer, and initiating instantiation of said service logic and line object in said execution environment;

c) querying a first database storage associated with said execution environment for retrieving call routing information in support of said service, said call routing information specific to a customer;

d) querying a second database storage for determining a terminating location including a terminating switch for said call based on said retrieved routing information, and initiating instantiation of a line object instance for maintaining the state of a communications line associated with a call termination; and

,

e) communicating call routing commands from said executing service object to said line object, said line object instructing said switch associated with said originating line to route said received call from said originating switch to a terminating switch for connection to a called party,

whereby a platform-independent communication system is provided to enable routing said call information between a calling party and a destination party via said originating and terminating line object instances independent of their location in said network.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step b) of initiating instantiation includes the step of instantiating a call object for maintaining a current state of a call.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said origination information includes a unique identifier for identifying a received call, said call object maintaining a state of each call based on said unique identifier.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, further including the step of maintaining and storing call context data associated with services performed for each call processed, said call context data identified by said unique identifier.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said terminating switch is located at a node in said intelligent network other than said originating node.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said step a) of communicating call origination information includes determining a name of said service first object instance and finding an executing version of said object based on said logical name.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said first object instance performs feature discrimination function for determining a type of call object to be executed, said feature discrimination function including performing a database storage lookup to find logical name of each said call, line and service objects.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said switch platform comprises an operating system agent object for communicating events received at said switch platform to said platform-independent communication system.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said platform-independent operating system provides name translation function for converting a logical name of an object to an address location for executing an instance of said object.

10. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the step of maintaining and storing call context data further comprises the step of instantiating an event object for receiving said call context data related to service processing from one or more of said line object instance, call object instance, service object instance, and said switch platform.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said event object forwards said call context data to a database storage for future use.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said line object checks for features associated with a physical line, and including first line object instance for maintaining state of an originating line and a second object instance for maintaining state of a terminating line, said method further including registering said line object instance with said switching platform.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said call object for maintaining state of current call provides interface connection point to said service object, said line object and said event object.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein a single line object instance is associated with multiple calls, each call identified by said unique identifier.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said line object performs database query to determine features associated with an origination line or termination line at respective originating and terminating switches.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein a service comprises steps of querying a customer profile database to determine a customer profile based on said call origination information and a called number.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein said step of querying a database for said call routing information includes inputting a day and percent allocation keys and retrieving routing information based on said keys.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein a feature associated with an originating line is a call waiting feature, a switch platform including platform-independent communication system agent object for forwarding an incoming call notification to said originating line object.

19. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said line object further performs steps of:

commanding said platform-independent communication system agent object to initiate generation of a tone at said switch indicating call waiting at said originating line when a call is received at said line;

listening for a reply from said originating line; and

, when a reply is received,

forwarding the caller'"'"'s reply to said line object instance.

20. A system for routing service calls in an intelligent network having one or more service nodes and a switch platform including an originating switch for receiving a service request in the form of a call event, said system comprising:

a) platform-independent communication system for enabling communication between object instances executing at service nodes in said intelligent network;

b) an operating system agent object instance executing in an execution environment associated with said originating switch for communicating call origination information corresponding to call events received at said switch platform to one or more object instances executing in an execution environment provided at a service node associated with said switch via said platform-independent communication system, said one or more object instances including;

i) a first line object instance for maintaining the state of a communications line associated with said call origination; and

,

ii) a service object implementing methods for performing a service for a customer;

c) a first database storage device accessible by said service object for retrieving call routing information in support of said requested service, said call routing information specific to a customer;

d) a second database storage device accessible by said service object and comprising terminating locations according to a customer call routing plan, said second database storage device including a terminating switch location address for said call based on said retrieved call routing information, and initiating instantiation of a second line object instance for maintaining the state of a communications line associated with a call termination,

wherein said platform-independent communication system communicates call routing commands between said service object and said first and second line object instances, said first and second line object instances enabling connection between said originating and terminating switches independent of their location in said network to establish a call connection between said called and calling parties.

21. The system as claimed in claim 20, further including a call object instance for maintaining a current state of a call, and further enabling communication among said service object and said first and second line object instances via said platform-independent communication system.

22. The system as claimed in claim 21, wherein said origination information includes a unique identifier for identifying a received call, said call object instance tracking execution of services performed for a call event based on said unique identifier.

23. The system as claimed in claim 22, further including an event logic object instance for maintaining and storing call context data associated with services performed for each call processed, said call context data identified by said unique identifier.

24. The system as claimed in claim 21, wherein said terminating switch is located at a node in said intelligent network other than said originating node.

25. The system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said platform-independent communication system agent object instance first communicates said call origination information to a feature discriminator object instance executing in said execution environment, said feature discriminator object instance performing a database storage lookup to find a logical name associated with each of a service object, a first line object and a call object capable of performing a service associated with said received service request.

26. The system as claimed in claim 25, wherein said platform-independent operating system provides name translation function for converting a logical name of an object to an address location for executing an instance of said object.

27. The system as claimed in claim 26, wherein said platform-independent communication system determines locations of said object instances executing in said network based on said logical name.

28. The system as claimed in claim 26, wherein said platform-independent communication system determines location of objects capable of being instantiated in said network for performing said service, said determination being based on said logical name.

29. The system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said event logic object for receiving call context data related to service processing from one or more of said first and second line object instances, said call object instance, said service object instance, and said switch platform.

30. The system as claimed in claim 29, wherein said event object forwards said call context data to a database storage for future use.

31. The system as claimed in claim 25, wherein each said first and second line object instances check for customer subscribed features regarding a physical line associated with respective originating and terminating switches.

32. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for automatically performing a call routing service in an intelligent network having one or more service nodes and a switch platform including an originating switch for receiving service requests, said method steps comprising:

a) communicating call origination information from said originating switch to a first object instance executing in an execution environment provided at a service node in response to a received service request;

b) said first object instance determining a line object instance for maintaining the state of a communications line associated with a call origination, and a service object implementing methods for performing a service for a customer, and initiating instantiation of said service logic and line object in said execution environment;

c) querying a first database storage associated with said execution environment for retrieving call routing information in support of said service, said call routing information specific to a customer;

d) querying a second database storage for determining a terminating location including a terminating switch for said call based on said retrieved routing information, and initiating instantiation of a line object instance for maintaining the state of a communications line associated with a call termination; and

,

e) communicating call routing commands from said executing service object to said line object, said line object instructing said switch associated with said originating line to route said received call from said originating switch to a terminating switch for connection to a called party,

whereby a platform-independent communication system is provided to enable routing said call information between a calling party and a called party via said originating and terminating line object instances independent of their location in said network.