Telecommunications service control point interface

• US 6,714,539 B1
• Filed: 12/30/2002
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1999
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): VANDERPUYE, KENNETH N
• Application Number:
  US10/331,787
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 379/229, 379/230, 379/231, 379/89, 379/207, 379/204, 379/205, 379/93.05, 379/220, 379/201, 379/219, 379/242, 370/385, 370/384, 370/400, 370/401, 370/355, 370/352, 370/410, 370/522, 370/466, 370/467
• US Class Current: 370/385
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems

Abstract

A service control point comprising multiple interfaces configured to receive multiple query messages from requesting devices using multiple different protocols, wherein all of the interfaces provide access to the call processing applications within the SCP. The service control point is configured to process the query messages and generate response messages, which are transmitted back to the requesting devices using their respective protocols.

Claims

1. A method of operating a telecommunication system, the method comprising:

collecting caller information in a first communication device from a caller for a call;

indicating the caller information in an Internet Protocol (IP) message;

receiving the IP message in a server system from the first communication device, wherein the server system does not convert the IP message into an SS7 Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP) protocol;

processing the caller information for the call in the server system to determine a routing information for the call; and

transferring a Signaling System Seven (SS7) message for the call from the server system to a second communication device, with the SS7 message indicating the routing information for the call.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the caller information includes an account code for the caller and the server system is configured to process the account code to determine the routing information for the call.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the server system is configured to process the caller information to validate the caller.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the IP message includes a context message.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the IP message includes a validation message.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the IP message includes a transfer message.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the server system comprises a Service Control Point (SCP).

8. A telecommunication system comprising:

a first communication device configured to collect caller information from a caller for a call and indicate the caller information in an Internet Protocol (IP) message;

a second communication device configured to receive a Signaling System Seven (SS7) message for the call from a server system, with the SS7 message indicating routing information for the call; and

the server system configured to receive the caller information from the first communication device in the IP message, wherein the server system does not convert the IP message into an SS7 Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP) protocol, process the caller information to determine the routing information for the call, and transfer the SS7 message for the call to the second communication device.

9. The telecommunication system of claim 8 wherein the caller information includes an account code for the caller, and wherein processing the caller information to determine the routing information comprises processing the account code.

10. The telecommunication system of claim 8 wherein processing the caller information to determine the routing information comprises processing the caller information to validate the caller.

11. The telecommunication system of claim 8 wherein the IP message includes a context message.

12. The telecommunication system of claim 8 wherein the IP message includes a validation message.

13. The telecommunication system of claim 8 wherein the IP message includes a transfer message.

14. The telecommunication system of claim 8 wherein the server system comprises a Service Control Point (SCP).

15. A software product for operating a server system in a telecommunication system comprising at least a first communication device and a second communication device, wherein the first communication device is configured to collect caller information from a caller for a call and indicate the caller information in an Internet Protocol (IP) message, wherein the second communication device is configured to receive a Signaling System Seven (SS7) message for the call from a server system, with the SS7 message indicating routing information for the call and route communications from the caller based on the routing information, the software product comprising:

software configured to direct the server system to receive the caller information from the first communication device in the IP message, wherein the server system does not convert the IP message into an SS7 Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP) protocol, process the caller information to determine the routing information for the call, and transfer the SS7 message for the call to the second communication device; and

a storage medium that stores the software.

16. The software product of claim 15 wherein the caller information includes an account code for the caller and the software is configured to direct the server system to process the account code to determine the routing information for the call.

17. The software product of claim 15 wherein the software is configured to direct the server system to process the caller information to validate the caller.

18. The software product of claim 15 wherein the IP message includes a context message.

19. The software product of claim 15 wherein the IP message includes a validation message.

20. The software product of claim 15 wherein the IP message includes a transfer message.