Elimination of inoperable service node during call set up
First Claim
1. In a service control point (SCP) having logic normally dictating that a call destined to a called party should be routed to a service node for handling, a method comprising:
- making a determination that the service node has become unavailable;
responsive to the determination that the service node has become unavailable, setting a flag indicating that the service node is unavailable;
using the flag as a basis to determine that the service node is unavailable;
after determining that the service node has become unavailable, (i) receiving into the SCP, a first signal from a switch indicating that the switch has received a request to set up a first call to the called party and (ii) in view of the determination that the service node has become unavailable, the SCP instructing the switch to treat the first call in a manner other than routing the call to the service node;
making a determination that the service node has become available again;
responsive to the determination that the service node has become available again, clearing the flag indicating that the service node is unavailable; and
after determining that the service node has become available again, (i) receiving into the SCP, a second signal from the switch indicating that the switch has received a request to set up a second call to the called party and (ii) in view of the determination that the service node has become available again, the SCP instructing the switch to route the call to the service node.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a service control point (SCP) having logic normally dictating that a call destined to a called party should be routed instead to a service node for handling, a method includes making a determination that the service node has become unavailable. The method thereafter includes receiving, into the SCP, a signal from a switch, the signal indicating that the switch has received a request to set up a call to the called party. In view of the determination that the service node has become unavailable, the method then includes the SCP instructing the switch to treat the first call in a manner other than routing the call to the service node.
31 Citations
21 Claims
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1. In a service control point (SCP) having logic normally dictating that a call destined to a called party should be routed to a service node for handling, a method comprising:
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making a determination that the service node has become unavailable; responsive to the determination that the service node has become unavailable, setting a flag indicating that the service node is unavailable; using the flag as a basis to determine that the service node is unavailable; after determining that the service node has become unavailable, (i) receiving into the SCP, a first signal from a switch indicating that the switch has received a request to set up a first call to the called party and (ii) in view of the determination that the service node has become unavailable, the SCP instructing the switch to treat the first call in a manner other than routing the call to the service node; making a determination that the service node has become available again; responsive to the determination that the service node has become available again, clearing the flag indicating that the service node is unavailable; and after determining that the service node has become available again, (i) receiving into the SCP, a second signal from the switch indicating that the switch has received a request to set up a second call to the called party and (ii) in view of the determination that the service node has become available again, the SCP instructing the switch to route the call to the service node. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. In a communication system of the type comprising a switch, a service control point (SCP), and a service node, wherein (i) when the SCP receives a signal from the switch indicating that the switch has received a request to set up a call to a called party, the SCP responsively applies service logic that normally causes the SCP to instruct the switch to route the call to a service node rather than to the called party, and (ii) the service node then normally receives the call and sets up the call to the called party, a method comprising:
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before receiving the signal at the SCP, making a determination that the service node is unavailable; and due to the determination, the SCP instructing the switch to treat the call in a manner other than routing the call to the service node, wherein the service node normally applies, to the call, at least one of (i) account-balance logic when the called party is a prepaid subscriber and (ii) a custom ring-back tone service. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. In a service control point (SCP) having (i) a signaling interface that receives a signal from a switch indicating that the switch has received a request to set up a call to a called party and (ii) service logic that normally causes the SCP to responsively instruct the switch to route the call to a service node instead of to the called party, an improvement comprising:
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first program logic executable, before receiving the signal from the switch, to (i) make a determination that the service node has become unavailable and (ii) set a flag in the SCP to indicate the unavailability of the service node, wherein the flag is used as a basis to determine that the service node is unavailable; and second program logic executable, in view of the determination, to instruct the switch to treat the call in a manner other than routing the call to the service node. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification