Mixed protocol multi-media provider system incorporating a session initiation protocol (SIP) based media server adapted to operate using SIP messages which encapsulate GR-1129 advanced intelligence network based information

• US 7,180,984 B1
• Filed: 11/26/2002
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Samarasinghe, Harish
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang; Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): SING, SIMON P
• Application Number:
  US10/304,614
• Time in Patent Office: 1,547 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.13, 379/88.17, 370/354
• US Class Current: 379/88.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0069 comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals

Abstract

A system and method for processing a plurality of requests for a plurality of multi-media services received at a Private Service Exchange (PSX) defined on the system from a plurality of IP-communication devices. The system includes a Network Gateway Controller (GSX) coupled to the PSX and to a media sever (MS). The PSX is coupled to at least one IP Service Control Point (IP-SCP), which is operative to process the plurality of requests for the plurality of multi-media services. The IP-SCP further selectively directs the requests to the media server, via the PSX and GSX. The media server operates to form a preliminary multi-media communication path with a calling communication device. The MS further operates to play a plurality of announcements to the calling communication device over the preliminary multi-media communication path, as well as to collect caller-entered data from the calling communication device over the preliminary multi-media communication path.

Claims

1. A method of processing multi-media service requests received at a multi-media services provider system, the method comprising:

(A) receiving at least one request message in a first format for at least one multi-media service at a gateway controller located on the multi-media services provider system and translating the at least one request message in the first format into at least one request message in a second format;

(B) receiving the at least one request message in the second format at a switching device located on the multi-media services provider system and translating the at least one request message in the second format into at least one request message in a third format;

(C) receiving the at least one request message in the third format at a processor located on the multi-media services provider system and processing the at least one request message in the third format at the processor for generating a media server instruction message in the third format including at least interactive voice response message set information;

(D) receiving the media server instruction message in the third format at the switching device and processing the media server instruction message in the third format at the switching device to translate the media server instruction message into the second format including the interactive voice response message set information; and

(E) receiving the media server instruction message in the second format at the gateway controller, wherein the gateway controller is operative for mapping the interactive voice response message set information from the media server instruction message in the second format into a media server instruction message in the first format and wherein a media server located on the multi-media services provider system receives and responds to the media server instruction message in the first format including the interactive voice response message set information by forming a multi-media communication path with at least one communication device.

2. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 1, further including:

(a) playing a predetermined announcement to the at least one communication device over the multi-media communication path.

3. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 2, further including:

(b) receiving caller-entered data at the media server in response to the predetermined announcement.

4. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 3, further including

(c) processing the caller-entered data at the media server to generate a validation message in the first format and including the caller-entered data.

5. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 4, further including:

(d) receiving and processing the validation message in the first format at the gateway controller to generate a validation message in the second format and including the caller-entered data.

6. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 5, further including:

(e) receiving and processing the validation message in the second format at the switching device to generate a validation message in the third format and including the caller-entered data.

7. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 6, further including:

(f) receiving and processing the validation message in the third format at the processor to validate the caller-entered data.

8. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 7, further including:

(g) declaring the caller-entered data as valid and connect; and

(h) controlling the gateway controller to form a multi-media communication path between the at least one communication device and at least one other communication device.

9. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 8, wherein controlling the gateway controller includes:

(i) executing a predetermined conference call protocol at the gateway controller to form the multi-media communication path between the at least one communication device and the at least one other communication device.

10. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 9, wherein executing the predetermined conference call protocol at the gateway controller includes executing a third party call control protocol.

11. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 7, further including:

(g) declaring the caller-entered data as invalid and re-prompt; and

(h) controlling the media server to re-play the predetermined announcement to the at least one communication device over the multi-media communication path.

12. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 11, further including:

(i) receiving caller-entered data at the media server in the response to the re-play of the predetermined announcement to the at least one communication device; and

(j) repeating step (c).

13. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 7, further including:

(g) declaring the caller-entered data as invalid and disconnect;

(h) controlling the media server to play a termination announcement to the at least one communication device over the multi-media communication path; and

(i) disconnecting the multi-media communication path formed between the media server and the at least one communication device.

14. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 1, wherein translating the at least one request message in the first format into the at least one request message in the second format includes translating the at least one request message from a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP INVITE) format to a Diameter-Plus format.

15. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 1, wherein translating the at least one request message in the second format into the at least one request message in the third format includes translating the at least one request message from a Diameter-Plus format to an Advanced-Intelligent-Network Transactions Capabilities format.

16. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 1, wherein generating the media server instruction message in the third format includes generating the media server instruction message in an Artificial-Intelligence-Network Transactions Capabilities format.

17. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 1, wherein prior to the step (A), the method further includes:

receiving the at least one request message in the first format at the switching device; and

re-directing the at least one request message in the first format for the at least one multi-media service to the gateway controller.

18. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 1, wherein the gateway controller is further operative to construct a MIME GR-1129 media type in a message body portion of the media server instruction message in the first format.

19. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 1, wherein the interactive voice response message set information includes GR-1129 AIN message set information.

20. A system for processing multi-media service requests received at a multi-media services provider system, the system comprising:

a gateway controller located on the multi-media services provider system and being adapted to receive at least one request message in a first format for at least one multi-media service and to translate the at least one request message in the first format into at least one request message in a second format;

a switching device coupled to the gateway controller and being adapted to receive the at least one request message in the second format and to translate the at least one request message in the second format into at least one request message in a third format; and

a processor coupled to the switching device and being adapted to receive the at least one request message in the third format and to process the at least one request message in the third format to generate a media server instruction message in the third format including at least GR-1129 AIN message set information,

wherein the switching device receives and translates the media server instruction message in the third format to a media server instruction message in the second format including the GR-1129 AIN message set information, and the gateway controller receives and translates the media server instruction message in the second format to a media server instruction message in the first format including the GR-1129 AIN message set information, and

wherein a media server coupled to the gateway controller receives and responds to the media server instruction message in the first format by forming a multi-media communication path with at least one communication device.

21. A method of processing multi-media service requests received at a multi-media services provider system, the method comprising:

(A) receiving at least one request message in a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) format for at least one multi-media service at a gateway controller located on the multi-media services provider system and translating the at least one request message in the SIP format into at least one request message in a Diameter-Plus format;

(B) receiving the at least one request message in the Diameter-Plus format at a switching device located on the multi-media services provider system and translating the at least one request message in the Diameter-Plus format into at least one request message in an Advanced-Intelligent-Network Transactions Capabilities (TCAP) format;

(C) receiving the at least one request message in the TCAP format at a processor located on the multi-media services provider system and processing the at least one request message in the TCAP format at the processor for generating a media server instruction message in the TCAP format including at least GR-1129 AIN message set information;

(D) receiving the media server instruction message in the TCAP format at the switching device and processing the media server instruction message in the TCAP format at the switching device to translate the media server instruction message into the Diameter-Plus format including at least GR-1129 AIN message set information; and

(E) receiving the media server instruction message in the Diameter-Plus format at the gateway controller, wherein the gateway controller is operative for mapping the GR-1129 AIN message set information from the media server instruction message in the Diameter-Plus format into a media server instruction message in a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) format and wherein a media server located on the multi-media services provider system receives and responds to the media server instruction message in the SIP format by forming a multi-media communication path with at least one communication device.