System and method for mediating service invocation from a communication device

• US 8,718,687 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2007
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VHT Starstar LLC
• Original Assignee: Zoove Corporation (Medallia, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jemison, Timothy, Christensen, Gerald T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hua, Quan M
• Application Number:
  US11/985,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20080108333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,364 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/405, 455/414.1, 455/433, 455/466, 455/401, 455/418, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/432.3, 370328-338, 379/93.01, 379/114.13, 379/142.04, 379/201.02, 379/207.02, 379/221.14, 379/242, 379/350, 705/14.4, 705/77
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

A system and method for enabling a number of service providers to respond to communication device user service invocations through a service invocation distribution center. A telecommunications switch is provisioned with a trigger that operates based on a service prefix code in a service invocation message. Calling events that include various service prefix codes that match trigger firing criteria cause the trigger to execute call control logic within the telecommunications switch to forward information concerning the service invocation to the distribution center. The distribution center matches a service provider with a prefix code in conjunction with the forwarded information and forwards the service invocation to the appropriate service provider. The service invocation message may include a service code that indicates the specific service requested. The triggers are provisioned in the telecommunications switch once, thereby reducing complexity and administrative burdens in relation to providing services through a telecommunications system.

Claims

1. A method for forwarding a service request with a call that from a communication device in a communication system for later fulfillment of the service request, comprising:

provisioning a database comprising a non-numeric prefix code and a corresponding point code address, at a telecommunication switch, to thereby provision the telecommunication switch to later recognize the non-numeric prefix code in a digit string received from the communication device;

storing the non-numeric prefix code and the corresponding point code address in a memory of the telecommunication switch;

receiving the digit string from the communication device during a call processing, at the telecommunication switch, comprising the non-numeric prefix code, and wherein the digit string further comprising a service code indicating a service to be fulfilled;

translating the non-numeric prefix code to the point code address which indicates a network address of a destination service control point (SCP) using said database;

suspending the call processing and

transmitting a message to said SCP, the message comprising the digit string;

in response to said receiving the digit string, forwarding the message, by the SCP, to a service processing center, wherein the service processing center is connected to a plurality of service providers;

if the service processing center determines the digit string is invalid, transmitting, by the service processing center, via the SCP to the telecommunication switch a command configured to cause the switch to continue translate the digit and resume the call processing;

if the service processing center determines the digit string is valid, performing a service fulfillment in accordance with the service code and a user service delivery profile, and providing the telecommunication switch with instructions to resume the call.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising forwarding the message, from a service processing center located at the point code address, to one of a plurality of service providers to indicate a service requested of the service provider based on the non-numeric prefix code.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the message further comprises one or more of user, communication device, subscription or location information.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the message comprises one or more of an Origination Request (ORREQ) message, a Wireless Intelligent Network (WIN) message, an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) message, an Intelligent Network Application Protocol (INAP) message, a Customized Applications for Mobile Enhanced Logic (CAMEL) message or Session Initiated Protocol (SIP).

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the digit string is a short code.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the telecommunication switch is provisioned to recognize the non-numeric prefix code at one or more detection points in a basic call state model processing sequence.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the non-numeric prefix code comprises one or more of the digit strings #, *, **, ##, *# or #*.

8. The method according to claim 2, further comprising implementing the service processing center as a proxy service to prevent private data associated with the message from being directed to the plurality of service providers.

9. The method according to claim 2, further comprising selectively providing, by the service processing center, private data associated with the message to one of the plurality of service providers in accordance with one or more of end-user preferences, carrier preferences or private data forwarding rules.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selecting, by a service processing center located at the point code address, one of a plurality of service providers for service fulfillment based on a location of the telecommunication switch.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the telecommunication switch does not look up multiple functions based on the non-numeric prefix code.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein translating the non-numeric prefix code to the point code destination address is accomplished without recognition of numeric digits following the non-numeric prefix code in the digit string.

11. A system comprising a telecommunication switch and service processing center configured for forwarding a service request from a communication device in a communication system for later fulfillment of the service request, the telecommunication switch comprising:

a memory for storing non-numeric prefix codes and corresponding point code addresses; and

a processor configured for

(i) receiving database comprising a non-numeric prefix code and a corresponding point code address to thereby provision the telecommunication switch to later recognize the non-numeric prefix code in a digit string received from the communication device,

(ii) storing the non-numeric prefix code and the corresponding point code address in the memory,

(iii) receiving the digit string from the communication device comprising the non-numeric prefix code during a call processing and wherein the digit string further comprising a service code indicating a service to be fulfilled, (iv) translating the non-numeric prefix code to the point code address which indicates a network address of a destination service control point (SCP) using said database, and (v) suspending the call processing and transmitting a message to the SCP specified by the point code address, the message comprising the digit string;

the service-fulfillment database is configured for storing records each comprising service codes and fields indicating service-fulfillment configurations associated with the service codes; and

a processor configured for (i) receiving the message from the SCP, (ii) identifying the service code contained within the message, (iii) looking up, in a service-fulfillment database, a service-fulfillment configuration based on the identified service code, (iv) if the service processing center determines the digit string is invalid, transmitting by the service processing center via the service control point (SCP) to the telecommunication switch a command configured to cause the switch to continue translate the digit and resume the call processing;

if the service processing center determines the digit string is valid, performing a service fulfillment in accordance with the service code and a user service delivery profile and providing the switch with instructions to resume the call and providing a service based on service-fulfillment configuration.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the message further comprises one or more of user, communication device, subscription or location information.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the message is formatted as a call information message.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the call information message comprises one or more of an Origination Request (ORREQ) message, a Wireless Intelligent Network (WIN) message, an Advanced Intelligent Network Intelligent (AIN) message, an Intelligent Network Application Protocol (INAP) message, a Customized Applications for Mobile Enhanced Logic (CAMEL) message or Session Initiated Protocol (SIP).

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the digit string is a short code.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein the telecommunications switch is provisioned to recognize the non-numeric prefix code at one or more detection points in a basic call state model processing sequence.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein the non-numeric prefix code is one or more of the digit strings #, *, **, ##′

*# or #*.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the telecommunication switch does not look up multiple functions based on the non-numeric prefix code.

21. The system of claim 11, wherein translating the non-numeric prefix code to the point code destination address is accomplished without recognition of numeric digits following the non-numeric prefix code in the digit string.