System and method for providing multi-media services to communication devices over a communications network

• US 8,732,248 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2012
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Peters, Robert Yaeger Jr., Samarasinghe, Harish
• Primary Examiner(s): TOWFIGHI, AFSHAWN M
• Application Number:
  US13/595,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20120324050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1023 Media gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• 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 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A method of processing multi-media service requests received at a multi-media services provider computer system, including a processor coupled to a media gateway controller and to a media server. The method includes receiving a message from a SIP INVITE-enabled communication device at the media gateway controller. The message is processed at the media gateway controller for generating an instruction message with unique indicators, which is communicated to the media server in a SIP INVITE format. The media server processes the instruction message to provide media services and collect user-information from the communication device. The media server processes the user-information and generates a first message in an HTTP form POST format with unique indicators, which includes the user-information and which can be processed at the processor. In this manner, the multi-media services provider computer system is compatible with the SIP INVITE-enabled device.

Claims

1. A method of processing multi-media service requests received at a multi-media services provider computer system including a media gateway controller having a processor, the method comprising:

receiving a first message in a first format by the processor of the media gateway controller from a first one of a plurality of communication devices;

processing the first message by the processor of the media gateway controller for generating an instruction message that is communicated to the media server, wherein the instruction message is for causing a media server to communicate a predetermined announcement to the first communication device, for allowing the media server to receive predetermined account-information in the first format from the first communication device in response to the predetermined announcement, and for allowing the media server to process the predetermined account-information in the first format to generate a validation message in a second format including the predetermined account-information; and

receiving the validation message in the second format including the predetermined account-information by the processor of the media gateway controller over a direct communication coupling, wherein the receiving the validation message in the second format over the direct communication coupling increases a rate at which user requests is processed.

2. The method of processing multi-media service requests of claim 1, further including processing the validation message in the second format by the processor of the media gateway controller to determine if the account-information included in the validation message in the second format is valid.

3. The method of processing multi-media service requests of claim 1, wherein the receiving the first message in the first format by the processor of the media gateway controller includes receiving a first message in a first session initiation protocol invite format.

4. The method of processing multi-media service requests of claim 1, wherein the processing the first message by the processor of the media gateway controller includes generating a second message in a first session initiation protocol invite format having a service query flag set to a value representative of service processing required.

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

processing the second message in the first session initiation protocol invite format by the processor of the media gateway controller to generate a third message in the first session initiation protocol invite format and having the service query flag modified to a value representative of media server required.

6. The method of processing multi-media service requests of claim 4, further comprising:

processing the second message in the first session initiation protocol invite format to generate a third message in the first session initiation protocol invite format and having the service query flag modified to a value representative of service processing completed.

7. The method of processing multi-media service requests of claim 4, further comprising:

processing the second message in the first session initiation protocol invite format to generate a third message in the first session initiation protocol invite format and having the service query flag modified to a value representative of service processing not required.

8. The method of processing multi-media service requests of claim 5, further comprising:

inserting a play termination announcement instruction into the third message in the first session initiation protocol invite format by the processor of the media gateway controller.

9. The method of processing multi-media service requests of claim 5, further comprising:

forming a call leg to the media server by generating a first message in a second session initiation protocol invite format that defines the instruction message.

10. The method of processing multi-media service requests of claim 9, further comprising:

forming a connection between the first communication device and the media server to permit multi-media communications between the first communication device and the media server.

11. The method of processing multi-media service requests of claim 1, wherein the generating the validation message in the second format includes generating a first message in a hypertext transfer protocol format including a caller-entered data parameter having a value set to represent validate caller-entered data.

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

processing the first message in the hypertext transfer protocol format by the processor of the media gateway controller to formulate a second message in the hypertext transfer protocol format; and

modifying the caller-entered data parameter to a value representative of;

a valid and connect, an invalid and re-prompt or an invalid and disconnect.

13. The method of processing multi-media service requests of claim 12, wherein if the second message in the hypertext transfer protocol format is modified to include the caller-entered data parameter having the value representative of the valid and connect, the media server is for processing the second message in the hypertext transfer protocol format to form a multi-media communication session between the first communication device and a second one of the plurality of communication devices.

14. The method of processing multi-media service requests of claim 13, wherein if the second message in the hypertext transfer protocol format is modified to include the caller-entered data parameter having the value representative of the invalid and re-prompt, the media server is for processing the second message in the hypertext transfer protocol format to re-prompt the first communication device for other user-information.

15. The method of processing multi-media service requests of claim 12, wherein if the second message in the hypertext transfer protocol format is modified to include the caller-entered data parameter having the value representative of the invalid and disconnect, the media server is for processing the second message in the hypertext transfer protocol format to disconnect communications between the media server and the first communication device.

16. A media gateway controller for processing multi-media service requests, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium in communication with the processor, wherein the computer-readable medium has stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving a first message in a first format from a first one of a plurality of communication devices;

processing the first message for generating an instruction message that is communicated to the media server, wherein the instruction message is for causing a media server to communicate a predetermined announcement to the first communication device, for allowing the media server to receive predetermined account-information in the first format from the first communication device in response to the predetermined announcement, and for allowing the media server to process the predetermined account-information in the first format to generate a validation message in a second format including the predetermined account-information; and

receiving the validation message in the second format including the predetermined account-information over a direct communication coupling, wherein the receiving the validation message in the second format over the direct communication coupling increases a rate at which user requests is processed.

17. The media gateway controller of processing multi-media service requests of claim 16, further including processing the validation message in the second format by the processor of the media gateway controller to determine if the account-information included in the validation message in the second format is valid.

18. The media gateway controller of processing multi-media service requests of claim 16, wherein the receiving the first message in the first format by the processor of the media gateway controller includes receiving a first message in a first session initiation protocol invite format.

19. The media gateway controller of processing multi-media service requests of claim 16, wherein the processing the first message by the processor of the media gateway controller includes generating a second message in a first session initiation protocol invite format having a service query flag set to a value representative of service processing required.

20. The media gateway controller of processing multi-media service requests of claim 19, further comprising:

processing the second message in the first session initiation protocol invite format by the processor of the media gateway controller to generate a third message in the first session initiation protocol invite format and having the service query flag modified to a value representative of media server required.