Managing feature interaction among a plurality of independent feature servers in telecommunications servers
View Patent ↗This invention relates to a method and apparatus for permitting a telecommunications switch to interact with a plurality of feature servers. All feature request messages from the switch are directed to a service integration node. A Policy Manager software and database system in the service integration node analyzes received request messages from the telecommunications switch, and generates one or more request messages to one or more of the feature servers. The Policy Manager controls the sequencing of feature request messages in cases where a plurality of feature servers, or a plurality of different application programs on one feature server, are required in order to supply the telecommunications switch with the response information necessary for executing the feature. Advantageously, using this type of arrangement, a telecommunications switch can communicate with a plurality of feature servers while controlling interaction among different features triggered by a common event, such as an incoming call.
1. Apparatus for communicating between a telecommunications switch and a plurality of at least two application servers, comprising:
a telecommunications switch;
a service integration node; and
a plurality of application servers;
said switch for generating an event request datagram for feature control information, and for transmitting said request datagram to said service integration node;
said service integration node for analyzing said event request datagram from said telecommunications switch, and converting said event request datagram into one or more feature request datagrams;
said service integration node for assigning each feature request datagram to an application server, and for transmitting
one or more feature request datagrams to one or more assigned application servers;
said application servers for analyzing received request datagrams, and for generating action datagrams for transmission to said service integration node;
said service integration node responsive to receipt of said action datagrams for generating at least one of an action datagram to said telecommunications switch, or an additional event request datagram to one of said application servers.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said service integration node comprises a Policy Manager for analyzing request datagram received from said telecommunications switch;
based on said analyzing, for transmitting said feature request datagrams to one or more feature servers; and
responsive to receipt of a response datagram from a feature server, for generating at least one of a response datagram to said telecommunications switch or an additional request datagram to one of said application servers.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional telecommunications switch, wherein said service integration node serves said telecommunications switch and said at least one additional telecommunications switch.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said telecommunication switch, said service integration node, and said plurality of application servers are interconnected by a data network.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said service integration node comprises a database for storing information about customers served by said telecommunications switch.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said service integration node stores information about how customers served by said telecommunications switch are to have request datagrams associated with events for said customers are to be processed by ones of said plurality of feature servers.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of application servers comprises a database for storing information about customers served by said telecommunications switch.
8. Apparatus for interfacing between a telecommunications switch and a plurality of at least two application servers, comprising:
a service integration node;
said service integration node comprising means for communicating with said telecommunications switch and said plurality of application servers; and
a database for storing information about customers served by said telecommuncations switch;
said service integration node responsive to an event request datagram received from said switch for analyzing said event request datagram, and converting said event request datagram into one or more feature request datagrams;
said service integration node for assigning each feature request datagram to an application server;
said service integration node for transmitting said one or more feature request datagrams to one or more assigned application servers;
said service integration node responsive to receipt of one or more action datagrams from said assigned application servers for generating at least one of an action datagram to said switch, or an additional event request datagram to one of said application servers.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said service integration node is further connected to at least one additional telecommunications switch, and wherein said service integration node serves said telecommunications switch and said at least one additional telecommunications switch.
10. In a telecommunications system comprising a telecommunications switch and a plurality of at least two application servers, a method of deriving information for implementing a feature for a customer served by said telecommunications switch, comprising the steps of:
generating an event request datagram for feature control information in said switch, and transmitting said request datagram to a service integration node;
in said service integration node, analyzing said event request datagram and converting said event request datagram into one or more feature request datagrams;
assigning each feature request datagram to an application server;
in said application servers, analyzing received request datagrams and generating action datagrams for transmission to said service integration node;
responsive to receipt of action datagrams in said service integration node, generating at least one of an action datagram to said telecommunications switch, or an additional event request datagram to one of said application servers;
wherein, eventually at least one action datagram is sent to said telecommunications switch in response to said event request datagram.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of analyzing said event request datagram comprises the step of analyzing said request datagram using a Policy Manager, wherein said Policy Manager has access to a database for storing information about customers served by said telecommunications switch.