Hybrid switching architecture having dynamically assigned switching models for converged services platform

1. A method for controlling calls in a telecommunication system comprising the steps of:

providing a first switching model which does not support self-routing connectionless communications and in which call control signaling and media switching are effectively coupled;

providing a second switching model which does support self-routing connectionless communications and in which call control signaling and media switching are effectively decoupled, said telecommunications system being configured to switch no bearer traffic during said second switching model; and

at the initiation of a call or during the progress of the call assigning one of said first and second switching models to said call whereby thereafter the call is processed in accordance with the assigned switching model.

2. The method as in claim 1 , wherein said telecommunication system is a converged services platform (CSP).

3. The method as in claim 1 , wherein said step of assigning is performed on a call-by-call basis.

4. The method as in claim 1 , wherein said step of assigning is performed according to a host message.

5. The method as in claim 4 , wherein said step of assigning defaults to a particular switching model in the event said host message is unavailable.

6. The method as in claim 1 , wherein said step of assigning is performed dynamically one or more times during said call.

7. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising the step of: providing media resources ananged on a media server.

8. The method as in claim 7 , wherein said media resources are selected from a group consisting of: generating tones, detecting tones, providing conferencing, recording announcements, and playing announcement.

9. The method as in claim 7 , wherein said media server is co-located with switching hardware of said telecommunication system.

10. The method as in claim 7 , wherein said media server is geographically remote from said switching hardware of said telecommunication system.

11. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising the step of: modifying existing telecommunication switching platforms with operating software to meet capabilities of assigning one of said first and second switching models to said call.

12. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising the step of: establishing an early media path prior to receiving an answer to said initiation of said call.

13. The method as in claim 12 , wherein said early media path plays a recorded announcement.

14. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising the step of: transitioning between a 2-way voice path and a 2-way data path during said call.

15. The method as in claim 14 , wherein said data path is used for transmitting data from a data communication device.

16. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising the step of: augmenting a 2-way voice path with a 2-way data path during said call.

17. The method as in claim 16 , wherein said data path is used for transmitting data from a data communication device.

18. The method as in claim 1 , wherein said telecommunication system is configured as an interactive voice response (IVR) system.

19. The method as in claim 18 , wherein said IVR system provides a prepaid calling service.

20. A method for controlling calls in a telecommunications system configured as an interactive voice response (IVR) system, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a first switching model in which call control signaling and media switching are effectively coupled;

providing a second switching model in which call control signaling and media switching are effectively decoupled;

at the initiation of a call or during the progress of the call, assigning one of said first and second switching models to said call;

providing a two-way RTP voice path from a first session initiation protocol end-point to a second telecommunication system having said interactive voice response system;

establishing a two-way TDM voice path between said interactive voice response system and with said second telecommunication system;

obtaining DTMF digits from said interactive voice response system;

after information is obtained from said interactive voice response system:

i) issuing messages to a second session initiation protocol end-point;

ii) establishing a two-way RTP voice path between said first session initiation protocol end-point and said second session initiation protocol end-point; and

iii) releasing said channel established between said interactive voice response system and said second telecommunication system; and

establishing a two-way RTP voice path between said first end-point and said second end-point.

21. A method for controlling calls in a telecommunication system comprising the steps of:

providing a first switching model in which call control signaling and media switching are effectively coupled;

providing a second switching model in which call control signaling and media switching are effectively decoupled;

at the initiation of a call or during the progress of the call, assigning one of said first and second switching models to said call, and wherein assigning said second switching model includes establishing a two-way RTP voice path between a first session initiation protocol end-point and a second session initiation protocol end-point, by said telecommunication system performing the following:

i) receiving a message from said first end-point and in response thereto, issuing a Request for Service with a data message to an associated host, with Session Description Protocol data of said first end-point contained within said data message, via an application programming interface with said host;

ii) receiving a Route Control message generated by said host, and in response signaling a call to said second end-point using an available voice over IP channel;

iii) issuing to said second end-point an invite message, which includes said first end-point Session Description Protocol as data, and waiting for said second end-point to return a ringing message;

iv) in response, issuing a ringing message to said first end-point and subsequently receiving from said second end-point, an OK message indicating that said second end-point is available to accept said call initiated by said first end-point;

v) issuing a message to said host with information regarding said first and second end-points and waiting for said host to respond with a message instructing said telecommunication system to process said call in accordance with said second with said second switching model; and

vi) issuing further messages to establish a two-way RTP voice path between said first and second end-points.

22. The method as in claim 21 , wherein said invite message is a SIP INVITE message.

23. The method as in claim 21 , further comprising the step of: establishing an early media path between said telecommunication system and said host to establish a two-way RTP early voice path between said first and second end-points.

24. The method as in claim 23 , wherein said second end-point plays a recorded announcement via said RTP early voice path.

25. The method as in claim 24 , wherein a media server is acting on behalf of said second end-point.

26. The method as in claim 21 , further comprising the step of: transitioning from said two-way RTP voice path to a two-way RTP data path upon said telecommunication system receiving a re-invite message from said second session initiation protocol end-point.

27. The method as in claim 26 , wherein said re-invite message is a SIP RE-INVITE message.

28. The method as in claim 26 , further comprising the steps of:

providing an internal media data transfer at said telecommunication system; and

issuing a re-invite message to said first end-point, to establish a two-way RTP Data path between said first end-point and said second end-point.

29. A telecommunication system comprising:

switching hardware having circuitry for operating under a first switching model and in which call control signaling and media switching are effectively coupled, and a second switching model which does support self-routing connectionless communications and in which call control signaling and media switching are effectively decoupled, said telecommunication system being configured to switch no bearer traffic; and

a processor to assign one of said first and second switching models to said call at the initiation of a call or during the progress of the call so that thereafter the call is processed in accordance with the assigned switchiing model.

30. The telecommunication system as in claim 29 , wherein said telecommunication system is a converged services platform (CSP).

31. The telecommunication system as in claim 29 , wherein said processor assigns said switching models on a call-by-call basis.

32. The telecommunication system as in claim 29 , wherein said processor assigns said switching models in response to a host message.

33. The telecommunication system as in claim 32 , wherein said step of assigning defaults to a particular switching model in the event said host message is unavailable.

34. The telecommunication system as in claim 29 , wherein said processor assigns said switching models dynamically one or more times during said call.

35. The telecommunication system as in claim 29 , further comprising: a media server for providing media resources.

36. The telecommunication system as in claim 35 , wherein said media resources are selected from a group consisting of: generating tones, detecting tones, providing conferencing, recording announcements, and playing announcements.

37. The telecommunication system as in claim 35 , wherein said media server is co-located with switching hardware of said telecommunication system.

38. The telecommunication system as in claim 35 , wherein said media server is geographically remote from said switching hardware of said telecommunication system.

39. The telecommunication system as in claim 29 , further comprising: operating software for modifying existing telecommunication switching platforms to meet capabilities of assigning one of said first and second switching models to said call.

40. The telecommunication system as in claim 29 , wherein an early media path is established prior to receiving an answer to said initiation of said call.

41. The telecommunication system as in claim 40 , wherein said early media path is utilized for playing a recorded announcement.

42. The telecommunication system as in claim 29 , wherein said switching hardware transitions between a 2-way voice path and a 2-way data path during said call.

43. The telecommunication system as in claim 42 , wherein said data path is used for transmitting data from a data communication device.

44. The telecommunication system as in claim 29 , wherein said switching hardware augments a 2-way voice path with a 2-way data path during said call.

45. The telecommunication system as in claim 29 , wherein said telecommunication system is configured as an interactive voice response (IVR) system.

46. The telecommunication system as in claim 45 , wherein said IVR system provides a prepaid calling service.

47. A telecommunication system comprising:

means for providing a first switching model which does not support self-routing connectionless communications and in which call control signaling and media switching are effectively coupled;

means for providing a second switching model which does support self-routing connectionless communications and in which call control signaling and media switching are effectively decoupled, said telecommunications system being configured to support no bearer traffic during said secondary switching model; and

means for assigning one of said first and second switching models to said call at the initiation of a call or during the progress of the call so that thereafter the call is processed in accordance with the assigned switching model.