Abstract:
A system and method are provided for selectively distributing a parameter with a selected feature from one mobile switch center to another mobile switch center. A master control file is provided and downloaded to the one mobile switch center with instructions identifying parameters to be excluded from transmission. The instructions are implemented via a filter file program.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention pertains to the distribution of telephonic features among mobile switch centers (MSCs). 
     Wireless intersystem communications in the telephony industry comply with ANSI41 which is the industry standard for wireless radio communications intersystem operations. The ANSI41 standard is adopted and recognized by the American National Standards Institute and is published by the Telecommunications Industry Association/Electronics Industry Association TR-45.2 subcommittee, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. 
     In a wireless network having a plurality of MSCs acting as nodes in the network, the telephonic features that are defined by parameters in a message are transmitted among the MSCs in accordance with the ANSI41 standard. Compliance with the ANSI41 Standard requires that forward and backward compatibility exist for messaging among the MSCs and nodes in a telephonic network. Thus, even though an MSC does not provide a feature defined by a parameter in a message, the ANSI41 Standard provides that the parameter supporting that feature be disregarded or ignored by the MSC not providing the feature and that the operation/call be handled in accordance with the ANSI41 Standard in all other respects. 
     In practice, wireless telephonic networks include MSCs supplied by many different vendors. If one MSC fails to comply with ANSI41 regarding the processing of an operation/call including a parameter having a feature not provided by the MSC then degradation of the processing of the operation/call occurs including a total failure to establish the call. 
     Currently, extensive preliminary testing is done to determine if a feature is going to encounter a problem messaging among the MSCs in a telephonic network. When a MSC is identified as not complying with the ANSI41 Standard, expensive and time consuming software fixes are implemented to overcome the problem. Then if the noncompliance is corrected, the software fixes are undone with a corresponding expense and time. 
     Telephonic features are proliferating, and the benefits of features such as caller ID, call waiting and call forwarding are universally recognized. The innovators and providers of such features are inhibited to offer a new feature because MSCs in the network that do not offer the feature and fail to comply with the ANSI41 Standard will not properly process a operation/call which includes a parameter associated with a new feature. Accordingly, the innovators and providers of new features are impeded from developing and distributing and test marketing new features and obtaining the revenues associated with the new features. Ultimately, the benefits derived by the consumer from new features are jeopardized. 
     The present invention is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of one or more of the problems set forth above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A system and method are provided in accordance with the invention for distributing a telephonic feature among a plurality of MSCs in a telephonic network including generating a message with a parameter and selectively determining whether to distribute the parameter to other mobile switch centers in the network. 
     The invention further provides for generating a message at the sending mobile switch center having the parameter, and selectively determining whether to distribute the parameter to a selected one of the mobile switch centers. 
     In another aspect of the invention a control file is established for identifying in the control file a selected one of the mobile switch centers, and excluding distribution to the selected one of the mobile switch centers of a parameter having a selected feature determined not to be distributed. A server having a master control file is provided for establishing a call processing node associated with the sending mobile switch center, and receiving at the call processing node a copy of the master control file. A copy of the master control file is downloaded from the server to a call processing node of the sending mobile switch center. A call processing node having a software program is provided for processing information associated with the master control file. 
     In yet another aspect of the invention the master control file and a control file copy are stored in the memory of the call processing node and updated in real time or alternatively refreshed periodically. 
     These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a functional block diagram of a system in accordance with the invention; 
     FIG. 2 shows a table of information associated with a master control file in accordance with the invention; and 
     FIG. 3 shows a flow chart in accordance with the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A system  100  in accordance with the invention is shown in FIG.  1 . The system  100  includes a plurality of nodes or mobile switch centers MSCs, MSCx  110 , MSC 1   120 , MSC 2   130 , and MSCn  140  in a wireless telephonic the ANSI41 standard. In practice, the system  100  operates in a telephonic network with a large number of mobile switch centers operated by many different providers or vendors. The system  100  in accordance with the invention operates in a range of telephonic networks. The range includes a telephonic network in a limited geographical area, such as a metropolitan area, and a telephonic network transversing international boundaries. 
     In the operation of the system  100 , messages in accordance with the ANSI41 Standard are generated and transmitted among the MSCs, for example from a sending MSCx to remote MSC 1 , MSC 2  . . . MSCn. The messages include preferably optional parameters to define telephonic features included with the parameter. 
     As previously explained, some MSCs are not able to process all parameters in messages and thus do not comply with the ANSI41 standard. New features introduced are defined by parameters in messages. The new features are frequently introduced in a competitive business climate, and accordingly, vendors desire to introduce new features as soon as possible even though not all MSCs are able to process parameters that correspond to the new features. When an operation/call having a parameter associated with a new feature arrives at a non-complying MSC degradation of the call processing sometimes occurs including the failure to establish a call. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the MSCx  110  has a call processing node (CPN)  150  which generates and transmits messages from the sending MSCx  110  to the other remote MSCs in the telephonic network. A server  160  interfaces with the call processing node  150  contained in the MSCx  110 . The server  160  has a master control file  165 . A PC  170  having connections with the server  160  performs operations on the master control file  165 . 
     The call processing node  150  includes a memory  175  for storing a control file copy  178  of the master control file  165 . The control file copy  178  is a replica of the master control file  165  and is downloaded to the memory  175  via instructions from the PC  170 . The call processing node  150  includes a filter program  180  that processes data associated with the control file copy  178  in the memory  175  so that a message generated and transmitted by the call processing node  150  does not include a parameter that will be rejected by a non-complying MSC. 
     FIG. 2 shows data associated with the master control file  165 , which is the same as the control file copy  178  downloaded in the memory  175 . Column  181  identifies a specific parameter I.D. represented by X, Y and Z. Column  182  indicates the specific instructions, send or do not send the parameter, and column  183  indicates which mobile switch centers (MSCs) are to be excluded from receiving the parameter. 
     For example, for parameter X all mobile switching centers (MSCs) are excluded from receiving the parameter. For parameter Y, mobile switching centers (MSCs) A, C, D and E are excluded from receiving parameter Y. A similar analysis follows for parameter Z where mobile switch centers (MSCs) D, E, F and G are excluded from receiving the parameter. Moreover, if a parameter does not exist in the control file copy  175 , then the parameter is preferably sent to all MSCs. 
     In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the control file copy  178  in the memory of  175  of the call processing node  150  is periodically refreshed with the copy of the master control file  165 , which from time to time is updated via the PC  170 . 
     Alternatively, real time update of the control file copy  178  is provided. Upon instructions initiated at the PC  170 , the master control file  165  is updated and the server  160  downloads a control file copy  178  to the memory  175  of the call processing node  150 . 
     In the operation of the invention, when a call transmission failure occurs because an MSC erroneously rejects a message because a parameter is associated with a feature not processed by the MSC, the failure is corrected in real time by: 
     1. Modifying the master control file  165  to filter the parameter for an identified non-complying MSC; and then 
     2. Downloading of the control file  178  to the sending MSCx  110  to provide the sending MSCx  110  with the updated information identifying the parameter that will not be transmitted to the non-complying MSC because the parameter includes a feature that is erroneously rejected by the non-complying MSC, and 
     3. Coupling the filter program  180  with the sending MSCx  110  to filter a parameter unacceptable to a receiving non-complying MSC so that the receiving non-complying MSC provides the acceptable level of service to the message in the absence of the unacceptable parameter introduced to the telephonic network and transmitted to the non-complying MSC. 
     Accordingly, an otherwise service affecting outage is rectified instantaneously without having to effect a software change in any network MSC. 
     If sending and receiving MSCs are owned by different providers or vendors, the owner of the sending MSC in current practice has the ability to charge the owner of the receiving non-complying MSC to correct the receiving MSC&#39;s inability to handle the new parameter by excluding the transmission of the unaccepted parameter to the non-complying receiving MSC. Thus the invention provides a revenue opportunity for the vendor of the sending MSC. 
     The operation of the invention allows software supporting features or services to be deployed in advance of the ability or capacity of all MSCs in the telephonic network to accept and process a parameter including a new feature or to provide support for updated and revised capability rules. This result is achieved by encoding the master control file  165  and downloading the encoding information to control file copy  178 . The filter program then prevents the sending of such parameters to all MSCs. When a receiving MSC becomes software ready, the encoding information is updated in the master control file  165  and control file copy  178 , and the software ready MSC is deleted from the excluded destinations. Accordingly, the filter program  180  allows the transmission of the parameter to the software ready MSC. This is accomplished without having to deploy the sending MSC&#39;s software enhancements in a phased approach. Rather, the master control file  165  is updated to reflect the software ready status of the MSCs in the telephonic network. 
     FIG. 3 shows a flowchart in accordance with the invention for the filter program  180 . The method starts at step  200 . Then at step  210  a message with parameter X, for example, is generated. At step  220 , it is determined if parameter X is in the control file copy  178 . If not, the method proceeds to step  240  and the message is sent and the method ends at step  250 . If yes, the method proceeds to step  230  where the MSC destination is determined. After step  230 , the method proceeds to step  260  where it is determined if the MSC destination is in the file for that parameter. If the MSC destination is in the file, then the method proceeds to step  270  and the parameter is not sent, and the method then ends at step  280 . If the MSC destination is not in the file for that parameter, the method proceeds to step  240  and the message is sent. The method then ends at step  250 . 
     Those skilled in the art having the benefit of the present disclosure will appreciate that the present invention may take many forms and embodiments. Some embodiments have been presented and described so as to give an understanding of the invention. It is intended that these embodiments should be illustrative, and not limiting of the present invention. Rather, it is intended that the invention cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.