Abstract:
The present invention discloses a method, program product and system for facilitating efficient development and deployment of features in a voice over internet protocol telephony system comprising protocol specific equipment. The method and program product comprise: developing a feature for deployment in the telephony system using a developer protocol, the developer protocol being independent of any specific VoIP protocol, and performing communication protocol conversion between the developer protocol and a specific VoIP protocol used by the telephony system on feature-related messages in order to communicate with the protocol specific equipment. The system comprises: a feature performance layer for performing telephony features, the feature performance layer being independent of any specific VoIP protocol used by the protocol specific equipment, and a communication interface layer interfacing with the feature performance layer to provide communication protocol conversion between the feature performance layer and the protocol specific telephony equipment.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     A. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention is directed to the field of VoIP telephony and specifically to the efficient development and implementation of enhanced VoIP features in telephony systems.  
         [0003]     B. Background  
         [0004]     Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) generally refers to the technology used today to provide both traditional and enhanced telephony features using a local or wide area network. There are currently competing protocols for communicating via VoIP. Some of the most relevant ones are: Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) and H.323. Not only are there multiple protocols, but the protocols themselves are changing and evolving. Even if one protocol becomes dominant and a de facto standard, it is expected that the embedded base of products using one of the other protocols will be sufficiently significant to require their being supported for some time.  
         [0005]     Most commercial VoIP systems and providers and indeed all traditional telecommunications providers include some core telephony features such as call forwarding, call waiting, call transfer and call hold. Were it limited to these features, VoIP would not be as compelling for customers. One of the main attractions for using VoIP is the ability to use enhanced telephony applications and features such as voice mail, conference bridge, multi-ring, unified messaging, auto attendant, receptionist console, automatic call distribution, and system administration as well as the ability to develop custom applications.  
         [0006]     For a company providing such features using VoIP, it is very important to be able to develop and implement them quickly and efficiently. The existence of multiple protocols and their dynamic nature as described above adds complexity to VoIP feature development and implementation. Some companies may offer an enhanced feature, but only to users whose equipment complies with a specific protocol. In these cases, the application developed to provide the feature is integrated and written to work with a specific IP protocol, such as SIP. If, later, the application needs to be revised or a new one needs to be added, the developer must write the application such that it can work with the specific IP protocol. Also, if the protocol itself changes over time, the application will likely need to be rewritten for the feature to work with the revised protocol. Indeed, all applications designed to work with a specific protocol would need to be revisited were the protocol to change. For customers using the same features but with equipment operating under different protocols, this requires the developer to know the different protocols.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     Having identified the aforementioned problems in the existing methods of providing VoIP features, the inventors have developed the present invention. The present invention provides an architecture and method for developing and implementing VoIP features that avoids the drawbacks of existing systems as described above. It allows for a developer to implement or revise features quickly and without worrying that they will not work with the protocol used by the customer equipment, such as SIP, MGCP, etc. Further, when the protocols themselves change, use of the present invention makes it unnecessary for the developer to rewrite the feature applications. In addition, instead of having to know the various IP protocols in use by the different customers, under the present invention, the developer needs only to be familiar with the developer&#39;s own standard protocol.  
         [0008]     The present invention, as described herein, provides a method of facilitating efficient development and deployment of features in a voice over internet protocol telephony system comprising protocol specific equipment. The method comprises: developing a feature for deployment in the telephony system using a developer protocol, the developer protocol being independent of any specific VoIP protocol, and performing communication protocol conversion between the developer protocol and a specific VoIP protocol used by the telephony system on feature-related messages in order to communicate with the protocol specific equipment.  
         [0009]     The present invention also provides a system for facilitating efficient development and deployment of features in a voice over internet protocol telephony system comprising protocol specific equipment. Such a system comprises: a feature performance layer for performing telephony features, the feature performance layer being independent of any specific VoIP protocol used by the protocol specific equipment, and a communication interface layer interfacing with the feature performance layer to provide communication protocol conversion between the feature performance layer and the protocol specific telephony equipment.  
         [0010]     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the present invention, are given by way of illustration and not limitation. Many changes and modifications within the scope of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     The foregoing advantages and features of the invention will become apparent upon reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, of which:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates the logical components of an existing VoIP system;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  illustrates the logical components of a VoIP system using a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  illustrates the detailed connection between a SIP proxy and the various customer telephony devices; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating basic call processing under the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]      FIG. 1  illustrates the logical components of an existing VoIP system. Element  100  represents an enhanced VoIP feature application. In this figure, conferencing is used as an example of such an enhanced feature application. This application is connected to a SIP proxy  102  which in turn is connected to SIP protocol customer telephony devices such as an IP phone  110  and a gateway  112 . A media server  108  provides the audio mixing functionality used with the conferencing application  100  and can communicate directly with the SIP proxy  102  and the application  100 . The application can also be connected to an interworking function (IWF)  104  to allow it to communicate with an MGCP call agent  106  which in turn is connected to MGCP protocol customer devices such as IP phone  114  and a gateway  116  which facilitates the connection with the public switched telephone network. Also, the application can provide information to the end-user and provide some call management functions via a HTTP server  118  or a Java application  120 .  
         [0017]     The connections between the application  100  and the SIP proxy  102  as well as the connection between the application and the IWF  104  and the media server  108  are all in SIP protocol in this example. The protocol is integrated with the application which must be able to speak and understand SIP protocol. It can work with MGCP protocol clients, but only through the use of the IWF  104 . Thus, in existing systems such the one shown in  FIG. 1 , the developer of the application  100  needs to write it to work with SIP protocol. If the application needs to be revised, the developer would need to make it work with the protocols in which the application needed to communicate (e.g., SIP). And if the protocol changes in some way, the conferencing application and, indeed, all other applications would likely need to be rewritten. The features must then also be re-tested to ensure functionality.  
         [0018]     In the conferencing example shown in  FIG. 1 , a separate media server  108  is used and that also needs to be able to communicate in and understand SIP protocol; the same problems as identified above are faced by the media server. The application  100  also needs to communicate in and understand Java  120  (e.g., a receptionist control program) as well as be able to communicate with the HTTP server  118 . Both Java and HTTP can be used for presenting information to the user. The SIP proxy and the MGCP call agents are the devices through which the PSTN or Internet are connected.  
         [0019]     In contrast to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2  illustrates the logical components of a VoIP system using a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Here the enhanced feature application  200  (e.g., conferencing) need only be able to communicate in and understand the developer&#39;s standard protocol (e.g., Catch-9 protocol). The SIP protocol state machine  202  handles translation of data between Catch-9 protocol and SIP protocol. The MGCP protocol state machine  204  handles translation of data between Catch-9 protocol and MGCP protocol. Other protocol state machines could be added as necessary. The protocol state machines  202  and  204  are connected to, respectively, SIP proxy  206  and MGCP call agent  208 . SIP proxy  206  is in turn connected to SIP protocol customer telephony devices such as an IP phone  210  and a gateway  212 . MGCP call agent  208  is in turn connected to MGCP protocol customer telephony devices such as an IP phone  214  and a gateway  216 .  
         [0020]     SIP proxy  206  and MGCP call agent  208  are similar in function to the SIP proxy  102  and the MGCP call agent  104  described above. In the present invention, however the application  200  does not need to know anything about the internet protocols used by the customer equipment. The use of the protocols state machines  202  and  204  facilitates this. Indeed, none of the communications between the application  200  and any of the attached logical elements need be in any standard internet protocol. The application  200  is not based on or impacted by the internet protocols of any customer devices. If there is a change/revision of a feature, the developer does not need to understand or know any IP protocols. Instead, the developer merely needs to revise the feature application. The protocol state machines will perform the translations necessary to ensure operability with the various protocols used by the devices. If there is a change to one of the protocols, in the present invention, only the corresponding protocol state machine needs to be revised. This is then effective for all feature applications without the feature applications themselves having to be rewritten.  
         [0021]     The application  200 , which in this example is shown as a conferencing application, uses a media server  218  in this example. The media server provides the audio mixing necessary for the conferencing feature and communicates with the application  200  in the developer&#39;s standard protocol (e.g., Catch-9 protocol). Similarly, the application  200  communicates with a Web interface  220  in that developer&#39;s standard protocol. The Web interface allows the application to provide information to the end-user and provide some call management functions via an HTTP server  222  or a Java application  224 .  
         [0022]     To tie what is shown in  FIG. 2  to a real world case, take, for example, the conference feature application. Assume that a customer has requested that the developer provide VoIP conferencing capability and that the customer uses a mix of SIP and MGCP protocol equipment. Under the architecture and method of the present invention, the developer can add a new feature, such as conferencing, to the customer&#39;s existing VoIP system without needing to know the specifics behind the IP protocols being used by the customer. Indeed, the developer can implement the conferencing application without even knowing what particular IP protocols are being used by the customer equipment, presuming that the system already includes the corresponding protocol state machine. The developer creates (or maybe has already created) the conferencing application and transmits it to the customer for updating the customer&#39;s server. No extensive testing is necessary to ensure that the feature will work with the devices since the feature does not contain any protocol specific coding. In this way, the feature is developed and implemented very quickly, much more quickly than can be done using existing systems. A similar example would be the revision or updating of features of an existing application. This also would be performed more quickly than in existing systems.  
         [0023]     Another example addresses the change in a protocol itself. For example, suppose a customer&#39;s devices use a newer version of the SIP protocol. Instead of having to re-test and revise all existing feature applications to work with the newer version of the protocol, under the system of the present invention, the developer would merely need to address the protocol change in one location; the protocol state machine. By changing the protocol state machine corresponding to the protocol in question, the developer effects a change that will be effective for all feature applications.  
         [0024]     In both  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the connection between the IP phones and gateways with the SIP proxies and MGCP call agents is shown in abbreviated form. A more detailed illustration of the connections is shown in  FIG. 3 . This figure shows a SIP proxy  300  as an example but applies equally to an MGCP call agent. The SIP proxy  300  is connected to a router  302  which directs the flow of data between the SIP proxy and the customer devices. The router is preferably connected to the various communication networks over which communication with the customer devices will occur. These networks include the Internet  304 , a virtual private network (VPN)  306  and a local area network (LAN)  308 . These networks are in turn connected to customer devices such as IP phones  310 ,  312 ,  314  and  316  as well as a gateway  318 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating basic call processing under the present invention. In step  402 , a VoIP message is received by the system at, for example, the SIP proxy or the MGCP call agent, perhaps through a router. In step  404 , the message is parsed and decoded, preferably at the SIP proxy or MGCP call agent—the step retrieves relevant data from the VoIP message. Then, in step  406 , the relevant protocol state machine translates the message to the developer&#39;s protocol (e.g., Catch-9 protocol). Next, in step  408 , a core call processing component analyzes the message and determines whether a VoIP feature is required. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the function of this call processing component is performed by the customer server equipment. If no VoIP features are determined to be required, the process proceeds to step  418 ; this is the case, for example, for a “normal” telephone call not requiring any special features. If it is determined that a VoIP feature is required to be performed, the call processing proceeds to step  410 . In step  410 , the relevant feature is invoked and performed. Such features, include, for example, call forwarding, call waiting and conferencing. Steps  412 - 416  illustrate an optional process performed. That is, in step  412 , the system determines whether feature information needs to be presented to the user. Such information includes, for example, a display listing the other parties connected to a conference call. If such feature information is not to be provided to the user, the process proceeds to step  418 . If it is to be provided, the relevant message is sent to the web interface in step  414 . Then, in step  416 , the web interface uses Java or HTTP to communicate the information to the user. The call processing then proceeds to step  418 . Note that a call could also come in through the Java or HTTP server via the web interface. For example, the person running a relevant Java application can monitor, join, or disconnect someone else from a conference. The processing of such actions do not need to go through protocol conversion.  
         [0026]     In step  418 , the internal developer&#39;s protocol message is returned to the protocol state machine for conversion back to the protocol from which it originated. In step  420 , in the relevant proxy, the appropriate protocol message is constructed. In step  422 , the call processing concludes with the transmission of the VoIP message, in the correct protocol, to the final destination (via the proxy and router if applicable).  
         [0027]     In the preferred embodiment, customer server equipment runs the features and controls the interaction with the users. In this embodiment, when the customer requests or requires a new feature to be added or a feature to be updated, the developer sends the customer a revised program to update or replace that which is currently run on the customer server. In an alternate embodiment, everything except for the phone and gateways is run on the developer&#39;s server or on some central servers. The features are then strictly controlled and can be updated frequently without needing to update programming in customer servers.  
         [0028]     One of the features of the present invention that allows for the benefits described above is the use of protocol state machines to convert from a developer&#39;s protocol to one or more VoIP protocols. As mentioned above, this allows for a developer to implement or revise features quickly and without worrying that they will not work with the protocol used by the customer equipment. Further, when the protocols themselves change, having used the present invention prevents the developer from having to rewrite the feature applications. The protocol state machines are merely modified, and the change is then effective for all features. These protocol state machines are shown, in  FIG. 2 , as elements  202  and  204 .  
         [0029]     Most VoIP features can be implemented using various combinations of nine types of messages. The protocol state machine therefore, must be able to translate these nine types of messages between a developer&#39;s protocol and a standard VoIP protocol. Table 1 illustrates the correspondence between these nine types of messages under the developer&#39;s protocol and those under the two major standard VoIP protocols, SIP and MGCP. It also shows the minor differences in the correspondence depending upon whether the message is incoming or outgoing with respect to the customer system. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that other correspondence tables could be constructed and used under the present invention. The scope of the present invention is not limited by the particular correspondence illustrated in the table below. Indeed, should a VoIP protocol change over time, the correspondence table may need to be revised.  
                                                   TABLE 1                           Correspondence Table            Developer   SIP Protocol   MGCP Protocol            Protocol   Incoming   Outgoing   Incoming   Outgoing               Forward Call   INVITE   INVITE   Originator Offhook +   Terminator Ringing +       Setup   Method   Method   Originator Digits +   Terminator Create                   Originator Create   Connection Request                   Connection Response       Backward Call   INVITE   INVITE   Terminator Ringing   Terminator Create       Setup   Response   Response   Response, or   Connection Response                   Terminator Offhook, or                   Terminator Create                   Connection Response       Connect   ACK Method   ACK Method   Originator Modify   Not Applicable       Acknowledgement           Connection Response       Release   BYE Method,   BYE Method,   Onhook or   Delete Connection           or CANCEL   or CANCEL   Delete Connection           Method   Method       Transfer   REFER   REFER   XML Event   XML Event       Request   Method   Method       Transfer   REFER   REFER   Not Applicable   Ignored       Response   Response   Method       New Media   re-INVITE   re-INVITE   Modify Connection   Modify Connection       Request   Method   Method       New Media   re-INVITE   re-INVITE   Modify Connection   Modify Connection       Response   Response   Response   Response   Response       Info   Other message   Transmit   Other message not   Transmit message       Message   not affecting   message   affecting call logic   contents           call logic   contents                  
 
         [0030]     Tables 2 and 3 below show basic message overviews of SIP and MGCP respectively and provide descriptions of the terms and types of messages found in Table 1. The SIP protocol is defined in RFC3261. Further details of the SIP protocol can be found at: http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc3261.txt?number=3261.  
                         TABLE 2                           SIP Messages            SIP Message   Purpose               INVITE   Initiates a phone call/session. Contains information about       Method   the originating party and the called address.       INVITE   Indicates information about the terminating call party.       Response   Values include Trying, Ringing and Connect.       ACK   Indicates the originating party&#39;s acceptance of the       Method   call/session.       BYE   Indicates the desire to end a call/session. Can be       Method   initiated by either party.       CANCEL   Indicates the originating party&#39;s desire to end a       Method   call/session prior to the call being answered by the           terminating party.       REFER   Indicates the desire to transfer the call/session to       Method   a third party. Contains the transfer address. Can be           initiated by either the call originator or terminator.       re-INVITE   Indicates a desire to change the media attributes of       Method   the call/session                  
 
         [0031]     The MGCP protocol is defined in RFC2705. The complete details of this protocol can be found at: http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2705.txt?number=2705.  
                             TABLE 3                           MGCP Messages                MGCP Message   Purpose                       Offhook   The call originator or terminator has               lifted the receiver           Onhook   The call originator or terminator has               replaced the receiver           Digits   The number dialed by the call originator           Ringing   Request to cause the terminating phone               to ring           Ringback   Request to cause the originator to hear               ringing in the receiver           Create   Request to cause a media connection to           Connection   be created           Modify   Request to alter an existing media           Connection   connection           Delete   Request to delete an existing media           Connection   connection           XML Event   Indicate interaction with a display               element of a phone                      
 
         [0032]     In the case of both the SIC and also the MGCP protocols, the protocol messages may include, as a subpart or attachment, a message formulated in a separate SDP protocol. Media Information about a VoIP phone call (IP addresses, port addresses, and such things as the encryption protocol) are conveyed via this included Session Description Protocol (SDP) message. The SDP protocol is defined in RFC2327, http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2327.txt?number=2327. The major components of the SDP are: “Codecs supported” i.e., what type of compression to be used on the call; IP Address, i.e., at what IP address the phone/endpoint is listening for and also sending back audio; and “Port” i.e., which port number at that IP address serves as the phone/endpoint port and is listening for and also sending back audio. “Voice transport information” is one type of media information.  
         [0033]     In the preferred embodiment, the developer protocol message types are defined as follows. Other types and other definitions could also be used under the present invention.  
         [0034]     The Forward Call Setup message is used to initiate a new call. In addition to the call address information, it contains the originator&#39;s voice transport information. This message is defined in Table 4.  
                             TABLE 4                       Forward Call Setup                                    Calling Address   Character String           Calling Subscriber   Integer           Called Address   Character String           Called Subscriber   Integer           Diverting Address   Character String           Diverting Subscriber   Integer           Conference Bridge   Character String           Transport Host   Character String           Transport Port   Integer           Transport Codecs   Character String                      
 
         [0035]     The Backward Call Setup message is a successful acknowledgement to a new call initiation. In typical call processing, multiple Backward Call Setup messages are received—when the terminator accepts the call, when the terminator starts ringing, and when the terminator answers the call. In addition to the call address information, it contains the terminator&#39;s voice transport information. This message is defined in Table 5.  
                             TABLE 5                           Backward Call Setup                Type   Proceeding, or Ringing, or Connect                       Connected Address   Character String           Connected Subscriber   Integer           Reason   Character String           Cause   Integer           Diverting Address   Character String           Diverting Subscriber   Integer           Conference Bridge   Character String           Transport Host   Character String           Transport Port   Integer           Transport Codecs   Character String                      
 
         [0036]     The Connect Acknowledgement message indicates the originator&#39;s acceptance of the call. It can optionally contain the originator&#39;s modified voice transport information. This message is defined in Table 6.  
                             TABLE 6                       Connect Acknowledgement                                    Reason   Integer           Transport Host   Character String           Transport Port   Integer           Transport Codecs   Character String                      
 
         [0037]     The Release message indicates the termination of a call. It can be transmitted/received by either the call originator or terminator. This message is defined in Table 7.  
                             TABLE 7                       Release                                    Reason   Integer           Cause   Character String                      
 
         [0038]     The Transfer Request message is used to replace one party of the call. The Transfer Response message is used to accept or deny a transfer request. This message is defined in Table 8.  
                             TABLE 8                       Transfer Request                                    Transfer To Address   Character String           Transfer To Subscriber   Integer           Transfer From Address   Character String           Transfer From Subscriber   Integer           Transport Host   Character String           Transport Port   Integer                      
 
         [0039]     The Transfer Response message is used to accept or deny a transfer request. This message is defined in Table 9.  
                             TABLE 9                       Transfer Response                                    Reason   Integer           Cause   Character String           Transport Host   Character String           Transport Port   Integer                      
 
         [0040]     The New Media Request message is used to change the voice transport information for the call. It can be transmitted/received by either the call originator or terminator. It can optionally contain voice transport information. It is used for numerous features including Music on Hold, Multi-Party Conference, and Call Center whisper. This message is defined in Table 10.  
                             TABLE 10                       New Media Request                                    Connected Address   Character String           Connected Subscriber   Integer           Transport Host   Character String           Transport Port   Integer           Transport Codecs   Character String                      
 
         [0041]     The New Media Response message is used to accept or deny a new media request. It can optionally contain voice transport information. This message is defined in Table 11.  
                             TABLE 11                       New Media Response                                    Connected Address   Character String           Connected Subscriber   Integer           Transport Host   Character String           Transport Port   Integer           Transport Codecs   Character String           Reason   Integer           Cause   Character String                      
 
         [0042]     The protocol state machines, using correspondences as defined above, or other correspondences as appropriate convert messages from developer protocol to a specific VoIP protocol and vice-versa. These conversion are performed in customer server equipment in the preferred embodiment. In an alternate embodiment, such conversions take place at a developer or third-party server computer.  
         [0043]     As noted above, embodiments within the scope of the present invention include program products comprising computer-readable media for carrying or having computer-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. By way of example, such computer-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. When information is transferred or provided over a network or another communications connection (either hardwired, wireless, or a combination of hardwired or wireless) to a computer, the computer properly views the connection as a computer-readable medium. Thus, any such connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium. Combinations of the above are also to be included within the scope of computer-readable media. Computer-executable instructions comprise, for example, instructions and data which cause a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing device to perform a certain function or group of functions.  
         [0044]     The invention is described in the general context of method steps, which may be implemented in one embodiment by a program product including computer-executable instructions, such as program code, executed by computers in networked environments. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Computer-executable instructions, associated data structures, and program modules represent examples of program code for executing steps of the methods disclosed herein. The particular sequence of such executable instructions or associated data structures represents examples of corresponding acts for implementing the functions described in such steps.  
         [0045]     The present invention in some embodiments, may be operated in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers having processors. Logical connections may include a local area network (LAN) and a wide area network (WAN) that are presented here by way of example and not limitation. Such networking environments are commonplace in office-wide or enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets and the Internet. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that such network computing environments will typically encompass many types of computer system configurations, including personal computers, hand-held devices, multi-processor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. The invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by local and remote processing devices that are linked (either by hardwired links, wireless links, or by a combination of hardwired or wireless links) through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.  
         [0046]     An exemplary system for implementing the overall system or portions of the invention might include a general purpose computing device in the form of a conventional computer, including a processing unit, a system memory, and a system bus that couples various system components including the system memory to the processing unit. The system memory may include read only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM). The computer may also include a magnetic hard disk drive for reading from and writing to a magnetic hard disk, a magnetic disk drive for reading from or writing to a removable magnetic disk, and an optical disk drive for reading from or writing to removable optical disk such as a CD-ROM or other optical media. The drives and their associated computer-readable media provide nonvolatile storage of computer-executable instructions, data structures, program modules and other data for the computer.  
         [0047]     Software and web implementations of the present invention could be accomplished with standard programming techniques with rule based logic and other logic to accomplish the various database searching steps, correlation steps, comparison steps and decision steps. It should also be noted that the word “component” as used herein and in the claims is intended to encompass implementations using one or more lines of software code, and/or hardware implementations, and/or equipment for receiving manual inputs.  
         [0048]     The foregoing description of embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principals of the invention and its practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.