Intelligent peripheral and network control

A telecommunications network incorporating an Advanced Intelligent Network having a service control point including a centralized database and having a peripheral platform comprising an Intelligent Peripheral providing at least one auxiliary call processing capability. The service control point is in communication with a network switching system via a common channel signaling communication network. The peripheral platform is in communication with the service control point over a second data connection and is in communication with switching systems in the network switching system over F links and voice channels. The individual switching systems are in connection with one another through F links. The peripheral platform is capable of call management which obviates the necessity of using the common channel signaling system to accomplish the same call management. The service control point is arranged to act proactively to issue instructions to the peripheral platform to expedite call management.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
The present invention relates to an Advanced Intelligent Network controlled 
by a centralized database and having a new network node, referred to as an 
Intelligent Peripheral, in communication with a network switching system 
and with the central database in a new architecture. 
ACRONYMS 
The written description uses a large number of acronyms to refer to various 
services and system components. Although generally known, use of several 
of these acronyms is not strictly standardized in the art. For purposes of 
this discussion, acronyms therefore will be defined as follows: 
Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) 
Central Office (CO) 
Common Channel Inter-office Signaling (CCIS) 
Data and Reporting System (DRS) 
Generic Data Interface (GDI) 
Integrated Service Control Point (ISCP) 
Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) 
Intelligent Peripheral (IP) 
Maintenance and Operations Center (MOC) 
Multi-Services Application Platform (MSAP) 
Service Control Point (SCP) 
Service Creation Environment (SCE) 
Service Management System (SMS) 
Service Switching Point (SSP) 
Signaling Transfer Point (STP) 
Simplified Message Desk Interface (SMDI) 
Signaling System Number 7 (SS7 ) 
Transaction Capabilities Applications Protocol (TCAP) 
BACKGROUND ART 
In recent years, a number of new service features have been provided by an 
enhanced telephone network, sometimes referred to as an Advanced 
Intelligent Network (AIN). The increasing realization of the potential for 
offering a large variety of calling services to a wider population has led 
local telephone companies (Telcos) to offer an increasing number of such 
services. Many local carriers currently offer call waiting, call 
forwarding, and voice mail. Most long distance companies also offer 
calling services, often through their 800 number services. In addition, 
the rapid advancements in telephony and heightened consumer demand for 
calling services have spurred the companies who own telephone switches and 
networks to design and implement new and more sophisticated services. 
Historically telephone service providers have relied on switch vendors 
(such as AT&T and Northern Telecom) to introduce new services through 
modifications at the switch level or have requested the addition of such 
capacities to the switches. However, this approach presents several 
problems. For example, switch modifications lengthen turnaround time for 
introducing new services because the local carrier must rely on the switch 
vendors to update the switch and roll out new services. When the switch 
vendors finally decide to introduce a new service, the introduction is 
normally on a national scale, decreasing any chance for differentiation 
and competition for new services at the local level. In addition, switch 
manufacturers must rewrite the software that controls the switches to 
introduce new calling services, further exacerbating the problems of 
difficult modification and slow introduction of new services. 
In response, the industry developed a next generation network design called 
Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) architecture. Instead of lumping all 
calling services into the switch, AIN architecture groups intelligence 
into one or more peripheral computer systems that can more effectively and 
efficiently deliver calling services. The concept is to maintain the 
existing network of generic switches that perform call connection, but to 
transfer "intelligent" operations to a network control computer. In such a 
manner, service modification becomes more flexible and efficient and may 
be applied on an area-wide basis. 
In recent years, a number of new service features have been provided by 
such a control in the form of a so-called "Advanced Intelligent Network" 
(AIN). In an AIN type system, local and/or toll offices of the public 
telephone network detect one of a number of call processing events 
identified as AIN "triggers". For ordinary telephone service calls, there 
would be no event to trigger AIN processing; and the local and toll office 
switches would function normally and process such calls without referring 
to the central database for instructions. An office which detects a 
trigger will suspend call processing, compile a call data message and 
forward that message via a common channel interoffice signaling (CCIS) 
link to an Integrated Service Control Point (ISCP) which includes a 
Multi-Services Application Platform (MSAP) database. If needed, the ISCP 
can instruct the central office to obtain and forward additional 
information. 
Once sufficient information about the call has reached the ISCP, the ISCP 
accesses its stored data tables in the MSAP database to translate the 
received message data into a call control message and returns the call 
control message to the office of the network via CCIS link. The network 
offices then use the call control message to complete the particular call. 
An AIN type network for providing an Area Wide Centrex service was 
disclosed and described in detail in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 
5,247,571 to Kay et al., the disclosure of which is entirely incorporated 
herein by reference. In AIN type systems such as disclosed in the Kay et 
al. Patent, announcement and digit functions may be required for certain 
specific services. For example, a caller may be prompted by a tone or 
speech announcement to enter a personal identification number (PIN) before 
obtaining a selected service or modifying certain stored parameters 
relating to the subscriber's AIN service. In prior art AIN systems, a 
switching office of the public telephone network would generate the 
announcements from some internal platform. 
Switch based announcements have a number of serious drawbacks. First the 
capacity of the internal announcement platforms has been limited, thereby 
limiting the number and variety of announcements which an AIN service can 
utilize. As AIN services become more sophisticated, a need arises to 
provide more announcements than such platforms offer, for example to allow 
subscribers to customize the announcements for their own personalized 
services. Adding extra announcement capacity to a number of different 
telephone switching offices is expensive. Often the needed extra 
announcement equipment can be obtained only from the original switch 
vendor, in view of the need for compatibility of such equipment with the 
switch itself. 
Also, any service specific announcements must be loaded onto each switch 
providing the particular AIN service. Loading new announcements on large 
numbers of switching systems is time consuming and may require the 
services of expert personnel provided only by the switch equipment vendor. 
Accordingly, a need exists for some platform to provide readily adaptable 
means to add and change announcements to an AIN, without direct addition 
of equipment in each central office switching system. The platform should 
also serve to centralize announcement capabilities to some extent, so that 
announcement reprogramming does not always require reprogramming some 
equipment for every single switch through which an enhanced service is 
offered. 
A need also exists to provide a convenient platform to add further 
equipment to facilitate still further enhanced features, such as services 
based on speech recognition, mail services, etc., without requiring 
addition to or modification of equipment within the central office 
switching systems for each such further enhanced service feature. 
Proposals have been made to add nodes to the telephone network, separate 
from the switching offices, to provide announcements and related enhanced 
service features. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,500 to Binkerd et al. 
discloses an announcement point which provides messages to callers, 
receives dialed digits and/or speech signals for input information from 
callers and exchanges appropriate data with a remote central 800 number 
database. The communication between the announcement point and the 800 
database apparently goes through the same interoffice signaling network 
used in routing of calls between switching offices. Any new or additional 
messages exchanged between the 800 database and the announcement platform 
will inherently increase the traffic load on the interoffice signaling 
network. A substantially similar network is disclosed in Weisser et al., 
"The Intelligent Network and Forward-Looking Technology," IEEE 
Communications Magazine, December 1988, pp. 64-69. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,848 to Pula teaches connection of one or more 
Intelligent Peripherals (IPs) to a single switch. Reprogramming 
announcements for a new service presumably would require reprogramming 
each IP connected to each switch in the network. Also, although Pula 
discloses a common channel signaling link to the switch, there is no 
specific suggestion of any interaction of the IP with a higher level data 
base. As in the Binkerd et al. Patent, if any interaction with a higher 
level database were added, the added communication traffic to that 
database would have to go through the common channel signaling link and 
would increase traffic loading on that critical link. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,901 to Harlow et al. discloses a service circuit node 
which plays announcements, collects digits and communicates with a Service 
Control Point (SCP) database to update intelligent network service files. 
The service circuit node serves a plurality of switching offices, 
apparently by routing calls through the public switched telephone network 
to the one service circuit node. As in the Binkerd et al. and Pula 
systems, the communications between the service circuit node and the SCP 
apparently go through the switching office directly connected to the 
service circuit node and the signaling channel which carries queries and 
responses between that switching office and the SCP, and creates increased 
traffic on the signaling network. Attention is also directed to Shah et 
al., "Application of a New Network Concept for Faster et al.," 
"Application of a New Network Concept for Faster Service Deployment," 
International Conference on Communications '88, Jun. 12-15, 1988, IEEE 
Communications Society, Conference Record, Volume 3, pp. 1327-29. 
Accordingly, any new node added to the AIN network to offer the enhanced 
announcement capabilities and other service features, through interactions 
with the central database, should not increase traffic on the interoffice 
signaling network and/or the network which carries signaling traffic 
between the database and the network switching systems, as in the prior 
art networks. 
In addition to the foregoing it is desirable that any new node not impose 
signaling time burdens on the operation of the network but, on the 
contrary, provide an architecture and methodology which will alleviate the 
time delays now encountered in control network functioning. The capacity 
of the common channel signaling network is presently being subjected to an 
ever increasing volume of signaling traffic in addition to encountering 
demands to carry non-network control type signaling of varying types. An 
example of one such new type of load is a proposal to use the signaling 
network to carry voice signals, as proposed in a co-pending application of 
the assignee of the instant application. Accordingly there is a need for 
the provision of enhanced services, such as through the use of new network 
nodes, concomitantly with an architecture and methodology which will 
reduce the load on the conventional common channel signaling system. 
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention meets the above noted needs by providing a peripheral 
platform offering one or more auxiliary call processing features. This 
platform is directly connected to one or more switching systems via 
service switching points (SSPs) and is in data communication with the 
service control point (SCP) database. The platform may be a peripheral 
announcement platform, principally for sending synthesized voice messages 
and/or receiving dialed digit input information. However in a more 
advanced preferred implementation, the platform comprises an Intelligent 
Peripheral (IP) offering a wide array of enhanced auxiliary service 
features. The platform is connected to the service control point and is 
preferable also connected to one or more additional nodes in the control 
network. In still further addition the platform is connected to switch 
nodes via non-CCIS links. According to one feature of the invention the 
service control point acts proactively, as contrasted to its conventional 
reactive role, with the result that the speed of response of an IP or 
other platform is enhanced. According to another feature of the invention 
the IP performs call management functions and frees the switch to serve 
other purposes than the call being managed. 
According to the preferred embodiment of the invention the platform is 
connected to the switch nodes in a system by F links or simulated F links. 
An F link is a fully associated link used to connect two SS7 signaling 
points which share a high community of interest and wherein linking may be 
economically accomplished. F links conventionally provide direct links 
from one switch node to another. More specifically an F link works off of 
an SSP connection of an end office switch and goes directly to the SSP 
connection of another switch or network element. According to the 
invention F links provide connection between switches and between switches 
and one or more intelligent peripheral nodes. While an F link may be 
connected to one or more service transfer points (STPs) this is not 
necessary according to the invention. 
The F link may normally carry SS7 signal protocol but is not limited to 
that protocol in the methodology of the invention. SS7 is the preferred 
protocol at least through the third layer or level 3 of the OSI (Open 
System Interconnect) layer stack. This provides the switches with a known 
protocol which is accepted and functional. The ability to provide F link 
signaling directly from SSP to SSP can be used to enhance network speed. 
This is feasible because the switches are the fastest network elements and 
are afforded direct communication without routing to STPs or other 
elements of the common channel signaling system. 
According to the invention direct F links may be provided between the SSPs 
and the IP, and the IP may have an F link to the ISCP. However, according 
to the preferred embodiment a more generic link is provided between the 
intelligent peripheral and the service control point. This may be used to 
provide call management without need to access the STPs and may permit 
releasing the switch during at least a portion of the management. This not 
only minimizes the load on the common channel signaling system but also 
provides more efficient switch usage. The IPs are provided on a regional 
basis with the IP connected to all or most SSPs in its region by direct F 
links. In addition the various regional IPs are connected with one another 
by F links. 
Another aspect of the invention relates to a methodology for routing calls 
to the peripheral platform for service. In one method, a request for 
service might trigger a procedure for obtaining routing information from 
the services control point to direct a call to the peripheral platform. 
Alternatively, certain types of trigger events might cause the switching 
system to route calls to the peripheral platform directly, without 
accessing data stored by the database in the services control point. 
Two specific architectures for IP versions of the peripheral platform are 
described. One version uses general purpose computers with appropriate 
line interfaces. The software run by the computers offers a variety of 
different enhanced service features, such as voice mail, facsimile mail, 
voice recognition, etc. The second version includes a number of separate 
modules for specific identified service features, e.g., a voice 
recognition server, a voice mail server, a facsimile mail server, etc. 
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be 
set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will 
become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the 
following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and 
advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the 
instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the 
appended claims.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of the components of an AIN controlled 
telecommunication network. In this figure, each of the COs are labeled as 
an "SSP." The Service Switching Points, referred to as SSPs, are 
appropriately equipped programmable switches present in the telephone 
network, which recognize AIN type calls, launch queries to the ISCP and 
receive commands and data from the ISCP to further process the AIN calls. 
SSPs can be programmed to recognize a number of different triggers as an 
indication that a call is an AIN call. The trigger can relate to the 
terminating station, but in certain types of service, such as Area Wide 
Centrex the trigger is typically the identification of the telephone line 
from which a call or other request for service originates. Generally, for 
Area Wide Centrex, a number of lines are designated as members of a 
business group serviced by the Area Wide Centrex. The SSPs then trigger 
AIN type servicing based on origination of the call or service request 
from a line designated as a member of one of the business groups 
subscribing to Area Wide Centrex. 
As shown in FIG. 1, all of the COs 11, 13, 15 and 17 are equipped and 
programmed to serve as SSPs. Such central office switching systems 
typically consist of a programmable digital switch with CCIS 
communications capabilities. One example of such a switch is a 5ESS type 
switch manufactured by AT&T; but other vendors, such as Northern Telecom 
and Seimens, manufacture comparable digital switches which could serve as 
the SSPs. The illustrated embodiment is perhaps an ideal implementation; 
other implementations provide the SSP functionality only at selected 
points in the network, and end offices without such functionality forward 
calls to one of the SSPs. 
The Area Wide Centrex implementation of FIG. 1 includes a number of the SSP 
capable CO switches, such as the SSPs shown at 11, 13, 15, and 17. The SSP 
type central offices are each at a different location and distributed 
throughout the area, region or country served by the Area Wide Centrex 
system. In the example of FIG. 1, each of the COs would comprise an SSP 
type central office switching system. 
The SSPs 11 and 13 connect to a first local area STP 23, and the SSPs 15 
and 17 connect to a second local area STP 25. The connections to the STPs 
are for signaling purposes. As indicated by the circles below STPs 23 and 
25, each local area STP can connect to a large number of the SSPs 
(connections not shown in FIG. 1). In FIG. 1, the central offices or SSPs 
are interconnected to each other by trunk circuits (shown in the drawing 
as solid lines) for carrying telephone services. 
The local area STPs 23 and 25, and any number of other such local area STPs 
(shown as circles between STPs 23 and 25 in FIG. 1), communicate with a 
state or regional STP 31. The state or regional STP 31 in turn provides 
communications with the ISCP 40. The STP hierarchy can be expanded or 
contracted to as many levels as needed to serve any size area covered by 
the Area Wide Centrex and to service any number of stations and central 
office switches. The links 23 and 25 between the COs and the local area 
STPs are dedicated CCIS links, typically SS7 type interoffice data 
communication channels. The local area STPs are in turn connected to each 
other and to the regional STP 31 via a packet switched network. The 
regional STP 31 also communicates with the ISCP 40 via a packet switched 
network. 
The messages transmitted between the SSPs and the ISCP are all formatted in 
accord with the Transaction Capabilities Applications Protocol (TCAP). The 
TCAP protocol provides standardized formats for various query and response 
messages. Each query and response includes data fields for a variety of 
different pieces of information relating to the current call. Of 
particular note here, an initial TCAP query from the SSP includes, among 
other data, a "Service Key" which is the calling party's address and 
digits representing the called party address. TCAP also specifies a 
standard message response format including routing information, such as 
primary carrier ID, alternate carrier ID and second alternate carrier ID 
and a routing number and a destination number. The TCAP specifies a number 
of additional message formats, for example a format for a subsequent query 
from the SSP, and formats for "INVOKE" responses for instructing the SSP 
to play an announcement or to play an announcement and collect digits. 
As shown in FIG. 1, the ISCP 40 is an integrated system. Among other system 
components, the ISCP 40 includes a Service Management System (SMS) 41, a 
Data and Reporting System (DRS) 45 and the actual data base or Service 
Control Point (SCP) 43. The ISCP also typically includes a terminal 
subsystem referred to as a Service Creation Environment or SCE 42 for 
programming the data base in the SCP 43 for the services subscribed to by 
each individual business customer. 
Each central office switching system normally responds to a service request 
on a local communication line connected thereto to selectively connect the 
requesting line to another selected local communication line. The 
connection can be made locally through only the connected central office 
switching system. For example, for a call from station A to station B the 
SSP 11 provides the call connection without any connection to another 
central office. When the called line connects to a distant station, for 
example when station A calls station C, the connection is made through the 
connected central office switching system SSP 11 and at least one other 
central office switching system SSP 13 through the telephone trunks 
interconnection the two COs. 
FIG. 2 illustrates in simplified flow chart for a routine for such normal 
call processing. This routine is similar to that used in existing networks 
to complete calls between stations connected to different central offices 
and illustrates a basic CCIS function. In an AIN system implementing Area 
Wide Centrex service, this normal call processing routine would still be 
executed for completion of calls originating from stations not subscribing 
to the Area Wide Centrex service. 
In the method shown in FIG. 2, the central office switching system responds 
to an off-hook and receives dialed digits from the calling station. The 
central office switching system analyzes the received digits to determine 
if the call is local or not. If the called station is local and the call 
can be completed through the one central office, the central office 
switching system connects the calling station to the called station. If, 
however, the called station is not local, the call must be completed 
through one or more distant central offices, and further processing is 
necessary. 
If at this point the call were connected serially through the trunks and 
appropriate central offices between the caller and the called party using 
in channel signaling, the trunks would be engaged before a determination 
is made that the called line is available or busy. Particularly if the 
called line is busy, this would unnecessarily tie up limited trunk 
capacity. The CCIS system through the STPs was developed to alleviate this 
problem. 
In the CCIS type call processing method illustrated in FIG. 2, the local 
central office suspends the call and sends a query message through one or 
more of the STPs. The query message goes to the central office to which 
the called station is connected. The receiving central office determines 
whether or not the called station is busy. If the called station is busy, 
the receiving central office so informs the originating central office 
which in turn provides a busy signal to the calling station. If the called 
station is not busy, the receiving central office so informs the 
originating central office. A telephone connection is then constructed via 
the trunks and central offices of the network between the calling and 
called stations. The receiving central office then provides a ringing 
signal to the called station and sends ringback tone back through the 
connection to the calling station. 
FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram of an electronic program controlled 
switch which may be used as any one of the SSP type COs in the system of 
FIG. 1. As illustrated, the CO switch includes a number of different types 
of modules. In particular, the illustrated switch includes interface 
modules 51 (only two of which are shown), a communications module 53, and 
an administrative module 55. 
The interface modules 51 each include a number of interface units 0 to n. 
The interface units terminate lines from subscribers'stations, trunks, T1 
carrier facilities, etc. Where the interfaced circuit is analog, for 
example a subscriber loop, the interface unit will provide analog to 
digital conversion and digital to analog conversion. Alternatively, the 
lines or trunks may use digital protocols such as T1 or ISDN. Each 
interface module 51 also includes a digital service unit (not shown) which 
is used to generate call progress tones. 
Each interface module 51 includes, in addition to the noted interface 
units, a duplex microprocessor based module controller and a duplex time 
slot interchange, referred to as a TSI in the drawing. Digital words 
representative of voice information are transferred in two directions 
between interface units via the time slot interchange (intramodule call 
connections) or transmitted in two directions through the network control 
and timing links to the time multiplexed switch 57 and thence to another 
interface module (intermodule call connection). 
The communication module 53 includes the time multiplexed switch 57 and a 
message switch 59. The time multiplexed switch 57 provides time division 
transfer of digital voice data packets between voice channels of the 
interface modules 51 and transfers data messages between the interface 
modules. The message switch 59 interfaces the administrative module 55 to 
the time multiplexed switch 57, so as to provide a route through the time 
multiplexed switch permitting two-way transfer of control related messages 
between the interface modules 51 and the administrative module 55. In 
addition, the message switch 59 terminates special data links, for example 
a link for receiving a synchronization carrier used to maintain digital 
synchronism. 
The administrative module 55 includes an administrative module processor 
61, which is a computer equipped with disk storage 63, for overall control 
of CO operations. The administrative module processor 61 communicates with 
the interface modules 51 through the communication module 53. The 
administrative module 55 also includes one or more input/output (I/O) 
processors 65 providing interfaces to terminal devices for technicians 
such as shown at 66 in the drawing and data links to operations systems 
for traffic, billing, maintenance data, etc. A CCIS terminal 73 and an 
associated data unit 71 provide a signaling link between the 
administrative module processor 61 and an SS7 network connection to an STP 
or the like (see FIG. 1), for facilitating call processing signal 
communications with other CO's and with the ISCP 40. 
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the administrative module 55 also includes a call 
store 67 and a program store 69. Although shown as separate elements for 
convenience, these are typically implemented as memory elements within the 
computer serving as the administrative module processor 61. For each call 
in progress, the call store 67 stores translation information retrieved 
from disk storage 63 together with routing information and any temporary 
information needed for processing the call. For example, for a switch 
based Centrex type service, the call store 67 would receive and store 
extension number translation information for the business customer 
corresponding to an off-hook line initiating a call. The program store 69 
stores program instructions which direct operations of the computer 
serving as the administrative module processor. 
Although shown as telephones in FIG. 1, the voice grade type terminals can 
comprise any communication device compatible with a voice grade type 
telephone line. As used herein, the term "telephone station" broadly 
encompasses telephones and any other devices compatible with a voice grade 
telephone circuit, for example, station devices such as facsimile 
machines, modems, etc. Also, although all of the links to the telephone 
stations are illustrated as lines, those skilled in communications arts 
will recognize that a variety of local transport media and combinations 
thereof can be used between the end office switches and the actual 
telephone stations, such as twisted wire pairs, subscriber loop carrier 
systems, radio frequency wireless (e.g., cellular) systems, etc. 
FIG. 4 shows one preferred embodiment of a telecommunications network 
constructed according to the invention. This figure shows a network 
equipped with an advanced intelligent network signaling and control system 
of the same general type as previously described in connection with FIG. 1 
and similar reference numerals have been used where applicable. As in the 
network shown in FIG. 1, all of the end office switches 11, 13, 15 and 17 
in FIG. 4 are equipped and programmed to serve as SSPs. The components of 
the ISCP 40 are shown connected by an internal, high-speed data network, 
such as a token ring network 44. 
Referring to FIG. 4 the network is shown as including a peripheral platform 
435 of the relatively sophisticated type now referred to as "Intelligent 
Peripherals" or "IPs". The IP 435 is preferably connected to each of the 
SSPs 11, 13, 15, and 17 by an F link shown as broken lines. The IP is also 
connected to the SSPs by voice lines shown as solid lines. These F link 
and voice connections may be provided to the associated SSP switches via a 
primary rate Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) link through an 
appropriate interface unit in one of the interface modules 51 of the 
switch (see FIG. 3). The ISDN link carries both the voice and signaling 
data. 
The IP also is connected to the ISCP via a generic data interface (GDI). 
The GDI command set is simple and generic, and the commands can carry the 
desired amount of data. Also, the ISCP can initiate communications using 
GDI. This permits a wider variety of routing and processing routines 
according to the invention. This connection to the ISCP is shown as made 
to the token ring 44. The SSPs are connected to one another by F links 
shown as broken lines. The GDI data communication link forms a second 
signaling connection separate from the SS7 network and the network of 
trunk circuits interconnecting the switching offices. 
According to one feature of the invention, in response to a triggering 
event, the SSP may receive from the ISCP instructions to route a call in 
progress to the IP. However, rather than waiting for a subsequent query 
from the IP, the ISCP simultaneously with instructing the SSP also 
instructs the IP to prepare to receive a call on a particular circuit or 
for a particular type of processing. For example, for a call which might 
require speech recognition processing, the ISCP, knowing the identity of 
the calling party, would instruct the IP to retrieve appropriate 
recognition templates from memory. Other protocols could be used to permit 
either the ISCP or the IP to initiate communications. 
FIG. 5 illustrates a first, preferred embodiment of an IP for use in the 
network of FIG. 4. In this implementation, the IP will consist of two or 
more general purpose computers 101A, 101B, such as IBM RS6000s. Each 
general purpose computer will include a digital voice processing card for 
sending and receiving speech and other audio frequency signals, such as an 
IBM D-talk 600. Each voice processing card will connect to a voice server 
card 103A or 103B which provides the actual interface to T1 or primary 
rate interface ISDN trunks to the SSP type switching office. The plurality 
of computers may have associated dedicated disk storage 105A, 105B, and 
the IP will include a shared disk memory 107. Each computer will also 
include an interface card for providing two-way communications over an 
internal data communications system, an Ethernet type local area network 
109. The Ethernet carries communications between the individual computers 
and between the computers and a router which provides an interconnection 
to the second signaling communications network going to the ISCP. The IP 
may also include another general purpose computer 115 configured as a 
terminal subsystem, for use as a maintenance and operations center (MOC) 
and providing operations personnel access to the IP. The number of 
processors provided in the IP and the number of voice servers will depend 
on project service demands. One additional processor and associated voice 
server will be provided as a backup. 
Each general purpose computer 101A, 101B will run a node manager, an 
IP/ISCP Interface program, appropriate voice processing software, and a 
variety of application software modules to offer the proposed services of 
the IP. The central administrator or "Node Manager" program module, 
running on each computer, will monitor and control the various IP 
resources and operations. 
The digital voice processing card and associated software will provide 
speech synthesis, speech recognition capabilities and DTMF tone signal 
reception, for use in a number of different applications. The speech 
synthesis and DTMF tone signal reception, for example will replace the 
announcement and digit collection functions of the SSP switches in various 
existing AIN services. The general purpose computers and associated 
circuits will also run a variety of other types of service program 
modules, for example a voice mail server module and/or a fax mail server 
module. 
FIG. 6 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the IP used in the network of 
FIG. 4. The alternate architecture utilizes separate modules for different 
types of services or functions, for example, one or two Direct Talk type 
voice server modules 203A, 203B for interfacing the trunk to the SSP, a 
separate module 205 for speech recognition, a server module 209 for voice 
mail, and another server 207 for fax mail services, etc. The various 
modules communicate with one another via an data communication system 210, 
which again may be an Ethernet type local area network. 
The Direct Talk modules 203A, 203B provide voice message transmission and 
dialed digit collection capabilities, as in the earlier embodiment. The 
modules 203A, 203B also provide line interfaces for communications to and 
from those servers which do not incorporate line interfaces. For example, 
for facsimile mail, the Direct Talk module connected to a call would 
demodulate incoming data and convert the data to a digital format 
compatible with the internal data communication network 210. The data 
would then be transferred over network 210 to the fax server 207. For 
outgoing facsimile transmission, the server 207 would transfer the data to 
one of the Direct Talk modules over the network 210. The Direct Talk 
module would reformat and/or modulate the data as appropriate for 
transmission over the ISDN link to the SSP. The Direct Talk modules 
provide a similar interface function for the other servers, such as the 
voice mail server 209. 
The illustrated IP also includes a communication server 213. The 
communication server 213 connects between the data communication system 
210 and the router 211 which provides communications access to the second 
signaling communication system and the ISCP 40 and other IPs which connect 
to that signaling communication system. The communication server 213 
controls communications between the modules within the IP and the second 
signaling communication system. 
In each of the proposed architectures, the SSP switch would route calls to 
the different elements of the IP in response to instructions from the 
ISCP. In the initial implementation using general purpose computers (FIG. 
5), each of which offers all service functionalities, the decision to 
route to a particular one of the computers would be a resource 
availability/allocation decision. If necessary data can be exchanged 
between the computers via the internal data communications network, e.g., 
if a message for a particular subscriber's service is stored in the disc 
memory associated with one computer but the other computer is actually 
processing the call. In the second implementation (FIG. 6), however, the 
ISCP would instruct the SSP to route the call to the particular line to 
the specific module capable of providing a calling customer's individual 
service. For example, if the subscriber has some form of speech 
recognition service, the call would be routed to the speech recognition 
module 205. If the subscriber has a voice mail service, however, the ISCP 
would instruct the SSP to route the call to one of the lines going to one 
of the voice server modules 203A, 203B. The module 203A, or 203B would 
receive outgoing voice messages from the voice mail server 209 for 
transmission to the caller. The module 203A or 203B would decode DTMF 
signals and supply appropriate data to the voice mail server, for control 
purposes. The module 203A or 203B would also format incoming voice 
messages for transmission over internal network 210 and storage by server 
209. 
In an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) type system, such as shown in FIG. 
1, certain calls receive specialized AIN type processing under control of 
data files stored in the SCP database 43 within the ISCP 40. In such a 
network, the SSP type local offices of the public telephone network 
include appropriate data in the translation tables for customers 
subscribing to AIN services to define certain call processing events 
identified as AIN "triggers". Using the translation table data from disc 
memory 63, the SSP will detect such triggering events during processing of 
calls to or from such AIN service subscribers. 
The SSP type switches can recognize a variety of events as triggers for 
activating a query and response type AIN interaction with the ISCP. A 
number of different AIN triggers are used, depending on the precise type 
of service the AIN will provide a particular subscriber. For example, if a 
subscriber has a speech responsive autodialing service, an off-hook 
immediate trigger might be stored in the translation table file for that 
subscriber in the SSP. The SSP would detect the trigger each time the 
subscriber goes off-hook on that line and then attempt to obtain further 
instructions from the ISCP. 
In a first mode of operation, an SSP type office (CO or tandem) which 
detects a trigger will suspend call processing, compile a TCAP formatted 
call data message and forward that message via a common channel 
interoffice signaling (CCIS) link and STP(s) to the ISCP 40 which includes 
the SCP database 43. The ISCP accesses its stored data tables to translate 
the received message data into a call control message and returns the call 
control message to the triggered SSP via CCIS link and STP(s). The SSP 
then uses the call control message to complete the particular call through 
the network. 
For AIN calls requiring a processing feature provided by the peripheral 
platform according to the invention, the call control message would 
instruct the SSP to route the call to the associated peripheral platform. 
In the network of FIG. 4, the ISCP 40 transmits a "SEND to RESOURCE" type 
TCAP message instructing an SSP, such as SSP 17, to access a resource and 
collect digits. This message identifies a particular resource, in this 
case the link to the associated peripheral announcement platform 17A. This 
link comprises a primary rate Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) 
link which provides both a voice channel and a data channel. Each time the 
ISCP sends such a "SEND to RESOURCE" message to an SSP, the ISCP 
concurrently sends a message through the GDI data link to the associated 
peripheral announcement platform. In the case of a voice recognition 
situation this message tells the platform what template to select and what 
message to play on the specified ISDN channel following connection of the 
caller to the IP. The SSP responds to its instruction and routes the call 
to the IP. 
In providing a voice autodialing service, the caller, who subscribes to the 
appropriate voice recognition calling service, may speak the identity of 
the party to be called, such as "Mom." The subscriber has previously 
created a set of speaker dependent templates which are stored at the IP 
and which provide the translation from "Mom" for that particular caller to 
the desired directory number. The ISCP has proactively alerted the IP as 
to the resources which it must call up and thus has obviated the need for 
an inquiry from the IP to the ISCP. Thus the IP, responding to the 
proactive instruction signal from the ISCP, has the proper template 
selected and waiting for the command of the caller. 
The IP, upon translating the command "Mom," instructs the SSP to transfer 
the call. The SSP may then route the call to the designated destination 
using the common channel signaling network and its STPs. Alternatively, 
according to the invention, the signaling necessary to determine the 
availability of the called station may be accomplished via the CO to CO F 
link path. This latter procedure eliminates the need for creating traffic 
on the common channel signaling network and assists in preventing 
overloads which may have the capacity to bring down the telco network. The 
foregoing two alternate procedures are illustrated in the flow charts 
shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, respectively. 
As noted above, calls requiring some form of AIN service processing will 
include an event detectable as a trigger. In the call illustrated in FIGS. 
7 and 8 this would be an off-hook on a line for a subscriber to a speech 
recognition dialing service. The processing illustrated in FIG. 7 begins 
at some point during call processing when an SSP detects the event 
identified as a trigger (S1), which may be an off-hook trigger. 
In response to trigger detection, the SSP queries the ISCP for further 
instructions (S2). More specifically, the SSP type central office (CO) 
suspends the call and sends a query message to the ISCP via one or more 
STPs (see FIG. 1 or FIG. 4). This query message is in the above described 
TCAP format for an initial query from an SSP. The query message includes a 
substantial amount of relevant information, including in this instance the 
identification of the telephone line from which the party originated the 
call. The originating SSP sends the TCAP query via a CCIS link to an STP. 
The STP recognizes that the TCAP query is addressed to the ISCP and 
retransmits the query, either directly or through a further STP, and the 
SS7 links to the ISCP. 
The ISCP 40 uses information contained in the TCAP query message to access 
data tables stored in the SCP database 43. The ISCP uses data from the 
retrieved tables to translate the information from the TCAP query into an 
appropriate instruction for the SSP. At this point, the instruction will 
take a different form depending on whether or not the relevant AIN service 
requires some processing feature provided by the IP. If the service does 
not call for an IP feature, processing branches from step S3 to step S4, 
wherein the ISCP transmits a call control message to the SSP via the STPs 
of the SS7 signaling network. 
In the simplified example here, it is assumed that the non-IP type service 
involves only a direct routing to a destination, without any further 
processing by the SSP. The message from the ISCP, in TCAP format, 
therefore specifies an actual destination number and provides any 
necessary associated routing instructions, such as a preferred trunk group 
identification, from the data tables. At step S5, the SSP executes normal 
call processing routines for completing the call using the destination 
telephone number and/or routing information received from the ISCP, and 
call processing ends at step S6. 
Returning to step S3, if the service identified in response to the 
information in the original TCAP query message requires one or more call 
processing functions of the IP, as in this illustration of an embodiment 
of the invention, processing branches to step S7. At this point, the ISCP 
transmits a "SEND TO RESOURCES" type TCAP message or a similar message 
back to the SSP via the STPs of the SS7 signaling network. This message 
would include sufficient information to route the call to one of the lines 
going to a voice server interface within the IP. If the IP connects 
directly to the SSP, the SSP simplyactivates appropriate internal 
switching elements to establish the call connection channel between the 
caller and the IP at S8. If the IP does not connect to the particular SSP, 
the instruction will provide sufficient information to route the call 
through other switching systems to the IP. 
At the same time that the ISCP transmits the SEND TO RESOURCE message to 
the SSP, it also sends a message to the IP alerting the IP and instructing 
it to select a particular resource, which in this case is a voice template 
(S9). The identity of the template is established for the IP by the 
identity of the calling line which the ISCP obtained from the original SSP 
inquiry. At S9 the ISCP instructs the IP to perform a voice recognition 
and translation function. 
The SSP responds to its instructions from the ISCP and routes the call to 
the IP at S8. The IP complies with its instructions from the ISCP and 
translates the voice message "Mom" into a directory number (S10). At S11 
the IP instructs the SSP to transfer the call and the SSP routes the call 
at S5. 
The routing includes the steps shown in the flow diagram of FIG. 8. The SSP 
communicates with the distant CO via STPs and CCIS (S100) and at S102 
determines whether or not the called station is busy. If the station is 
busy the originating CO is informed (S104) and the originating CO sends a 
"busy" signal to the caller (S106). If the called station is not busy the 
originating CO is informed (S108) and the originating SSP establishes a 
link via trunks and COs from the calling station to the called station 
(S110). Ringing and ringback signals are thereupon transmitted (S112). 
FIG. 9 shows the procedure where the routing to destination occurs via the 
F link alternative of the invention. 
According to a still further feature of the invention the routing to 
destination may be implemented in the IP. As will be seen from FIG. 4 the 
IP is provided with F links to all or virtually all of the central office 
switches with which it is associated. This arrangement may be utilized to 
ascertain the availability of the called station through the IP followed 
by routing of the call using the general purpose computers available in 
IPs such as the one illustrated in FIG. 5. Such a procedure eliminates the 
need for use of the common channel signaling channels for that purpose and 
lightens the load on the STPs. 
Yet another feature of the invention for limiting traffic on the common 
channel signaling network is the use of SSP triggers which produce feature 
specific TCAP messages which are delivered directly to a general purpose 
computer IP. Such messages contain therein sufficient task identifying 
content to enable the IP to return to the SSP all information necessary to 
routing of the call. Such call management may be implemented using prefix 
digits or characters to not only trigger the switch or SSP but also to 
provide information to be incorporated in the TCAP signal which the switch 
sends to the IP. This information is then read by the IP computer as 
directing the IP to perform a particular call processing function. 
By way of example, subscribers to voice autodialing may be instructed to 
preface all such calls by dialing "*". When the caller goes off-hook the 
local SSP recognizes a trigger and when the "*" is dialed it is instructed 
to send the TCAP message to the IP over the F link. It is further 
instructed by the same occurrences that it is to incorporate in that TCAP 
message certain information which will instruct the IP as to the call 
processing to be conducted. The IP reads the TCAP message, which contains 
the identity of the calling line, and knows from the additional 
instructional information that it is to perform, by way of example, a 
voice recognition autodialing function for the identified calling line. 
This information identifies the necessary template which the IP then 
retrieves and uses to effect a translation from the user spoken command to 
the directory number associated with "Mom" for this caller. Call routing 
may then be effected via the common channel signaling network, via the F 
links from the IP to the COs, or via the F links between the COs. 
Although several preferred embodiments of the invention have been described 
in detail above, it should be clear that the present invention is capable 
of numerous modifications as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in 
the art. Such modifications fall within the purview of the appended claim. 
It will be readily seen by one of ordinary skill in the art that the 
present invention fulfills all of the objects set forth above. After 
reading the foregoing specification, one of ordinary skill will be able to 
effect various changes, substitutions of equivalents and various other 
aspects of the invention as broadly disclosed herein. It is therefore 
intended that the protection granted hereon be limited only by the 
definition contained in the appended claims and equivalents thereof.