Abstract:
A system and method for a next generation network service infrastructure to support VoIP services is disclosed. The services are partitioned between locally based services and nationally based services. Locally based services are handled in call processing systems in regional/local service centers based at the edge of the system. Nationally based services are handled by national service centers.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable 
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
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     MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
     Not applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention is related to the field of communications, and in particular, to communication network architectures and services. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The prevalence of Internet Protocol (IP) networks, also called packet based networks, is increasing. Many of these IP networks allow new and innovative services including voice over internet protocol (VoIP). Unfortunately the current architecture may not meet the needs of a nationally deployed IP network that supports the range of features available. 
     Therefore there is a need for a next generation network service infrastructure to support these types of services. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A system and method for a next generation network service infrastructure to support packet based services is disclosed. The services are partitioned between locally based services and nationally based services. Locally based services are handled in call processing systems in regional/local service centers based at the edge of the system. Nationally based services are handled by national service centers. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a network architecture in an example embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an expanded view of a network architecture in an example embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a device level view of a network architecture in an example embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart for national registration in an example embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIGS. 1-4  and the following description depict specific examples to teach those skilled in the art how to make and use the best mode of the invention. For the purpose of teaching inventive principles, some conventional aspects have been simplified or omitted. Those skilled in the art will appreciate variations from these examples that fall within the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the features described below can be combined in various ways to form multiple variations of the invention. As a result, the invention is not limited to the specific examples described below, but only by the claims and their equivalents. 
     Network Architecture— FIG. 1   
       FIG. 1  illustrates network architecture  100  in an example embodiment of the invention. Network architecture  100  includes national services  102  connected to regional/local service centers  104 ,  106 ,  108 , and  110 . Devices  112 ,  114 , and  116  are connected to regional/local service center  104 . Device  118  is connected to regional/local service center  106 . Device  120  is connected to regional/local service center  108 . Device  122  is connected to regional/local service center  110 . Devices  112 ,  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120 , and  122  can be any type of device including a phone, a computer, a network, or the like. The devices may be connected to the regional/local service centers using a number of different connection technologies including various types of transmission media, for example optical, wireless, wire, microwave or the like, and various types of protocols, for example packet based, TDM, CDMA, or the like. When a device requests a local service, the regional/local service center fulfills the request. Some examples of local services may include: one click dialing, custom announcements, personal call controls, local call connections, voice mail, and the like. For example, when the user of device  112  wishes to check their voice mail, device  112  will connect to regional/local service center  104  and regional/local service center  104  will provide the voice mail service to device  112 . Other types of service may be nationally based. For example, the ability for call forwarding may be nationally based. When the user of device  112  wishes to forward calls directed to device  112 , device  112  will send the request to regional/local service center  104 . The national services  102  will fulfill the requested service. Partitioning the services into local services and nationally based services allows services that are widely used to be distributed throughout the network which restricts the traffic for local services to the local areas. In one embodiment of the current invention there would be 29 regional/local service centers. In this application national means a country, for example the US and local/regional means a subset of national area, for example a state or the area serviced by an area code. 
     There are a number of ways that the regional/local service center can determine if the requested service is a regional service or a nationally based service. The regional/local service center may determine if it is a local service by using a lookup table. The lookup table may contain a list of local services or may contain a list of national services. The regional/local service center may compare the requested service to the list of services in the lookup table to determine if the requested service is local or national. The regional/local service center may determine if it is a local service by using the application ID. When an application requests a service, the application typically provides an application ID in the service request. Some applications may always request a local service and some applications may always request a nationally based service. Using the application ID the local/regional service center may be able to determine the type of service from the application ID. 
       FIG. 2  is an expanded view of the nationally based service architecture in an example embodiment of the current invention. In  FIG. 2  the national services are depicted as two national service centers  201  and  205 . In  FIG. 2  national service center  201  is connected to national context cell  203 . National service center  205  is connected to national context cell  207 . In one embodiment of the current invention there would be 6 national service centers and 4 national context cells. The national context cells  203  and  207  provide context for the services requested. For example, the context centers may contain the user profiles, number translations, user authentication, user authorization, and the like. Multiple regional service centers may be connected to one national service center. In  FIG. 2 , regional service centers  204  and  206  are connected to national service center  201 . Regional service centers  208  and  210  are connected to national service center  205 . When a device requests a nationally based service, the regional/local service center will connect to a national service center and the national service center will fulfill the requested service. For example, when device  214  requests a national service from regional/local service center  204 , regional/local service center  204  will pass the request for the national service to national service center  201 . National service center  201  may request context for the service from national context cell  203 . For example national service center may request the user profile for device  214  to determine if device  214  is authorized for the requested service. Once the national service center has determined that device  214  is authorized for the requested service the national service center  201  will fulfill the request. 
     Every nationally based service may not be supported at each national service center. For example, the nationally based service requested by device  214  may not be supported by national service center  201 , it may only be supported at national service center  205 . When a national service center receives a request for a nationally based service, the national service center determines if it can fulfill the request. When the national service center supports the requested service, the national service center fulfills the request. When a national service center does not support the requested service, the national service center queries a national context center to determine which national service center does support the requested service. Once the national service center determines which national service center supports the requested service, the national service center forwards the request to the national service center that does support the requested service. For example, when device  214  requests a nationally based service that is not supported by national service center  201 , then national service center  201  will query national context cell  203  to determine which national service center supports the requested service. National context cell  203  may respond that national service center  205  supports the requested service. National service center  201  will forward the request for service to national service center  205 . National service center  205  will fulfill the request. 
     In one example embodiment, the normal flow for determining which national service center supports a requested service is for every national service center to send a query to a national context cell, even when the national service center that sent the query is the national service center that supports the service. 
     Device Level View— FIG. 3   
       FIG. 3  illustrates a device level view of architecture  300  in an example embodiment of the invention. Various features of architecture  300  could be incorporated in architecture  100  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  shows regional call processor (RCP)  304  connected to devices  312 ,  314 , and  316 . Regional call processor (RCP) may comprise a media gateway controller, a softswitch, routers, a class 5 switch, a class 4/5/SWAT, or the like. Devices  312 ,  314 , and  316  can be any type of device including a phone, a computer, a network, or the like. The devices may be connected to the regional call processor (RCP)  304  using a number of different connection technologies including various types of transmission media, for example optical, wireless, wire, microwave or the like, and various types of protocols, for example packet based, TDM, CDMA, or the like. When device  312  requests a local service, the regional call processor (RCP)  304  fulfills the request. For example, when device  312  requests a connection to device  316 , regional call processor (RCP)  304  establishes the path for the connection. When device  312  requests a service that is nationally based, regional call processor (RCP)  304  determines that the request is for a nationally based service. Regional call processor  304  passes the request to national call processor  332 . Regional call processor  304  may use a session initiation protocol (SIP) enhanced message to pass the request on to the national call processor  332 . The SIP message may contain the dialed number, the destination number, a user ID, and the requested service. The user ID may be the IP address of the device. The national call processor  332  may query the national context cell  330  to get the context for the requested service. National call processor  332  will fulfill the request. 
     Every nationally based service may not be supported at each national call processor. For example, the nationally based service requested by device  314  may not be supported by national call processor  332 , it may only be supported at national call processor  334 . When a national call processor receives a request for a nationally based service, the national call processor determines if it can fulfill the request. When the national call processor supports the requested service, the national call processor fulfills the request. When a national call processor does not support the requested service, the national call processor queries a national context center to determine which national call processor does support the requested service. Once the national call processor determines which national call processor supports the requested service, the national call processor forwards the request to the national call processor that does support the requested service. For example, when device  314  requests a nationally based service that is not supported by national call processor  332 , then national call processor  332  will query national context cell  330  to determine which national call processor supports the requested service. National context cell  330  may respond that national call processor  334  supports the requested service. National call processor  332  will forward the request for service to national call processor  334 . National call processor  334  will fulfill the request. 
     In one example embodiment, the normal flow for determining which national call processor supports a requested service is for every national call processor to send a query to a national context cell, even when the national call processor that sent the query is the national call processor that supports the service. 
     Each device or end point may need to register to gain access to the services provided. In one embodiment of the current invention, each end point or device would register with the local regional call processor (RCP) at power up. The RCP and the end points may both support SIP Digest Authentication or the like. When the device or end point only registers for locally based services, then the registration at the RCP is all that is required. When the device is subscribing for nationally based services, then a national registration process is followed. 
       FIG. 4  is a flow chart for a national registration process in one example embodiment of the current invention. At power up a device sends a register message to the local regional call processor (RCP) ( 402 ). The register message may contain the user ID and the IP address for the device. The RCP registers the device for local services ( 404 ). The RCP queries a national service center ( 406 ) to determine if the device has subscribed to any nationally based services. When the device is subscribing to a nationally based service, then the RCP forwards the register message to a national service center ( 408 ) where the national service center registers the device. 
     In another example embodiment of the invention, the register message may contain a list of subscribed services. The local RCP would register the device for any local services requested. The local RCP would determine if any of the requested services where nationally based. When a nationally based service is requested the RCP would forward the register message to a national service center where the national service center would register the device. In one embodiment, the RCP may determine the nationally based services using a lookup table. In another embodiment, the nationally based services may be marked by a flag. The local RCP would detect the flag designating a service as nationally based, and forward the registration message to a national service center.