Patent ID: 7639669

Claim:
A method for controlling features implemented by nodes in a first communication network comprising the steps of: generating and transmitting a first signaling message by a device in the first network in response to receipt by a recipient in the first network of a packet transmitted from an originator in another network, the first signaling message comprising an address of the recipient and originator, and control information defining the feature to be controlled; receiving at a first perimeter node of the first network the first signaling message; generating and transmitting second signaling messages from the first perimeter node to the other perimeter nodes of the first network in response to receipt of the first signaling message, the second signaling messages each comprising the address of the recipient and originator, and the control information defining the feature to be controlled; receiving at a second perimeter node of the first network the second signaling message and storing information contained in the second signaling message; upon the determination of the occurrence of an event by the second perimeter node, generating and transmitting a third signaling message from the second perimeter node to the recipient so that the third signaling message traverses intermediate nodes in the first network utilized for carrying packets from the originator to the recipient, the third signaling message comprising the address of the recipient and originator, and the control information defining the feature to be controlled; the intermediate nodes adapted to read the control information contained within the third signaling message and implement communication services in accordance with the control information.