Patent ID: 8472945

Claim:
An event processing apparatus for use in processing service initiation request messages in an event processing system, the apparatus being connectable to a plurality of service nodes from which a subscriber is able to receive service during processing of a network event, each service node being capable of transmitting a service response message comprising data particular to operation of the service node, the apparatus comprising: a function arranged, on receiving a first service initiation request message sent by a serving node in a network currently involved in processing of the network event, to: access a storage system to retrieve attribute data corresponding to said first service initiation request message for the subscriber, the attribute data specifying a plurality of service nodes corresponding to said first service initiation request message and rules defining interaction therebetween, wherein the storage system is configured to store a plurality of said rules, each relating to a particular combination of service nodes, and wherein a subscriber record in the storage system is updated to reference a said rule in response to a change in service nodes registered for the subscriber, request service response messages from said plurality of service nodes, and, control operation of at least some of the plurality of service nodes involved in processing of the same network event on the basis of the attribute data and data contained in the service response messages, wherein, in the event that the data contained within a service response message received from one of the plurality of service nodes is indicative of a request for a signaling resource that overlaps or conflicts with data contained within a service response message received from another of the plurality of service nodes, the function is arranged to process the data contained within respective service response messages on the basis of said attribute data so as to enable access to the requested signaling resource by said service node and the another service node involved in processing of the same network event.