MXPA00006150A - A method of and a system for delivering calls to plural service provider domains - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of and a system for delivering a call to a called subscriber in a service provider domain of an Intelligent Network (IN) telecommunication system (1) comprising plural service provider domains (10;20). Each such domain (10;20) comprises interconnected Service Switching Point (SSP) (16;24) and Service Control Point (SCP) equipment (17;25). For a ported subscriber (21'), porting information is stored (27;31;34) associated with routing information to another service provider domain (10) and service information of the ported subscriber (21'), in particular whether the ported subscriber (21') has availed himself of services relating to call delivery. Each time a call is to be delivered to a called ported subscriber (21'), porting information associated with routing and service information is retrieved (27;31;34) and the call will be directly delivered to the ported called subscriber (21') at his actual service provider domain (10) identified by the routing information and in accordance with the service profile information of the called subscriber (21').

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SENDING CALLS TO MULTIPLE DOMAINS OF SERVICE PROVIDERS Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to intelligent radio telecommunications (IN = Intelligent Network) services and more specifically to a method of and a system for supplying calls to subscribers in multiple domains of service providers. Background of the Invention Modern intelligent network (IN) telecommunications systems provide various telecommunications and network services. The services available to a subscriber, either free or subscription based, are contained in a so-called user profile information, stored in the service control point (SCP = Service Control Point) equipment of the telecommunications system. Due to the deregulation of public telecommunications, the current IN telecommunications systems are constituted by multiple domains of service providers that can operate in different geographic areas or the same. The number, type and charge for services may vary among service providers.

Number portability (NP = Number Portability) allows subscribers to change domains of service providers, without changing their telephone or subscriber number. A call to a transferred subscriber will be delivered to the current location of the transferred subscriber despite dialing the original subscriber's number. To obtain necessary addressing information, a call to a transferred subscriber will generally invoke interrogation of the service provider domain in which the called subscriber was originally registered, also called the donor domain. From the obtained addressing information, the call will be sent to the subscriber transferred in the current service provider domain identified by the addressing information. The addressing information associated with a transferred subscriber may be provided in separate global or local LP database equipment or in SCP of the local service provider or donor domain, such as described in US Pat. No. 5,598,464. The addressing information that is provided may comprise (or a reference to) the current location of the subscriber transferred in a particular service provider's domain, or a reference to a gateway so named, which provides an interface between the service provider's domains . Gates are used, for example if service providers for competitive or other reasons do not wish to directly describe domain information sensitive to their competitors. One of the problems associated with NP is the requirement to send calls to subscribers transferred in accordance with the available telecommunications and network services to a Transferred Subscriber in their service provider domain. British Patent Application No. 2,280,334 discloses a method for invoking a telephone user profile in connection with a user initiated addressing of a call. The user service profile information is stored in all the switches of a telephony network, using an intermediate central computer. In addition to excessive storage space requirements and a strict scheme to update all switches in the case of changes in a subscriber's service profile information, particularly if domains from different service providers are involved, service providers may have a genuine requirement based, among other things, on providing competitive services, not describing information regarding service subscriptions, etc. According to this, in practice, service providers will prefer to store the service profile information of their subscribers in the SCP equipment of their own service domain. In this case, after a call has been directed to the current service provider domain of a transferred subscriber, an additional interrogation of the SCP equipment of this domain has to be initiated to find out if the transferred subscriber has available services or not, at least services relevant to the sending the call. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that this additional interrogation increases the delay in sending calls to transferred subscribers, compared to non-transferred subscribers. However, one goal of telecommunication practice is to keep call setup times as small as possible. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an efficient method of and a system for sending calls to transferred subscribers, in accordance with services available to a transferred subscriber.

According to the invention, in a first aspect thereof, there is provided a method for sending calls to subscribers called in a service provider domain of an intelligent network (IN) telecommunications system comprising multiple domains of service provider, each of these domains comprises interconnected service switching point (SSP) and service control point (SCP) equipment, the SSP is operable to send a call from a subscriber calling a subscriber to which it is called, and the SCP is operable to control available telecommunications and network services to a subscriber in its service provider domain, where for the transferred subscribers, routing information and calls are provided to the transferred subscribers are sent in accordance With this addressing information, the method is characterized by the steps of: - providing transfer information, For subscribers Transferred, the transfer information is associated with routing information and information regarding services available to the subscribers transferred, in particular services relating to the sending of calls, and sending calls to the subscribers transferred to whom it is called in accordance with the addressing information and the service information that is provided, wherein - calls to transferred subscribers that do not have services relating to the sending of calls, are sent without questioning to the SCP equipment of the service provider domain of the transferred subscribers and in where calls to transferred subscribers having services relating to the sending of calls, are sent when interrogating the SCP equipment of the service provider domain of the transferred subscribers in accordance with the service information that is provided. In the method according to the invention, for each subscriber, transfer information is available regarding the current location of the called subscriber and whether or not it is required to interrogate the SCP of the current service provider domain. The SCP may contain or have access to the transfer information. If the called subscriber is within your home service provider or donor domain, the call will be sent after SCP consultation for transfer information after establishing the IN principles by the SSP equipment under the control of the SCP and the services of telecommunication and network available to the called subscriber. However, the transfer information obtained indicates that the called subscriber is transferred to a different service provider's domain, the addressing information is retrieved, identifying the subscriber transferred in the other domain of the service provider. Following the method of the invention, the addressing information is directly linked to information indicating at least if the call has to be sent according to available services to the called subscriber. In this way, the information regarding the telecommunication and network services of the called subscriber is directly available at the end of the address and the call to the transferred subscriber can be provided according to their respective service profile. This without any separate interrogation stage whether the subscriber is called or has not been made available for services relevant to the call supply. As a minimum, only information about whether a transferred subscriber comprises services and not the full service profile in the other domain of the service provider has to be described.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the method according to the invention minimizes overall signaling space. With the method according to the invention, each service provider maintains its own service information. In this way, service providers are not primarily forced to update common or similar network databases which, in order to configure a reliable update procedure, essentially require description of competitive service information. However, common network databases are still applicable, if desired. The method according to the invention hardly requires additional resources for storage and updating of transfer information. The service information part of the transfer information, in its simplest form may comprise a so-called flag or service trigger. This service flag or trigger essentially comprises a single bit of data or a few bits of data, indicating whether and under what conditions services are available, in particular services relating to sending a call, to the transferred subscriber who is called. A trigger or service flag can also involve the conditional setting of a mask bit or mask bits called simply called "mask". In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, the transfer information can be retrieved from a dedicated database that is operated to store address information of transferred subscribers. In a preferred embodiment of the method according to. the invention, the transfer information including addressing and service information, is retrieved from the SCP of the domain of the service provider of the service area of the transferred subscriber. In a still further embodiment of the method according to the invention, the addressing information includes information as to whether the subscriber is transferred to a different part of its own service provider domain, this is this part operable to control network services and telecommunications. - With this feature, it is possible to provide network (and additional) telecommunications services to subscribers that are not directly available from the domain of the service provider to which the subscriber connects. That is, a subscriber can be transferred locally within their own domain of domestic service provider to provide services (the additional ones). With the method of the invention, calls to a locally transferred subscriber will be supported by the available services, without any delay other than obtaining the transfer information. Those with skill in the specialty will appreciate that the service profile information (additional) can be understood in the same SCP of a service provider domain, however in different sites and accessible through a local number portability search. Following the invention, the transfer information can be retrieved on each call for each subscriber or selectively only for calls to subscribers currently transferred. The invention further provides a system for supplying calls to so-called subscribers in a service provider domain of an intelligent network (IN) telecommunications system comprising multi-service provider domains, each of these domains comprising a switching point equipment. interconnected service (SSP) and service control point (SCP), the SSP is operable to send a call from a subscriber calling a called subscriber, and the SCP is operable to control available telecommunications and network services to a subscriber in its service provider domain, the system comprises means for storing address information of a transferred subscriber, characterized by - means for storing transfer information, at least for subscribers transferred, the transfer information is associated with addressing information and information regarding available services to subscribers transferred in particular services related to the supply of calls, - means to recover and evaluate transfer information, operatively connected in such a way that - calls to transferred subscribers that do not have services related to the sending of calls, they are sent without questioning to the SCP equipment of the service provider domain of the transferred subscribers, and because calls to transferred subscribers that have services referring to the sending of calls, are sent when questioning the SCP team of the service provider domain of the transferred subscribers, according to the service information provided. The aforementioned and other features and advantages of the present invention will now be discussed in the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows a simplified block diagram of an intelligent network (IN) telecommunications system comprising two service provider domains, which incorporate the method according to the present invention. Figure 2 shows a simplified block diagram of an SSP arranged for use in a system according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE MODALITIES Figure 1 shows u? I typical intelligent network (IN) 1 telecommunications system, comprising a first domain of service provider 10 and a second domain of service provider 20. For clarification purposes, the IN 1 system is limited to two domains of service provider. However, in practice, the IN systems may comprise a plurality of service provider domains, serving the same or different geographic areas. In the embodiment shown, it is considered that the domains of service providers 10, 20 serve separate geographical areas, indicated by the interrupted frontier line 2. A typical IN service provider domain of a public switched telephone network (PSTN) ), for example, comprises groups of interconnected exchanges or exchanges. The subscribers 11, 12; 21 are connected through a local exchange (LE) 13, 14; 22 at least one transit or sub-urban power station TE 15; 24, respectively. The service provider domains 10; 20 are connected by a sub-urban line 3, between their TE 15; 23. LE 13, 14; 22 and TE 15; 23 respectively, they are connected through sub-urban lines 4 while the subscribers 11, 12; 21 connect to their LE 13, 15; 22 by the subscriber or downlines 5. In the embodiment shown, the TE 15; 23 are of the type comprising service switching point equipment (SSP) 16; 24 that control the TE in order to establish the transmission links required to direct and receive calls by the subscribers 11, 12; 21. Each domain of service provider 10; 20, further comprises subscriber control point equipment (SCP) 17; 25. In each service provider domain, the SCP is connected by a signaling network 18; 26 to the SSP of your service provider domain, respectively. The SCP 17; 25 are operable to control telecommunications and network services available to a subscriber 11, 12; 21 in your domain of local area service provider 10; 20, respectively, as indicated in Figure 1.

Subscribers may wish to change their service provider domain, for example due to differences in services that are provided by different service providers, for example for reasons of cost, etc. Number portability (NP) allows subscribers to change service provider domains without changing their original subscriber number. In order to direct a call to a called transfer subscriber, addressing information has to be obtained. The addressing information may be stored in separate local database media in the domain of the donor service provider or local area of the transferred subscriber, such as the database 30; 31, which connects via a signaling link 32; 33 to LE 13; 22, respectively. Alternatively, the addressing information may be stored in the global database means 34, connected by signaling links 28; 29 to SCP 17; 25 and SSP 16; 24, respectively. In addition, routing information may be stored in the storage means 19; 27 of SCP 17; 25, for example. In order to indicate their optional nature, the respective storage means and signaling links are illustrated by dotted lines.

Following the invention, the address information of the subscribers 11, 12; 21 of a service provider domain, are enhanced with information concerning a subscriber's services. In particular services concerning the sending of calls to a transferred subscriber. Essentially, this service information can be limited to a single trigger or flag if the subscriber is transferred to a different service provider's domain. In SCP 15; 25, of the domain of service provider 10; 20 wherein the transferred subscriber is currently located, this service information triggers the service profile information of the transferred subscriber 11, 12; 21. For the purpose of explaining the method according to the invention, it is now considered that the subscriber 21 is transferred from its local service provider or donor domain 20 to the domain of service provider 10, connecting to LE 14 as indicated by interrupted lines and the reference number 21 '. In addition, it is considered that in its new domain of service provider 10, various network and telecommunications services are available to subscriber 21 ', such as call waiting, dual call switching, etc. Assuming that the subscriber 11 in the service provider domain 10, ie the originating domain calls the subscriber 21 using the original subscriber or telephone number in LE 22, the call will be configured through LE 13, TE 15 and TE 23 through the intermediate network lines 3, 4 and 5. Following the invention, the call to the subscriber 21 results in transfer information indicating that the subscriber 21 has been transferred and the availability of services for the user. This transfer information can be retrieved either from the database means 31, the database means 34 or the storage means 27 or the service provider domain 20. However, instead of configuring a call to the donor domain 20 of the user 21 to retrieve the transfer information, this transfer information it can be retrieved directly from the transfer database media. From the transfer information, indicating that the subscriber 21 has been transferred, addressing information is obtained, either directly and by providing the current physical location of the subscriber, or a reference to a so-called gate 36 linking the TE 15; 23, if a complete separation of the service network provider domains 10 is required; 20. The gate 36 provides an interface between the service provider domains 10; 20. In gate 36, the address information to the current location of the transferred subscriber 21 'is available. The transfer information service information apparatus may be added to the addressing information that is provided in the gate 21. Due to its operational nature, the gate 31 is illustrated in dotted lines. The addressing information together with the subscriber service information 21 will be transferred to TE 15 and SSP 16 of the service provider domain 10. From analysis of the addressing information, it will be clear that the subscriber 21 is (temporarily) located in LE 14, such that in TE 15 the call of the calling subscriber 11 will be directed by SSP 16 to the subscriber called 21 'under the control of the applicable services. When analyzing the service information of the received transfer information, it will be clear that if the transferred subscriber is available with services, at least referring to call shipments. If affirmative, the service profile information applicable in SCP 17 will be interrogated with signaling link 18, in order to control TE 15 and LE 14 to provide the required services.

If the transfer information contains this service information indicating that the Transferred Subscriber does not have services relating to the sending of a call, SCP 17 will not be interrogated. As will be appreciated by those with skill in the art, after the addressing information has been analyzed and the transferred subscriber has been located, with the method of the invention, it is not necessary to perform separate interrogation in the domain of current service provider 10 whether the call had to be delivered or sent following special services. This interrogation step is already performed implicitly by providing the service information flag or trigger in the transfer information, which is provided to the current service provider domain of the transferred subscriber. A service flag trigger may also involve the conditional configuration of a mask bit or mask bits so-called, simply called "mask". With the above method according to the invention, competitive information does not have to be stored in terms of the provision of services from a service provider in a common database or database of local systems to other service providers, and is not required common update procedures. Due to the linking of the addressing information and the service information signaling, the general expense is minimized. In this way, the requirements regarding the configuration times of a call to a transferred subscriber are easily fulfilled, according to the services available to the subscriber transferred in his domain of service provider. In the previous example, it has been considered that a subscriber is transferred from one domain of service provider to another. However, it is also feasible that services have to be provided to a subscriber, these services can be located in a different part of your service provider domain. Local number portability can be applied, such that the subscriber is transferred locally to that part of the service provider domain where the services are available. The supply, by the invention, of addressing and service information will result in a fast delivery or delivery of the call to the locally located transferred subscriber. It is noted that the portability of the local number may apply within the same SCP, for example comprising parts that provide different types of services.

Instead of transferring information in the form of a simple trigger, as described above, with the method according to the invention, the transfer information may also comprise more extensive service information or a "mask" operation. In the method according to the invention, the available signaling possibilities can be used to send a call according to the service profile information of a transferred subscriber who is called. Figure 2 shows a simplified block diagram of an SSP 40 for use in the IN 1 system of the invention. In addition to the known functionality of an SSP, generally designated by block 41, the SSP 40 shown comprises means 42 for retrieving transfer information from a called subscriber; means 43 for evaluating the transfer information, for sending the call to a subscriber transferred to the one called in his transferred network position; and means 44 for communicating addressing information and service information to the SSP of the current service provider domain of the transferred subscriber called or gateway 36.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the means 42-44 previously identified can be implemented by one or both additional means of physical equipment and software in an SSP. The invention is of course not limited to the system mode and SSP shown and described above. Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims, various modifications and additions may be provided, such as retrieving the transfer information of an SCP from an LE, as described in Figure 1, by signal links 35, between LE 13; 22 and SCP 17; 25, for example. Transfer information can be retrieved for each call to each subscriber or only for calls to subscribers who are in fact transferred, as it is known in LE 13; 22, for example.

Claims (12)

1. A method for sending calls to subscribers called in a service provider domain of an intelligent network telecommunications system, comprising multiple service provider domains, each domain comprising point switching service and point equipment of interconnected service control, the SSP is operable to send a call from a subscriber calling a called subscriber, and the SCP is operable to control the available telecommunications and network services to a subscriber in its provider domain of services, wherein for subscribers transferred, the addressing information is provided and calls to the transferred subscribers are sent in accordance with the addressing information, the method is characterized by the steps of: - providing transfer information, at least to subscribers transferred, the transfer information is associated with the information n Addressing and information regarding services available to subscribers transferred, in particular to services related to the sending of calls, and - forwarding calls to subscribers transferred to whom it is called, according to the addressing information, and the service information which is provided, wherein: - calls to the transferred subscribers that do not have services relating to the sending of calls, are sent without questioning to the SCP equipment of the service provider domain of the transferred subscribers and where: - calls to the transferred subscribers which have services relating to the sending of calls, ~ are supplied by interrogation to the SCP equipment of the service provider domain of the subscribers transferred in accordance with the service information.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the service information of the transfer information comprises a flag or trigger that indicates whether services are available to the transferred subscriber.

3. - A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the transfer information is retrieved from an operable database to store address information of a transferred subscriber.

4. A method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the transfer information is retrieved from the local service provider domain of a transferred subscriber.

5. - A method according to claim 4, characterized in that the transfer information is available from the SCP of a domain of local service provider of the transferred subscriber.

6. - A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transfer information includes information on whether the transferred subscriber is transferred to a different part of its domain of local service provider.

7. - A method according to claim 6, characterized in that the different part of the local service provider domain is constituted in the SCP of the subscriber's local service provider domain.

8. - A system for sending calls to subscribers called in a service provider domain of an intelligent network telecommunications system, comprising multiple service provider domains, each domain comprising service switching point equipment (SSP) and service control point (SCP) interconnected, the SCP is operable to send a call from a subscriber calling a called subscriber, and the SCP is operable to control telecommunications and network services available to a subscriber. Subscriber in its service provider domain, the system comprises means for storing address information of a transferred subscriber. characterized by: - means for storing P02 information, at least for transferred subscribers, the transfer information is associated with addressing information and information regarding services available to subscribers transferred, in particular services relating to the sending of calls, - means for recovering and evaluating transfer information, operatively connected such that - calls to transferred subscribers that do not have services related to the sending of calls, are sent without question to the SCP equipment of the service provider domain of the transferred subscribers, and because - calls to transferred subscribers that have services referring to the sending of calls, they are sent by interrogation to the SCP team of the service provider domain of the transferred subscribers, according to the service information.

9. - A system according to claim 8, characterized in that the means for storing transfer information are constituted by operable database means for storing address information of a transferred subscriber.

10. - A system according to claim 8, characterized in that the means for storing transfer information including addressing and service information, are constituted by the SCP of the local service provider domain of a transferred subscriber.

11. A system according to claim 8, 9 or 10, characterized in that it comprises means for transmitting the service information of the transfer information of the transferred subscriber to which the SCP of the domain of the service provider identified by the information is called. of addressing, the SCP is arranged to supply the call according to the service information of the transferred subscriber who is called.

12. - A system according to claim 10, characterized in that the SCP is arranged to store the information of each subscriber as to whether the subscriber is transferred apart from its operable local service provider domain to control telecommunications and network services .