WO2000042784A2

WO2000042784A2 - Method and system for changing the state of a subscriber line

Info

Publication number: WO2000042784A2
Application number: PCT/FI1999/001080
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hannu Peltola; Lauri Isotalo
Original assignee: Elisa Communications Oyj
Priority date: 1998-12-29
Filing date: 1999-12-27
Publication date: 2000-07-20
Also published as: WO2000042784A3; FI109066B; FI982817A; FI982817A0; EP1142352A2

Abstract

The present application relates to a method and system for changing the state of a connection (66, 67) in a telephone network. According to the method, the state of the connection is made changeable by means of control commands entered from a subscriber terminal (66, 67, 64). According to the invention, a control command received from said subscriber terminal (66, 67, 64) is used for controlling an intelligent network trigger that sets a predetermined state associated with the telephone connection of said terminal (66, 67) into an active or passive state as desired.

Description

Method and system for changing the state of a subscriber line .

The invention relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 1 for changing the state of a communications connection.

The invention also relates to a system suitable for changing the state of a communications connection.

Accordingly, the invention concerns a method which allows a user to personally, in real time and flexibly make changes in control services assigned to a connection or a telephone number. The method can be utilized, e.g., for a temporary assignment of a given telephone number as a part of a corporate private branch exchange network.

In today's embodiments, a connection with the help of an SSP externally to a corporate private branch exchange network takes place as follows. The user calls a given number that typically is an intelligent network number. The call is forwarded to a service logic that requests the caller to submit his user identification code and password. Subsequently, the user is given a one-time access limited to the duration of the ongoing call to the corporate number space and services that are implemented within the scope of the subject-matter service. When the user wishes to establish a new call to the private branch exchange network, he is compelled to repeat the same procedure.

This technique is cumbersome to the user, because he has to dial a long string of numbers to establish the connection and only then reach the service. Furthermore, if the user wishes to establish another call to the private branch exchange network, he must repeat the same procedure.

Accordingly, today's concept of implementing a telephone network and an intelligent network does not offer a standard procedure approach to permit a user to change the functions of the client's subscriber connection in the telephone network so that the change would occur in real time in the exchange serving the client. In a typical NPN-type remote user connection, a single telephone set may simultaneously perform as a plain old telephone set and a telecommuter telephone. Herein, the network should include some means for detecting telecommuter calls among so- called normal subscriber calls.

It is an object of the invention to provide an entirely novel type of method and system capable of overcoming the above-mentioned problems of the prior art.

The goal of the invention is achieved by allowing the user to personally change in real time the state of a service or function assigned to his connection or the extension accessible via his connection by virtue of establishing a connection to the service center from his terminal.

Such a terminal used for establishing said connection to the service center may in principle be any terminal connectable to a public telephone network or the Internet, such as a telephone set, a mobile phone, a computer or a WWW telephone facility.

The service center identifies the assigned service and the client, whereupon a service request is sent to a public telephone net server capable of managing the service assigned to the user's connection. The method allows the user to set on or off a given IN trigger function of the intelligent network.

The change will stay active until the user or a program running in the network cancels the change.

More specifically, the method according to the invention is characterized by the specifications disclosed in the characterizing part of claim 1.

The system according to the invention is characterized by what is stated in the characterizing part of claim 6. The invention offers significant benefits.

By virtue of the invention, the user may personally change functions assigned to his connection or directory number. An example of such a facility is described later in the text in regard to a connection to a NPN-type telecommuter service and the call- forwarding controls thereof when this function is set active.

The change in the network can be carried out rapidly, at best in a few seconds from the instant the user has completed on his terminal the action required in the service procedure.

An equivalent approach may also be utilized in other services that are required to facilitate a real-time user-activated change in functions assigned to serve the user communicating with the telephone network.

In the following, the invention is described in more detail by way of exemplifying embodiments with reference to appended drawings in which

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a first embodiment according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a second embodiment according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a third embodiment according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment according to the invention for the control of outgoing calls; and

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment according to the invention for the control of incoming calls. In the following text, the operation by way of the method according to the invention is described. The method is divided into three alternative procedures, each capable of implementing one embodiment according to the invention. The description given below also elucidates the state of incoming and outgoing calls:

- method for setting a function active/passive in a telephone network when a subscriber 66 or 67 is connected to an SSP 60 and a server 62 sets the IN trigger function (IN trigger) of the intelligent network active/passive (FIG. 1),

- method for setting a function active/passive in a telephone network when a subscriber 66 or 67 is connected to an SSP 60 and an SCP 68 sets the IN trigger function (IN trigger) of the intelligent network active/passive (FIG. 2),

- method for setting a function active/passive in a telephone network when a subscriber 66 or 67 is connected to a conventional switching office 69 and a server 62 sets the IN trigger function (IN trigger) of the intelligent network active/passive (FIG. 3),

- outgoing call control for subscriber 67 when the service is set active

(FIG. 4),

- ingoing call control for subscriber 67 when the service is set active (FIG. 5).

In FIG. 1 is described a method for setting a function active/passive in a telephone network when a subscriber 66 or 67 is connected to an SSP 60 and a server 62 sets the IN trigger function (IN trigger) of the intelligent network active/passive. It is noted that neither FIG. 1 nor the other diagrams explained later are far from exhaustive system illustrations inasmuch they only serve a purpose to elucidate the essential elements of the invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the system comprises a plurality of connections 66 and 67 connected to an SSP 60. SSP 60 further communicates with an NRU (Voice Response Unit) 61 and a server 62. Server 62 and VRU 61 are also linked by telecommunications connections to communicate with each other. A service user 64 may be con- nected to server 62 via an Internet 63 and, respectively, the network operator's control center may be connected to the server 62. In the context of the present application, a connection between different system elements must be understood to refer to any connection either by galvanic means or such means as a radio path that facilitates data communications. The implementation of the invention is not limited by the modulation technique or electromagnetic frequency of the communications path.

Referring to FIG. 1, the method comprises the following steps:

la) Subscriber sets the function proper active or passive by the short-dial keys of his telephone set 66, or

lb) subscriber dials a subscriber service code such as *39# assigned to set the function active or passive in the switching office serving the subscriber, or

1 c) subscriber dials a short-dial code such as 22#, whereupon

2a) Either the subscriber terminal 66 generates the directory number (e.g., 09-5555 1234) associated with said function of setting the service active/passive, or

2b) the number is generated in the switching office (based on either the subscriber service code or the short-dial code).

3) Based on the associated directory number, the call is forwarded to VRU 61.

4) VRU 61 identifies subscriber terminal 66 from the A-number of the subscriber connection. Additionally, VRU recognizes from the dialed code the request for setting the function proper active/passive, whereupon it forwards the set active/passive request further to server 62 that manages the subscriber services.

5) After setting the requested function active/passive, server 62 sends an acknowledge message to VRU 52.

6) Alternatively, setting a function active/passive may also take place from the service user's PC 64 via a WWW page of Internet 63, whereupon

7) Server 62 receives from Internet 63 the request for setting a given subscriber service function active/passive.

8) Also the network operator's control center 65 may monitor the state of the subscriber service function and, if necessary, set the state active/passive.

9) Server 62 updates the subscriber data stored in SSP 60 when the function proper is set active/passive. In practice this means setting a trigger associated with the function proper in an active/passive state. Generally, a command specific to the opera- tor/programming interface of the switching point is entered herein. An acknowledge message is sent to server 62 from a successful set active/passive operation.

In FIG. 2 is described a method for setting a function active/passive in a telephone network when a subscriber 66 or 67 is connected to an SSP 60 and an SCP 68 sets the IN trigger function (IN trigger) of the intelligent network active/passive.

The system shown in FIG. 2 differs from that of FIG. 1 by having the SCP (Service Control Point) 68 connected between SSP 60 and server 62. As to the operation of the system, the steps of the method illustrated in FIG. 1 are in this embodiment of the method performed as follows: 21a) Subscriber sets the function active or passive by the short-dial keys of his telephone set 66 or 67, or

21b) subscriber dials a subscriber service code such as *39# assigned to set the function active or passive in the switching office serving the subscriber, or

21c) subscriber dials a short-dial code such as 22#, whereupon

22a) Either the subscriber terminal generates the directory number (e.g., 09-5555 1234) associated with said function of setting the service active/passive, or

22b) the number is generated in the switching office (based on either the subscriber service code or the short-dial code).

23) Based on the associated directory number, the call is forwarded via SSP 60 to VRU 61.

24) VRU 61 identifies subscriber terminal 66 from the A-number of the subscriber connection. Additionally, VRU 61 recognizes from the dialed code the request for setting a function active/passive, whereupon it forwards the set active/passive request further to server 62 that manages the subscriber services.

25) After setting the requested function active/passive, server 62 sends an acknowledge message to VRU 61.

26) Alternatively, setting a function active/passive may also take place from the service user's PC 64 via a WWW page of Internet 63, whereupon

27) Server 62 receives from Internet 63 the request for setting a given subscriber service function active/passive. 28) Also the network operator's control center 65 may monitor the state of the subscriber service function and, if necessary, set the state active/passive.

29) Server 62 sends the call control data base of SCP 68 a request for setting the function active/passive.

30) The call control data base of SCP 68 sends SSP 60 a request for setting active/- passive the trigger associated with the function proper. Generally, this is accomplished by means of a message sequence compliant with the CorelNAP protocol.

In FIG. 3 is described an embodiment of the method suited for setting a function active/passive in a telephone network when a subscriber is connected to a conventional switching office 69 and server 62 sets the IN trigger function (IN trigger) of the intelligent network active/passive.

The system shown in FIG. 3 differs from that of FIG. 1 by having the SSP 60 of FIG. 1 replaced by a conventional switching office 69. The steps of the method illustrated in FIG. 3 are performed as follows:

31a) Subscriber sets the function active or passive by the short-dial keys of his telephone set 66 or 67, or

31b) subscriber dials a subscriber service code such as *39# assigned to set the function active or passive in the switching office serving the subscriber, or

31c) subscriber dials a short-dial code such as 22#, whereupon

32a) Either the subscriber terminal generates the directory number (e.g., 09-5555 1234) associated with said function of setting the service active/passive, or

32b) the number is generated in the switching office (based on either the subscriber service code or the short-dial code).

33) Based on the associated directory number, the call is forwarded to VRU 61.

34) VRU 61 identifies subscriber terminal 66 from the A-number of the subscriber connection. Additionally, VRU 61 recognizes from the dialed code the request for setting a function proper active/passive, whereupon it forwards the set active/passive request further to server 62 that manages the subscriber services.

35) After setting the requested function active/passive, server 62 sends an acknowledge message to VRU 62.

36) Alternatively, setting a function active/passive may also take place from the service user's PC 64 via a WWW page, whereupon

37) Server 62 receives from Internet 63 the request for setting a given subscriber service function active/passive.

38) Also the network operator's control center 65 may monitor the state of the subscriber service function and, if necessary, set the state active/passive.

39) Server 62 updates the subscriber data stored in the conventional switching office 69 when a function is set active/passive. In practice this means setting a prefix analysis associated with the function in an active/passive state for the calling subscriber. Generally, a command specific to the operator/programming interface of the switching office is entered herein. An acknowledge message is sent to server 62 from a successful set active/passive operation.

In FIG. 4 is shown a configuration related to the control of subscriber's outgoing calls when the requested function is activated. The configuration illustrated in FIG. 4 includes practically all the system components shown in FIGS. 1-3. Additionally, this system configuration includes a public telephone network 70 connected to SSP 60, a corporate network 71 connected to the public telephone network, the corporate network in turn comprising a server block 74 and extensions 66, among other things. Further, a mobile phone 67 is separately drawn with a mobile phone switching office 73 located between the mobile phone and SSP 60. Also an extension numbering scheme data base 75 of the corporate private branch exchange is drawn connected to the SCP. The control of outgoing calls operates as follows:

41a) Subscriber 66 connected to SSP 60 goes off-hook, hears a specific dial tone and dials a desired number from those included in the extension numbering scheme of the corporate private branch exchange, or

41b) or subscriber 67 connected via a mobile phone network dials a desired number from those included in the extension numbering scheme of the corporate private branch exchange, or

41c) subscriber 67 connected to a switching office 69 goes off-hook, hears a specific dial tone and dials a desired number from those included in the extension numbering scheme of the corporate private branch exchange.

42b) Mobile phone switching office 73 serving subscriber 67 complements the directory number dialed by the subscriber with a suitable prefix that allows the call to be forwarded to a desired SSP 60 and therein identified as a corporate private branch exchange network call.

42c) Switching office 69 serving the subscriber complements the directory number dialed by the subscriber 66 with a suitable prefix that allows the call to be forwarded to a desired SSP 60 and therein identified as a corporate private branch exchange network call. 43) When the call is processed in SSP 60, the need for sending a request to the call control data base of SCP 68 is detected either from a subscriber-specific trigger (e.g., DP2) or from an analysis (DP3) of the subscriber-entered B-number.

44) Call control data base of SCP 68 checks from the corporate extension number scheme the target number whereto the call is to be forwarded.

45) SCP 68 issues SSP 60 a command to redirect the call with the correct called- party B-number (when necessary, complemented with the calling-party A-number) to public telephone network 70.

46a) The call may also be forwarded to the corporate internal telephone network 71, or

46b) to any connection 66 of public telephone network 70.

In FIG. 5 is shown a configuration related to the control of subscriber's incoming calls when the requested function is activated.

The configuration illustrated in FIG. 5 is similar to the system configuration of FIG. 4, only having some simplifications made to the illustration of the corporate private branch exchange network. Additionally, SCP 68 is shown connected to a unit that provides an accessibility service 76, whereupon the operation is as follows:

51a) A call is received either from a corporate internal telephone network 72, or

51b) a public telephone network 70.

52) The call is forwarded to a proper SSP 60. 53) In processing the call in SSP 60, a need is detected for sending a request to call control data base of SCP 68.

54) SCP 68 fetches data related to the desired service function from corporate accessibility service data base 76.

55a) SCP 68 requests SSP 60 to redirect the call under the specifications related to the service function requested in the call either to subscriber's own connection 66, or

55b) mobile phone network switching office 73, or

55c) another switching office 69.

56b) Mobile phone network switching office 73 forwards the call to mobile phone 67, or

56c) switching office 69 forwards the call to its connection 66.

Optionally, the service may be complemented with conversion of the calling party's A-subscriber number in the following manner. When a user goes off-hook in the corporate network and calls therefrom, the user's extension is signaled as the A-subscriber number. Respectively, when the user calls from the same connection as a normal subscriber, the user's directory number in the public telephone network is signaled as the A-subscriber number.

Additinally, the service may be complemented with incoming call control in the following manner. When a user has logged in the corporate network 72 via the service, calls addressed to the user will be redirected to the physical telephone connection wherefrom the user has carried out the log-in procedure.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. Method for changing the state of a connection (66, 67) in a telephone network, in which method

- the state of the connection is made changeable by means of control commands entered from a subscriber terminal (66, 67, 64),

characterized in that

- a control command received from said subscriber terminal (66, 67, 64) is used for controlling an intelligent network trigger that sets a predetermined state associated with the telephone connection of said terminal (66, 67) into an active or passive state as desired.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the method is used for controlling the log-in process of a user connection to a VPN or the log-off therefrom.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the intelligent network trigger is controlled by a server (62) dedicated to manage subscriber services.

4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the intelligent network trigger is controlled by an SCP (68).

5. Method according to any one of foregoing claims 1, characterized in that the state change caused by the intelligent network trigger is stored in the subscriber data base of the switching office (60, 73, 69) and the change is kept valid until the receipt of the next corresponding intelligent network trigger.

6. System for changing the state of a telephone connection, the system comprising - at least one switching office system (60, 69, 73) and

- at least two terminals (66, 67) communicating with said switching office system,

characterized in that the system further includes

- control means (68, 62) for converting a control command issued from said terminal (60, 69, 73) into an intelligent network trigger.

7. System according to claim 6, in which system said terminal (66, 67) is connected to an SSP (60), characterized in that the control means is a server (62) dedicated for managing subscriber services.

8.. System according to claim 6, in which system said terminal (66, 67) is connected to an SSP (60), characterized in that the control means is an SCP (68).

9. System according to claim 6, in which system said terminal (66, 67) is connected to a conventional switching office (69), characterized in that the control means is a server (62) dedicated for managing subscriber services.

10. System according to any one of foregoing claims 6, characterized in that the system also includes a voice response unit VRU (61).