WO1999051009A1

WO1999051009A1 - Method and system of televoting in an intelligent network

Info

Publication number: WO1999051009A1
Application number: PCT/AU1999/000215
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hoerdur Matthaisson
Original assignee: Ericsson Australia Pty. Ltd.
Priority date: 1998-03-30
Filing date: 1999-03-25
Publication date: 1999-10-07
Also published as: AUPP266298A0

Abstract

A method of televoting in an intelligent network, the intelligent network including a service control point (SCP) connected to at least one service switching point (SSP), the method including the steps of: (a) the SCP sending to the SSP service instructions for the processing of calls from a subscriber terminal participating in a televoting event (20 (b) the SSP identifying that a received call is requesting participation in the televoting event (23); and (c) the SSP processing the received call according to the service instructions (25-33), wherein, the service instructions sent in step (a) include at least one remote destination number, and the SSP routes the received call to the remote destination number when the received call is processed in step (c) according to the service instructions.

Description

- 1 -

METHOD AND SYSTEM OF TELEVOTING IN AN INTELLIGENT

NETWORK

The present invention relates to televoting in an intelligent network, and more particularly to a method and system of televoting in an intelligent network, whereby telephone calls made during a televoting event are processed in a service switching point according to instructions received from a service control point.

An intelligent network consists of a number of switching entities that combine to offer subscribers a specialised service such as televoting. The switching entities contain processing software to process calls according to the required service or application. Typically, an intelligent network contains a number of service switching points (SSP) each connected to a public telecommunications network such as a public switched telephone network (PSTN), integrated services digital switching network (ISTN) packet-switched public data network (PSPDN) or a mobile network. Each of the SSPs are connected to a service control point (SCP) which contains service specific application software and customer or subscriber records. The SSP reacts to specific service triggers and initiates queries to the SCP over a common channel signalling network, such as the signalling system no. 7 (SS7) network. The SCP acts upon the query from the SSP and returns a message containing the data and instructions to complete the service. A service management system (SMS) is linked to the SCP and supports the administration of the customer records within the SCP.

Televoting is a particular service offered by an intelligent network in which callers may dial one or more pre-determined destination telephone numbers to register a vote or an answer in response to a choice or question initiated through a viewer or listener program conducted by a broadcaster, such as a television or radio network and the like. The owner or broadcaster of the program may provide an incentive to callers to call the pre-determined telephone numbers by offering prizes to selected callers.

The televoting service is implemented in an intelligent network by having the broadcaster load the SMS with service instructions defining the televoting event, such as the start time, end time, the destination numbers for each choice - 2 - offered, announcements to be played, etc. These service instructions are downloaded into the SCP, and are in turn delivered to each SSP from to the SCP, so that each SSP is programmed with the appropriate parameters to enable the televoting event to be held. During the activated televoting service, incoming calls are received by the SSPs to the pre-determined destination numbers and handled in a sequential manner. The SSPs then count the calls received and terminate a certain percentage of calls by filtering. The remaining calls are allowed to be transferred to the SCP where they are stored in time sequence and remain eligible to win a prize in the contest. When the televoting event is implemented in an intelligent network, each SSP is sent instructions from the SCP as to how to treat the calls that are received at that SSP. These instructions may contain information as to the manner in which the calls are to be counted, when the calls are to be released to the caller, and what announcement is to be played to the caller. In this regard, many televoting event services play to each caller a message indicating that their vote has been recorded. An example of such a message is: "You have voted for contestant XYZ in the talent contest. Thank you for calling".

In existing intelligent networks, such announcements are stored in a digital memory within the SSP itself, or within an intelligent peripheral (IP) directly linked to that SSP, and the playing of the announcement is managed by a specialised resources function (SRF) within either the SSP or the IP. Accordingly, the service instructions sent from the SCP to the SSP prior to the commencement of the televoting event can request that the SSP establish a connection between the calling party participating in the televoting event and the SRF to play the above- mentioned announcements. Such an arrangement limits the televoting service provider to playing announcements that reside within the SSPs or that can be accessed directly from them in directly connected intelligent peripherals. In addition, no further processing of the call is possible once the call has been filtered or blocked by the SSP.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and system of televoting in an intelligent network which minimises or alleviates one or more of the problems of prior methods or systems of televoting. - 3 -

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and system of televoting in an intelligent network which allows for a greater flexibility in the processing of calls received by an SSP during a televoting event.

With this in mind, one aspect of the present invention provides a method of televoting in an intelligent network, the intelligent network including a service control point (SCP) connected to at least one service switching point (SSP), the method including the steps of:

(a) the SCP sending to the SSP service instructions for the processing of calls from a subscriber terminal participating in a televoting event, (b) the SSP identifying that a received call is requesting participation in the televoting event, and (c) the SSP processing the received call according to the service instructions, wherein, the service instructions sent in step (a) include at least one remote destination number, and the SSP routes the received call to the remote destination number when the received call is processed in step (c) according to the service instructions.

Preferably, the destination number is associated with a communications apparatus for providing user interaction functions. The user interaction functions may include a network operator service or a voice recognition service, amongst others.

The service instructions sent in step (a) may include billing instructions, and/or instructions regarding an announcement to be played to a caller, and/or instructions regarding the counting of calls during the televoting event. Preferably, the service instructions are sent in step (a) as part of a televoting service activation message.

The televoting service activation message may be sent as an INAP layer message.

The service instructions may include a filtered call processing data field, and the destination number may be part of that filtered call processing data field. - 4 -

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for televoting in an intelligent network, the system including a service control point (SCP) connected to at least one service switching point (SSP), wherein the SCP includes means for sending to the SSP service instructions, including at least one remote destination number, for the processing of calls from a subscriber terminal participating in a televoting event, the SSP including means for identifying that a received call is requesting participation in the televoting event, means for processing the received call according to the service instructions, and means for routing the received call to the remote destination number when the received call is processed according to the service instructions.

Preferably, the system for televoting in an intelligent network includes a communications apparatus associated with the destination number, the communications apparatus being for providing user interaction functions.

The user interaction functions may include a network operator service or a voice recognition service.

Preferred arrangements of the present invention are depicted in the accompanying drawings, but those drawings are not to be understood as illustrating the only possible form or arrangement of the various steps and components which go to make up a method and system of televoting in an intelligent network according to the invention. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an intelligent network;

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the signalling between a service switching point and a service control point in an intelligent network; Fig. 3 illustrates an Abstract Syntax Notation No. 1 (ASN.l) representation of a filtered call processing data field forming part of a televoting service activation message sent by the SCP to the SSP to activate a televoting event in the intelligent network of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a schematic representation of a method of televoting in an intelligent network according to the present invention. Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown an intelligent network 1 in which physical entities are presented as rectangles or circles and functional entities as ovals. Signalling connections are indicated by dotted lines, and actual transport, which may be for example speech, by solid lines. Optional functional entities are indicated by a dotted line. The signalling network shown in Fig. 1 is a network according to the signalling system no. 7 (SS7).

Subscriber equipment SE, such as a telephone, computer or facsimile machine, is switched to a service switching point (SSP), either directly or via a network access point (NAP) or through a public telecommunications network (not shown).

The SSP provides a user from subscriber equipment SE with access to the intelligent network 1 and processes all switching functions for routing calls to and from the subscriber equipment SE. The SSP is also adapted to detect request for televoting and other services in the intelligent network. Operatively, the SSP contains call management and service selection function.

The NAP is a conventional exchange that contains a call control function (CCF) and is able to differentiation between conventional calls and calls requesting participation in televoting and other services provided by the intelligent network, and to route these latter calls to the appropriate SSP. The intelligent network 1 also includes a service control point (SCP) containing service logic programs used for providing intelligent network services such as televoting services. The service logic programs are sent to the SCP from a service management system (SMS) (not shown) connected to the SCP.

The intelligent network 1 may also comprise an intelligent peripheral (IP) providing special purpose functions, such as announcements and voice and multiple choice detection services.

The intelligent network 1 also includes, within each of the previously described physical entities, various functional units relating to call control. These units provide a service switching function (SSF), a special resources function (SRF), a call control function (CCF) and a call control agent function (CCAF).

The SSP allows the service control function to control the call control function CCF. The SRF provides specialised resources needed for implementing intelligent network services, such as changes in protocol, speech detection, voice announcements, etc. The CCF refers to conventional call and connection establishment. Finally, the CCAF provides the user with access to the network. The functions relating to service control are a service control function

(SCF) and a service data function (SDF). The SCF comprises the intelligent network service logic and attends to service bound processing. The SDF provides access to service bound network information, and allows consistent checking of information. The SDF hides from the SCF the actual implementation of the information and offers the SCF a logical view of the information.

The functions relating to management in the intelligent network are the service creation environment function (SCEF), service management function (SMF) and service management access function (SMAF). The SMF comprises supervision of management, maintenance and location of the services. The SMAF provides a connection to the SMF. The SCEF makes it possible to define, develop, test and supply intelligent network services to the SMF.

A request for an intelligent network service is typically made by a calling subscriber from the subscriber equipment SE by picking up a receiver and dialling a telephone number. The call control function CCF in the SSP contains no service information, but is programmed to identify the requests for service when the calling subscriber dials one of a predetermined selection of numbers. The CCF then interrupts the call setup and informs the SSF within the SSP of the state of the call. The function of the SSF is to interpret the request for the intelligent network service from the calling party and the information as to the state of the call, to form a standardised request for service and to send that request to the SCF via the SS7 network.

The SCF receives the request and decodes it. After this is forms, in codes and sends a standardised response to the SSF. The SSF decodes and interprets the response sent by the SCF. It then provides the CCF with accurate instructions for performing the preparation process. - 7 -

When a response is sent to the SSF, the service control function may be required to participate in a conversation between the calling user and an end user. This normally takes place in the form of the above prompt and collect sequence which the SCF authorises the SRF to perform. Particularly, the SCF may instruct the SSF to connect the calling user or end user to a suitable physical source by using the SRF in the SSP or the SRF in the IP directly connected to the SSP. The SCF instructs the SRF and temporarily halts the processing of the call from the subscriber equipment. The SRF participates in the conversation between the calling user and the end user. After this, the SCF continues its intelligent network service control sequence.

Televoting is a particular service of the intelligent network in which the subscriber can participate in a televoting event by calling one of a predetermined range of telephone numbers. Televoting employs a specialised service filter where it is possible to start count calls placed to these predetermined telephone numbers between start and stop times. The televoting event is started by the SCF sending to the SSF a televoting service activation message. The SSF, in turn, counts the calls received when the televoting service is active. During that time, most incoming calls are filtered or blocked in the SSP which is accessed by the subscriber equipment SE and only certain selected incoming calls are routed through to the SCP for further processing in the televoting event. Additionally, the SSF periodically sends to the SCF the contents of the counters counting the number of incoming calls made to the predetermined telephone numbers.

When televoting is implemented in the intelligent network, the SSP is instructed by the SCP, once the televoting event has been activated, as to the manner in which the incoming calls are to be controlled and counted. These instructions concern the processing of a call participating in a televoting event and contain, for example, instructions as to any announcements that may be played to the calling party via the SRF in either the SSP or the IP directly connected to the SSP. As previously stated, each televoting event is activated at the SCF within the SCP and calls are counted at the SSF within each SSP in the intelligent - 8 - network. The SSP and SCP are interconnected by a signalling network according to the signalling system no. 7, as shown in Fig. 2. The SSP and SCP usually employ an intelligent network application protocol INAP, as described in ETSI IN CS-1 INAP part 1 : protocol specification by the European Telecommunications Standard Institute ETSI. According to the SS7 protocol pile, which is also illustrated in Fig. 2, the INAP layer is the upper most layer in this protocol, having beneath it a TCAP layer (transaction capabilities part), an SCCP layer (signalling connection control point) and MTP layer (message transfer part). During a call made in an intelligent network, there may be one or more INAP dialogs between the SSP and the SCP.

Messages transmitted from the SCP to the SSP to forward a televoting activation message comprise several fields or data types, as follows: 1 Address of SCP

This field contains the address of the SCP that has transmitted the activation message. This parameter helps to prevent activation requests sent by different SCPs from mixing in the service filter in each SSP. 2. Processing a Filtered Call

This field contains information relating to the functions to be formed by the SSP as to call control and charging. As will be explained below, this field also includes information as to the announcement, if any, that should be played to a calling party. In addition, this field indicates the number of counters to be reserved for a particular televoting process: the number of counter reserved will correspond to the number of telephone numbers which have been reserved for the televoting process. 3. Filtering Mode

This field contains information indicating the period when a televoting event is to be activated.

5. Terminating Time

This field contains information indicating the time when a televoting event is terminated.

6. Filtering Criteria - 9 -

This field contains the registration criteria for the calls routed to a televoting service or to be registered in a televoting event.

7. Voting Number

This field contains the first televoting number from the predetermined range of televoting numbers in which the voting numbers begin.

8. Starting Time

This field indicates the time when a televoting event is started. If the time is earlier than the present time or it has not been set at all, the televoting will be started immediately. Otherwise, the vote will be started at the defined time.

Reference will now be made to Fig. 3, which shows in more detail the above-mentioned field containing information relating to the processing of filtered calls. This field, in the Abstract Syntax Notation No. 1 description format, is known as the FilteredCallTreatment field. According to current INAP standards, this field includes currently several sub-fields or codes, as follows:

(a) sFBillingChargingCharacteristics: this sub-field contains information as to how the incoming call from the subscriber equipment wishing to participate in the televoting event is to be charged i.e. which charging tariff is applicable, etc.

(b) informationToSend: this sub-field contains information as to which announcement, if any, is to be played by an SRF in the intelligent peripheral directly connected to that SSP.

(c) maximumNumberOfCounters: this sub-field contains the information as to the number of counters to be used in a particular televoting event, and will correspond to the number of telephone numbers which have been reserved for that televoting event.

(d) releaseCause: this sub-field contains information as to when the incoming call to the SSP is to be released to the caller eg. an incoming call may be released only after an announcement from an SRF has been played. - 10 -

According to the invention, a further sub-field may be added to the FilteredCallTreatment field in the ETSI core INAP CS-1 standard. This sub-field, is referenced in Fig. 3 as "destinationNumber". This sub-field may include one or more destination telephone numbers to which a call placed from subscriber equipment SE participating in a particular televoting event may be routed from an SSP. Each destination number or numbers may be associated with communications apparatus for providing user interaction functions. For example, such communications apparatus may be linked to a network operator service, voice recognition device, or other apparatus which enable the further treatment of a call made during a televoting event, once that call has been filtered or blocked in the SSP.

With reference now to Fig. 4, one method of conducting a televoting event in accordance with the present invention will be described. In step 20, the SCP sends service instructions to the SSP for the processing of calls from a subscriber terminal participating in a televoting event. These service instructions would usually be sent as part of a televoting service activation message from the SCP, but in other embodiments of the invention this need not be the case.

The televoting service activation message conditions each of the SSPs participating in the particular televoting event. At step 21, a caller dials one of the pre- allocated numbers assigned to the particular televoting event to register their vote. At step 22, the SSP receives the call from the subscriber equipment, either directly or through the NAP, and, at step 23, identifies whether or not that received call is requesting participation in the televoting event. If the SSP determines that the number dialled was not one of those allocated to the televoting event, the call is normally routed, at step 24, to the telephone number and associated subscriber equipment selected by the calling party.

If, however, the SSP determines at step 23 that the call is intended for participation in a particular televoting event, the SSP increases the value of a counter allocated to that particular called telephone number by 1, at step 25, so that the choice/selection made by the caller in the televoting event is registered. The - 11 - counter value of each counter in the SSP is incremented in this way by each call received until the counter value of the nth call equals a pre-determined value set in each SSP for each particular counter at step 26.

In existing televoting systems, if the counter value of the call does not equal the pre-determined value, that call is terminated with an announcement generated by the SRF in the SSP or in the IP directly connected to that SSP. According to the present invention, however, the SSP is able to use the destination number provided to it by the SCP as part of the FilteredCallTreatment data type to provide further treatment of the call, such as interaction with a network operator or an automated voice recognition device. In the example illustrated in Fig. 4, a recorded voice announcement may firstly be played by an SRF within either the SSP or the IP connected thereto, for example, informing the calling party that they have been unsuccessful in the televoting event but that they will be eligible to purchase goods associated with the televoting event if they stay on line. At step 28, the SSP is able to route the incoming call to one of the destination number or numbers in the FilteredCallTreatment data type for further processing. The destination number may be associated with a voice recognition device and the user may be prompted with questions enabling the user to select or purchase items associated with the televoting event or its sponsors at step 29. If, at step 26, the counter value of the call equals the pre-determined value, the call is routed through to the SCP at step 30. The number of votes received in each SSP at step 31 is transmitted to and stored in the SCP and the counters in each SSP are reset. At step 32, a comparison is made between a pre-determined value X and the counter value of the counter in the SCP. When a match occurs between these numbers, at step 33, the calling party associated with that telephone call is declared the winner of the televoting contest and the SCP then instructs the SSP to connect the caller to a network operator. Otherwise, at step 34, an announcement may be played to the participant them that they have been successful in the first stage of the televoting event, but unfortunately they are not the winner. From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that one particularity of a televoting event is that a large number of calls are received at each SSP - 12 - conditioned to participate in that televoting event. In order not to overload the SCP, limited information only as to the progress of the televoting event is periodically provided from each SSP to the SCP. Most incoming calls are therefore blocked or filtered within each SSP, rather than the SSP systematically requesting instructions from the SCP as to how the incoming call is to be processed. According to the present invention, each SSP is now not restricted to simply blocking or filtering each incoming call received during a televoting event, but in now able to redirect the call to one or more destination telephone numbers provided from the SCP as part of service instructions for the processing of calls during the televoting event.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that there may be many variations and modifications of the method and system described herein which are in the scope of the present invention.

Claims

- 13 -Claims

1. A method of televoting in an intelligent network, the intelligent network including a service control point (SCP) connected to at least one service switching point (SSP), the method including the steps of: (a) the SCP sending to the SSP service instructions for the processing of calls from a subscriber terminal participating in a televoting event,

(b) the SSP identifying that a received call is requesting participation in the televoting event, and

(c) the SSP processing the received call according to the service instructions, wherein, the service instructions sent in step (a) include at least one remote destination number, and the SSP routes the received call to the remote destination number when the received call is processed in step (c) according to the service instructions.

2. A method of televoting according to claim 1, wherein the destination number is associated with a communications apparatus for providing user interaction functions.

3. A method of televoting according to claim 2, wherein the user interaction functions include a network operator service.

4. A method of televoting according to claim 2, wherein the user interaction functions include a voice recognition service.

5. A method of televoting according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the service instructions sent in step (a) include billing instructions.

6. A method of televoting according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the service instructions sent in step (a) include instructions regarding an announcement to be played to a caller.

7. A method of televoting according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the service instructions sent in step (a) include instructions regarding the counting of calls during the televoting event. - 14 -

8. A method of televoting according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the service instructions are sent in step (a) as part of a televoting service activation message.

9. A method of televoting according to claim 8, wherein the televoting service activation message is sent as an INAP layer message.

10. A method of televoting according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the service instructions include a filtered call processing data field, and wherein the destination number forms part of that filtered call processing data field.

11. A system for televoting in an intelligent network, the system including a service control point (SCP) connected to at least one service switching point (SSP), wherein the SCP includes means for sending to the SSP service instructions, including at least one remote destination number, for the processing of calls from a subscriber terminal participating in a televoting event, the SSP including means for identifying that a received call is requesting participation in the televoting event, means for processing the received call according to the service instructions, and means for routing the received call to the remote destination number when the received call is processed according to the service instructions.

12. A system for televoting according to claim 11, and further including a communications apparatus associated with the destination number, the communications apparatus being for providing user interaction functions.

13. A system for televoting according to claim 12, wherein the user interaction functions include a network operator service.

14. A system for televoting according to claim 12, wherein the user interaction functions include a voice recognition service.