摘要:
A system and method for providing custom telephone services to a network of independent Service Providers (SP's) includes a network Service Control Point (SCP) and an associated network Service Creation Environment (SCE) at the network level. A number of SP's have SCE terminals which are interfaced with the network SCE through a network file server. This allows the SP's to create custom services and also to access custom services via a common bulletin board of services maintained at the network SCE. Dedicated, distributed SCP's owned by participating SP's are linked to the network SCP via a high speed data link and use a common operating and application system which provides expanded call processing capabilities, monitoring and system redundancy for the distributed SCP's.
摘要:
A short dedicated code, such as an N11 telephone number, is used to access an information source selected from a large number of voice, data, facsimile and/or video services offered by information service providers. The system can use a single N11 number for all calls, or a first code number for preprogrammed call processing and a second number for casual access. The system can route an information service call based at least in part on preprogrammed selection data for the caller stored in a central data base, or can prompt a casual caller for various inputs to determine which service the caller currently wants to access. The disclosed system of call routing eliminates the need for information service users to know a large number of different telephone numbers to access a variety of information services. In the preferred embodiments, the user only needs to know one or two three-digit N11 type access numbers, such as 211 or 511. Because of the use of a programmable central data base, the system can provide customized routing and call processing procedures for different customers and for accessing different providers' services. Also, the system allows easy modification and updating of the stored data to suit a customer's current needs for accessing different information sources. The system can also provide access authorization procedures as defined by the customer or as defined by the information service provider.