Intelligent Peripheral Formats for Intelligent Networks

M. S. Pinto Graduate Center - CUNY

Intelligent Networks (IN)

. Service-independent telecommunications network

. Intelligence placed in computer nodes throughout the network

. Capable to act appropriately in a changing environment

IP Formats in INs

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Basic Architecture of a IN
SMS

SMS Service Management System

SCP

SCP Service Control Point

SS7

SS7 Signaling Network STP Service Transfer Point IP Intelligent Peripheral

STP
STP

IP
SSP SSP

SSP Service Switching Point

IP Formats in INs

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Functions of the Components of INs

SSP: . switches designed to interface with the IN user and SS7 signaling network . routes service calls to Service Control Points via SS7
SMS SCP

IP: . stand-alone computer or integrated with an SSP or SCP

IP STP

SS7

STP

. supplements the functions of a SCP . installed to perform both voice and data services . voice services: announcements, speech recognition, code conversion . data services: protocol conversion, data rate conversion, video format

SSP

SSP

IP Formats in INs

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Functions of the Components of INs

SCP: . database that provides call handling information as response to SSP queries . stores callers service profile . supports multi-service operations
STP STP SMS

SCP

SS7

IP

SS7: . Network that controls functions for setting up and taking down service calls . Allows communication between SCPs with SSPs . Called Common Channel Signaling System No. 7, or SS7 for short

SSP

SSP

IP Formats in INs

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Functions of the Components of INs

STP: . signaling hub for the transfer of data packets between network nodes . a network gateway, screening incoming messages based on their contents . traffic controller, network manager, and message router
SMS SCP

SS7

STP STP

IP SSP SSP

SMS: . Supervision, remote operation/maintenance of SCPs, and software downloading . Integrated in an operations support system to support network operations.

IP Formats in INs

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OSI Model and SS7 Protocol Stack

SS7 Layers:
4th: TCAP ( Transaction Capabilities Appl.Part)

. INAP - Int. Network Appl. Protocol

SCCP (Signaling Connection Control Part) ISUP (ISDN User Part) . TUP Telephone User Part

3rd: MTP (Message Transfer Part Level 3)

2nd: MTP (Message Transfer Part Level 2)

1st: MTP (Message Transfer Part Level 1)

IP Formats in INs

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Interworking between Internet and Intelligent Network

Basic IN call:
. Service logic programs in the SCP is executed using parameters passed by SSP

. If needed, desired parameters are passed back to the SSP for further call processing
. SRF (Specialized Resource Function), usually located in Intelligent Peripheral, invoked . IP take actions and information is passed back to SCP using INAP on top of SS7
SMS

. If needed, SCP pass back instructions to SSP to progress the call

STP

SCP

SS7

. SCP does not have direct interaction with the user

IP SSP

STP

SSP

IP Formats in INs

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Interworking between Internet and Intelligent Network

Approach to IN services using Internet initiated services:
. User can launch a call or other IN service by using his/her own web browser . No need to use a telephone handset

. Need to have some method to convert the Internet originated messages to SS7 ones

IP Formats in INs

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Service Scenarios for Internet Initiated IN Services

Internet Initiated Services to be converted into Circuit Switching Network (SS7): . Request to Call Click-to-Dial . Request to Fax Click-to-Fax . Request to Hear Content Click-to-Hear . Internet Based Conference Calling Supervision Add/drop parties for the call

IP Formats in INs

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Intelligent Peripherals
General-purpose computer that runs its own kind of service logic in order to execute complex services dialogs flexibly.

Basic Architecture

Service Logic Programs

IP Formats in INs

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Protocols Supported by Intelligent Peripheral

IP can be configured to handle several different protocols, as long as there exists the interfaces that link different networks.

IP Protocols
Applications API (Application Programming Interface) ISUP INAP TCAP SS7 TCP/IP SRF

IP Formats in INs

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Protocols Supported by Intelligent Peripheral

. Intelligent Peripherals may be connected to both SS7 and TCP/IP networks

. Parameter is used to select the appropriate network for outgoing messages

. When TCAP on Intelligent Peripheral receives a message, it knows which network sent it

IP Formats in INs

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Issues regarding Intelligent Peripheral

. IPs could become very important for Internet initiated services Problems: . It would act as a gateway converting TCP/IP data to CSN signaling . Fault Tolerance . It could also include setting up the connections by itself . Load Sharing . IPs would have to be implemented as a Service Node (SN) . Non-vendor-independence . IPs would be the whole Intelligent Network in one single node. . New protocols and middleware

IP Formats in INs

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Conclusions
. Uniform Digital Network (all traffic types) . Convergence between Circuit Switched Network and the Internet . Three phases of integration between IN and TCP/IP: . Integration at service management level . Integration at service control level . Integration at transport level

. Protocols are being implemented at each level . These INAPs-like protocols are currently being used in the fields of education, medicine, multimedia, and home services

IP Formats in INs

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