PCT
`INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT)
`WO 97/23988
`
`WORLD INTELLECTIJAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION
`International Bureau
`
`(51) International Patent Classification 6:
`H04M 3/42, 3/50, H04Q 3/00, H04M 3/54 Al
`
`(11) International Publication Number:
`
`(43) International Publication Date:
`
`3 July 1997 (03.07.97)
`
`(21) International Application Number:
`
`PCf/GB96/03135
`
`(22) International Filing Date:
`
`18 December 1996 (18.12.96)
`
`(81) Designated States: AU, CA, CN, JP, KR, MX, NO, NZ, SG,
`US, European patent (AT, BE, CH, DE, DK, ES, Fl, FR,
`GB, GR, IE, IT, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE).
`
`Published
`With international search report.
`Before the expiration of the time limit for amending the
`claims and to be republished in the event of the receipt of
`amendments.
`
`(30) Priority Data:
`9526326.5
`
`22 December 1995 (22.12.95)
`
`GB
`
`(71) Applicant (for all designated States except US): BRITISH
`TELECOMMUNICATIONS PLC [GB/GB]; 81 Newgate
`Street, London EC1A 7AJ (GB).
`
`(72) Inventor; and
`(75) Inventor/Applicant (for US only):
`[GB/GB]; G68 MLB, BT LABS,
`Ipswich IPS 7RE (GB).
`
`HARRIS, Stephen
`Martlesham Heath,
`
`(74) Agent: ATKINSON, Ralph; Atkinson & Co., The Technology
`Park, Sheffield S9 3SP (GB).
`
`(54) Title: ACCESSING TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES
`
`SERVICE
`,...--------.. PROVIDER
`SERVICE CONTROL
`POINT
`
`INTELLIGENT
`NETWORK
`201
`
`(57) Abstract
`
`Communication to a configuring device (201) for configuring a telecommunications network (102) is provided via a second network
`(202), such as the Internet. Instructions for presenting a user interface at a user terminal (205) are generated by the second network such
`that when these instructions are executed by a user terminal, a user is invited to supply configuration data. The second network then relays
`this configuration data to the configuring device.
`
`206
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`FOR THE PURPOSES OF INFORMATION ONLY
`
`Codes used to identify States party to the Per on the front pages of pamphlets publishing international
`applications under the PCI'.
`
`AM
`AT
`AU
`BB
`BE
`BF
`BG
`BJ
`BR
`BY
`CA
`CF
`CG
`CH
`CI
`CM
`CN
`cs
`cz
`DE
`DK
`EE
`ES
`FI
`FR
`GA
`
`Annenia
`Austria
`Australia
`Barbados
`Belgium
`Burkina Faso
`Bulgaria
`Benin
`Brazil
`Belarus
`Canada
`Centtal African Republic
`Congo
`Switzerland
`Cbte d'lvoire
`Cameroon
`China
`Czechoslovakia
`Czech Republic
`Gennany
`Denmark
`Estonia
`Spain
`Finland
`France
`Gabon
`
`GB
`GE
`GN
`GR
`HU
`IE
`IT
`JP
`KE
`KG
`KP
`
`KR
`KZ
`Ll
`LK
`LR
`LT
`LU
`LV
`MC
`MD
`MG
`ML
`MN
`MR
`
`United Kingdom
`Georgia
`Guinea
`Greece
`Hungary
`Ireland
`Italy
`Japan
`Kenya
`Kyrgystan
`Democratic People's Republic
`of Korea
`Republic of Korea
`Kazakhstan
`Liechtenstein
`Sri Lanka
`Liberia
`Lithuania
`Luxembourg
`Latvia
`Monaco
`Republic of Moldova
`Madagascar
`Mali
`Mongolia
`Mauritania
`
`MW
`MX
`NE
`NL
`NO
`NZ
`PL
`PT
`RO
`RU
`SD
`SE
`SG
`Sf
`SK
`SN
`sz
`TD
`TG
`TJ
`TT
`UA
`UG
`us
`uz
`VN
`
`Malawi
`Mexico
`Niger
`Netherlands
`Norway
`New Zealand
`Poland
`Portugal
`Romania
`Russian Federation
`Sudan
`Sweden
`Singapore
`Slovenia
`Slovakia
`Senegal
`Swaziland
`Chad
`Togo
`Tajikistan
`Trinidad and Tobago
`Ukraine
`Uganda
`United States of America
`Uzbekistan
`VietNam
`
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`PCT /G 896/03135
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`ACCESSING TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES
`
`5
`
`Introduction
`
`The present invention relates to providing user access to control
`
`apparatus for a telecommunications network such that users may configure
`
`aspects of said network.
`
`The basic provision by telecommunications companies of networks
`
`1 0
`
`for making phone-to-phone voice calls has been augmented in recent years
`
`by the provision of many additional services. Examples of these services
`
`include automated telephone answering and message storage, voice call
`
`diversion and 'fax call diversion. Typically these services reduce the need
`
`for customers to buy expensive equipment in their own home or office, such
`
`15
`
`as
`
`telephone answering machines by providing highly sophisticated
`
`services to a large number of subscribers from a centralized computer site.
`
`The widespread use of mobile phones has considerably increased
`
`the demand for augmented services and a new market has been identified,
`
`in response to competition from mobile phones, involving the automatic
`
`20
`
`transfer of calls.
`
`In accordance with this service, calls may be made to a
`
`person in preference to a location. Such a service involves allocating
`
`telephone numbers to people instead of to telephone lines and this service
`
`is sometimes referred to as personal number dialling.
`
`Thus, with
`
`appropriate programming, it is possible for telephone calls to be directed to
`
`25
`
`customers as they move from one location to another without requiring that
`
`customer to carry mobile telephoning equipment.
`
`Theoretically, the variety of services that may be provided over
`
`public switched networks is considerable. However, the ability to provide
`
`and operate these services is restricted by the simplicity of the standard
`
`30
`
`telephone, with its limited user interface. Thus, when it is desired to provide
`
`a particular customer with an extremely comprehensive array of services,
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`PCT/GB96/03135
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`the simple numerical keypad on a telephone makes access to these
`
`services tedious, complex and error-prone.
`
`A solution to this problem is to provide a more comprehensive user
`
`interface using a personal computer equipped with appropriate
`
`5
`
`communications hardware and software, in order to improve access to
`
`enhanced telecommunications services.
`
`Systems are known in which customers may have telephones and
`
`fax machines connected to a public switched network. The network may
`
`include intelligent service notes allowing service providers with the ability to
`
`10
`
`store in-coming voice and fax messages, forward telephone calls to
`
`different numbers at variovs
`
`times of the day and provide other
`
`sophisticated telecommunications services.
`
`A customer may call a number and a database, operated by the
`
`service provider, may store records of the times of day during which the
`
`15
`
`owner of the telephone is unavailable, for example at lunch
`
`times.
`
`Consequently, at particular times of the day, calls to the number are
`
`diverted by the service provider to an internal message recording facility.
`
`The service provider prompts the caller to leave a message which will then
`
`be stored, usually on magnetic media such as a hard disk array, in
`
`20
`
`compressed form, for later play-back.
`
`A problem with known systems of this type is that conventional
`
`telecommunications equipment does not facilitate the transmission of
`
`sophisticated data requests, therefore it is difficult for customers to relay
`
`information to intelligent service notes so as to configure them in the way
`
`25
`
`required by the customer. Consequently, in many situations, the technical
`
`possibilities available within the network are not fully exploited.
`
`Summary Of The Invention
`
`According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided
`
`30
`
`apparatus for communicating with a configuring device for configuring a
`
`telecommunications network, comprising: a second network including input
`
`means and output means; and a user terminal connected
`
`to said
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`PCT/GB96/03135
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`configuring device by a said second network; wherein said output means is
`
`arranged to generate instructions for presenting a user interface; and said
`
`input means is arranged to receive configuration data from said terminal
`
`and to supply configuration commands to said configuring device.
`
`5
`
`In a preferred embodiment, a telecommunications network is a
`
`switched
`
`telephone network arranged
`
`to
`
`receive voice signals and
`
`modulated data signals. A network may include means for forwarding
`
`incoming calls to selected destinations and may include means for storing
`
`incoming voice calls. Said modulated data calls may be
`
`facsimile
`
`1 0
`
`transmissions and means may be provided for storing said facsimile
`
`transmissions.
`
`!n a prefe,rred ~mbodiment, the second network .is the Internet and
`
`output instructions and input instructions are supplied over said Internet in
`
`accordance with the hypertext transport protocol.
`
`15
`
`According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is
`
`provided a method of providing user access to configuring apparatus
`
`arranged to control aspects of a telecommunications network, such that
`
`users may configure aspects of said
`
`telecommunications network
`
`independently of a network provider, comprising steps of: providing a
`
`20
`
`second communications channel between a user and said control
`
`apparatus via a second network, said second network having a user
`
`terminal and an interconnection means for connecting said second network
`
`to said control means, wherein a user interface is presented to a user at
`
`said user terminal in response to user interface commands supplied to said
`
`25
`
`user terminal from said interconnection means via said second network,
`
`such
`
`that said
`
`interface commands
`
`invited user
`
`to modify said
`
`telecommunications network and in response to modification instructions
`
`generated at said user terminal, control instructions are sent to said control
`
`means via said second network and said interconnection means.
`
`30
`
`In a preferred embodiment, communications received by said
`
`telecommunications network are stored by said first network and so
`
`communications are relayed to said user by a said second network. In a
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`preferred embodiment, the second network is the Internet and instructions
`
`are supplied over said Internet in accordance with the hypertext transport
`
`protocol.
`
`5 Brief Description of the Drawings
`
`Figure 1 shows a known arrangement for providing computer access
`
`to telecommunications services provided PSTN;
`
`Figure 2 shows an improved arrangement for providing computer
`
`access to telecommunications services provided over the public switched
`
`10
`
`telephone network, including an intelligent network and a remote terminal;
`
`Figure 3 details the intelligent network shown in Figure 2, including a
`
`master processor and a World-Wide-yY~b server;
`
`Figure 4 details instruction layers operating on the master processor
`
`shown in Figure 3;
`
`15
`
`Figure 5 details instruction layers operating on the World-Wide-Web
`
`server shown in Figure 3;
`
`Figure 6 details a first graphical page displayed on the terminal
`
`shown in Figure 2;
`
`Figure 7 details a second graphical page displayed on the terminal
`
`20
`
`shown in Figure 2, including a message play/view button icon;
`
`Figure 8 details a dialogue between the terminal shown in Figure 2
`
`and the world-wide-web server shown in figure 3, when activating the
`
`message play/view button icon;
`
`Figure 9 details a third graphical page displayed on the terminal
`
`25
`
`shown in Figure 2;
`
`Figure 1 OA details steps performed when operating a voice
`
`telephone in order to control the intelligent network shown in Figure 2;
`
`Figure 1 08 details additional steps performed when operating a
`
`voice telephone in order to control the intelligent network shown in Figure 2;
`
`30
`
`Figure 11 A details processes operating in the intelligent network
`
`shown in Figure 3, in response to an incoming call; and
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`Figure 11 B details additional processes operating in the intelligent
`
`network shown in Figure 3, in response to an incoming call.
`
`Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
`
`5
`
`A diagrammatic representation of a typical arrangement for service
`
`provision is shown in Figure 1. A service provider 101 has a large
`
`processing facility, on which incoming messages and data may be stored.
`
`In addition, the processing facility may also store data relating to the
`
`transfer of incoming telephone calls and facsimiles etc, in accordance with
`
`10
`
`requirements established by customers. The service provider 1 01 has
`
`communication links with a public switched communication network 102,
`
`that is connected to telephones 103, 104 and 105, a fax machine 106 and a
`
`computer terminal '1{)8 via appropriate interfacing equipment 107. The
`
`computer terminal 108 provides a sophisticated and user friendly interface
`
`15
`
`for interrogating and setting up services by the service provider 101.
`
`Referring to Figure 2, the service provider allows access to an
`
`intelligent network 201
`
`that consists of a plurality of interconnected
`
`specialized telecommunications devices and a controlling computer. By
`
`providing processing capacity within the network, it becomes possible to
`
`20
`
`effectively reconfigure the network by removing or adding hardware devices
`
`in accordance with the needs of customers and or as new services are
`
`created.
`
`The intelligent network is also connected to the Internet 202,
`
`that provides access to computer terminals 205 and 206 via modems or
`
`similar devices 203 and 204. The terminals 205 and 206 operate World-
`
`25 Wide Web browsing software, that communicates over the Internet using
`
`established procedures identified as the Hyper Text Transfer Protocol
`
`(HTTP).
`
`The intelligent network 201, shown in Figure 2, is detailed in Figure
`
`3. The intelligent network 201 comprises a master processor 301 and a
`
`30
`
`number of semi-autonomous intelligent peripherals 303, 305, 306 and 307.
`
`The master processor is a Stratus Fault Tolerant Computer, connected to
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`the other peripherals via a ten megabit per second Ethernet local area
`
`network 302.
`
`The public-switched telephone network 102 is connected to a
`
`telecommunications switch 305 via a standard G703 C7 link. The G703 C7
`
`5
`
`standard comprises several 2048000 (two megabit) per second serial
`
`channels, each carrying thirty speech channels, one signalling channel and
`
`one synchronization channel. The telecommunications switch 305 may
`
`accept up to 256 of such two megabit per second connections and in the
`
`preferred embodiment, four of such 2 megabit per second C7 channels 308
`
`1 0
`
`are connected to the network 102.
`
`Other C7 channels 310 link the telecommunications switch 305 to
`
`the speech applications platforrT) 306. The sp.eech applications platform 306
`
`is arranged to record and replay voice messages. The telecommunications
`
`switch 305 is also connected via C7 channels 311 to a fax box 307. This
`
`15
`
`operates in a similar way to the speech applications platform 306 but is
`
`arranged to store facsimile image data rather than voice data. Facsimile
`
`data is stored in the standard Group 3 facsimile format and is and is
`
`simultaneously translated, as it arrives at the fax box 307, to Graphics
`
`Interchange Format (GIF), a well-established standard for communicating
`
`20
`
`graphics data over the Internet 202.
`
`A service subscriber operating terminal 205, has a personal profile
`
`stored on a database held on the master processor 301. The personal
`
`profile includes a telephone number and information that enables calls to
`
`that telephone number to be directed to user-defined alternative telephone
`
`25
`
`numbers at particular times of the day. The subscriber's personal profile
`
`may specify telephone or fax numbers to which incoming calls are diverted.
`
`Alternatively, incoming calls may be directed to the speech applications
`
`platform 306 or the fax box 307.
`
`Three types of data are stored on the intelligent network 201: the
`
`30
`
`personal profile of a subscriber, voice messages
`
`(on
`
`the speech
`
`applications platform 306) and fax messages, on the fax box 307. The
`
`World Wide Web server 303 can communicate with the master processor
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`301 in order to arrange transmission of any of these three types of data
`
`over the Internet. Furthermore, the World Wide Web server 303 enables the
`
`user of the terminal 205 which is connected to the Internet 202, to affect the
`
`operations performed by the Intelligent network 201
`
`in response to an
`
`5
`
`incoming call, by modifying their respective personal profile.
`
`Thus, voice and fax data is transferred from the public-switched
`
`telephone network 102 via the telecommunications switch between the
`
`speech applications platform 306 or the fax box 307, or alternatively
`
`redirected to a different telephone number on the public switched network
`
`10
`
`1 02. The actual routing of the data is controlled according to instructions
`
`operating on the master processor 301. The master processor 301 is able
`
`to instruct the other. peripherals 303, 305, 306 and 307 in the intelligent
`
`network 201 to communicate with each other directly over the Ethernet
`
`local area network 302, thereby delegating data-intensive communications
`
`15
`
`to the intelligent peripherals when appropriate.
`
`When a call is initially received from the public-switched telephone
`
`network 1 02, signalling information is extracted by the telecommunications
`
`switch 305 from the C7 channel stream 308. The signalling data includes
`
`the source telephone number, such as telephone 103 and the destination
`
`20
`
`telephone number. The master processor 301 may instruct switch 305 to
`
`check for a match with any of the telephone numbers which require
`
`redirecting.
`Thus, after a very short period of time after the initial signalling
`
`information has arrived at the switch 305, said switch 305 can connect the
`
`25
`
`channel to its appropriate destination. Voice data may be transferred over
`
`the C7 connection 310 to the speech applications platform 306 or the C7
`
`connection 311 to the fax box 307. Alternatively, an external line 308 may
`
`be used in order to forward the call to an external telephone line. Thus the
`
`master processor 301 communicates with the intelligent peripherals in order
`
`30
`
`to instruct them operate in an appropriate way.
`
`Communication over the Ethernet local area network 302
`
`is
`
`performed in accordance with the Protocol described in the applicants co-
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`pending European patent No 94 309 231, which enables the network to be
`
`configured and reconfigured substantially in real time. The World Wide Web
`
`server 303 consists of a SPARC Station 10 computer, connected to the
`
`Internet 202 via an ISDN connection 309.
`
`5
`
`The Stratus Fault Tolerant Computer, which operates as the master
`
`processor 301 in the intelligent network, operates according to instructions
`
`that are summarized in Figure 4. Communication with the ten megabit per
`
`second Ethernet local area network 302 is achieved using standard
`
`instructions according to the established TCP/IP communications protocol
`
`1 0
`
`401. This includes facilities for detecting collisions between simultaneously
`
`transmitted messages over the Ethernet and verifies that messages
`
`received from the Ethernet 302 have a valid pattern. Thus, TCP/IP 401.
`
`forms
`
`the basic foundation
`
`for communication between
`
`the master
`
`processor 301 and the other peripherals contained within the intelligent
`
`15
`
`network 201.
`
`The master processor 301 operates instructions 403 encoded in the
`
`operating system licensed under the trademark "UNIX". UNIX provides a
`
`reliable environment for complex local area networks. However when using
`
`TCP/IP 401
`
`in environments of
`
`this
`
`type, delays may occur
`
`in
`
`20
`
`communications between several intelligent peripherals over the same
`
`Ethernet connection 302. Thus, in addition to TCPIIP 401 and the UNIX
`
`operating system 403, an additional RDP
`
`layer 402
`
`is provided
`
`in
`
`accordance with
`
`the aforesaid co-pending patent application.
`
`The
`
`combination of instruction layers 401, 402 and 403, as shown in Figure 4,
`
`25
`
`permits real-time intelligent network processing to be performed.
`
`The ten megabit per second Ethernet local area network 302 is used
`
`to supply information from the telecommunications switch 305, shown in
`
`Figure 3, to the master processor 301. Referring to Figure 4, instruction
`
`layers 401, 402 and 403 enable an extraction process to be performed on
`
`30
`
`Ethernet signals, so that C? signalling information may be stored in
`
`signalling stacks 405. This extraction process may be performed in
`
`accordance with operations performed by an additional instruction layer 404
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`which has the ability to interpret the Message Transport Protocol {MTP),
`
`used to define the manner in which C7 signals are encoded in the control
`
`environment. Additional protocols may be taken into account when storing
`
`signalling information in a signalling stack 405. Signalling
`
`information co-
`
`S
`
`ordinated into signalling stacks 405 is suitable for presentation to specific
`
`applications, such as sets of instructions for performing tasks associated
`
`with a particular telecommunications service, such as diverting telephone
`
`calls, storing voice or fax messages etc. A Service Logic Execution
`
`Environment (SLEE) further organises real-time access to the data stored
`
`1 0
`
`in the signalling stacks 405 and other information relevant to the operation
`
`of the master processor 301 within the service control environment.
`
`Applications 407, include instructions for the provision of a specific service,
`
`such as voice storage. Thus each application 407, includes instructions for
`
`communicating with other parts of the network using the SLEE 406.
`
`15
`
`The Sun Spare Station 1 0 operating as the World Wide Web server
`
`303, shown in Figure 3, includes instructions for communicating with the ten
`
`megabit per second Ethernet local area network 302, and instructions for
`
`communicating with the
`
`Internet 202 via an
`
`ISDN connection 309.
`
`Instructions for achieving this communication are summarized in Figure 5.
`
`20
`
`Instruction layers 501, 502 and 503 operate similarly to instruction layers
`
`401, 402 and 403, shown in Figure 4. Thus, these three layers facilitate real
`
`time intelligent network processing over the local area network using the
`
`UNIX operating system 503 on
`
`the World Wide Web server 303.
`
`Communication over the Internet 202 is performed in accordance with the
`
`25 Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) 504. World Wide Web server
`
`instructions 505 communicate with the Internet 202 according to the Hyper
`
`Text Transfer Protocol defined
`
`in
`
`instruction
`
`layer 504. The
`
`telecommunications services that are to be made available to users
`
`operating over the Internet are defined using Common Gateway Instruction
`
`30
`
`(CGI) scripts 506, 507, 508 and 509.
`
`Each of the four CGI scripts 506 to 509 represents a function that
`
`may be requested at the terminal 205. Thus functions defined by the CGI
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`scripts 506 to 509 may be invoked remotely by a terminal, such as terminal
`
`205, executing a World Wide Web browser. When a CGI script is invoked,
`
`this results in Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) commands, according
`
`to the Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP), being sent to the terminal 205.
`
`5 Additional CGI scripts, are provided for various other operations. Specific
`
`descriptions of the effect of each of the four CGI scripts 506 to 509, shown
`
`in Figure 5, will now be given.
`
`A customer operating the computer terminal 205, shown in Figure 2,
`
`operates software known as a World Wide Web browser. Any user
`
`1 0
`
`equipped with an Internet address may use a general purpose World Wide
`
`Web browser, such as those sold under the Trade Marks "Netscape" and
`
`"Mosaic", to gain access to World Wide Web servers.
`
`Upon making an initial contact with the World Wide Web server 303,
`
`shown in Figure 3, a CGI script 506 is activated, resulting in Hyper Text
`
`15 Markup Language (HTML) commands being sent across the Internet to the
`
`terminal 205. The World Wide Web browser operating on terminal 205
`
`interprets the received HTML commands, generating a graphical display
`
`such as the one shown in Figure 6. A page generated by HTTP usually
`
`includes one or several hyper-text links, in the form of button icons or hyper
`
`20
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`text fields 602 to 613. Thus, it is not necessary for users to obtain software
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`instructions directly from the network provider, in the form of magnetic disks
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`etc, in order to gain access to control telecommunications services. Using
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`the second network, in the form of the World-Wide web in the preferred
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`embodiment, it is only necessary for the user to be equipped with a general
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`25
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`purpose browser. This enables a channel to be established between the
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`browsing customer and
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`the network provider server, such
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`that,
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`in
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`accordance with established protocols,
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`instructions required
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`for
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`the
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`customer to modify the telecommunications network are supplied from the
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`server over the world-wide web for execution at the customer's terminal.
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`30
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`Thus, in this way, it is not necessary for the network provider to supply and
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`up-date specific sets of user instructions. Any user may gain access via the
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`World-Wide web under which
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`the server protocol supplies
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`further
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`instructions
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`required
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`for
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`the customer
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`to gain access
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`to
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`the
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`telecommunications network. Thus, each time these instructions are up(cid:173)
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`dated, in response to modifications, improvements, and the provision of
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`new services, the new instruction environment becomes immediately
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`5
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`available to the customers given that they will be supplied with the latest
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`up-date as soon as a request
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`is made via
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`the World-Wide Web
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`browser/server communications path.
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`A field may be activated via a mouse-operated pointer. Each field
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`has a command associated with it, consisting of a string of characters,
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`10
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`known as a Universal Resource Locator, URL. When a particular field is
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`activated, its associated URL is sent, along with any text that may have
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`been entered in the field, back to the World Wide Web server 303, from
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`which the page of hyper text originated. The URL contains the name of a
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`particular Common Gateway Interface (CGI) script, which is then invoked,
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`15
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`possibly resulting in a new page of HTML being received at the terminal
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`205.
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`The page shown in Figure 6 has a title 601, indicating the trade
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`name of a description of the service provided by the World Wide Web
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`server 303. Typically this will be an eye-appealing colored graphical logo,
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`20
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`in order to encourage users to take advantage of the services provided by
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`the WWW server 303, and then charged to their subscriber account.
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`Alternatively,
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`the service may be perceived as a mechanism
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`for
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`encouraging additional use of the public switched network, with a resulting
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`increase in revenue to the network provider.
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`25
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`In order to gain access to the services provided by the intelligent
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`network 201, via the WWW server 303, it is necessary for a user operating
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`terminal 205 to correctly supply an account number in account field 602 and
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`a personal identification number (PIN) in a respective field 603, to ensure a
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`level of security. Below the account number field 602 and the PIN field 603
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`30
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`are located several customer option fields 604 to 607. These allow the
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`customer to select a particular operation, such as: view the status of the
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`customer's profile 604, modify their diary 605, change the status of their
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`customer profile 606 and view or listen to their messages 607, depending
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`upon whether the messages are fax or voice.
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`The status option field 606 enables customers to change the status
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`of several personal numbers. For example, a customer may have a home
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`5
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`number and an office number. Each of these numbers has a status
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`associated with it, enabling calls to be screened or diverted or simply
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`passed thru normally. The diary option 605 makes it possible for the
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`customer to divert calls to various numbers depending on the time of day
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`and day of week. Below the customer options 604 to 607 is a "Go-for-it"
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`10
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`button field 610, which when activated by an appropriate mouse operation
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`selects the operation chosen above.
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`Alternatively a "Clear" button field 611 may be used to clear the page
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`and close the connection with the WWW server 303. Other options include
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`the "About Secnet" button 612, which provides access
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`to general
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`15
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`information about the telecommunications services on offer, and the "Home
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`page" button 613, which directs the WWW browser operating on terminal
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`205 to terminate the connection.
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`CGI script 507, shown in Figure 5 generates HTML in response to
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`activation of option 607 in Figure 6, where the user of terminal 205 selects
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`20
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`the option for looking for messages which have been left by callers. CGI
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`script 507 generates HTML which is supplied through the ISDN connection
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`309, the Internet 202, the modem 203 to the terminal 205 resulting in a
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`display of a graphical page shown in Figure 7.
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`The page displayed in response to execution of CGI script 507
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`25
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`includes a title field 701, voice messages 702 and 703 which have fields for
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`the telephone number of the caller 704 and the time at which the call was
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`made 705. Also displayed are fax messages 706 and 707. which include a
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`field 708 for the calling number and a field 709 for the time at which the fax
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`call was made. Furthermore, electronic mail messages, such as messages
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`30
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`710 and 713 are displayed, comprising a field 711 for identifying a calling
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`address and a field 712 for identifying the time at which the message was
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`received.
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`Figure 7 includes two examples of each type of message, however,
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`the number of messages displayed on the screen depends on how many
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`have been left by callers. Thus, it is possible that no voice messages will be
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`displayed or, alternatively, several more of each type of message may be
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`5
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`listed to the extent that not enough room is available on the visual display
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`unit of terminal 205. In the latter case facilities for scrolling thru a number of
`
`messages will be provided thru the graphical user interface operating the
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`WWW browser program.
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`Manipulation of a pointer on the screen shown in Figure 7, for
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`10
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`example by using a mouse, enables voice messages 702, 703, fax
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`messages 706, 707 or e-mail messages 710, 713 to be selected. Selected
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`messages are highlighted by changing the displayed color of the selected .
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`message and once selected in this way it is possible to play back a voice
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`message or, alternatively, to view a fax or e-mail message by activation of
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`15
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`the play/view button 710. E-mail messages may also be played back as
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`oral messages, using a text to voice interface and this option is selected by
`
`activating button 716. Alternatively, it may be decided that none of the
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`messages are to be retrieved, in which case the clear button 715 may be
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`activated, resulting in a return to the display of information shown in Figure
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`20
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`6.
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`Generation of the list of available voice, fax or e-mail messages
`
`shown in Figure 7 is performed by the CGI script 507. In order to generate
`
`this list of available messages, it is necessary for the WWW server 303, to
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`communicate with both the speech applications platform 306 and the fax
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`25
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`box 307. In many known computer networks, for example those operating
`
`in the format known as a file server network, the master processor 301
`
`would typically co-ordinate all communications between the WWW server
`
`and other peripherals. However, in the intelligent network of the preferred
`
`embodiment, the master processor 301 delegates communications across
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`30
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`the network between the various intelligent peripherals. Thus, it is possible
`
`for the master processor to instruct the WWW server 303 to perform all
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`operations necessary to conduct an on-line dialogue with a calling customer
`
`on the Internet 202.
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`Thus, while generating the form shown in Figure 7, executi