Telecommunications call-processing arrangement

A call-processing arrangement comprising:

• data storage means for storing data structures having contents defining a syntax and a grammar of a network numbering plan, the data structures including
• a network syntax tree having a root node for entering the data structure, a plurality of node levels subtending the root node, each node level having at least one branch node or at least one leaf, each branch node connected to a node of a higher level and also connected to at least one branch node or at least one leaf of a lower level by paths, each path that extends from a node to a branch node or a leaf of a lower level corresponding to a symbol of a symbol string of the defined numbering plan, each leaf containing data defining a corresponding symbol string that comprises at least a sequence of the symbols that correspond to the paths that connect the root node to the leaf;
• means independent of the network numbering plan, connected to the data storage means and responsive to receipt of a sequence of symbols associated with a call, for parsing the received sequence by using the contents of the data storage means to identify in the sequence at least one symbol string of the defined network numbering plan and to determine a meaning of each said identified symbol string within the defined network numbering plan, including
• first means for applying the symbols of the received sequence to the network syntax tree to identify at least one leaf that corresponds to at least one symbol string that corresponds to at least a part of the received symbol sequence;
• and
• means independent of the network numbering plan, connected to the data storage means and to the parsing means and responsive to the determined meaning of the at least one identified symbol string, for specifying a treatment to be given to the call, by using the determined meaning of the at least one identified symbol string and the contents of the data storage means.

A telecommunications switching system comprising:

• data storage means for storing contents defining a syntax and a grammar of a network numbering plan;
• means independent of the defined network numbering plan, connected to the data storage means and responsive to receipt of a string of symbols associated with a call for parsing the received symbol string by using the syntax- and grammar-defining contents of the data storage means, to determine a meaning of the received symbol string within the network numbering plan;
• means independent of the defined network numbering plan, connected to the data storage means and to the parsing means and responsive to the determined meaning of the received symbol string for specifying a treatment to be given to the call, by using the determined meaning and the syntax- and grammar-defining contents of the data storage means;
• a switching fabric;
• a plurality of service circuits;
• and
• control means connected to the switching fabric, the service circuits, and the treatment-specifying means, responsive to the specification of the treatment to be given to the call for controlling at least one of the switching fabric and the service circuits to cause them to give the specified treatment to the call.