Network-based telephone system having interactive capabilities

In a network-based telephone system including an intelligent peripheral (IP), service control point (SCP), and external data systems, wherein the SCP includes a Multi-Services Application Platform (MSAP) for processing a call processing record (CPR), a peripheral interface (PI) for interfacing the SCP with the IP, and a generic data interface (GDI) for interfacing the SCP with the external systems, a method of processing calls, comprising the steps of:

• (a) the IP receiving a call from a caller;
• (b) the IP requesting call processing instructions from the SCP;
• (c) the MSAP accessing a corresponding CPR having service processing logic;
• (d) the SCP instructing the IP, based on the service processing logic, to collect information from the caller;
• and
• (e) the MSAP sending account data to the GDI, based on the service processing logic.

A network-based telephone system for processing telephone calls comprising:

• a service control point (SCP) for issuing instructions according to service logic of an accessed call processing record (CPR);
• an intelligent peripheral (IP) interfacing the system with a caller and communicating with the caller based on instructions from the SCP;
• and
• external systems responsive to requests from the SCP for providing data to the SCP,
• said SCP including:
• a peripheral interface (PI) for interfacing the SCP with the IP;
• and
• a generic data interface (GDI) for transmitting customer data between the SCP and the external systems.

The method of processing a phone call from a caller using services of an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN), comprising the steps, executed by the AIN, of:

• receiving the phone call;
• accessing from a call processing record service logic which specifies handling of the phone call;
• obtaining account and service information from the caller according to the service logic;
• obtaining account information from external systems according to the service logic;
• and
• routing the phone call with the account information obtained from the caller and external systems to an appropriate agent.

In a network-based telephone system including an intelligent peripheral (IP), a service control point (SCP), and external data system, a method of processing calls, comprising the steps of:

• (a) receiving a call from a caller at an IP;
• (b) requesting call processing instructions from the SCP;
• (c) the SCP accessing a call processing record having service logic based on a key;
• (d) the SCP instructing the IP, based on the service logic, to collect information from the caller;
• and
• (e) the SCP retrieving data, based on the service logic, from an external data system.

A network-based telephone system for executing a call processing record having service logic associated with a received call from a caller comprising:

• a service control point for issuing instructions according to the service logic of the call processing record;
• an intelligent peripheral for interfacing the system with the caller according to the instructions from the service control point;
• a peripheral interface for interfacing the service control point with the intelligent peripheral;
• an external system for providing data;
• and
• a generic data interface for transmitting data between the service control point and the external system according to the instructions from the service control point.