Broadband intelligent telecommunications network and method providing enhanced capabilities for customer premises equipment

A broadband intelligent network comprising:

• a fast-packet switch having a plurality of ports;
• a switch processor to establish switched virtual connections or permanent virtual connections between ports;
• respective customer links having a broad digital bandwidth connected to predetermined customer switch ports for transporting signaling and data cells to and from respective customer premises equipment (CPE) units;
• a network control processing system interfaced to at least one switch port to receive customer generated signaling cells carrying customer service request data and to control network responses thereto;
• the switch processor detecting each customer generated signaling cell received by the switch and routing each customer generated signaling cell through a first associated virtual circuit to the network control processing system through the one switch port;
• the network control processing system detecting service request data in each received signaling cell from a requesting CPE unit requesting download of a service creation program module from the network;
• and
• the network control processing system downloading the service creation program module to the requesting CPE unit through one of the first virtual circuit of the fast-packet switch and a second virtual circuit for downloading the service creation program from a separate storage unit.

A broadband intelligent network comprising:

• a fast-packet switch having a plurality of ports;
• a switch processor to establish switched virtual connections or permanent virtual connections between ports;
• respective customer links having a relatively broad digital bandwidth connected to predetermined customer switch ports for transporting signaling and data cells to and from respective customer premises equipment (CPE) units;
• a network control processing system interfaced to at least one switch port to receive signaling cells generated by CPE units and carrying customer service request data, and to control network responses thereto;
• the switch processor detecting each signaling cell generated by a requesting CPE unit and received by the switch and routing each such signaling cell through a first associated virtual circuit to the network control processing system through the one switch port;
• a system of server devices and circuits provided with respective connections to server ports of the fast-packet switch for one of a connection to a calling party and a connection between calling and called parties;
• and
• the network control processing system detecting a need for the services of one of a server device and a service circuit and establishing virtual circuitry for at least a CPE unit of a calling party through the fast-packet switch to at least one of a server device and a service circuit in accordance with the service need.

A broadband intelligent network comprising:

• a fast-packet switch having a plurality of ports;
• a switch processor to establish switched virtual connections or permanent virtual connections between ports;
• respective customer links having a broad digital bandwidth connected to predetermined customer switch ports for transporting signaling and data cells to and from respective customer premises equipment (CPE) units;
• a network control processing system interfaced to at least one switch port to receive signaling cells generated by CPE units and carrying customer service request data, and to control network responses thereto;
• the switch processor detecting each signaling cell generated by a requesting CPE unit received by the switch and routing each such signaling cell through a first associated virtual circuit to the network control processing system through the one switch port;
• an intelligent services peripheral (ISP) having a library of service circuits;
• a first interface circuit for coupling the ISP to a circuit-switched network to enable the service circuits to provide service thereto on request;
• a second interface circuit for coupling the ISP to ISP ports of the fast-packet switch for one of a connection to a calling party and a connection between calling and called parties in the broadband intelligent network;
• and
• the network control processing system detecting a need for service from a service circuit in the ISP and directing the ISP to connect a service circuit to the second interface circuit and to establish a virtual circuit for a CPE unit through the fast-packet switch in accordance with the service need.

A broadband intelligent network comprising:

• a fast-packet switch having a plurality of ports;
• a switch processor to establish switched virtual or permanent virtual connections between ports;
• respective customer links having a relatively broad digital bandwidth connected to predetermined customer switch ports for transporting signaling and data cells to and from respective customer premises equipment (CPE) units;
• a network control processing system interfaced to at least one switch port to receive signaling cells, generated by CPE units and carrying customer service request data, and to control network responses thereto;
• the switch processor detecting each signaling cell generated by a CPE unit and received by the fast-packet switch and routing each such signaling cell through a first associated virtual circuit to the network control processing system through the one switch port;
• the network control processing system detecting service request data in each signaling cell requesting a message broadcast;
• and
• the network control processing system directing the switch processor to establish additional virtual circuits through the fast-packet switch between a requesting CPE from which the service request is received and a designated list of addresses for each message broadcast.

A method for operating a broadband intelligent network having a fast-packet switch with a plurality of ports, a switch processor to establish switched virtual or permanent virtual connections between ports, respective customer links having a broad digital bandwidth connected to predetermined customer switch ports for transporting signaling and data cells to and from respective customer premises equipment (CPE) units, a network control processing system interfaced to at least one switch port to receive signaling cells, generated by CPE units and carrying customer service request data, and to control network responses thereto, and a resource system for the network having at least one resource unit interfaced to a resource unit port of the fast-packet switch to receive query cells and to transmit response cells, the steps of the method comprising:

• detecting each signaling cell generated by a requesting CPE unit and received by the switch processor;
• routing each customer generated signaling cell through a first associated virtual circuit and the one switch port to the network control processing system;
• detecting service request data in each signaling cell requesting download of one of a program module and data from the network to a requesting CPE unit from which the service request data is received or from the requesting CPE unit to the network;
• downloading requested downloads between the requesting CPE unit and the network through the fast-packet switch;
• and
• directing the switch processor to establish a second associated virtual circuit in the fast-packet switch between the requesting CPE unit and the resource unit if a host or other resource unit connection is required by the service request.

A method for operating a broadband intelligent network having a fast-packet switch with a plurality of ports, a switch processor to establish switched virtual connections or permanent virtual connections between ports, respective customer links having a broad digital bandwidth connected to predetermined customer switch ports for transporting signaling and data cells to and from respective customer premises equipment (CPE) units, and a network control processing system interfaced to at least one switch port to receive signaling cells, generated by CPE units and carrying customer service request data, and to control network responses thereto, the steps of the method comprising:

• detecting each signaling cell generated by a CPE unit and received by the switch to route each such signaling cell through a first associated virtual circuit and the one switch port to the network control processing system;
• detecting service request data in a received signaling cell requesting download of a service creation program module from the network;
• directing the switch processor to establish a second associated virtual circuit in the fast-packet switch between the requesting CPE unit and one of a host resource unit and a source resource unit if a host or other resource unit connection is required by the service request;
• and
• downloading the service creation program module to the requesting CPE unit through the associated virtual circuit of the fast-packet switch.

A method for operating a broadband intelligent network having a fast-packet switch with a plurality of ports, a switch processor to establish switched virtual connections or permanent virtual connections between ports, respective customer links having a broad digital bandwidth connected to predetermined customer switch ports for transporting signaling and data cells to and from respective customer premises equipment (CPE) units, a network control processing system interfaced to at least one switch port to receive signaling cells generated by CPE units and carrying customer service request data, and to control network responses thereto, an intelligent services peripheral (ISP) having a library of service circuits, an interface circuit for coupling, under ISP control, service circuits of the ISP to ISP ports of the fast-packet switch for connection in a path to a calling party or between calling and called parties in the broadband intelligent network, the steps of the method comprising:

• detecting each signaling cell, generated by a CPE unit and received by the switch, and routing each such signaling cell through a first associated virtual circuit and the one switch port to the network control processing system;
• and
• detecting a need for service for one of the CPE units from a requested service circuit in the ISP and directing the ISP to connect a requested service circuit to the interface circuit;
• and establishing a virtual circuit for the one CPE unit through the fast-packet switch to the requested service circuit in accordance with the service need.

A method for operating a broadband intelligent network having a fast-packet switch with a plurality of ports, a switch processor to establish switched virtual connections or permanent virtual connections between ports, respective customer links having a broad digital bandwidth connected to predetermined customer switch ports for transporting signaling and data cells to and from respective customer premises equipment (CPE) units, a network control processing system interfaced to at least one switch port to receive customer generated signaling cells carrying customer service request data and to control network responses thereto, the steps of the method comprising:

• detecting each signaling cell, generated by a CPE unit and received by the switch and routing each such signaling cell through a first associated virtual circuit and the one switch port to the network control processing system;
• detecting service request data in a signaling cell requesting a message broadcast;
• and
• directing the switch processor to establish additional virtual circuits through the fast-packet switch between the requesting CPE unit and a designated list of addresses for each message broadcast.

A broadband intelligent network comprising:

• a fast-packet switch having a plurality of ports;
• a switch processor to establish switched virtual connections or permanent virtual connections between ports;
• respective customer links having a broad digital bandwidth connected to predetermined customer switch ports for transporting signaling and data cells to and from respective customer premises equipment (CPE) units;
• a network control processing system interfaced to at least one switch port to receive signaling cells, generated by CPE units and carrying customer service request data, and to control network responses thereto;
• the switch processor detecting each signaling cell generated by a requesting CPE unit and received by the fast-packet switch and routing each such signaling cell through a first associated virtual circuit to the network control processing system through the one switch port;
• the network control processing system detecting service request data in each signaling cell requesting a conference call involving the requesting CPE unit and at least second and third CPE units;
• and
• the network control processing system directing the switch processor to establish additional virtual circuits through the fast-packet switch among the requested second and third CPE units.

A method for operating a broadband intelligent network having a fast-packet switch with a plurality of ports, a switch processor to establish switched virtual connections or permanent virtual connections between ports, respective customer links having a relatively broad digital bandwidth connected to predetermined customer switch ports for transporting signaling and data cells to and from respective customer premises equipment (CPE) units, a network control processing system interfaced to at least one switch port to receive signaling cells, generated by CPE units and carrying customer service request data, and to control network responses thereto, and wherein the steps of the method comprise:

• detecting each signaling cell generated by a requesting CPE unit and received by the fast-packet switch;
• and
• routing each such signaling cell through a first associated virtual circuit and the one switch port to the network control processing system;
• detecting service request data in each signaling cell requesting a conference call involving the requesting CPE unit and at least second and third CPE units;
• and
• directing the switch processor to establish additional virtual circuits through the fast-packet switch among the requesting and second and third CPE units.