User invocation of services in public switched telephone network via

Abstract

This invention allows customers and other users of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to enable, disable or modify special services provided by the network. The PSTN is defined here as all equipment world wide (land-based, radio or other) enabling ordinary telephone users to connect to other telephone users, but excludes private telephone networks such as 'tie line' systems maintained or leased by private enterprises. Presently contemplated actions can be taken independent of the state of the customer's telephone line (e.g. on-hook or off-hook), and usually involve use of equipment other than telephones and communication networks other than the PSTN (e.g. computers operating through the Internet and pagers operating through pager networks). The special services include existing services (call waiting, call blocking, call forwarding, etc.) and new ones (e.g. transferring an active call from a desk phone to a mobile cellular one without interrupting the call). Security firewalls, between the public and telephony application intelligence (TAI) systems that administer customer services within the PSTN, ensure that actions by unauthorized individuals do not interfere with or adversely affect telephone system operations. Authorized customers taking presently contemplated actions will not be able to adversely affect telephone system operations. The present system will work on information maintained at any level of an intelligent network hierarchy within the PSTN, including service nodes through which customer services are traditionally provided.