METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTRODUCING AND MODIFYING TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES

摘要

A telecommunications service node (10) includes a multi-level architecture comprising an operating system layer (12) interfaced using a compile time linked interface (22) to a service framework layer (14), and a service application layer (16) interfaced using an object oriented, run time linked interface (22) to the service framework layer. Run time linking of the service applications supports the introduction or modification of service applications during run time execution (74) of the service node. Each service application inherits from the same base class (32), and is defined by certain criteria (18) which need to be met in order to execute the service. A trader (28) maintains a reference to each available service application. When a certain service needs to be performed (40), a set of criteria for that certain service are evaluated (44) by the trader, and a particular one of the service applications within the service layer defined to meet the criteria set is selected (46). The selected service application is then invoked (52) to support the certain service. Following termination (56) of the invoked service application, the service is shut down (60) in a controlled fashion.