Importance

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Abstract

In a switched integrated wideband and narrowband multiservices digital network (FIG. 1), the network control complex (612) includes a program-controlled call processing arrangement (800) that comprises a point-to-point call processing portion (8001) for handling point-to-point calls and a proxy vendor call processing portion (8002) for handling calls to broadcast program service vendors. For quick response to 'channel change' requests from subscribers, the proxy vendor portion handles all calls within a single process (500). For ease of call control, the point-to-point portion handles each call via two processes (650, 660) one for each of the calling and called portions of each call. A message router (8000) receives messages from subscriber terminal equipment (400) requesting control functions for calls and routes them to the appropriate one of the proxy vendor and point-to-point processes. The message router also creates the point-to-point processes for new calls for which the processes are not yet in existence. Subscriber messages have two portions: a first portion requesting control functions for calls and a second portion identifying calls. Subscriber messages for both point-to-point and proxy vendor calls have identical first portions for requesting identical functions, thereby hiding the difference between the two call processing portions from subscribers. Only the second portions distinguish messages for point-to-point and proxy vendor calls. The called portions of proxy vendor call paths are pre-established. A resource management arrangement (803), which cooperates with call processing to establish call paths, comprises a point-to-point portion (8030) for establishing and controlling call paths for calling and called portions of point-to-point calls, and a proxy vendor portion (8031) for establishing and controlling calling portions of proxy vendor calls.

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First Claim