Abstract: A communication system includes packet-based networks that are coupled to terminals capable of participating in telephony sessions. To implement telephony services in such sessions, a telephony scripting language (TSL) is defined. Script modules may be created using TSL. Each script module may include a state machine having a plurality of states. TSL defines triggers that cause the state machine in an executed script module to transition between the states. In addition, TSL also defines actions that are specified in the several states or in transitions between states. The actions represent telephony services that may be performed by nodes coupled to the networks. Each action may be converted to one or more calls to functions or routines provided by application programming interfaces (APIs) residing in the network nodes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of establishing Carrier Independent Network Services (CINS) wherein feature and voice information are decoupled such that feature information is transmitted on a signalling link established on private and/or public facilities, but voice information is transmitted over a public network when calls overflow, thereby permitting the terminating node to identify the incoming call and associate feature information provided by the originating node.