| Distributed Feature Composition (DFC) is a new architecture for the description of telecommunication features. It was designed for modularizing features, analyzing feature interactions, and separating services and transmission layers. ECLIPSE implements DFC on an IP platform. It provides a framework for developing and deploying telecommunication features rapidly. However, currently all features in the ECLIPSE network run on the router inside the network. This feature deployment scheme wastes the ample processing power and the large storage capacity of intelligent end systems. It may also cause the security problem. This thesis will explore several feature deployment schemes in the ECLIPSE network and propose a flexible feature scheme which will allow users to select a best location for his features. A modified ECLIPSE architecture is proposed with the introduction of a line interface controller. In the new architecture, according to the properties of individual features, some features can be deployed inside the network, some features can be deployed in end systems, and some features are better to be deployed in both places, with the network part of the feature as the backup to the end system part for reliability reasons (split features). End systems can dynamically load features from the Web server, or they can download features from third parties. The modified architecture is also compatible with the original version.; Based on the modified ECLIPSE architecture, a split Voice Mail (VM) feature is designed and implemented. The VM feature will take callers' messages when the end user is offline, online but busy, or online but does not answer the call. It will also allow the end user to retrieve saved messages and record customized greeting messages. |
