Open Architecture Computer Telephony Servers and Tools

SOFTWARE FUNCTIONAL MODULES

What Is CallHandler?
CallHandler is an open architecture standards based software platform for running and managing telephone related applications that can be written in any language that supports the COM standard, e.g. Java, C/C++, Perl Visual Basic etc. CallHandler is much more than a program API - it is a complete environment for managing the applications.
CallHandler is the foundation for totally dependable, scalable, modular voice, fax and/or data telecom systems that can support from 4 to 2,400 lines per machine and is further scalable over multiple, clustered machines to support many thousand of ISDN lines.
There are starter systems from 4 lines, analogue. Hardware or software functionality can be upgraded as your business grows.
The system is customisable using high productivity Rapid Application Development (RAD) tools - you can update your applications while the system is live, without interfering with any applications already running. CallHandler systems can be maintained from browser based graphical interfaces, even over a dial-up connection. It provides everything you need to develop any type of Computer Telephony Application - Fast!
At the Centre of All our Products:
CallHandler is the core technology for all our products. It forms the basis for a flexible platform so that either standard or custom configurations can be provided. Utilising very simple, user-friendly interfaces and operating procedures, we have eliminated the need for lengthy training and greatly reduced the normal learning times associated with installing and operating Computer Telephony Systems. Support issues are also minimised. So systems can be operated and customised with little or no training from anywhere in the world - you'll always be in control of the technology and those who have access to it. All this adds up to systems that are both open and manageable, so you benefit from a low cost of ownership! You make savings on:

Time Specifying System
Getting to Market Faster!
Cost of Type of Engineers Required
Equipment & Installation Costs
Support & Operational Costs

The CallHandler System Provides:

Facilities for controlling the lifetime of an application service. Services can be started and shutdown, new services can be loaded and un-loaded without affecting other services running on the system.
A level of interface abstraction from the telephony card manufacturer's API. This means that regardless of the make of telephony card, the basic call control COM interface is the same for all calls. The programmer can still access the enhanced features of a call type e.g. DPNSS by using an extension COM interface.
VOIP Gateway capabilities
A TCP/IP link from services on the CallHandler to external control programs, this provides a very simple open cross platform interface for controlling services from an external GUI program.
Web Browser based controls for configuring and monitoring the status of all parts of the CallHandler system. All COM devices and managers in the system can be configured remotely across a LAN/WAN.
A comprehensive logging service for debugging and tracing problems. Every element of the CallHandler produces log traces, and the trace detail can be set using the management controls.
High Resilience: Continuous operation, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week without interruption.

Devices, Managers, Services
CallHandler Structure CallHandler is a modular system comprised of a collection of COM objects. There are three types of object: Device, Manager and Service. Device objects control external resources such as telecom channels, DSP channels, and external TCPIP links, Manager objects control system wide resources, and Service objects are the system services.
COM Device - The Call Transfer Device This allows services to transfer calls from one service to another, so newly written services can make use of existing services. For example, the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) service is supplied as standard with all the Chelston standard packages, so a new service could be written which would accept a call transferred from the IVR service.
COM Service
The Call Router Service All Standard packages include this. It accepts incoming calls then transfers the calls to other services according to a routing table. So, a service can be developed to accept incoming calls transferred from the Call Router Service. Once the new service has been developed and tested, it can then be loaded onto the live CallHandler without disrupting any other services. CallHandler allows the developer to write services to support analogue trunk, analogue phone and digital ISDN lines. CallHandler was designed to scale from 2-4 lines up to 2,400 ISDN lines per computer chassis using PCI Cards.

Analogue Trunk lines: 4 or 24 lines per card
Analogue Phone Station Cards: 4 or 24 stations per card with an external power supply
Basic Rate ISDN Cards: 8 or 16 lines per card
Primary Rate E1 Cards: 30/60/120 lines per card
Primary Rate T1 Cards: 24/48/96 line per card

COM Service
The Event Logging Service This is an independent out-of-process COM object; it allows all elements of the CallHandler system to log debug trace information to disk. All of the Devices, Managers, and Services can have switchable links to the Logging Service.

COM Managers

The Route Manager manages the telecom, MVIP, SCBUS and the H100 buses and also routes event messages around the CallHandler system.
The Resource Manager keeps track of all resources available in the CallHandler system (e.g. telecom lines, DSP channels, etc.), and is a central point for allocating resources.
The Device Manager is responsible for maintaining the devices in the system, e.g. loading and unloading, starting and stopping, retrieving version and state information of devices. Device Manager synchronises the list of devices in the Route Manager with the list in the Device Manager.
The Service Manager is responsible for maintaining all of the Services running on the system. It allows the operator to start, stop, load, and unload services using the configuration controls. The Service Manager starts every new Service instance in a separate thread, which means many single threaded instances of a Service.

Worldwide ISDN Protocols
Multiple protocols are supported on the ISDN cards via firmware download. CallHandler manages the firmware-loading configuration using browser-based controls. The ISDN cards support almost every protocol worldwide. Enhanced protocols The ISDN cards support-enhanced protocols such as DPNSS (for connecting PBXs). The developer can access the features of the enhanced protocol by using the extended Call Control interfaces.

Hardware Configuration Modules
High Volume Hardware Configuration Modules

top