Java call control, coordination, and transactions

Future telecommunications networks will consist of integrated packet-switched (IP and/or ATM), circuit-switched (PSTN), and wireless networks. Service providers will offer a wide portfolio of innovative applications over these integrated networks. Doing so rapidly and efficiently requires open network APIs, with a key API being that for call control, as well as for coordination and transactions. The JAIN community is defining an API for Java Call Control and Java Coordination and Transactions. The JCC API defines the interface for applications to initiate and manipulate calls, while JCAT defines the facilities for applications to be invoked and return results before or during calls. Note that in this context a call refers to a multimedia, multiparty, multiprotocol communications session. The JCC/JCAT Edit Group of JAIN is in the process of defining the first version of the JCC/JCAT API specification, which is expected to be released in early 2000. This introductory article describes the background of and motivation for the design of the JCC/JCAT API. We briefly describe the AIN and JTAPI call models on which the JCC/JCAT API is based. We then describe the scope of JCC/JCAT and its relationship to other JAIN Edit Groups defining facilities for enabling service creation. Finally, we describe the requirements and example service drivers for JCC/JCAT, as well as the initial proposed design and structure for JCC and JCAT.