1. A method of processing multi-media service requests, the method comprising:
receiving a request message in a first format for a multi-media service at a gateway controller and translating the request message in the first format into a request message in a second format;
receiving the request message in the second format at a switching device and translating the request message in the second format into a request message in a third format;
receiving the request message in the third format at a processor and processing the request message in the third format at the processor for generating a media server instruction message in the third format including an interactive voice response message set information;
receiving the media server instruction message in the third format at the switching device and processing the media server instruction message in the third format at the switching device to translate the media server instruction message into the second format including the interactive voice response message set information; and
receiving the media server instruction message in the second format at the gateway controller, wherein the gateway controller is operative for mapping the interactive voice response message set information from the media server instruction message in the second format into a media server instruction message in the first format and wherein a media server receives and responds to the media server instruction message in the first format including the interactive voice response message set information by forming a multi-media communication path with a communication device.
2. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 1, further including:
playing a predetermined announcement to the communication device over the multi-media communication path.
3. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 2, further including:
receiving caller-entered data at the media server in response to the predetermined announcement.
4. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 3, further including
processing the caller-entered data at the media server to generate a validation message in the first format and including the caller-entered data.
5. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 4, further including:
receiving and processing the validation message in the first format at the gateway controller to generate a validation message in the second format and including the caller-entered data.
6. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 5, further including:
receiving and processing the validation message in the second format at the switching device to generate a validation message in the third format and including the caller-entered data.
7. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 6, further including:
receiving and processing the validation message in the third format at the processor to validate the caller-entered data.
8. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 7, further including:
declaring the caller-entered data as valid and connect; and
controlling the gateway controller to form a multi-media communication path between the communication device and one other communication device.
9. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 8, wherein controlling the gateway controller includes:
executing a predetermined conference call protocol at the gateway controller to form the multi-media communication path between the communication device and the one other communication device.
10. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 9, wherein executing the predetermined conference call protocol at the gateway controller includes executing a third party call control protocol.
11. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 7, further including:
declaring the caller-entered data as invalid and re-prompt; and
controlling the media server to re-play the predetermined announcement to the communication device over the multi-media communication path.
12. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 11, further including:
receiving caller-entered data at the media server in the response to the re-play of the predetermined announcement to the communication device; and
repeating the processing the caller-entered data at the media server to generate the validation message in the first format and including the caller-entered data.
13. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 7, further including:
declaring the caller-entered data as invalid and disconnect;
controlling the media server to play a termination announcement to the communication device over the multi-media communication path; and
disconnecting the multi-media communication path formed between the media server and the communication device.
14. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 1, wherein translating the request message in the first format into the request message in the second format includes translating the request message from a session initiation protocol invite format to a diameter-plus format.
15. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 1, wherein translating the request message in the second format into the request message in the third format includes translating the request message from a diameter-plus format to an advanced-intelligent-network transactions capabilities format.
16. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 1, wherein generating the media server instruction message in the third format includes generating the media server instruction message in an artificial-intelligence-network transactions capabilities format.
17. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 1, wherein prior to the receiving the request message in the first format, the method further includes:
receiving the request message in the first format at the switching device; and
re-directing the request message in the first format for the multi-media service to the gateway controller.
18. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 1, wherein the gateway controller is further operative to construct a multipurpose internet mail extensions GR-1129 media type in a message body portion of the media server instruction message in the first format.
19. The method for processing multi-media service requests of claim 1, wherein the interactive voice response message set information includes GR-1129 advanced intelligent network message set information.
20. A system for processing multi-media service requests, the system comprising:
a gateway controller being adapted to receive a request message in a first format for a multi-media service and to translate the request message in the first format into a request message in a second format;
a switching device coupled to the gateway controller and being adapted to receive the request message in the second format and to translate the request message in the second format into a request message in a third format; and
a processor coupled to the switching device and being adapted to receive the request message in the third format and to process the request message in the third format to generate a media server instruction message in the third format including at least GR-1129 advanced intelligent network message set information,
wherein the switching device receives and translates the media server instruction message in the third format to a media server instruction message in the second format including the GR-1129 advanced intelligent network message set information, and the gateway controller receives and translates the media server instruction message in the second format to a media server instruction message in the first format including the GR-1129 advanced intelligent network message set information, and
wherein a media server coupled to the gateway controller receives and responds to the media server instruction message in the first format by forming a multi-media communication path with a communication device.
21. A method of processing multi-media service requests, the method comprising:
receiving a request message in a session initiation protocol format for a multi-media service at a gateway controller and translating the request message in the session initiation protocol format into a request message in a diameter-plus format;
receiving the request message in the diameter-plus format at a switching device and translating the request message in the diameter-plus format into a request message in an advanced-intelligent-network transactions capabilities format;
receiving the request message in the advanced-intelligent-network transactions capabilities format at a processor and processing the request message in the advanced-intelligent-network transactions capabilities format at the processor for generating a media server instruction message in the advanced-intelligent-network transactions capabilities format including a GR-1129 advanced intelligent network message set information;
receiving the media server instruction message in the advanced-intelligent-network transactions capabilities format at the switching device and processing the media server instruction message in the advanced-intelligent-network transactions capabilities format at the switching device to translate the media server instruction message into the diameter-plus format including the GR-1129 advanced intelligent network message set information; and
receiving the media server instruction message in the diameter-plus format at the gateway controller, wherein the gateway controller is operative for mapping the GR-1129 advanced intelligent network message set information from the media server instruction message in the diameter-plus format into a media server instruction message in a session initiation protocol format and wherein a media server receives and responds to the media server instruction message in the session initiation protocol format by forming a multi-media communication path with a communication device.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A medical device comprising:
a syringe barrel including a side wall having an inside surface defining a chamber for retaining fluid, an open proximal end and a distal end including a distal wall with a tip extending distally therefrom having an open passageway in fluid communication with said chamber;
a plunger rod comprising a proximal end, a distal end and a body extending from the proximal end to the distal end, the plunger rod disposed within the chamber and moveable in the proximal and distal direction within the chamber, wherein the distal end of the plunger rod includes a tapered neck shaped to form a releasable seal with the opening and the opening includes an undercut that is shaped to receive the tapered neck of the plunger rod;
a stopper assembly disposed within the chamber and moveable in the proximal and distal direction within the chamber, the stopper assembly forming a fluid-tight seal with the inside surface of the syringe barrel, a stopper including a distal face, a proximal end, an expandable portion adjacent to the proximal end comprising a bendable wall formed from an elastomeric material having a spring constant that expands a stopper cavity to create a vacuum within the stopper cavity, and a body extending from the distal face to the proximal end defining the stopper cavity, wherein the stopper is attached to the distal end of the plunger rod and the proximal end of the stopper includes an opening in fluid communication with the stopper cavity, wherein the distal end of the plunger rod is disposed within the stopper cavity and forms a releasable seal with the opening and is proximally and distally moveable within the stopper cavity; and
a porous portion associated with the stopper to permit air to flow into the stopper cavity and to prevent liquid from entering the stopper cavity, the plunger rod and stopper configured to create a pressure differential between the stopper cavity and a portion of the chamber extending from the distal wall and the distal face of the stopper assembly, wherein the porous portion comprises a selective barrier that defines a liquid penetration pressure and an air penetration pressure that is less than the liquid penetration pressure.
2. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising a vent associated with the stopper to release the air from the stopper cavity.
3. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the porous portion comprises one of a hydrophilic filter, hydrophobic filter, a swellable polymer or a combination thereof.
4. The medical device of claim 1, wherein an initial movement of the plunger rod in a proximal direction relative to the stopper forms the releasable seal between the distal end of the plunger rod and the opening, and the expandable portion expands and draws air from the chamber into the stopper cavity through the porous portion disposed between the distal face and the stopper cavity.
5. The medical device of claim 4, wherein upon movement of the plunger rod in a distal direction relative to the stopper subsequent to the initial movement in the proximal direction, the releasable seal is released, allowing the air within the stopper cavity to escape through the opening of the stopper.
6. The medical device of claim 5, wherein the expandable portion is configured so that upon a continuous movement of the plunger rod relative to the stopper in a distal direction, the distal end of the plunger rod blocks the porous portion and prevents air from exiting the stopper cavity through the porous portion.
7. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the stopper further comprises a sealing portion disposed between the distal face and the expandable portion forming a fluid-tight seal with the inside surface of the syringe barrel, the expandable portion configured so that upon an initial movement of the plunger rod in a proximal direction, the sealing portion remains stationary and the expandable portion expands to draw air into the stopper cavity through the porous portion.
8. The medical device of claim 7, wherein the elastomeric material permits expansion of the bendable wall.
9. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the distal face is flexible and flexes concavely during movement of the plunger rod in a proximal direction and flexes convexly during movement of the plunger rod in the distal direction.
10. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the distal face is convexly shaped and conforms to the distal wall of the barrel.
11. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the expandable portion comprises a pump body having a distal end attached to the proximal end of the stopper and a proximal end defining a plunger-engaging portion attached to the proximal end of the plunger rod, the pump body including a wall that defines a pump cavity in fluid communication with the stopper cavity.
12. The medical device of claim 11, wherein the pump body is configured so that upon application of an initial force on the plunger rod in the distal direction relative to the stopper causes the pump body to compress and a release of the initial force on the plunger rod in the distal direction allows the pump body to expand and draw air from the chamber into the stopper cavity through the porous portion disposed between the distal face and the stopper cavity.
13. The medical device of claim 12, wherein the stopper further comprises a sealing portion disposed between the distal face and the expandable portion forming a fluid-tight seal with the inside surface of the syringe barrel, wherein the sealing portion remains stationary as the pump body expands.
14. The medical device of claim 11 wherein the wall comprises a corrugated wall formed from an elastomeric material and has a spring constant that permits expansion of the corrugated wall.
15. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising a first protrusion positioned distally adjacent the tapered neck, a boss member distally adjacent the first protrusion and a second protrusion distally adjacent the boss member.
16. The medical device of claim 15, wherein the first protrusion has a cross-sectional width to prevent separation of the plunger rod from the stopper.
17. The medical device of claim 15, wherein the second protrusion includes a perpendicular face having a cross-sectional width equal to or greater than a cross-sectional width of the porous portion.
18. The medical device of claim 15, wherein the boss member has a length that permits movement of the plunger rod without separation of the plunger rod from the stopper.
19. The medical device of claim 15, wherein the tapered neck has a cross-sectional width that increases from the body of the plunger rod to the first protrusion.
20. The medical device of claim 15, wherein the tapered neck has a cross-sectional width that increases at an angle identical to an angle of the undercut of the stopper.
21. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the tapered neck is contoured so that at least one portion of the tapered neck forms a fluid-tight engagement with the undercut as the plunger rod and stopper move in a proximal direction.