New management methods for feature and preference interactions

Abstract

This paper deals with a complicated Feature Interactions (FI) problem that results from new emerging telecommunications architectures, IP telephony for example. That is because these architectures introduce new complications since service providers and end users have the possibility to express their preferences in more sophisticated ways and non telephony applications are combined with telephony services. The article provides examples of new FI that have not been reported before. The main contribution of this work is that it proposes new FI management methods that are required to solve the new FI complications. Old management methods are also considered and some of them are enhanced in order to adapt to the new problem context. Intelligence requirements necessary to implement the proposed management model are finally underlined. © IFIP International Federation for Information Processing 2003.