Value-added network switching and object routing

• US 20020007406A1
• Filed: 02/23/2001
• Published: 01/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lakshmi Arunachalam
• Original Assignee: WebXchange Incorporated
• Inventors: Arunachalam, Lakshmi
• Granted Patent: US 7,340,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/18 Delegation of network management function, e.g. customer network management [CNM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for providing real-time, two-way transactional capabilities on the network. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention discloses a configurable value-added network switch for enabling real-time transactions on the network. The configurable value added network switch comprises means for switching to a transactional application in response to a user specification from a network application, means for transmitting a transaction request from the transactional application, and means for processing the transaction request. Additionally, a method for enabling object routing is disclosed, comprising the steps of creating a virtual information store containing information entries and attributes associating each of the information entries and the attributes with an object identity, and assigning a unique network address to each of the object identities. Finally, a method is disclosed for enabling service management of the value-added network service, to perform OAM&P functions on the services network.

Claims

1. A configurable value-added network switch for enabling real-time transactions on the World Wide Web, said configurable value added network switch comprising:

means for switching to a transactional application in response to a user specification from a network application;

means for transmitting a transaction request from said transactional application; and

means for processing said transaction request.

2. The configurable value-added network switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for switching further comprises:

means for receiving said user specification;

means for enabling a switch to said transactional application; and

means for activating said transactional application.

3. The configurable value-added network switch as claimed in claim 2 wherein means for activating said transactional application further includes means for creating a transaction link between said user application and said transactional application.

4. The configurable value-added network switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for processing said transaction request further comprises means for coupling said means for transmitting to a host.

5. The configurable value-added network switch as claimed in claim 4 wherein said host contains data corresponding to said transaction request.

41. The configurable value-added network switch as claimed in claim 1 further including a means for automated state management and service network control.

42. The configurable value-added network switch as claimed in claim 1 further including a means for automating a transaction from end to end in real time.

43. The configurable value-added network switch as claimed in claim 1 further including a means for keeping a transaction captive for content aggregation.

44. The configurable value-added network switch as claimed in claim 1 further including a means for intelligently connecting a transaction for usage-based services.

45. The configurable value-added network switch as claimed in claim 1 further including a means for connecting the subscriber to multiple content publishers backend network nodes.

46. The configurable value-added network switch as claimed in claim 1 further including a means for dynamic virtual packaging.

47. The configurable value-added network switch as claimed in claim 1 further including a means for creating a value-added service specific virtual private network of remote service partners.

6. A method for configuring a value-added network switch on the network, said method for configuring said value-added network switch comprising the steps of:

switching to a transactional application in response to a user specification from a network application;

transmitting a transaction request from said transactional application; and

processing said transaction request.

7. The method for configuring said value-added network switch as claimed in claim 6 wherein said step of switching further comprises the steps of:

receiving said user specification;

enabling a switch to said transactional application; and

activating said transactional application.

8. The method for configuring said value-added network switch as claimed in claim 7 wherein said step of activating said transactional application further includes the step of creating a transaction link between said user application and said transactional application.

9. The method for configuring said value-added network switch as claimed in claim 6 wherein said step of processing said transaction request further comprises the step of transmitting said transaction request to a host.

10. The method for configuring said value-added network switch as claimed in claim 9 wherein said host contains data corresponding to said transaction request.

48. The method as claimed in claim 6 further including a step of automating state management and service network control.

49. The method as claimed in claim 6 further including a step of automating a transaction from end to end in real time.

50. The method as claimed in claim 6 further including a step of keeping a transaction captive for content aggregation.

51. The method as claimed in claim 6 further including a step of intelligently connecting a transaction for usage-based services.

52. The method as claimed in claim 6 further including a step of connecting the subscriber to multiple content publishers backend network nodes.

53. The method as claimed in claim 6 further including a step of dynamic virtual packaging.

54. The method as claimed in claim 6 further including a step of creating a value-added service specific virtual private network of remote service partners.

11. A configurable value-added network system for enabling real-time transactions on the network, said configurable value-added network system comprising:

means for switching to a transactional application in response to a user specification from a user application;

means for activating an agent to create a transaction link between said user application and said transactional application;

means for transmitting a transaction request from said transactional application; and

a host for processing said transaction request and retrieving data corresponding to said transaction request.

12. A method for enabling object routing on the network, said method for enabling object routing comprising the steps of:

creating a virtual information store containing information entries and attributes; and

associating each of said information entries and said attributes with an object identity.

13. The method in claim 12 further comprising the step of utilizing a unique network address to route said object identity on the network.

14. The method in claim 12 further comprising the step of utilizing a unique network address to route said object identity on the Internet.

15. The method in claim 12 wherein said step of associating each of said information entries and said attributes with said object identity further includes the step of storing a name, a syntax and an encoding for said object identity.

16. The method in claim 15 wherein said name of said object identity specifies an object type.

17. The method in claim 16 wherein said object type and an object instance uniquely identify an instantiation of said object type.

18. The method in claim 17 wherein said syntax defines a data structure for said object type.

19. The method in claim 12 further comprising the step of utilizing said object identity to perform Operations, Administration, Maintenance &

Provisioning (OAM&

P) functions.

20. An object router on the network, said object router comprising:

means for creating a virtual information store containing information entries and attributes; and

means for associating each of said information entries and said attributes with an object identity.

21. The object router in claim 20 further comprising means for utilizing a unique network address to route said object identity on the network.

22. The object router in claim 20 further comprising means for utilizing a unique network address to route said object identity on the Internet.

23. The object router in claim 20 wherein said means for associating each of said information entries and said attributes with said object identity further includes means for storing a name, a syntax and an encoding for said object identity.

24. The object router in claim 23 wherein said name of said object identity specifies an object type.

25. The object router in claim 24 wherein said object type and an object instance uniquely identify an instantiation of said object type.

26. The object router in claim 25 wherein said syntax defines a data structure for said object type.

27. The object router in claim 20 further comprising the step of utilizing said object identity to perform Operations, Administration, Maintenance &

Provisioning (OAM&

P) functions.

28. An object router including a Distributed Online Service Information Base (DOLSIB) on a network, said object router DOLSIB comprising:

means for creating a virtual information store containing information entries and attributes;

means for associating each of said information entries and said attributes with an object identity;

means for describing events and actions of an object identified by said object identity using a DOLSIB language construct; and

means for interpreting said DOLSIB language construct describing said events and actions of an object.

29. The object router DOLSIB in claim 28 further comprising means for parsing said DOLSIB language construct.

30. The object router DOLSIM in claim 28 further comprising means for utilizing a unique network address to route said object identity on the network.

31. The object router DOLSIB in claim 28 wherein said means for associating each of said information entries and said attributes with said object identity further includes means for storing a name, a syntax and an encoding for said object identity.

32. The object router DOLSIB in claim 31 wherein said name of said object identity specifies an object type.

33. The object router DOLSIB in claim 32 wherein said object type and an object instance uniquely identify an instantiation of said object type.

34. A method comprising:

switching to a transactional application in response to a user specification from a user application;

activating an agent to create a transaction link between said user application and said transactional application;

transmitting a transaction request from said transactional application; and

processing said transaction request and retrieving data corresponding to said transaction request.

35. A method comprising:

creating a virtual information store containing information entries and attributes;

associating each of said information entries and said attributes with an object identity;

describing events and actions of an object identified by said object identity using a DOLSIB language construct; and

interpreting said DOLSIB language construct describing said events and actions of an object.

36. The method in claim 35 further comprising parsing said DOLSIB language construct.

37. The method in claim 35 further comprising utilizing a unique network address to route said object identity on the network.

38. The method in claim 35 wherein said associating each of said information entries and said attributes with said object identity further includes storing a name, a syntax and an encoding for said object identity.

39. The method in claim 38 wherein said name of said object identity specifies an object type.

40. The method in claim 39 wherein said object type and an object instance uniquely identify an instantiation of said object type.