METHOD OF SCHEDULING CONNECTIONS

• US 20020106063A1
• Filed: 08/17/1998
• Published: 08/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: VOUDOURIS, CHRISTOS
• Granted Patent: US 6,516,052 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/114.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2254 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/248 for metering arrangements or prepayment telephone systems metering arrangements per se H04M15/00; prepayment telephone systems per se H04M17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/323 for the arrangements providing the connection (test connection, test call, call simulation)
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/362 Traffic simulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/00 Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of generating call pattern data for scheduling calls between a number of sites connected to a communication network. The call pattern data defines instructions for a number of sites to make a number of connections across the network to other sites over a predetermined period. This is achieved by creating a list of calls to be scheduled and then assigning in turn each of the calls to a source and a destination site. The source site and destination site are selected to satisfy one or a number of call constraint criteria associated with each call. The call pattern data representing the call is then generated and stored on a computer storage medium for subsequent download to the sites.

Claims

1. A method of generating call pattern data for scheduling calls between a number of sites connected to a communication network, where the call pattern data defines instructions for a number of sites to make a number of connections across the network to other sites over a predetermined period, comprising the steps of creating a list of calls to be scheduled, assigning in turn each of the calls to a source site selected from a list of sites and selecting a destination site for each call from the list of sites, the source site and destination site being selected to satisfy one or a number of call constraint criteria associated with each call, and generating and storing the call pattern data on a computer storage medium for subsequent download.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the call constraint criteria comprises an indication of the total number of calls to be made during the predetermined period.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the call constraint criteria comprises an indication of the type of call to be made, the types of call including simple chargeable and simple non-chargeable.

4. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the communications network is divided into a number of zones with the sites being distributed between different zones and wherein the call constraint criteria comprises an indication of the zone from which the calls are to be made.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the call constraint criteria comprises an indication of which zones the sites may be located in to receive the call.

6. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the call constraint criteria comprises an indication of the rate at which calls are to be charged.

7. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the call constraint criteria comprises the requirement that the variation in the utilisation of each site over the predetermined period is minimised.

9. A method of generating calls between a number of sites of a communications network to simulate the day to day running of the network, the method comprising generating call pattern data according to any of the preceding claims, downloading the call pattern data to the number of sites and causing each to respond to the call pattern data to make the calls defined therein.

10. A method of verifying a call charging system of a communications network, the method comprising generating calls between a number of sites of the communications network according to claim 7, generating a theoretical charge for the calls, defined for each site, from the call pattern data and comparing the charges assigned to each site by the call charging system to the theoretical charge generated for each site.

15. Apparatus according to any of claims 11 to 14 for carrying out the method according to any of claims 1 to 8.

20. Apparatus according to claim 18 or claim 19, for carrying out the method according to claim 10.

8. A method of generating call pattern data for scheduling calls substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any of the accompanying drawings.

11. Apparatus for generating call pattern data for scheduling calls between a number of sites connected to a first communications network, where the call pattern data defines instructions for a number of sites to make a number of connections across the first communications network to other sites over a predetermined period, the apparatus comprising a sequencer for creating a list of calls to be scheduled, wherein the sequencer comprises a storage medium for storing data defining a list of sites connected to the first communications network, a processor for assigning in turn each of the calls on the list to a source site selected from the list of sites and selecting a destination site for each call from the list of sites, the source site and destination site being selected to satisfy one or a number of call constraint criteria associated with each call, and an input device for inputting data defining the call constraint criteria into the storage medium, and wherein the call pattern data generated by the processor is stored on the storage medium.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the sequencer further comprises a display, for displaying the call constraint criteria stored in the storage medium.

13. Apparatus according to claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the apparatus further comprises a secondary storage means connected to a second network, and wherein the sequencer is connected to the second network for download of the call pattern data to the secondary storage medium over the second network.

16. Apparatus for generating calls between a number of sites of a communications network to simulate the day to day running of the network, the apparatus comprising apparatus according to any claims 11 to 14 for generating call pattern data, the apparatus further comprising a controller connected to the second network and to the first network, wherein the controller comprises a controller storage medium and a controller processor, the controller processor being adapted to download the call pattern data, from the secondary storage medium, over the second network, to the controller storage medium and then download the call pattern data from the controller storage medium, over the first network, to the number of sites and wherein the number of sites respond to the call pattern data to make the calls defined therein.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16 for carrying out the method according to claim 9.

18. Apparatus for verifying a call charging system of a communications network, the apparatus comprising apparatus according to claim 16 for generating calls between a number of sites of the first communications network, a call charging system connected to the first network for assigning a charge to the calls made by each site, and calculation means for downloading results data generated by each site and stored in the controller storage medium, generating a theoretical charge for the calls for each site in accordance with the results data, downloading the charges assigned to each site from the call charging system and comparing the charges assigned to each site with the theoretical charge generated for each site.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the calculation means comprises a charge generator connected to the second network for downloading the results data and generating the theoretical charge;

and a comparator connected to the second network and the to call charging system for downloading the charges assigned to each site from the call charging system and comparing the charges assigned to each site with the theoretical charge generated for each site.

14. Apparatus for generating call pattern data for scheduling calls substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any of the accompanying drawings.