Distributed identity server for use in a telecommunication switch

• US 20030125059A1
• Filed: 12/31/2001
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Collins, David Allan
• Granted Patent: US 7,366,521 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/509
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A controller for allocating call identity values to call connections associated with a switch, wherein the switch handles call connections between calling devices and called devices on trunk lines associated with the switch. The controller comprises N call application nodes for executing identity server applications that allocate call identity values to the call connections, wherein a first identity server application is executed on a first call application node and is associated with a second identity server applications executed on a second call application node separate from the first call application node. The first and second identity server applications form a load sharing group server application, wherein the load sharing group server application receives a call identity request from a new call process being executed in the switch and selects one of the first and second identity server applications to allocate a call identity value to a new call connection associated with the call identity request according to a load distribution algorithm.

Claims

1. A controller for allocating call identity values to call connections associated with a switch, said switch capable of handling call connections between calling devices and called devices on a plurality of trunk lines associated with said switch, said controller comprising:

N call application nodes capable of executing a plurality of identity server applications that allocate call identity values to said call connections, wherein a first one of said plurality of identity server applications is executed on a first one of said N call application nodes and is associated with a second one of said plurality of identity server applications executed on a second one of said N call application nodes separate from said first call application node, said first and second identity server applications thereby forming a load sharing group server application, and

wherein said load sharing group server application receives a call identity request from a new call process being executed in said switch and selects one of said first and second identity server applications to allocate a call identity value to a new call connection associated with said call identity request according to a load distribution algorithm.

2. The controller as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first identity server application allocates call identity values having a first contiguous range and said second identity server application allocates call identity values having a second contiguous range different than said first contiguous range.

3. The controller as set forth in claim 2 wherein said load distribution algorithm distributes new call identity requests in an alternating manner between said first and second identity server applications.

4. The controller as set forth in claim 2 wherein said load distribution algorithm distributes new call identity requests according to a current processing load of said first identity server application and a current processing load of said second identity server application.

5. The controller as set forth in claim 4 wherein said load distribution algorithm distributes said new call identity requests in order to maintain said current processing load of said first identity server application at a level substantially equal to said current processing load of said second identity server application.

6. The controller as set forth in claim 2 wherein said first identity server application comprises a first primary-backup group server application, wherein said first primary-backup group server application comprises a first primary identity server application executed on said first call application node and a first backup identity server application associated with said first primary identity server application.

7. The controller as set forth in claim 6 wherein call state information associated with said first primary identity server application is mirrored to said first backup identity server application associated with said first primary identity server application.

8. The controller as set forth in claim 7 wherein said first backup identity server application resides on said first call application node.

9. The controller as set forth in claim 7 wherein said first backup identity server application resides on a call application node separate from said first call application node.

10. The controller as set forth in claim 2 wherein said second identity server application comprises a second primary-backup group server application, wherein said second primary-backup group server application comprises a second primary identity server application executed on said second call application node and a second backup identity server application associated with said second primary identity server application.

11. The controller as set forth in claim 10 wherein state information associated with said second primary call process is mirrored to said second backup call process associated with said second primary call process.

12. The controller as set forth in claim 11 wherein said second backup identity server application resides on said second call application node.

13. The controller as set forth in claim 11 wherein said second backup identity server application resides on a call application node separate from said second call application node.

14. A wireless network comprising:

a plurality of base stations capable of communicating with a plurality of mobile stations in a coverage are of said wireless network; and

a mobile switching center coupled to said plurality of base stations and to a public switched telephone network by a plurality of trunk lines, said mobile switching center comprising a controller for allocating call identity values to call connections associated with a mobile station, said controller comprising;

N call application nodes capable of executing a plurality of identity server applications that allocate call identity values to said call connections, wherein a first one of said plurality of identity server applications is executed on a first one of said N call application nodes and is associated with a second one of said plurality of identity server applications executed on a second one of said N call application nodes separate from said first call application node, said first and second identity server applications thereby forming a load sharing group server application, and

wherein said load sharing group server application receives a call identity request from a new call process being executed in said switch and selects one of said first and second identity server applications to allocate a call identity value to a new call connection associated with said call identity request according to a load distribution algorithm.

15. The wireless network as set forth in claim 14 wherein said first identity server application allocates call identity values having a first contiguous range and said second identity server application allocates call identity values having a second contiguous range different than said first contiguous range.

16. The wireless network as set forth in claim 15 wherein said load distribution algorithm distributes new call identity requests in an alternating manner between said first and second identity server applications.

17. The wireless network as set forth in claim 15 wherein said load distribution algorithm distributes new call identity requests according to a current processing load of said first identity server application and a current processing load of said second identity server application.

18. The wireless network as set forth in claim 17 wherein said load distribution algorithm distributes said new call identity requests in order to maintain said current processing load of said first identity server application at a level substantially equal to said current processing load of said second identity server application.

19. The wireless network as set forth in claim 15 wherein said first identity server application comprises a first primary-backup group server application, wherein said first primary-backup group server application comprises a first primary identity server application executed on said first call application node and a first backup identity server application associated with said first primary identity server application.

20. The wireless network as set forth in claim 19 wherein call state information associated with said first primary identity server application is mirrored to said first backup identity server application associated with said first primary identity server application.

21. The wireless network as set forth in claim 20 wherein said first backup identity server application resides on said first call application node.

22. The wireless network as set forth in claim 20 wherein said first backup identity server application resides on a call application node separate from said first call application node.

23. The wireless network as set forth in claim 15 wherein said second identity server application comprises a second primary-backup group server application, wherein said second primary-backup group server application comprises a second primary identity server application executed on said second call application node and a second backup identity server application associated with said second primary identity server application.

24. The wireless network as set forth in claim 23 wherein state information associated with said second primary call process is mirrored to said second backup call process associated with said second primary call process.

25. The wireless network as set forth in claim 24 wherein said second backup identity server application resides on said second call application node.

26. The wireless network as set forth in claim 24 wherein said second backup identity server application resides on a call application node separate from said second call application node.