System and method for accessing busy IP network resources

• US 20040054714A1
• Filed: 09/12/2002
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unify Inc. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Enterprise Communications, Inc. (Atos SE)
• Inventors: Wuerfel, Randy, Michael, Michelle, Crouch, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 7,865,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/503 Resource availability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/505 considering the load
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

An Accessing Busy Resources service is adapted to receive subscription requests from clients for notification of when a busy resource is free, and to monitor network resources to determine if they are free. Upon notification, the Accessing Busy Resources service de-subscribes the client. The network client devices include Access Request units which make requests to access services and receive notification when the services are available.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system, comprising:

a network;

a plurality of network clients;

a plurality of network resources; and

an Accessing Busy Resources (ABR) service, wherein said network clients can subscribe to said ABR service responsive to an unavailability of one of said plurality of network resources and be informed by said ABR service when said network resource is available.

2. A telecommunications system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said ABR service is adapted to maintain a priority for accessing a particular resource among subscribed network clients.

3. A telecommunications system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said ABR service is adapted to maintain a monitoring session to more than one of a same kind of resource responsive to said subscription.

4. A telecommunications system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said ABR service is adapted to terminate a monitoring session when a subscribed client has accessed a subscribed network resource.

5. A telecommunications system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said ABR service is adapted to provide a notification to a next priority user if a first priority user has not responded to a notification within a predetermined period.

6. A telecommunications system in accordance with claim 1, wherein a busy resource provides an address of an Accessing Busy Resources service to a requesting client.

7. A telecommunications method in a network having a plurality of network clients and network resources, comprising:

requesting access to a network resource;

receiving a first notification that said network resource is busy;

subscribing to an Access Busy Resources service for a second notification when said network resource is not busy; and

accessing said network resource responsive to said second notification.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7, said subscribing comprising providing said Access Busy Resources service one or more conditions required of said network service.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein said network resource comprises one or more instances of a same network resource.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, said subscribing further comprising providing said Access Busy Resources service priority information.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein said subscribing comprises receiving an address from the network resource of the Access Busy Resources service.

12. A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein said subscribing comprises the network resource subscribing to the Access Busy Resources service for a requesting user.

13. A telecommunications device, comprising:

an IP telephony interface; and

an access request unit, the access request unit adapted to subscribe to an Access Busy Resources service if a desired network service is unavailable.

14. A telecommunications device in accordance with claim 13, wherein said access request unit is adapted to specify conditions required of said network resource when subscribing.

15. A telecommunications method, comprising:

providing a network;

providing a plurality of network clients;

providing a plurality of network resources; and

providing an Accessing Busy Resources (ABR) service, wherein said network clients can subscribe to said ABR service responsive to an unavailability of one of said plurality of network resources and be informed by said ABR service when said network resource is available.

16. A telecommunications method in accordance with claim 15, wherein said ABR service is adapted to maintain a priority for accessing a particular resource among subscribed network clients.

17. A telecommunications method in accordance with claim 15, wherein said ABR service is adapted to maintain a monitoring session to more than one of a same kind of resource responsive to said subscription.

18. A telecommunications method in accordance with claim 15, wherein said ABR service is adapted to terminate a monitoring session when a subscribed client has accessed a subscribed network resource.