Flow-through using an automated main distribution frame

• US 20040137897A1
• Filed: 05/06/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 9183-6387 Quebec Inc.
• Original Assignee: 9183-6387 Quebec Inc.
• Inventors: Teixeira, Joe
• Application Number:
  US10/429,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20040137897A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/145 with switches arranged in a matrix configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/147 using robots for distributing

Abstract

An AMDF supporting Flow-Through management, allows a telecommunications provider OSS to maximize the automation of provisioning subscribers to services. Accordingly once a subscriber order is entered into the OSS, the remainder of the provisioning process may be automated, where-by the OSS communicates the connect and/or disconnect order to the AMDF EMS, which in turn communications with the AMDF controller and finally the AMDF performs the required cross connect. Upon completion of the cross-connect the AMDF would report the completion to the OSS, in order for the OSS to update its provisioning database. With Flow-Through automation, errors typically introduced due to human error are drastically reduced or may even be eliminated altogether.

The overall time, cost and associated errors to provision a subscriber using an AMDF supporting Flow-Through as compared to today'"'"'s fully manual method will be significantly lower, leading to a significant increase in subscriber satisfaction. ILECs will also be in a much better position to honor their responsibilities toward the CLECs with respect to providing service in a timely and cost effective manner.

Claims

1. An automated facility for making telecommunications connections based on remote management, comprising:

an automated main distribution frame operative to create interconnections, in accordance with connection signals, between a plurality of subscriber lines and a plurality of exchange lines extending to a central office; and

a controller operative to receive control signals from a remote management facility and to issue connection signals to the automated main distribution frame to change the interconnections.

2. The automated facility according to claim 1, further comprising:

local equipment having ports connected to the automated main distribution frame;

wherein the automated main distribution frame selectively connects subscriber lines to the local equipment ports based on the connection signals.

3. The automated facility according to claim 1, wherein connection signals are operative to change the interconnections by making at least one connection.

4. The automated facility according to claim 1, wherein connection signals are operative to change the interconnections by breaking at least one connection.

5. The automated facility according to claim 1, wherein the controller is coupled to the remote management facility via a network link.

6. The automated facility according to claim 5, wherein the network link is physically implemented as a telecommunications line.

7. The automated facility according to claim 5, wherein the network link is physically implemented as an optical link.

8. The automated facility according to claim 5, wherein the network link is physically implemented as a wireless link.

9. The automated facility according to claim 1, wherein the remote management facility includes a server having management software that initiates changes of connections within the automated main distribution frame.

10. The automated facility according to claim 9, further comprising:

a central office OSS that communicates work order information to the management software to initiate a change of connections within the automated main distribution frame.

11. The automated facility according to claim 9, wherein the OSS is part of the management software.

12. The automated facility according to claim 9, wherein the OSS is not part of the management software.

13. The automated facility according to claim 1, wherein the controller performs a protocol translation between the remote management system and the automated main distribution frame.

14. The automated facility according to claim 9, wherein the controller may be controlled over the network by another computer.

15. The automated facility according to claim 1, wherein the controller includes a craft port allowing it to be locally controlled by a technician.

16. The automated facility according to claim 1, wherein the facility is located in a manned central office.

17. The automated facility according to claim 1, wherein the facility is located in an unmanned central office.

18. The automated facility according to claim 1, wherein the facility is located in a remote terminal.

19. The automated facility according to claim 1, wherein the facility is located in a multi-tenant building.

20. The automated facility according to claim 1, wherein the AMDF comprises a matrix of cross-points used to establish the physical connections.

21. The automated facility according to claim 20, wherein one of relays, micro-relays, stepper motors which insert and remove conductive pins in a hole, solid state switches, and optical switches are used as the basic AMDF cross-point component arranged in a matrix.

22. The automated facility according to claim 20, wherein the cross-points are arranged in a single tier (or cross-bar) matrix architecture.

23. The automated facility according to claim 20, wherein the cross-points are arranged in a three tier matrix architecture.

24. The automated facility according to claim 20, wherein the cross-points are arranged in a banyan tier matrix architecture.

25. A method of automating telecommunications customer service changes, comprising:

receiving an electronic work order from an OSS that identifies an automated main distribution frame facility and a subscriber line for a change; and

issuing a command to the automated main distribution frame for remotely changing the subscriber line connection according to the work order.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the work order further specifies an office equipment line for connecting to the subscriber line through the automated main distribution frame.

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein the work order further specifies a port of office equipment for connecting to the subscriber line through the automated main distribution frame.

28. The method according to claim 25, further comprising:

making the connection change within the automated main distribution frame based on the command.

29. The method according to claim 28, further comprising:

sending a message to the telecommunications service provider indicating that the connection within the automated main distribution frame has been made.

30. The method according to claim 25, wherein the command is automatically issued based on the work order.

31. The method according to claim 25, wherein the command is issued based, on the work order, by a technician processing work orders from a terminal.

32. A method of automating telecommunications customer service changes, comprising:

generating a work order that identifies a facility and a subscriber line for a change;

determining whether the facility is equipped to support flow through processing; and

issuing electronically the work order to a management system to automatically make the change when the facility is determined to support flow through processing.

33. The method according to claim 32, further comprising:

issuing electronically the work order to a management system for queuing and terminal processing when the facility is determined to be automated but to not support flow through processing.

34. The method according to claim 32, further comprising:

issuing electronically the work order to a management system for queuing and printing by a service technician when the facility is determined not to be automated.

35. The method according to claim 32, further comprising:

receiving an indication from the management system that the change has been made successfully.

36. The method according to claim 35, further comprising:

updating a database to reflect the changed connections within the facility based on the indication.

37. The method according to claim 32, further comprising:

receiving an indication from the management system that the change has not been made successfully.

38. The method according to claim 37, further comprising:

generating an alarm based on the indication from the management system that the change has not been made successfully.

39. The method according to claim 32, further comprising:

entering into a terminal subscriber information upon which to based a change in subscriber connections; and

generating the work order based on the subscriber information.

40. The method according to claim 39, further comprising:

identifying connections and the facility that houses the connections for changes based on the subscriber information; and

adding the facility and connections to the work order in the generating step.

41. The method according to claim 40, further comprising:

determining whether the facility identified includes an automated main distribution frame for handling the connections; and

adding an indication that the facility is automated to the work order in the generating step when the facility is determined to include an automated main distribution frame for handling the connections.