Methods and apparatus for determining one or more access points in a communication system

• US 20040177137A1
• Filed: 02/28/2003
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unify Inc. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Information And Communication Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Manzardo, Marcel
• Granted Patent: US 7,506,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a system, method, apparatus, means, and computer program code for designing a communication system. According to embodiments of the present invention, the communication system may include a number of locations, each of which has a known or expected number of users but an unknown number of needed access points. Each access point in the communication system may be treated as an individual switch with a limited number of connections (e.g., line connections, gateway channels), even though the number of required access points per location is unknown and the number of users per access point is unknown. As part of the design or determination process, inventory information for one or more locations may be determined. The traffic to and from an access point at the location may depend on the inventory information, which can be used to determine the number of access points needed for the location.

Claims

1. A method for determining the number of users for an access point, comprising:

(a) determining inventory information for a location having a known number of users;

(b) establishing a number of users for an access point for said location to an initial value, wherein said initial value does not exceed the maximum number of users supportable by the access point;

(c) determining a number of channels required for said access point based on said number of users and said inventory information; and

(d) changing said number of users for said access point and repeating (c) until such time as a highest number of users is established for said access point while said access point'"'"'s channel capacity is not exceeded.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said inventory information includes at least one of the following:

information regarding a number of users at said location;

information regarding types of users at said location;

information regarding other locations;

information regarding traffic for said location;

information regarding voice mail needs for users at said location;

information regarding a community of interest factor for said location; and

information regarding trunking needs for said location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said changing said number of users includes increasing said number of users if said access point'"'"'s channel capacity is not exceeded.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said changing said number of users includes decreasing said number of users for said access point if said access point'"'"'s channel capacity is exceeded.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said changing said number of users includes increasing said number of users for said access point by an amount equal to a number of users supportable by a line card in said access point.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a number of channels needed for a main switch, said main switch being in communication with said access point.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a number of access points needed for said location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining inventory information for a location includes providing an interface, wherein said interface is adapted to receive data indicative of said inventory information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said interface is adapted to provide data indicative of a number of access points needed for said location.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said interface is adapted to provide data indicative of said highest number of users for said access point.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said interface is adapted to provide data indicative of a number of channels established for said access point.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing a number of users for an access point for said location to an initial value includes establishing a number of users of a single user type for said access point to said initial value.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said determining a number of channels required for said access point based on said number of users and said inventory information includes determining a number of channels required for said access point based on said number of users, said inventory information, and said single user type.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said changing said number of users and repeating (c) until such time as a highest number of users is established for said access point while said access point'"'"'s channel capacity is not exceeded includes changing said number users for said single user type for said access point.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining a number of channels required for said access point based on said number of users and said inventory information includes determining at least one traffic parameter associated with said access point based on said number of users and said inventory information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said at least one traffic parameter includes at least one of the following:

traffic from said access point to other locations;

traffic to said access point from other locations;

traffic from said access point to other access points in said location;

traffic to said access point from other access points in said location; and

trunk traffic into a local communication network.

17. A method for determining a number of users for an access point, comprising:

(a) determining inventory information for a location having a known number of users;

(b) setting a number of users for a single user type associated with said access point to zero;

(c) clearing a flag;

(d) increasing said number of users of said single user type associated with said access point;

(e) calculating at least one traffic parameter for said access point based on said number of users of said single user type associated with said access point;

(f) determining a number of channels needed for said access point based, at least in part, on said number of users of said single user type and said traffic parameters;

(g) if said number of channels determined in (f) exceeds said access point'"'"'s channel capacity;

then setting said flag, decreasing said number of users of said single user type associated with said access point and returning to (e); and

(h) if said number of channels determined in (f) does not exceed said access point'"'"'s channel capacity and said flag has not been set, returning to (d).

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining a number of access points for said location if said number of channels determined in (f) does not exceed said access point'"'"'s channel capacity and said flag has been set.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said determining inventory information for a location includes providing an interface, wherein said interface is adapted to receive data indicative of said inventory information.

20. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for determining a number of users for an access point, comprising:

first instructions for implementing an interface, said interface being adapted to receive data indicative of inventory information for a location;

second instructions for determining a number of users of a single user type for an access point for said location to an initial value, wherein said initial value does not exceed the maximum number of users supportable by the access point;

third instructions for identifying a number of channels required for said access point based on said number of users and said inventory information;

fourth instructions for adjusting said number of users of said single user type until such time as a highest number of users is established for said access point while said access point'"'"'s channel capacity is not exceeded; and

wherein said interface is adapted to provide data indicative of said highest number of users for said access point.

21. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for determining a number of users for an access point, comprising:

first instructions for obtaining data indicative of inventory information for a location;

second instructions for setting a number of users of a single user type for an access point for said location to an initial value, wherein said initial value does not exceed the maximum number of users supportable by the access point;

third instructions for identifying a number of channels required for said access point based on said number of users and said inventory information;

fourth instructions for adjusting said number of users of said single user type until such time as a highest number of users is established for said access point while said access point'"'"'s channel capacity is not exceeded; and

fifth instructions for providing data indicative of said highest number of users for said access point.

22. A system for determining a number of users for an access point, comprising:

a memory;

a communication port;

a processor in communication with said memory and said communication port, said processor being operative to;

receive data indicative of inventory information for a location;

establish a number of users of a single user type for an access point for said location to an initial value, wherein said initial value does not exceed the maximum number of users supportable by the access point;

determine a number of channels required for said access point based on said number of users and said inventory information;

change said number of users of said single user type until such time as a highest number of users is established for said access point while said access point'"'"'s channel capacity is not exceeded; and

provide data indicative of said highest number of users for said access point.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said processor is operative to provide an interface, said interface being adapted to receive said data indicative of said inventory information for said location.

24. The system of claim 23, said interface being adapted to provide said data indicative of said highest number of users for said access point.